The shorty's adventures on the Routeburn Track

The Queenstown CBD was pretty deserted on the morning of day one. It seemed like only trampers and tradies were awake before 8am. Katri and I grabbed a quick coffee and breakfast at the Ferg Cafe, right next door to the famous Fergburger. Our shuttle meeting point was just across the road, so I had enough time to enjoy my first coffee of the day.

The drive to Glenorchy was beautiful - I felt like a wide-eyed kid in a candy store. Unfortunately, I was sitting on the wrong side of the van to take any decent shots. We had a quick toilet and coffee stop in Glenorchy before taking the gravel road to Mount Aspiring National Park, where Katri and I would start day one at The Shelter. Routeburn is the only Great Walk that crosses two national parks - Mount Aspiring and Fiordland.

The North Island's Highest Waterfall - Wairere Falls

The best views always come from some gut-busting hikes and Wairere Falls didn’t disappoint. It’s the highest waterfall (153m) in the North Island after all. Even though it was less than two hours to the top of the falls, the 400m elevation made the last 30 minutes (from the lower lookout) a challenging hike in the 30C heat.

Some parts of the track are only wide enough for one person, and add to that it was Waitangi weekend, there was a lot of giving way. The steepest section comes after the lower lookout and I didn’t have to use my poles until then. I saw plenty of families with younger children at the top, so I guess with a bit of time it’s still fairly accessible as a family track. I even saw some people walking in jandals, though I wouldn’t recommend it.

Bay of Plenty - Lake Okataina Scenic Reserve: Te Auheke and Ngahopua Tracks

Access Te Auheke track (also known as the Cascade Falls) starts by the Lake Okataina Outdoor Education Centre on Okataina Rd, which turns off from SH 30 in Ruato. The track starts behind the Outdoor Education Centre hut - walk along the left fence line until you see the wooden marker post. You can also access the shorter Rongomai track just a few metres away. I started the walk wearing my gloves, so it’s good to bring warm gear (just in case) even if the sun is shining.

The track itself is relatively flat, and wide throughout. The only time it narrowed was closer to the falls itself where I had to walk over some larger rocks. I thought about trying out my new hiking boots here, and there were some sections with overgrown roots and muddy patches, but as it was mostly flat terrain, my regular walking shoes did the job just fine.

Discover Our Local: The gravel road that leads to the Tarawera Falls

I drive an early 2000 Toyota Avensis, which isn't the best kind of car to drive on a gravel road. There were potholes that made me wonder if I would have a front bumper by the end of it, and that is definitely something to consider when you go to visit the falls.

Before you head out to the falls, make sure to get your forest road permit from the Kawerau i-Site. It’s $5 per car, and the guy gave me a week long pass (at no extra cost) in case I wanted to go back the following weekend. With the scorcher of a summer we’re having at the moment, it’s a beautiful place to cool off! There are instructions on the permit, and there are signs along the way.