New Zealand’s Rakiura Walk is a great walk located on Stewart Island. This 3-day walk explores native bush, secluded coves, beaches, and provides the chance to see Kiwi in the wild. I’ve been fortunate enough to experience many of New Zealand’s Great Walks, including the…
New Zealand’s native rata and pohutukawa trees can be found across the country. Here are 3 tips to help you tell apart these common trees. When I first moved to New Zealand 5 years ago I was overwhelmed with the sheer beauty of the country.…
The Pouakai Trig via Dover Track is an exposed ridge hike in Taranaki. This little known hike in Egmont National Park is a challenging track to Pouakai Trig. I think that the views from the Pouakai Range are some of the best mountain views in…
The Whio or Blue Duck is one of New Zealand’s fascinating endemic birds. Here are 6 facts about this bird that can only be found in rivers or streams. New Zealand’s most iconic bird may be the kiwi, but the country is full of many…
Hiking to the top of Fanthams Peak on New Zealand’s Mt. Taranaki is a great way to spend a sunny summer day. This walk takes you to the alpine wonderland of Mt. Taranaki. Mt. Taranaki is a truly breathtaking mountain that reigns supreme over everything…
New Zealand’s money is not only colourful, but it’s full of images of the iconic plants, animals, and fungi of the country. Here are the main endemic species on New Zealand’s money. I love living in New Zealand for a lot of reasons – beautiful…
This tree fern guide will help you to quickly and easily identify New Zealand’s tree ferns. Glancing at this guide will help you identify mamaku, ponga, wheki and more tree ferns. A US friend of mine that spent many months traveling in New Zealand remarked…
The Pouakai Summit is an incredibly rewarding day hike in the Taranaki region of New Zealand. This walk has native forest, alpine tussock, and views that you’ll dream about. I love walking in the Pouakai range of Egmont National Park. This range has some truly…
Scale insects form the basis of an ecosystem in the native beech forests of New Zealand. Here is an explanation of this ecosystem and how introduced wasps are changing it. This sounds like it could be the title of some horror movie – scale insects,…
The Pouakai Tarns walk from Mangorei road end is a GREAT day walk in Taranaki. This is the shortest way to get to the famed Pouakai tarns. Ever since the Lonely Planet listed the region as one of the must visit places in the country…