A thirty minute flight by light plane over the sparkling waters of the Hauraki Gulf brings you to majestic Great Barrier Island. After breakfast at a local café; take an easy half hour walk on tracks and boardwalks past giant Nikau palms and rare native flora and fauna over unique wetlands to the Kaitoke natural thermal springs.
The adventure continues as you drive past native bush and rugged peaks to the secluded natural harbor at Port Fitzroy, where you can enjoy a relaxed kiwi style picnic lunch. A short drive takes us to a sweeping, often deserted stretch of pristine white sand. There is time here for a swim or a meander along the beach to visit the graves of those drowned in one of New Zealand's worst shipwrecks. Visit the only working cattle and sheep farm on Great Barrier Island, where relics of the past remain. Here the world's largest population of Brown Teal can be found, a friendly little duck on the verge of extinction. At a nearby stream, monster eels come when called and can be fed ? if you dare!
This unforgettable day is rounded off with a climb to the top of Windy Canyon, a spectacular short walk. The path winds around rocky outcrops and past sheer cliffs coated with rata vines and takes in breathtaking views of the island and beyond. |
