OMG! We stopped her after seeing the "photo interest" road sign while driving from Taupo to…read moreWaitomo. It was a spur of the moment decision. What a spectacular spot! I'm not sure I've ever been somewhere this unique. We ended up walking quite a ways on the Te Waihou Walkway along the beautiful Blue Spring. It was otherworldly in how crystal clear the waters were. Underwater vegetation was plentiful and swaying with the current. This is absolutely worth your stop. The hike is longer than you think it is, but completely worth it. We also encountered lots of interesting birds. This is easily one of the most naturally beautiful places I've ever been on Earth -- solely rivaled perhaps in my travels only by some alpine springs I've hiked along in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks in the USA. I have never seen water this clear and underwater colors this vibrant from the surface.

This place was beautiful! I ran across it while researching places to go in New Zealand. By the…read moretime we got here, I forgot what this place was. We decided to spend 30 minutes here. As it turns out, this was not enough time. This is worth spending at least an hour here if not more. It will take you 10 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the main viewpoint. As you walk down the path, you'll catch glimpses of a stream. But this is no ordinary stream - it has crystal clear water and beautiful plants growing in the stream. The blue of the water combined with the green of the plants create a beautiful combination that looks like something out of a Monet painting. From the main viewing stand, if you look across the stream, there's a nook, and the water there is a beautiful azure color, darker than the rest of the water. Beyond the viewing stand, the path continues, but this is as far as we got. I think the trail goes another 4-5 kilometers. If you are in the area, definitely check this out. It's a great detour when driving between Rotorua and the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves, or to Hobbiton. Just plan to spend more time here than we did.

OMFG THIS PLACE IS HEAVEN. Seriously I think it's my new happy place. I am a big fan of the…read moreoutdoors, nature, and especially waterfalls, so finding this place was a dream come true. I came here with my partner on a road trip from Auckland, and we spent wayyy longer here than we imagined we would. We climbed rocks and swam in the cold water and took loads of photos (this place is seriously 'gram worthy) and stretched out on the boulders like a couple of lizards. My fingers and forearms were actually sore later from all of the climbing I did. I don't think this place would be ideal for anyone who is handicapped, as you do have to walk over rocks to get anywhere. Though if you do want to check it out, you could just look from the bridge. McLaren Falls Park is one of the most magical places I've been in New Zealand, I would highly HIGHLY recommend coming here - even if you have to go out of your way, it's that worth it. Make sure you go to the actual park (a lot of people seem to just stop by the bridge, where a couple of the falls are) and do the hike to the real waterfall - that's where the really big one is!

This one is a beautiful staircase waterfall that you can find off one of the side roads along the…read moreKarangahake Gorge. Pull into Waitawheta Rd and park alongside the slope as we did. Look out for the hidden tunnel downhill track enclosed by trees and green on both sides down to the waterfall. You can sneak a peak at the water as you make your way towards it. Only takes a few minutes each way- wonderful if you aren't feeling like doing a long or too intensive walk. Has a medium sized pool at the bottom for swimming but be careful as some parts are quite deep. Even climbing down to the rocks there is quite a few slippery spots. Continues down a stream towards the Karangahake. Quite cool water when we went and lovely to float in. There is bush around to sit and little pockets for changing if you aren't already in your gear. Gorgeous fall- so easy to get to, definitely worth seeing

OMG what a discovery. I was excited to see that we were going on a tramp to a waterfall when I was…read morerecently at camp with my daughter and what an amazing place it turned out to be. I know there's a lot of secret little places in the Piha/Karekare area and this is one of them. Although I've since discovered that most people I've talked to already know about it. Oh well. If you drive to the end of Glenesk Road in Piha the tramp is clearly signposted. The walk is fairly steep in places and takes about 45 minutes (many more with many many children in tow) each way. I thought I was fairly fit and coped really well at the time but my legs felt like jelly at the end and I literally couldn't walk properly for several days - something to do with the steps coming down and the way they affect your calf muscles. Anyway, whatever, it's SO worth it. Remember this though: go right at the fork and come back on the other side (doing an anticlockwise loop). Trust me if we had done the reverse I'm not sure I would have made it out. If you go in the morning as we did the water in the pool will be freezing cold - I truly thought I was having a heart attack. Later in the day the sun comes over the cliff-face which I imagine would warm it up a bit. There's also an amazing rock canyon just down from the swimming hole that can be abseiled into. Just having a peek down there blows your mind, it's very cool. This is one of those idyllic Auckland spots that just has to be seen to be believed and the walk through the bush is so peaceful, even as you are killing your legs.

