Lake Rotoroa and Buller George Swing Bridge (NZ Day 11 Part_3)

Our goal after our UnderWorld Adventure was to go to Motueka and hang out there for couple days so we had  to get back on the road again.
First place where we randomly stopped was Buller George Swing Bridge. We took  a good look at the river and the activities they offer and Martins decided that he want's to check out the bridge and view from it so he did...

Buller George Swing Bridge

Buller River, New Zealand

There are many things to do in this place if you come here as a family with kids, but because we are here to see as much as we can then we had just a quick look at this place.

The main destination before dark was Lake Rotoroa and because everything is so close here in New Zealand then it was easy to see and do many things in one day. When we arrived at Lake Rotoroa there was only one camper van in the parking lot and we where a little bit surprised because of this fact. The lake is beautiful and view is stunning but no people around...

We where thinking about late lunch by the lake and when we where starting to look for a good pick nick place by the lake we found out why here are no people... :D Very simple - People don't like mosquitoes and they are here - everywhere! :) So instead of having a lunch here we had some light snacks and quick look at the Lake Rotoroa.

Lake Rotoroa

Martins on a pier at Lake Rotoroa

View to the Lake Rotoroa

Swan Family at Lake Rotoroa

 

After we fed some ducks and swans we where back on the road and on our way to Motueka. The road took us over mountains with great view to the New Zealand forest.

Hoppe Saddle lookout

At the Hoppe Saddle lookout we found out that this Ancient Forest / Big Bush is the largest area of natural beech forest growing on Moutere gravel,  and contains stands of all five species of New Zealand beech. Ridges and gullies in the lowest lying areas to the north side of the forest grow the hardwood silver beech, kamahi and rimu. Moving south and higher, there are stands of black beech. Further south and on the highest ridges are red and mountain beeches. Big Bush is drier than other forest remnats in the region, having only about 1500 mm of rain a year compared with 2400 mm around Reefton. This has enabled hard beech to establish on ridges and faces at higher altitudes.

After this lookout we didn't had any important stops in our way but when we arrived in Motueka we saw this one sign that caught our attention...

Where we went and what we did next see HERE! 

• Like our page and receive all updates on Facebook!
• See other days from the Road Trip around New Zealand Here!

Glowworms and Underworld Cave Rafting (NZ Day 11 Part_2)

The second part of the day took us in a little bit unusual travel environment. When we arrived at UnderWorld Adventures in Charleston Base we had to get out of our comfortable clothing in to designer wet suits, wet suit socks, boots, gloves and helmet. If I hear a name "helmet" then it means - Lots of fun! :) Unfortunately we where not able to take our camera to this UnderWorld tour, because it was not waterproof at that time, but we got some photos from the tour guide!

We happened to be there when it was busy because of school field trip, but guide took us in separate truck to the Nile River Rainforest Train for transport through the primeval rain forest and towering limestone cliffs of the Nile River Canyon. Once we where there it fas just a short walk to the entrance of Nile River Cave System. Our guide took us in front of the school kids so that we would be able to enjoy the cave system by ourselves and that was great service. During our tour we where going through a calcitic paradise of stalactites and stalagmites in the upper dry levels of the cave which was sunning. Take a look at photos so that you would be able to imagine the beauty of the UnderWorld.

Looking at stalactites and stalagmites and
This is just a beginning of our UnderWorld Adventure

Later on we saw Shawls Hall

Absolutely Stunning Cave with Stalactites and Stalagmites

Amazing Glowworms

In previous photo you can see some of the glowworms what we saw during our tour, but the best part was when we where in our tubes on the water navigating according to glowworms through the cave with our lights turned off. It was amazing. Pitch darkness and hundreds of glowworms where guiding us! The glowworms are mostly located right above the water so it was super easy to navigate for more than 10 minutes without any lights on. It looked like stars in the sky! You have to see this in real life, but take a look at photos as well...

