Mount Tarawera is the one of the most well-known features of Rotorua, although it is one of those places we often see simply as a backdrop to our lakeside adventures. There is a trail to the top of the mountain, but you are not able to hike this without joining a tour. At present the only way to access the 1,111meter peak (or peaks) is either by flying with Volcanic Air (they do a helicopter ride to the top where you can get out and explore as well as the float plane ride, which we were on) or with Kaitiaki Adventures, who own the rights to the land access and run 4x4 and hiking tours to the summit.
Tarawera, which in Maori translates to “burnt peaks” last erupted in 1886, killing over 120 people and burying the Pink and White Terraces beneath Lake Rotomahana. As we flew over the craters you can clearly see the fissure that runs for 17km, splitting the mountain in two, something you could only experience from the heights of a plane.
As most of us explore New Zealand by road, and often just the main road, we have no idea of the gems often just hidden behind a hill or in a secluded valley. From our vantage point we could see small settlements dotted around the countryside, as our pilot, Simon explained the significance of each of the landmarks. We flew over steaming geysers and lakes so vivid in colour you would think they had been painted, places we simply did not know existed.
We became humbly aware of how much of New Zealand is unoccupied, and those small communities that exist are unknown to most of us. Amongst the groomed dairy farms, and wild natural forests there are treasures just waiting to be discovered.
This story is from the February - March 2021 edition of Adventure Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February - March 2021 edition of Adventure Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The benefits of being a Multi-Trick Pony
"A broad skill base and how you can draw from one platform to the next – women often pigeon hole themselves"
The RELUCTANT adventurer
An eighteen-year-old princess, who paints his (yes, his) nails and dyes his hair bleach blonde, embarking on an adventure trip with his family, sounds like a plot for a bad 80s movie.
North West Circuit Stewart Island
I found myself in limbo during the winter of 2020, in between jobs in a strained covid economy. And so, I did what any outdoors person would do with a large amount of free time on their hands. It was time to pack up my belongings and hit the road. It was time to leave behind home comforts and go adventure-seeking.
Nancy Jiang Breaking stereotypes
I recently watched a youtube movie entitled, “Her Way” (check it out on the Adventure Website) which introduced a woman who had an overwhelming passion for running. The preface at the bottom of the clip, read as follows:
Last Great Mountaineering Challenge
Ground-breaking mountaineer Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja MBE has attained an incredible new world record by submitting K2 as part of a collaborative team in the depths of winter. Until now, it was a record that was believed to be impossible to accomplish and was famously known as the ‘last great mountaineering challenge’.
New Years Resolution These Legs Are Made For Walking
What can you possibly say about 2020 which does not involve a lot of expletives? It was certainly a year to remember. It is a known fact that the mere prospect of change does not sit well with many people and causes stress and anxiety, but 2020 saw us all change in many ways. We had to quickly adapt to a ‘new normal’, changing the way that we worked, socialised, travelled and engaged with people on a daily basis.
OLIVINE ICE PLATEAU
We were somewhere in the dense bush of New Zealand’s wild West Coast; battling the unrelenting undergrowth, sweaty, bleeding and tired… but stoked. Despite knowing where we were geographically, we felt lost in the wilderness. The countless dead ends encountered as we searched for a route amongst the bluffed-out ridges, landslips or cliffs.
TIRED LEGS, LOOMING DEADLINES AND A CHRISTMAS ADVENTURE ON THE WORLD'S FINEST TRAIL... THE MILFORD TRACK
Steph and I were 1500m from the Glade Wharf, the head of Lake Te Anau, and she was imploring me to leave her behind. We'd run some 60 km in the last nine hours, including 1800m of elevation, and we were late for the last boat leaving the wharf for civilisation.
THE QUEENSTOWN BIKE TRAIL
Officially opened in 2012, the Queenstown Bike Trail is one of New Zealands’ 22 Great Rides. With a network of over 130km of off-road trails, it provides a safe and sustainable way to explore the Wakatipu Basin from Queenstown, through Arrowtown and out to the vineyards of Gibbston Valley.
FLIGHT TALES
I’m not a fan of helicopters. I have a real sense of vulnerability being miles up in the air surrounded only by a metal casing large enough to house the few inhabitants. However, what causes my fear is also the thing that makes helicopter rides so incredibly exciting.
