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| NEWS! Walking Softly's hiking trips are now offered under our "Mountain Hiking Holidays" label. You can access information about our hiking trips at the Mountain Hiking Holidays website at www.MountainHikingHolidays.com. | |||||
| For a more information about the 2010 New Zealand trip, please go to the New Zealand page at the Mountain Hiking Holidays website. | |||||
 New Zealand (Aotearoa, or "Land of the Long White Cloud" in the language of the native Maori) has long been a "dream destination" for hikers and lovers of wild landscapes. Our New Zealand adventure is designed specifically to immerse you in the finest highland landscapes New Zealand has to offer! You'll have an opportunity to experience some of the best mountain trails on both the North and the South Islands of this southern Pacific nation. From the hot springs, geysers, and volcanic landscapes of the North Island to the golden beaches, rugged mountains and far-ranging vistas of the South, this is a journey you'll long remember.  |
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Days 1-10 (South Island) Depart the city of Nelson at the north end of the South Island bound for the golden sands and picturesque coastlines of the Abel Tasman National Park. Enjoy two days of coastal "inn to inn" hiking. Then travel south to the Nelson Lakes National Park where you'll sample the trails of this less-frequented national park. Enjoy gorgeous lakeshore walks and one of the finest high country rambles in New Zealand! Travel south by vehicle via the Lewis Pass to Christchurch, the South Island's principal city. Hikes in the Port Hills along the Crater Rim Walkway await! From Christchurch continue south to the Mount Cook National Park at the heart of the UNESCO-designated Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Site. Here you'll be surrounded by skyscraping, ice-encrusted peaks. A selection of hikes will immerse you in this glacier-carved landscape taking you to exquisite mountain tarns and lofty vantage points offering sweeping views across the Southern Alps. Travel to Queenstown where your adventure on the South Island concludes. |
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Days 11-15 (North Island) Fly from Queenstown to Rotorua on New Zealand's North Island. Rotorua is the center of a world class geothermal wonderland and is also an important center for Maori culture. Enjoy a stroll in Government Gardens or visit the Maori community of Ohinemutu built on thermal ground. In the Whirinaki Rain Forest trails lead you through magnificent native podocarp forests that support abundant bird life. En route to Tongariro National Park stretch your legs at the Waimangu Volcanic Valley, and hike around Lake Rotopounamu, a crater lake ringed by lovely woodlands. In Tongariro National Park, hike the famous "Tongariro Crossing" which traverses the national park carrying you over the shoulder of symmetrical Ngauruhoe volcano and past the aptly named Emerald Lakes. Weather permitting, enjoy additional hikes in Tongariro Park before traveling by vehicle to Auckland where you'll cap off your two-island New Zealand adventure. |
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| For a more complete description of the New Zealand hiking trip, please go to the New Zealand page at the Mountain Hiking Holidays website. | |||||
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© Walking
Softly Adventures, Inc., PO Box 86250, Portland, OR 97286 |
Aoraki
(Mount Cook). Photo by M. Heilman. 