Amazing Glowworm Cave

Glowworms in a Cave

Glowworms looks like stars in black sky

It was interesting to understand, how the glowworms shines and also interesting that by glowing they are attracting insects that is the only food they have in the cave! The guide knows everything about them, and she answered every single question we had! That was very processional.

After our black river or I should say pitch black cave rafting with hundreds of glowworms guiding us we saw the sun light again! It was so nice to be in the cave that we didn't wanted to get out of it. We think that this could be the most romantic place in the world! :) Nice... 

At the exit of the Glowworm cave

At the End of Ineffaceable Journey

FunDay Travel at Underworld Adventure

And this is how everyone looked when they came out of the cave! :)
It was a FunDay!

 This was in our must do list a long time and we did it! It was so cool that it is hard to describe it! :) Well if someone is going to see glowworms in New Zealand then we guarantee that this is the best place with the most glowworms in one cave. It might not be as famous as other places but it is just because they are not spending lots of money in marketing and because of this we where able to save our money and see the best glowworm caves in New Zealand! :) The team of UnderWorld Adventures is great and personal attitude in this family business was a thing that made our trip so special!

It was a fun forest train ride back to the base, because there where lots of cows hanging around the train tracks and when we where coming by the train they started tu run back to their home in front of us! :) The train was going slow and didn't hit any of them but it was unique train ride experience as well. We didn't expect to see something like that at all...

In case you want to see and experience what we did then it is best to book the tour in advance. They are quite busy!

• To book the tour see this web site here: www.caverafting.com 

See where we went and what we did next just HERE! 

• Like our page and receive all updates on Facebook!
• See other days from the Road Trip around New Zealand Here!

Truman Track (NZ Day 11 Part_1)

Today we got up quite early because we had a booking for a cave rafting at "UnderWorld Adventures" in Charleston. It was about 20 minute drive once we got back to the main road from our Camping spot, but before we where going in to the underworld we had a few more stops in mind. 

The first stop Truman Track, was just about 500 meters from Bullock Creek road where we turned on the highway. By the way it is just over 5 km from main road to the camping spot and we where driving quite slow there because of the road condition so plan your time well.

It is easy to see the sign that directs to the track and there were plenty of parking spots on the side of the road. It is about 15 minute, 700 meter hike to the beach where the view is stunning!

Trumans Beach View from the track

Trumans Waterfall and Martins on a Huge Bolder 

Eva at Trumans Bay

Martins is using advantage of being at Trumans Beach when it's low tide

Great Place where to Chill Out - Trumans Bay

Truman Track is a walk through unspoiled sub-tropical forest where lots of different plants are growing. Lots of vines and nikau palms. The track emerges on a spectacular coastline with and first we saw caverns and cliffs. There had to be a blowhole but we didn't see it in action because of the low tide, but instead we found the waterfall which plummets straight onto a rock-strewn beach. The access to the beach is easy because of a stairway. We didn't know the high and low tide times, but you can find them if you follow THIS LINK! During low tide it was very easy to explore the beach and caverns where we saw some crabs in the cracks! Interesting place to visit! :) 

Irimahuwhero View Point

After this beach we where heading to Charleston and on our way there we had a small, but interesting stop at Irimahuwhero View Point. Great name for a view point!! Easy to remember! :) 

Well it was just a quick stop where we took some great photos. The view there is very nice. You can see the Tasman sea and the coastline of New Zealand. It looks amazing! :) 

Irimahuwhero View Point

West Coast, New Zealand

See our next UnderWorld adventure HERE! 

• Like our page and receive all updates on Facebook!
• See other days from the Road Trip around New Zealand Here!

Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes (NZ Day 10 Part_3)

Must See Place in New Zealand 

Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes

New Zealand Punakaiki Pancake Rocks 

Just after our "Mission Impossible Beach" we went to see this famous place on west coast of New Zealand south island. When we drove up the hill this place was clearly marked and no one can miss it. It is best to see this place in High Tide because then you can see the true power of water, when the blowholes are in action! :) Here is link where you can check at what time the high tide will be. It was easy to park the car and after short hike on a bush trail we finally saw this miracle.

