Kiwi Country

The itinerary I created for our central North Island road trip took us through several regions I'd never seen before.  This included the Forgotten Highway, the Taranaki region and the winelands of the Manawatu. The final journey saw us cover more than 1300 kms over ten days.  However, we did stop for several days in two locations to rest, relax and enjoy some lazy Summer days.

We began our road trip shortly after lunch on Boxing Day.  Our first day's itinerary took us back over the Kaimai range, then west towards Waitomo Caves for the evening.  We stopped briefly in Arapuni to walk its famous suspension bridge. The 152-metre long structure was erected in 1925 to provide easy access for workers constructing the Arapuni Hydroelectric Dam.  It spans the Waikato River as tumbles through a narrow gorge. 

Our first night on the road was spent at the historical Waimoto Caves Hotel.  Sadly the venue has seen better days.  However, the hotel gave an enormous room in one of its oldest wings that opened out on to an expansive balcony overlooking the main entrance.  We later realised that our room was the only room that had access to this huge outdoor space.

It quickly became apparent that we were travelling in peak season.  We went to book a tour through the Gloworm caves and discovered some options were booked for days in advance.  We eventually settled on the classic boat ride through the original tourist cave but couldn't book it until mid-afternoon. As a result, we spent the next morning visiting the Otrahonga Kiwi House where we saw our first two kiwis for the holiday.

The caves were just as I recall them.  As you glide silently through the pitch black interior the ceiling comes alive with thousands of points of light.  It really is just like looking up at the night skies arcing overhead.  We then finished our day with a two-hour drive through the King Country.  Our next stop for two nights was the world famous Chateau Tongariro, located on the foothills of Mount Ruapehu.  More about our adventures on the Volcanic Plateau tomorrow.