On this trek
you will experience it all - from the magnificent, world-renowned podocarp
forest of the Whirinaki Forest Park to the beautiful Lake
Waikaremoana along part of one of New Zealand's great walks.
From Rotorua
we travel about 1.5hrs to the start of the trek near the Maori
settlement of Minginui. We enter the Whirinaki Forest following
a loop trail through enormous podocarp trees including rimu,
matai, miro, kahikatea and more. Along the way you will experience the
abundance of native birdlife including bellbirds, tui, kereru,
kaka, and sometimes the endangered whio (blue duck). Your guide will share stories about the
history of the region, as well as point out many of the native
plants used by Maori for traditional foods and rongoa
(medicine).
On day one
we overnight in a comfortable
private bush camp with hot
showers, a BBQ dinner and good New Zealand wine. On day two we
head to the beautiful Lake Waikaremoana in Te Urewera National
Park. Over the next two days we enjoy stunning views of the lake
as we follow a well formed trail through a mix of podocarp and dense
beech forest, with our overnight stay at a comfortable DOC camp.
Our journey back to Rotorua includes an optional stop off
at a natural thermal spring.
This trek
is on well formed trails requiring a good level of fitness with
about 5 hours hiking each
day.
A range of treks are scheduled
between October and April.
Fitness
level needed: good
Degree of
difficulty: moderate
Price:
NZ$875 adults, NZ$725 children (10-12 years)
Pick up
at 9am in Rotorua and drop off back in Rotorua about 6pm on
day three
All
meals
All park
and hut fees
All
camping equipment (tents, sleeping bags, sleeping bag
liners, mattresses, etc)
Maximum
group size of twelve
At least
one local Tuhoe guide
Optional natural hot pool dip
Tree Planting Option
In
conjunction with local Maori, Te Urewera Treks is committed to
restoring native trees to areas of Te Urewera previously
stripped by logging. If you would like to help in this endeavour,
we offer a native tree planting option as part of this three-day trek for an additional
NZ$100. Visit
www.restorerainforest.comfor more information on the Te Urewera Rainforest
Restoration Project that we are involved with.
Good
walking boots or shoes, preferably with ankle support
Overnight pack to carry your drink bottle, clothing,
and personal items
Drink
bottle filled with water
Sunscreen, insect repellent, sunglasses and hat
Torch
Layers
of clothing e.g. woollen or polypropylene T-shirt,
long-sleeved sweater or fleece, and a waterproof jacket
(additional warm clothes recommended for the evening - it
can get cold)
Long,
lightweight trousers are recommended
Don't
forget your camera or video camera
We can
also store personal belongings that you don't want to carry
with you on the trek
