From Camping to Glamping
- Dec 29, 2016
- 6 min read
Location:
Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand
Myself and Jason are having a fantastic Christmas. It is so nice having a car and being able to see what this beautiful country has to offer. And judging so far, a lot! Our day began with taking our tent down and packing everything away. While it may not have been the best sleep, I guess it could have been worse. Our first stop of the day was a trek up to ‘Waiere Falls’ which involved quite a physical workout. If it means burning off those extra mince pies and chocolates, hey, who am I to complain. The mountains are stunning and the higher up you go, the more spectacular the views are. As we reached the summit, we had to make our way through some wet, muddy ground to the top of the waterfall. We couldn’t see very much due to the sheer force of the waterfall. Trying to get a few photos was a challenge, as everything was getting soaked. We could stay a few minutes. While the water was refreshing, we didn’t want all our expensive equipment getting soaked and we did not have a clue when our next shower would be. You know what they say about things that go up, they must come back down! The trek back to the car should be nice and easy. Certainly not as hard as the first part!
From our mad waterfall to trying to figure out where we will pitch our tent tonight! Any ideas? We rang a few places and they were all full. Knowing that it is peak holiday season over here, it was beginning to get a little stressful, until I eventually found a small campsite, ‘Okareka Lake Campsite.’ As it is run by the ‘Department of Conservation,’ the fees are quite low. When we arrived, we were more than happy to spend a few nights here. Not only were we relieved to finally have somewhere for the night, but I, yes I, found somewhere absolutely stunning. It is like something you see in a movie! The campsite is only very small with each tent enjoying uninterrupted views of the lake. Waking up with those kind of views was a pleasure. It is by far one of the nicest places I have stayed at and over the last few years, there has been a lot. Lucky for us, the up and down Kiwi weather was on our side for once!
Let’s just say our night’s sleep was a lot better than the previous nights. We have gone from having no comforts at all to having a rather comfortable, luxurious blow-up mattress. We even got our ourselves an ‘Esky’ or cooler box to keep all our things chilled. From living like paupers to living like kings! Why not! It is Christmas after all. I am very impressed with the blow-up mattress. It is so comfortable. Happy days!
One can’t come down to Rotorua without visiting its self-named lake. While it is impressive, it is nothing compared to where we stayed last night! While the sheer size of the lake is impressive, shockingly, it’s not New Zealand’s largest! While one can enjoy a leisurely stroll around its perimeter, one can’t help but feel just how touristy it is and a walk around this lake would take you a long time to complete! With so many other lakes in the area, you won’t have any trouble trying to find one that ticks all your boxes.
When we started planning our adventures all those years ago, we both agreed ‘White Water Rafting’ was a must. For us, New Zealand was always top of the list for it! My rather clever fiancé arranged for us to do just that as part of my Christmas present. Knowing that it is a grade five and involves the largest commercial vertical drop, seven-metres, I was a bit nervous, but once I got in the raft, everything was fine. As Kaituna River is sacred to the ‘Ngati Pikiao,’ before we could begin, we had to first pay our respects. The whole experience was big adrenalin rush. Probably one of the coolest things I have ever done! While a seven-metre drop down a waterfall sounds terrifying, it was amazing. Before we made our descent down, our guide gave us a couple of different scenarios. The first involved going down and all of us falling out of the raft, the second scenario involves us remaining in the raft, but the raft toppling upside down. The final scenario was the one we wanted as it involved us going down the waterfall, and all of us remaining inside, with the raft the right way up, which is exactly what happened, apart from one poor guy who just couldn’t manage to stay in. During our little adventure, Jason had a ‘Titanic’ moment at the front of the raft, of course he was pushed into the river against his own will. What a great way to spend an afternoon. I had a great time, and I can’t wait to do it all over again! Next time I want to do the most extreme grade. That would be very cool! Thank you, Jason, you know me too well!
After an incredible few hours, we decided to get another trek out of the way, this time at ‘Mount Ngongotaha.’ Both of us are beginning to enjoy our little forest walks. How could you not, beautiful walks, stunning views, pure tranquillity, while getting your exercise for the day in! They are a good place to come for someone who wants to clear their mind. I certainly, recommend them. New Zealand has a plentiful supply of amazing trekking across two stunning islands.
As the campsite gets quite busy, we arrived back not too late so we could get a parking spot. After we got our things together, we both went on a little walk up the side of the lake to higher ground so we could enjoy uninterrupted views of the sun setting over the water. While you can’t see a proper sunset on this side of the island, never the less, the sky looked lovely in all the different colours. A nice ending to an unforgettable day!
The following morning, while Jason was still snoring, I got up very early to watch the sun rise. There is something very special about that kind of morning. It is very peaceful, with a gentle glow spreading far and wide across the land. While I couldn’t see the sun fully coming up, I am glad I got up for it. Of course, it didn’t stop me heading straight back to bed for a little snooze afterwards. When I woke up, we packed everything away before I enjoyed a nice refreshing dip in the lake. Jason was too scared to join me. His loss!
Shortly after we left the campsite, we discovered another little lake, ‘Tiktapu-Blue Lake.’ We had to stop if even for a short period. It just looked so beautiful, it would be rude not too! For Jason, it provided a perfect setting for a selfie! A beautiful lake or a mirror! Decisions, decisions, decisions!
After our little stop over, we drove back to Rotorua to the ‘Government Gardens,’ renowned as one of New Zealanders favourite spots. The old house has had quite a mixed past. Originally built as a bath house, it was later converted into a popular night club venue. More recently, it changed occupation again. After undergoing an extensive renovation program, it was eventually turned into a museum. The building and gardens are both magnificent. To think this amazing site was home to a night club is a crime! Whoever gave planning permission for that, should be shot! The house and gardens lie directly on ‘Sulphur Point’ and as you can imagine walking along the coast line does not provide the nicest of smells, but it is cool seeing the water bubbling, which unfortunately means nothing can really, grow properly! Quite an interesting spot!
Our last stop of the day was to ‘Hamurana Springs’ where both of us enjoyed another nice walk, this time around a rather pretty lake through a little forest of some rather impressive tall trees. These beauties make me look small, and that is saying something. The spring itself is fascinating. You look through it, put you can’t see the bottom, all you can see is water over flowing out of it. It is fifty feet deep and produces 4.5 million litres of crystal clear water per hour and is an important source of water for the region. I enjoyed our nice little stop! While the rain threatened, for the most part, it stayed away. In an area this beautiful, who cares!
What an amazing few days we have had! Waking up on a beautiful lake is something I will never forget. It only cost us NZ$13 each! How good is that? While it’s great being able to tick another thing of the bucket list, it does however mean I am now hooked on water rafting. You must experience it properly to understand, and I don’t mean a beginner’s level. For me nothing beats a seven-metre drop down a waterfall. For now, it’s time to head back to Auckland to ring in the new year! Let’s just hope Jason’s eyes get better from his sun cream accident!
By Andrew
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