There is only one more place where it is possible to see something similar but not as impressive as
here. Similar place to New Zealand Pancake Rocks can be found in Colorado, US. Here is link to the place if someone is interested.

The Pancake Rocks are a heavily eroded limestone area where the sea bursts through several vertical blowholes during high tides. Together with the "pancake" - layering of the limestone (created by immense pressure on alternating hard and soft layers of marine creatures and plant sediments), these form the main attraction of the area.

Birds Sitting on Pancake Rocks

Eva and view to Pancake rocks and Dolomite point

Pancake Rocks New Zealand

Dolomite Point and Pancake Rocks, New Zealand

Pancake Rocks and Birds

Eva and Pancake Rocks (matching) 

West Coast, Dolomite Point and Pancake Rock

Pancake stack! :)

View to the sea and rocks...

Dolomite Point Cliffs

Dolomite Point, New Zealand

This is how the blowholes look like, but we where not able to take so good photos...

!!! Don't Miss Out !!!

Must see place that many people miss out is located just down the hill towards Greimouth. We saw there White Pancake Rocks!! It is easy to locate them on the right side of the beach.
Perfect place where we parked our car is Punakaiki Resort parking lot.

White Pancake Rocks

We saw some interesting plants and lots of brown birds that are similar to chicken called Vaka.

Weka

Nikau Palms

West coast of New Zealand South Island is a great place where to see sunset. We did spend extra day in this area just because we wanted to explore this area a little more and we where able to see this sunset...

Sunset at West Coast of New Zealand

In our road trip map you can see free camping spot that we marked for everyone. It is a little bit off the main road at the end of Bullock Creek road. It takes some time to go there but at the end there is the creek and nice forest that looks just like the forest from movie Lord Of The Rings! :) Single big trees standing in the middle of the meadow and looks like they will stand up and will start to walk around at any moment! :) You have to see the movie if you want to understand this... :)

+ we think that there where some Kiwis running around during the night but we where not lucky enough to see them.

Free Camping at amazing location near Punakaiki

While we where camping, there was only one german couple who arrived with a small camper van so we had a BBQ and nice chat by the bonfire! :)

Bonfire at Punakaiki Free Camping Ground

See our next day and story about Truman Track adventure HERE! 

• Like our page and receive all updates on Facebook!
• See other days from the Road Trip around New Zealand Here!

Mission Impossible Beach (NZ Day 10 Part_2)

On our way to Pancake rocks we discovered Secret Mission Impossible Beach! It is precisely 10.0 km, 9 mins from Runanga town if you are going to pancake rocks! :) There is parking space for one big camper van and maybe 2 - 3 regular cars. Not more! I would like to say that it is secret place known only to few people and we where lucky enough to see this beach! There are coordinates and mark on our google map so take a look and stop there if you are brave enough to go down there.

You will have to use steep stairs and ropes in order to get down to the beach, but the good thing is that all of that is there permanently so you don't have to take your own equipment. When we where going down we didn't know what to expect, and every part of the track was a surprise! :)   

Here you can see the way to the Secret Mission Impossible beach...

Entrance of the secret beach

The Way Down to the Beach

Extreme Jungle Trail 

Secret is in there

Valdis is using ropes to get down to the beach

Martins climbing the cliff

Hidden Stream

View to this Secret Mission Impossible Beach

Our Team in The Beach

Ha Ha! That was one adventurous way how to get down to this unique beach! :) We all loved the hike that wasn't long and tiring but instead it was lots of fun and free! We will definitely remember this little hike as a great secret corner in west coast of New Zealand. :)

After this little adventure we suggest to go to see Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blow Holes, but it is much more impressive to see them in high tide and when the see is a little rough. Big waves and wind is perfect time to go there!

See full story about third part of the day and Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blow Holes HERE!

• Like our page and receive all updates on Facebook!
• See other days from the Road Trip around New Zealand Here!