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The Forgotten Highway threads its way from Taranaki through forests of beech and
small villages (including the unique ‘republic’ of Whangamomona) to Taumarunui,
located in the foothills of the Tongariro National Park. Further north, the world-famous
Waitomo Glow-worm Caves were formed 30 million years ago and discovered in 1887
by Tane Tinorau and Fred Mace. South of Auckland, on the western coastline, the
harbour townships of Kawhia and Raglan were once important ports prior to the advent
of road and rail. Today traditional kiwi baches form the majority of dwellings but
larger, architecturally designed houses verify that the west coast has become a
popular lifestyle choice for many. On our final scenic North Island drive we travel
from New Plymouth to Auckland via Taumarunui, Waitomo, Kawhia and Raglan. We visit
the gravesite of Billy Gumboot the goat (ex-president of Whangamomona!), float on
a raft beneath galaxies of glowworms, enjoy a cultural tour of Kawhia by boat, take
a hot sandy bath at Te Puia Springs and arrive in Auckland relaxed and ready to
see the scenic South Island.
day two: taumarunui to waitomo
Key
- Destinations
- Apex Locations
The morning brings showers as we head north and rejoin SH3 at Eight Mile Junction,
pass through Te Kuiti, the Shearing Capital of the World, and turn off to Waitomo
Caves. En route we debate whether to: a) take a black water rafting trip (float
on an inner-tube through dark caves with Waitomo Adventures), or b) take a walking
tour. Bob’s keen to walk while I’d rather float with Waitomo Adventures as they
have an excellent reputation, but in the end, as we only have two more days in the
North Island, we compromise and opt for a wetsuit-free cave adventure with Spellbound.
We join a small group at the information centre where we depart with our guide,
Katy. A rocky downhill stroll leads to the Mangawhitikau Cave where we don safety
helmets and enter its inky blackness. A stream runs through and there are several
good examples of stalagmites and stalactites.
We board a raft and Katy instructs us to switch off the miner-lamps on our helmets.
Then, as we gently float through the darkness, glow-worms begin to emit bright beams
of light tinged with green. Before long countless galaxies are swirling by with
such dizzying regularity that Bob comments that he feels like we’re on the set of
Star Trek.
And wait, there is a sound….and it’s not the theme music, it’s a…. waterfall?! “Oh
no,” yelps Bob, “you promised we wouldn’t get wet!” The roaring gets louder and
louder and just as I wonder if I have actually let Bob down, Katy flicks on her
safety helmet light and we disembark...
To read the full story
Please click the link to download the full
New Plymouth to Auckland scenic drive, courtesy of apex car rentals
new zealand... the kiwi way
to read more extracts from our driving holiday's guidebook please click on any of
the following links:
north island scenic drives
south island scenic drives
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