Very nice & sweet trail. Felt like I was at Rain Forest Cafe in America! :) would definitely come…read moreback for this hike again. Walking through nice green scenery while listening the the streams made my mine clear up a bit from stressful life back at home. Much needed vacation and throughly enjoyed my time at the Kitekite Trail & Falls!

Cathedral Cove was an amazing experience. To be walking in farmland amongst a bunch of sheep one…read moreminute and then be in a tropical jungle next to a beach the next is amazing. The scenery was like something out of a movie. This is a must see on any New Zealand trip.

35 years ago this place was da bomb. Now, it's over-crowded beyond belief. In the late 1980s and…read moreearly 1990s it was a pristine place where you could have this gorgeous beach all to yourself that only locals knew how to get. Now there's a water taxi, a 1-way 5 minute boat ride from Hahei Beach to Cathedral Cove for $80NZ, there's kayak tours and other signs of commercialization that make this beautiful place swarming with people. It's about an hour walk, up and down hills that are steep, yet paved, with a few steep stairways as well. The amount of tourists overwhelms the beauty, in my humble opinion. Super beautiful spot, but waaaaay too crowded to enjoy the true beauty.

This is a great place to hike with trails of all types and levels. We parked at the main…read moreinformation center where the elevated Redwoods walk is located and hiked the Pohaturoa Track which initially runs through the redwoods, then along Tarawera road for a short distance then steadily goes up to viewpoints of the City and also Te Puia Dan the Pōhutu Geyser basin with lake views. We added on the joint use mountain bike track Mud pool loop which had one active mud pool. Loved that the plant life was so diverse with many different pine, fur and even eucalyptus which smelled wonderful.

Beautiful forest! The questions you need to answer is whether to visit during the day or at night?…read more And if you visit as night, do you do the (expensive) tree walk? I would highly recommend visiting at night. It is truly special. I can't speak to walking through the trees at night on the ground, as we paid the US$20 to walk through the tree tops. The view at night is like fairy lights; easy to imagine this as the setting for every elf story I have ever read.  BF liked the engineering aspects; it is cool how the tree walk has been hung without damage or drilling into the trees. Would definitely recommend this as an unusual way to spend an evening.

The Waitakere ranges was one of the biggest draw cards for my husband and I to settling out West…read morewhen we moved here last year from Australia. The West of Auckland has a hit and miss reputation, but that is ok, so does Tasmania in Aus where we were living for the last five years. We have managed to go camping out in Whatipu, Waitakere Ranges, once so far, visited most of the beaches, and done a couple of tramps around the bush a bit closer to the city side. No major, hard-core tramps/camps for days on end, but more leisurely 'park the car day trips' kind of thing. I would highly recommend going with the kids if you are interested too, there is a variety of walks set out that would suit many levels of fitness. It is also well maintained with conservation awareness well set up, so taking the kids would be educational as well as the many other blessings you get when you go.

This past Easter weekend, my family and I spent two of the four days travelling across the…read moreWaitakere ranges. First visit was to the amazing Bethells Beach to get through the ranges, we had to start our journey at scenic drive, merging with Te Henga road, and then Bethells road which travels up the northern ridge of the ranges. We travelled through the beautiful cascade Kauri zone (where if you're keen for stretching the legs walk the 8 km track to see the biggest Kauri trees in Auckland) and finally arrived at the west coast- Bethells Beach. The drive is purely scenic as its name describes, and nature at its finest. The other journey I took was to Huia and Whatipu Beach, We started at Titirangi, and following signs headed towards the southern part of the ranges, first you past turn off's for Cornwallis, Huia and once in Little Huia, follow the Whatipu road which climbs up into the forest before plunging down towards Whatipu and the beach- this road is gravel and very twisty so be prepared for the drive. I really enjoyed my adventures through the ranges and loved the scenery and beaches I found.

