|
Enjoy but don't underestimate.
New Zealand is a great place for tramping - there's an excellent network
of huts, hundreds of kilometres of tracks, a wild variety of
heart-rendingly beautiful scenery, no snakes or dangerous animals, hardly
any creepy-crawlies to speak of and the locals are friendly (although car
theft from trackheads remains an issue).
However, NZ is a small landmass in a vast ocean and in the path of the
circum-polar wind tunnel that moves the weather systems around this part
of the globe, so our weather can be extremely changeable. At almost any
time of year, a southerly wind change can drop the temperature in the
bush by 5 to 10 degrees within an hour. Rivers and streams, especially on
the west coast, rise quickly after heavy rain.
People die every year in the New Zealand bush - don't let it be you. Know
your capabilities. Know where you're going (and tell someone else like
the local DOC office). Give yourself a safety margin (basic survival
gear, extra food, maybe a cellphone or mountain radio). Check the
conditions with the local DOC office (Department of Conservation) and
enjoy.
We endeavour to get away tramping a couple of times a year. Because we
live in Auckland, we haven't been down to the South Island
much, though we hope to do so again soon. The Waitakere Ranges to the
west of Auckland have some excellent bushwalking and camping
opportunities. If you're in Auckland, you should check them out.
Tramping in the North Island: Galleries and
articles
»
Kaimanawa
A rugged forest park in the central North Island with beech forest and
alpine tops. The north-east part of the park is relatively gentle,
sheltered country, while the south-west part is mountainous and exposed.
It's popular for hunting in the season and there are trout in the rivers.
Having said that, it's much quieter than the nearby Tongariro National
Park. These photos are from the south-west section.
»
Lake Waikaremoana
Lake Waikaremoana (Sea of rippling waters) covers 55 square kilometres
of the 2120-square-km Urewera National Park. The lake is at 582 metres
and is surrounded by dense forest. The walk around the western and
southern sides of the lake is a DOC 'Great Walk', so you need to book
places in the huts before you go. The scenery is beautiful, the huts are
good and the track is great.
Waikaremoana 5 days tramping: December 2000
»
Mt Ruapehu
Mt Ruapehu (elevation 2797 metres) is the highest mountain in the North
Island and is an active volcano - last erupting in a major way in 1995.
Thousands of people go skiing there every winter. It has beech forest,
alpine areas (of course) and an interesting desert on its eastern slopes.
Mt Ruapehu Six days Tramping: Round Ruapehu
»
Tongariro
Our first national park (gifted to us by a far-sighted Maori chief)and a
very special and extremely popular place. Most tourists do the
up-and-over Mt Tongariro as a guided daywalk, and with good weather and
fitness it's quite achievable. The circuit from Whakapapa is a DOC 'Great
Walk', so if you want to take more time and stay in the huts, you have to
book ahead.
Three days Tramping: the Tongariro Crossing
Tramping in the South Island: Galleries and
articles
»
Casey Track
Just east of Arthur's Pass, the Casey Track traverses gentler and much
drier ground, which is very handy if you've only got a short break in the
weather and creaky knees. It's also very quiet. On New Year's Eve 2002,
there were only six others in the hut, and the only people we saw on the
trail were a couple of DOC staff.
Arthur's Pass Two days Tramping: Andrews Shelter to Casey Hut
|
