Probably the highlight of the trip.
Something that G was doubtful that I could do....but then relented after my many mornings of slogging the firetrails around here.
It's a 19km walk, past volcanic cones and the most inbelievable-coloured lakes.
There are lots of ups and downs.
There are also lots of people as it is THE best day walk in NZ (and possibly THE World).
You will not get a feeling of wilderness exploration....but what you will get is gaspingly gorgeous scenery, a sense of achievement and a lot of happy puffing people to chat to along the way.
It is part of a network of tracks around Mount....(Mount Doom, from Lord of the Rings - yes, really!)
It is best walked from....to ...as you start higher and finisher lower....and it is a very,very long descent.
There are shuttle buses to take you from your car to the start of the walk, it is all terribly well organised.
(Unless you are 3 young euro au pairs who hitched a lift with us)
2. Waitomo Caves
G did an adventurous abseil/caving thingy. I did a pretty glowworm cave and another cave with stalactites and stalagmites.
As a canyoner from way-back G wasn't super-duper impressed with his tour but he has a highish thrill-threshold.
There were some raw beginners who had to learn how to abseil and even one person who couldn't swim! Interesting when it came to the water challenge!
But they all survived and I think it would be a good experience if you wanted to challenge yourself.
My tour included a rubber-ducky "ride" in a fantastic glowworm cave.
The boat is actually tethered which is comforting when you hear the sounds of what-seems-to-be-a-waterfall. Even that was too much for a lady in my group.
It is dark. So you cannot see. But the ceiling and walls of the cave are covered with glowworms.
After a cuppa and bickies we walked along to the second cave which has the formations, and some bones!
Our tour guide was very chatty and filled us in on the local stuff.
3. Rotorua
Yes, yes, you all know about Rotorua - hot springs, Geysers and all that stuff.....and that was all really great,
but the very-best-thing was the zip-lining through the native forest.
OH! MY! WORD!!
This pushed my limits a bit....but what fun!
Whooshing through the forest canopy, hugging 2000 year old trees.
Learning how the tour operators are renewing the forest and ridding it of pests.
We were the only ones on the afternoon tour, and there were 3 guides. It drizzled. Then it rained.
And it was still THE MOST AMAZING FUN.
4. Napier
From one extreme to the other really.
So totally civilised. Napier is an amazing town full, yes, totally full of art deco buildings.
Plus there are wineries all around - this is the Hawkes Bay wine area. There are bike paths and great cafes and
a fab little crafty shop.
I could have stayed longer here.
5. Bay of Islands and Waitangi
So this is cheating a bit because they are two great spots but you can see them both from the comfort of a central accomodation.
To see the Bay of Islands properly you need to get on a boat.
They will tell you that you'll see dolphins and all sorts of ocean life.....yesh, well...they do give you a lifetime voucher to return
As if!
6. Cape Reinga
I'm a nerd. I admit it. A geography nerd.
The most southerly, most westerly, the confluence of, the source of etc....and I'm THERE!
So Cape Reinga is THE most northerly point of New Zealand.
7. Kauri forest.
Big trees.
Big old trees.
They are like the trees from Avatar - you expect to see a colony of people living in them.
It rained.
which possibly made it even more atmospheric.
*North Island only!
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