Lake Waikaremoana

See more pics...!


   onepoto (bike drop-off), lake views


   bridge start, mokau falls, different track views



   1st night campspot, korokoro falls



   river crossings, lake reflections



  korokoro fall, track through bush, climbing to panekiri bluff



   resting at top!, view from panekiri bluff



   lake reflections, sky view, river!


   washing spot!, whirinaki forest falls

Feeling like a lazy day after the lake waikaremoana adventure, we drove up to Rotorua with a couple of stops in Whirinaki National Park. We walked the Whirinaki Falls loop track, and then sat by the lake in Rotorua eating some more ice-cream (just for a change...) We had a short walk through the Californian Redwood Forest, then continued on to the Blue and Green Lakes. We also had a short stop at the Okere Falls before driving back to Mt. Manganui to stay another night there.

The overview...

Leaving our bikes at the Onepoto Trailhead, we drove around to start the track at Hopuruahine Landing. Started about 6pm, covered about 10km before it started to get dark, then bush-bashed our way up a valley to pitch our tent (free camping as long as you are 500m off the track!) Day 2 - we hiked the remaining 36km around the lake...a superb track. The last part was a steep climb up and over Panakiri Bluff, back to Onepoto. The 32km bike ride on unsealed road back to the car was a bit of a slog, but I could say it was masochistically fun to complete the adventure with head-torches on...:)
   6/2 - 7/2


   onepoto (bike drop-off), lake views