{"id":4771,"date":"2015-05-19T09:00:42","date_gmt":"2015-05-19T13:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/?p=4771"},"modified":"2015-05-03T16:51:06","modified_gmt":"2015-05-03T20:51:06","slug":"new-zealands-great-walks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/new-zealands-great-walks\/","title":{"rendered":"New Zealand\u2019s Great Walks"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Image<\/a>

Image by Harald Selke from the Routeburn Track on Flickr.com.<\/p><\/div>\n

The country of New Zealand is known for many things such as its indigenous people (the Maori), amazing athletes in sports like rugby and sailing, The Lord of the Rings<\/em> and Hobbit<\/em> movies, but perhaps most of all it is known for its beautiful and diverse landscape. Tourists flock to New Zealand by the millions every year to experience the natural beauty and wonders of this island nation. One of the best ways to experience New Zealand is to get out on some of the thousands of trails (or \u201ctracks\u201d as they are called in New Zealand). There are literally thousands of tracks to choose from in New Zealand, but nine of New Zealand\u2019s trails are considered \u201cgreater\u201d than all the rest. These tracks are called New Zealand\u2019s \u201cGreat Walks.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you are a lover of the outdoors and adventure then these \u201cwalks\u201d are something you might want to add to your bucket list*.<\/p>\n

Today we are going to take a quick look at these amazing outdoor experiences in New Zealand. While learning about these walks, you will also learn about the amazingly diverse landscape and geographic features of this island nation. So, let\u2019s get tramping**!<\/p>\n

Lake Waikaremoana Track<\/strong>
\nThis 46 km track winds around Lake Waikaremoana on the North Island of New Zealand. On this walk you will see podocarp<\/em> trees, which are a type of evergreen tree that can grow up to 40 meters (130 feet) tall. You will also pass secluded beaches where you can take a dip in the water to cool off in the summer.<\/p>\n

Tongariro Northern Circuit<\/strong>
\nThe Tongaririo Northern Circuit is a breathtaking walk around active volcanoes! Both the Tongariro and Ngauruhoe volcanoes are passed on this 43 km walk on the North Island.\u00a0 On this track you with see jagged volcanic rock, volcanic craters, and steaming geothermal activity. Volcanic activity has had a great influence on the geography of New Zealand and this walk will definitely get you thinking about this. You might also recognize the volcanoes you see on this walk from the movies. The Tongariro National Park was used as the filming site for \u2018Mordor\u2019 in The Lord of the Rings<\/em> movies.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/a>

Image by Aidan of the Whanganui River on Flickr.com.<\/p><\/div>\n

Wanganui Journey<\/strong>
\nOkay, well this might sound funny, but the Wanganui Journey is not actually a \u201cwalk\u201d even though it is one of New Zealand\u2019s \u201cGreat Walks.\u201d This 145 km journey is actually along a river, the Wanganui River, and it is made by canoeing or kayaking not on foot! So, if you love the great outdoors, but don\u2019t love walking, this might be the right kind of \u201cwalk\u201d for you. On this journey you will experience the power of one of New Zealand\u2019s many rivers. Rivers have contributed a great deal to forming this country\u2019s amazing landscape, by creating fertile river valleys.\u00a0 You will also see beautiful green hills that make this country so lush.<\/p>\n

Abel Tasman Coast Track<\/strong>
\nThe Abel Tasman Coast Track is found in the northern part of New Zealand\u2019s South Island. As the name suggests, this is a coastal walk, which means trampers walk along beaches and the Tasman Sea for approximately 54 km. This walk has an amazing display of semi-tropical plants, such as beautiful fern trees<\/em>. Fern trees are a type of fern that grows as tall as trees. In my opinion they look prehistoric.<\/p>\n

Heaphy Track<\/strong>
\nNot far from the Abel Tasman Track is the Heaphy Track. This is a 78 km hike that shows off a lot of the varied plants and natural features of New Zealand. Walkers on this track will see beech tree<\/em> forests, lush semi-tropical plants, dry tussock<\/em> grasslands, and the sea!<\/p>\n

Rakiura Track<\/strong>
\nThis track is not on New Zealand\u2019s North or South Island, it is on Stewart Island \u2013 a very small island just off the coast of the South Island. You have to take a plane or ferry from the \u201cmainland\u201d to get to this track, but that is all part of the adventure right? The Rakiura Track is 39 km in length and is considered one of the most remote of the Great Walks because of its location. One of the biggest draws of this walk is the possibility of seeing a kiwi in its natural habitat. The iconic kiwi bird is rarely seen on mainland New Zealand, but on the protected Stewart Island, kiwi are thriving. This track is also known for being very wet and muddy.<\/p>\n

The following three New Zealand Great Walks are all in or around the famous Fiordland National Park in the southwest section of the Southern Island. This area of New Zealand is known for its breathtaking glacier carved valley and snow covered stone peaks.<\/p>\n

Ruteburn Track<\/strong>
\nThis track has been call \u201cbeautiful beyond words\u201d and most people who hike it would agree. At only 32 km, this \u201cshort\u201d walk packs a big punch*** with amazing alpine lakes, gorgeous green rivers, and high mountain passes.\u00a0 New Zealand\u2019s rugged mountains are an iconic feature of this country\u2019s landscape.<\/p>\n

Kepler Track<\/strong>
\nThe Kepler Track is one of the most popular of the Great Walks and is sometimes called \u201can adventure in the clouds.\u201d This 60 km trail loops around two lakes (Te Anau and Manapouri) and also ascends to the top of a mountain (Mt Luxmore).\u00a0There are amazing views of Fiordland National Park above treeline (or \u201cbushline,\u201d as it is called in New Zealand).<\/p>\n

\"Image

Image by chris.murphy from the Milford Track on Flickr.com.<\/p><\/div>\n

Milford Track<\/strong>
\nLast, but not least, the Milford Track is often considered \u201cthe finest walk in the world.\u201d So, of course, this is perhaps the most popular walk in all of New Zealand! This 53 km hike is often described as \u201cstunning\u201d and \u201cmagnificent.\u201d What makes this track so wonderful? The glacier-carved valleys, peaceful forests, and many, many waterfalls that trampers pass by and under! The only drawback to this trail is the potential for a lot of rain. It is not uncommon for it to rain everyday of this 4-day hike. Don\u2019t let the rain deter you from adding this hike to your bucket list though, just remember to bring your rain jacket and umbrella!<\/p>\n

If my introduction to New Zealand\u2019s Great Walks and the geography of this beautiful country has peaked your interest you can find out more about these walks here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Best of all, a trip to New Zealand is a great way to practice your English.<\/p>\n

*bucket list = a list of experiences that a person wants to have or accomplish during their lifetime
\n** tramping – a synonym for hiking, this is a commonly used word in New Zealand
\n***to pack a (big) punch – this expression means \u201cto have a powerful effect\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

The country of New Zealand is known for many things such as its indigenous people (the Maori), amazing athletes in sports like rugby and sailing, The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies, but perhaps most of all it is known for its beautiful and diverse landscape. Tourists flock to New Zealand by the millions…<\/p>\n

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