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 Middle and
Lower North
Island photos ...... |
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| On a typical tour south from
Auckland through the Central North Island to Wellington and the South Island
the Central North Island region (the volcanic
plateau) is usually the main focus of our time. This includes Rotorua
City, Lake
Taupo (an enormous volcanic crater and largest lake in New Zealand) and the Central North Island volcanoes
of the Tongariro National Park (Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu). |
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| Rotorua has an immense
range of geothermal attractions, Maori Cultural activities, thermal pools and spas, forest walks, and in the districts
surrounding Rotorua and Taupo numerous lakes, dormant volcanic peaks, active eruption sites with
geysers, boiling lakes, boiling mud and hot mineral streams etc. |
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| This region has been the
site of some of the greatest volcanic eruptions anywhere on earth over the
past five thousand years. The most recent major explosion of Mt. Tarawera occurred
in 1886 ejecting vast quantities of debris into the atmosphere, spreading over a
large area of the Central North Island, leaving a great chasm in Mt. Tarawera
and creating the Waimungu Thermal Valley This Tarawera eruption was larger than Mount St. Helens of North America which erupted in 1980 yet
small compared to the most recent Lake Taupo eruption of 181 AD, the effects of which
were recorded in European and Chinese history. |
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| Today Lake Taupo is
renowned for trout fishing and as a popular stopover on the journey south
for a variety of local attractions including the mighty Huka Falls where the
Waikato River flowing from Lake Taupo flows through a narrow gorge. |
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| South from Lake Taupo
active volcanic peaks such as Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu and Tongariro
National Park provide multiple opportunities for outdoor recreational
activities such as winter snow skiing and all year tramping (hiking/trekking/walking) self-guided for the
experienced or with professional local guides. Elsewhere much
of the North Island is rugged hill country once covered in indigenous native
forest - today sheep, cattle, deer, dairy farming and also vast areas of
exotic plantation forests. |
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| To the the far west of
the middle North Island is the solitary dormant volcanic cone known
alternatively as Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont. Surrounded by rich fertile
rolling green hills Taranaki is one of the most important dairy farming
regions. In contrast the far east of the North Island is mostly rugged and
mountainous hill country with large areas of indigenous native forest
remaining in Te Urewera National Park and Raukumara Forest Park of East
Cape. Raukumara Forest Park, inland from Ruatoria to the north of
Gisborne City also includes Mount Hikurangi. Sacred to the local Maori of
the Ngati Porou tribe, Mount Hikurangi, the highest non-volcanic peak in the
North Island, is also the first point on the New Zealand mainland to greet the
sun each day and therefore one of the first points on earth to greet the sun
each day. Gisborne City (first city of the sun) being the most easterly
city in the world. The East Coast north from Gisborne is renowned for golden
sandy beaches and also in recent times the film location and origin of the
internationally renowned film "Whale Rider". |
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| Te Urewera National
Park, the largest area of indigenous native forest in the North Island is
wild and rugged with many opportunities for adventurous walkers or for
travellers pleasant
photo stops along the mostly unsealed metal highway through this remote area
to Lake Waikaremoana (Sea of Rippling Waters) and another of the
Great Walks of our major National Parks for professionally guided walkers or
freedom walkers (self-guided). |
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| Capital City Wellington
is departure point from the North Island for the continuation of our journey
south. |
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