Remember the
great New Zealand road trip? The excitement in the pit of your
stomach as the day approached. The early morning start - You got
in the back of the Kingswood well before you needed to with
anticipation of the long day ahead. Back then it was more about
the journey. The destination was a mere sideline; the eventual
destination was exactly where you started – home!
Have we lost
something along the way from the 70’s to today? We used to enjoy
the journey – now it has fashionably become something to endure.
Wake up New Zealand! We need to recapture the allure and romance
of the great NZ road trip. New Zealand is a traveller's dream.
We live in a country jam-packed
with surreal landscapes of magnificent lakes and beaches, lush
rainforests, snow-capped mountains. This raw natural beauty
combines with thousands of things to do along the way.
We love you New Zealand!
Enjoy the warm
hospitality of this small nation and experience its beauty,
relaxed lifestyle and the unmistakable pride New Zealanders have
of their country and its achievements.
The great New Zealand road trip is
as Kiwi as kiwifruit, buzzy bees, pavlova, L&P, and No 8 wire.
It’s right there at your back doorstep. Pack the kids in the car,
turn the key and rediscover your passion for your own country.
Experience the freedom of our uncluttered roads that will take you
to sun-drenched beaches, camping spots, motels and all-round good
times.
So you’ve
packed the toothbrush, organized a ride but don’t know where to
go? Fret no longer, here’s a trip that will whet your appetite and
make you fall in love again with this great country:
The Great East Coast / Gisborne Road Trip
Nostalgic travellers travel this
route intent on experiencing a taste of this endlessly
non-commercial Kiwi experience. Immerse yourself in great displays
natural NZ scenery, rusty middle-of-nowhere forgotten
civilisations and authentic roadside Kiwiana. Experience an
unforgettable journey into New Zealand, then and now.
Te Urewera
National Park, New Zealand's third largest national park, is home
to tranquil Lake Waikaremoana and the Lake Waikaremoana Track.
It's one of New
Zealand's Ten Great Walks and as you drive into this great
wilderness, you couldn't feel further removed from the pressures
of the world.
Te Urewera
National Park boasts the largest untouched tract of native forest
in the North Island. This unspoiled forest features a myriad of
clean, sparkling lakes, dramatic rock bluffs and tumbling
waterfalls.
The Lake
Waikaremoana Track takes four days/three nights to tramp and huts
should be booked in advance.
For those with
less time to spare, there's a wide range of shorter hikes to
choose from - or you can try your hand at trout fishing or
kayaking.
Holiday parks
provide comfortable accommodation: there's the Lake Waikaremoana
Holiday Park on the lake edge which offers chalets, cabins and a
camping ground, and Big Bush Holiday Park which also has a café
on-site.
For up-to-date
information on the lake and the history of the park, don't miss
the Department of Conservation's Aniwaniwa Information Centre.
Here you will learn all about the mysterious locals, commonly
known as "the children of the mist".
Meandering around
the East Cape, SH 35 begins its 334 kilometre journey in Gisborne,
then travels through some of the most spectacular coastal scenery
New Zealand has to offer, to Opotiki.
This classic
touring route takes six hours, however, a slower pace allows time
to explore its quaint townships, secluded white sand beaches and
the historical sites marking the history of this remote corner of
New Zealand.
Hike the Cook's
Cove Walkway, a gentle 5km walk across farmland to the place where
Captain James Cook took aboard supplies and repairs to the
Endeavour when he landed in New Zealand in October 1769.
Take your fishing
rod and stroll along New Zealand's longest wharf at Tolaga Bay and
be transported to a time when this quiet township was a humming
port servicing a large shipping trade. Then, hike the Ernest
Reeves Walkway for views over the township, bay, wharf and Uawa
River.
Enjoy a trip to
the East Cape Lighthouse from Te Araroa. The lighthouse is reached
via some 700 steps and from the top a breathtaking panorama
unfolds.
After
checking-in to one of Gisborne's fantastic
motels, join a surf
school and learn how to surf (or hop aboard a tandem
ride), then practice your newly acquired skills on legendary
breaks alongside New Zealand's top surfer, Maz Quinn.
Or simply pack a
picnic, your favourite bottle of Gisborne Chardonnay and slabs of
local Waimata Cheese and head to the beach – after all, that’s
what this part of the world is most famous for!
Gisborne is
renowned for its long empty white sand beaches, award-winning
Chardonnays and golden sunrises. In fact, according to the locals,
sunrise is the perfect time to enjoy all three!
Gisborne is the
first city in the world to see the sun rise each day, and popular
Wainui Beach provides a perfect spot from which to watch the sky
slowly change as the sun bursts from the sea.
Then it's on to
the vineyards, for Gisborne is dubbed the Chardonnay Capital of
New Zealand - and for good reason. It boasts the largest area of
Chardonnay vineyards and is the third largest grape-growing region
in the country.
Although better
known for its Chardonnay, the city is also earning recognition for
its other varietals including Gewürztraminer, Viognier and Chenin
Blanc – to name a few.
Grab a wine trail
map and visit any of its vineyards and boutique wineries, or for a
complete wine and food experience, take part in Wine Week when the
International Chardonnay Challenge and the Gisborne Wine and Food
Festival are celebrated.
Enjoy the
International Chardonnay Challenge's Italian Long Lunch or groove
to live entertainment and sample local food and wine at the
Gisborne Wine and Food Festival.
Public buses
provide safe transport between venues and make it easy to sit
back, relax and enjoy a glass of Gisborne Chardonnay in the
"Chardonnay Capital" of New Zealand.
It's one thing to
slide down a grassy hill on a piece of cardboard (remember that as
a kid?), whooping with excitement as your corrugated ride gathers
bouncing momentum. But it's another to slide at high speed down 60
metres of rock.
However, this
isn’t just any rock face — it's not a craggy shard of menacing
dimensions that should be left to abseilers. Rather, it's a wild
ride made smooth by a coating of constantly running water.
Located
approximately 50 kilometres from Gisborne on the Wharekopae Road —
heading toward Eastwoodhill Arboretum — this natural rock slide is
a part of the Wharekopae River.
Most age groups
could give this rock slide a go, however, a little care is
suggested. So is using a boogie board, inflatable mattress or
inner tube to replace the traditional cardboard vehicle.
Just one word of
warning — don't mistake the Rere Falls for the rock slide! It may
look like a gush of water that begs conquering, but these falls
are better captured via photography. You'll also find a great
swimming hole and picnic area here.
And if Rere
Waterfall remains too compelling to ignore, you could always try
walking around its cascading curtain to slide from the rocks
behind into the water below.
AA’s 101
Must-Do's for Kiwis
The AA have listed 101 Must-Do's for kiwis from over 195,000
individual experiences of sights, attractions and adventures in
this wonderful country of ours.
The 101 Must-Do's for Kiwis will live on to be an ongoing
reference tool, a valuable resource for planning holidays in New
Zealand and a great motivation for Kiwis getting out and seeing
their country.
The above East Coast / Gisborne locations were chosen from this
successful campaign.
Click on AA Travel's website
101
Must-Do's for Kiwis for further information.
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