So … this is it, my travel across New Zealand finish here. And I’m sad to leave this country, I really love New Zealand, and I had a very good time here!! I hope I will come back!!

It’s a very small country, but there is sooo many different things to see, and with only a very small distance you can see many amazing scenery and always very different from one place to another!! This is awesome for travelling.
There aren't many people, only about 4.5 Million people and half of it live in Auckland, so not much people in the rest of the country, especially in south island. But the kiwis (New Zealand habitants) are very nice and relax.
There is not a lot of history in new Zealand, it’s one of the last major landmass settled by humans, the European really start going to new Zealand from about 1800.
But as it’s a very remote island, there is many native animals and vegetation that you can find only in new Zealand like Keas and Kiwis. I find very interesting all the history about the evolution of the fauna and flora in new Zealand and how human had such a big impact on it by bringing soooooo many new species in new Zealand without thinking too much about the consequences and now have many trouble trying to get rid of some species that have a extremely bad impact on all native species of new Zealand. Like the Kiwis, their population decrease by 90% over the last 20 year I think.

I spend almost a year in New Zealand, and visit almost everywhere. Did a lot of hiking, I think new Zealand is really an awesome country for hiking!!
I went to bluff after the winter, the far south !!

And I walk about everywhere in new Zealand slowly making my way up


 To finally reach cap Reinga the far north few days ago :

I have seen so many amazing place and meet so many amazing people. I'm sad to leave, but I'm leaving the country with some extremely good memories and I’m sure I’ll come back !!

Northland !!!!

After this awesome time in Coromandel, just a quick stop in Auckland just the time to find a way out of the country, and I went up north for my last step in New Zealand!!

I stayed few days in cable bay, at June’s parents’ house (one of my housemate while I was in Queenstown) and it was awesome, a very nice place all around, awesome beaches, a bit similar to Coromandel, just a bit more dry.

I also went to cap Reinga, the cap at the very top of new Zealand and the scenery around is amazing too!

And after these awesome days, it’s time to head back to Auckland to get ready for the next step of my trip ….

In Coromandel !!

I actually went two time In coromandel, I first was there few days before going to Rotorua and lake waikaremoana, and went back there at some friends place after okere falls
As I was on my own the first time I stayed in the same area, around tairua it was really nice, a big bay where I did some windsurfing, a small hill next to the ocean with an awesome view, very nice beaches …. I really like the area.

I also went to Hot water beach as apparently it is a “must see”in new zealand  ….

 And in the same area there is cathedral cove which is a bit too crowded too but really beautiful!!

The 2nd time I when a bit more north at my friends places that lives in Whitianga. They show me about everything in the area, and went snorkelling, spear fishing, getting fresh scallops and crayfish for a perfect diner.

They also took me to awesome spot with beautiful beach and awesome spots for cliff diving

I spend few days there and it was really awesome, Thanks again ash and Flynn !!!

Kayaking in Okere falls

After This awesome walk with my friends around the Lake Waikaremoana I spend a day at my mate place in Okere Falls next to Rotorua it’s a very small town next to a river with some waterfalls, it is awesome for kayaking !! So I get down the river in a tandem Kayak with my friend and That Was really awesome !!! Thanks Jamie !!

Lake Waikaremoana, unknown paradise !!

No one ever told me about Lake Waikaremoana, not a single tourist site will tell you about it, not many locals know about it. Just one of my friends I met in Queenstown is working as guide around the lake during the summer, that’s how I heard about it. And decide to go for a 4 day walk around the lake with him and a group of friends. And it was incredible, one of the best place in new Zealand. It’s a bit sad that all tourist info will always tell you that you have to go to place like taupo and don’t even know about place like Lake Waikaremoana … they just send you at place you can spend money, not the best place to see …

Anyway, the walk starts with two days walking on the side of the lake, with a loooot of swim break, Cliff jumping and water slide. And also a small waterfall a bit more inland, very beautiful.

The last two days, the track goes up and down a big bluff along the side of the lake. During the first two days we could see this big cliff on the other side of the lake.
It goes through a very old forest and the view from the top is incredible, a perfect view from the edge of the cliff, over the whole lake, it is amazing!! And you can look at all the way you walked over the first days!!
On the other side of the bluff it’s possible to see the east coast, a bit far away !

That was 4 amazing days !!! and for me one of the best place in New Zealand !!

Taupo, Tauranga …

Continuing my way north I went in Taupo then Tauranga.  Taupo that supposed to be THE touristic place … it is indeed full of tourist, but I can’t understand why, there isn't much to see around, except heaps of option for skydiving, bungy jumping, jet boat or trying to do a hole in one golfing on the lake (I think it was 5$ each ball you shoot). I went to see some nice waterfalls around and couldn’t get to a small mountain around as it was too far from town. It’s basically just a tourist trap, a place to spend all your money :p. I just stayed one day and continue to Tauranga.

Tauranga is nice town next to the sea. But not a lot to see, I also stayed only one day to see around an continue my trip

On the road to Mt Doom!! But forgot to take my ring with me!!

After a very nice party for New Year’s Eve, I didn’t waste my time and on the 1st I directly get on the road to start visiting the north island. My goal was to reach the Tongariro National park, it’s about the middle earth of the north island, some huge volcanos.
But in the north island it’s a bit more difficult to hitch hike, too many road, too many cities, too many people … so I had to stop in a small town called Wanganui on my way. It’s a very nice town with a very nice river close by, it is very nice spot for canoe camping, but as I’m low budget and on my own I can’t really do that :(.

 So after a night in wanganui I finally reach a very small town just in front of the Tongariro national park with the very original name : “National Park” there is absolutely nothing in town but it’s the closest to the Tongariro.

I wanted to do a 3 or 4 day hike in the national park, in the middle of the volcanos. But as it’s the holidays for almost all kiwi, all the campsite were fully booked so I decided to do only a day hike there.
Few weeks ago one of the volcanoes in the area erupted so some track were closed due to the very high risqué of a new eruption.

The hike is really great in crazy and amazing scenery, I really loved it, but there was way too much tourist on the track.

The track goes on the side of Mt Ngauruhoe, a very big volcano, the one used for Mt Doom in lord of the ring. I decided to climb on top of it to destroy my presious to get a nice view over all the area and see the crater. The walk up was a bit hard but was ok. And the view from the top was amazing, just a bit cold as the sun ran away and there was heaps of wind.

However the way down was just amazing and crazy, it took me about 1h to get on top without taking any break. But the way down took me less than 10min. The ground was a big mix of small rocks, sand, and dirt (I think you can see that on some part of “the return of the king”) so it was very slippery, it was a mix of walking and skiing. Each step I took I was sliding few meters at the same times, that made the way down awesome and veeery fast !!

In Wellington

The ferry from the south island arrives directly in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. I stayed few days to visit around relax and spend new year’s eve before visiting all the north island! The city is very nice I really liked it.