|
raukumara
Come over to one of New
Zealand’s most exciting tramping locations where the virgin
Raukumara rainforests offer incredibly steep, broken terrain,
tailor-made for the adventurous tramper.
The Raukumara Forest Park lies between the Bay of Plenty and East
Cape, the northern extremity of a continuous mountain chain
stretching through the North Island. The main river systems of
the Motu and Raukokore flow west into the Bay of Plenty. The
mighty Motu catchment covers half the park passing through
trackless country. It is one of New Zealand’s foremost wild,
scenic rivers, favoured by white-water rafting operators,
jet-boaters and water-borne hunters.
The popular access into this rugged region is S.H.2 from Opotiki
down to Matawai and then into Motu township. Alternatively, from
Opotiki the old Motu Road runs inland to Toatoa where you can
follow Takaputahi Road to the forest boundary. On the eastern
slopes roads run through the Ruatoria and Tokomaru Forests to
access the major northern mountains, Mt Hikurangi (1,752 metres)
and Mt Honokawa.
The climb to the summit of Mt Hikurangi is very popular as it
offers the early riser an opportunity to be first to see the
sunrise on New Zealand’s mainland. Conquering Mt
Honokawa’s summit is a formidable challenge as it involves
penetrating dense sub-alpine scrub and difficult terrain. The
classic tramp in the Raukumara is the 4-5 day East-West Traverse
starting from the Tapuaeroa River in the east and crossing
numerous rivers and ridge lines to reach the Motu River, using
huts spaced at one day intervals along the way. This is a
wilderness route in every sense of the word, requiring map
reading, compass skills and confident bush navigation.
East Cape is an isolated and little-known region where life moves at a slower pace. The park's isolation means that trampers may see and hear wood pigeons, tuis, bellbirds, robins and tomtits in the forest. There are lesser numbers of kaka, kakariki and kiwi.
Seek out the Raukumara Range if you have an desire to explore remote wilderness and a thirst for adventure.
|