Thanks to our New Zealand friends (Geoffrey and Margaret), whom we met the year before during our…read morecruise through Southeast Asia, for planning a day of fun, exercise, and good eats in Auckland. We started with a hike up Mount Eden (Maungawhau), a dormant volcano and the highest natural point in Auckland, offering panoramic views of the city from its summit. As we hiked uphill along pathways and boardwalks to the summit, our friends explained that Mount Eden is a culturally significant Māori site, pointing out its historical Māori pā (fortified village) terraces and its sacred 160-ft-deep crater. It took us about 18 minutes to hike up from the parking lot to the summit while following the pathway to the boardwalks. The uphill hike was relatively easy with an elevation gain of nearly 240 feet, and I was sure glad that my osteoarthritic knee wasn't "acting up." We prepared for this hike by taking physically challenging shore excursions and actively exercising pre- and during our cruise. After all, we didn't want to reach the summit wheezing and out of breath, because we truly wanted to enjoy the panoramic views and take in the cultural and historical background from our younger friends. It was very windy atop and along the summit boardwalks, and I had to either hold on or lean into the handrails, otherwise be blown about like tumbleweed. At the summit, we were treated to a 360° panoramic view of Auckland city, its nearby neighborhoods, the iconic Sky Tower, Auckland Harbor Bridge, Rangitoto Island, and a glimpse of the South towards the Auckland Airport. Instead of returning to our vehicle the same way we had climbed up, our friends guided us downhill on a less steep, paved private roadway. Our round-trip hike took about an hour, and it was a beautiful day to spend with friends, enjoying iconic sights and learning about Māori history and culture.

At 196 meters high, Mount Eden, a dormant volcano, is the highest natural point in Auckland. It…read morewas named in honour of George Eden, the 1st Earl of Auckland (a white guy), by Governor William Hobson (another white guy). In the Māori language, Mount Eden is called Maungawhau, which means "mountain of the whau tree". At the top of Mount Eden/Maungawhau is a large, grassy crater 50 meters deep which is sacred to the Māori and must not be entered. Mount Eden/Maungawhau is a popular for hiking, and while it is not a long or difficult hike, there are steep sections. Around the crater are boardwalks that were installed in 2020 for people to take a stroll. Fortunately when we went hiking on Mount Eden/Maungawhau, the weather was nice, although it was quite windy at the top. I took a lot of photos to try and capture the beauty of the area, but it's something you just have to experience in person. If you like hiking and nature, don't miss Mount Eden/Maungawhau. [Yelp collections: NZ/Fiji 2023; New Zealand 2023; Hiking]

Spent a great day here at the Southern Enclosure with the whole family (hubby, boys 7 and 4). I've…read moreheard a lot about this place, but it's taken us a while to finally make the short trek down from Hamilton. When you arrive, there is a car park and visitor centre. Pay for your tickets at the visitor centre. They have some souvenirs and a small cafe there as well. There are toilets near the visitor centre. They have passes for adults, children, a family pass, yearly pass and various options for guided tours. We opted for the self-guided experience (though, I might have chosen the guide if I went without the kiddos). We also had a coupon from the Entertainment Book (buy one get one adult entry). Mostly, this is a great bush walk and place to see native birds. Bring some binoculars if you have them. The pathways are all gravel or raised wooden walkways. We stuck to the Rata path on this occasion, which had some up and downhill parts, but nothing exceptionally strenuous. We packed about 3 bottles of water and brought our own snacks, which was good since the boys expended a lot of energy running around on the trails. I definitely recommend the viewing tower. It was there that we were visited by a kaka. It just landed on the railing of the tower and walked up and down, checking us out, before flying away. There was another toilet along the way. I just constantly encourage everyone to go when there is one, and we didn't run into any troubles by doing this. I also recommend going to the pond. My boys loved looking at the numerous crayfish scuttling along the ground of the pond - water was so clear you could see right to the bottom.

Welcome to Serenity only elevated. The Redwood Treewalk in Rotorua is a perfect way to connect with…read morenature. We walked the tree walk amongst the Californian Redwoods. Suspended high above the forest floor, the walk takes you across a series of swing bridges and platforms. So fun. Adventurous and relaxing all at the same time.

Fun! Note that this experience is separate from, but within, the free park, known as Whakarewarewa…read moreForest, which has a separate Yelp page. The paid activities here involve networks of rope bridges at multiple levels. The lower section is for pleasant strolling about ten meters above the ground. It is suitable for anyone who can walk, and is a cool way to enjoy the out-of-place beauty of a redwood forest in New Zealand. They offer a nighttime version with some illuminated art to make it worth your while to experience it without the benefit of sunlight. The problem is that it is really, really popular! I had a fast-pass as part of a bigger package, and i wouldn't have wanted to wait on the long line. Having such crowds affects the experience, especially considering you are responsible to limit the number of people on a bridge at any given time, but you can't tell how many are there because it's too dark! The more interesting offering is the higher-up trek, known appropriately as Redwoods Altitude. You have to get harnessed up and led through by experienced guides. It's 30+ meters high. There are increasingly wobbly bridges, a few SUPER fun ziplines, and an optional step-off-the-edge bungee finale. It's not for people with heights issues, but I really enjoyed it. Our guides were Elena and Chloe, and we loved them and felt very safe with them. I would do this again.