White, sandy beaches and turquoise water surrounded by green hills covered with native bushes and trees, wrapped up with azure blue skies and mild temperatures. No, this is not a description of paradise, although one might wonder what heaven looks like if this place can be found on earth. It is the Abel Tasman National Park, one of the protected areas in New Zealand.
A country made up of two main islands and a large number of small islands located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, New Zealand is known for its natural beauty and variety of landscapes that include fiords, Alpine scenery, and grassland. Not surprisingly, New Zealand is often called “The Paradise of the Pacific”. It is the ideal place to mentally unwind, especially if you are looking for an active vacation. The country’s 14 national parks offer plenty of outdoor activities that include trekking, mountain biking, and kayaking in an unspoiled environment.
At 22,530 hectares, Abel Tasman is the smallest of all national parks, which together cover more than 30,000 square kilometers, but it is nevertheless also the most visited. Its location on the northern shore of New Zealand’s South Island protects it from the heavy winds and rain that often strike other parts of the country. The area’s mild and sunny climate makes it a popular destination throughout the year for both overseas tourists and Kiwis, as the inhabitants of New Zealand call themselves.
There are several options to explore Abel Tasman. Cars are not allowed inside, but there are four car park entrances from which visitors can walk into the park. Another way to enter the park is by taking a water taxi or waterbus and get dropped off at the beach of your choice. While some people enjoy Abel Tasman on a one-day trip, most choose to stay several days in the park and hike one of the two main tracks, the Abel Tasman Coast Track or the Inland Track. The former is the easiest and most popular of the two tracks and passes incredible beaches, whereas the inland track crosses rough and hilly land and is ideal for spotting wildlife. Both tracks take three to five days to complete. Overnight visitors usually sleep in huts or campsites provided by the Department of Conservation, the government body that administers all national parks in New Zealand. The huts have basic amenities like running water and a fireplace, but no electricity. Guests sleep in bunk beds and need to bring their own sleeping bags, food, and stove for cooking.
Apart from hiking — or “tramping”, as the Kiwis call it — sea kayaking has become a popular activity in the Abel Tasman National Park. Tourists often combine this with walking, by kayaking to a hut, spending the night there, and walking back, or vice versa.
The Abel Tasman Coast Track is one of the nine Great Walks, a series of popular tramping tracks crossing stunning landscapes. The Milford Track in Fiordland National Park, the country’s largest national park in the southwest corner of the Southern Island, is another favorite among overseas tourists. British poet Blanche Baughan baptized it some 100 years ago as “the finest walk in the world”. The track covers marvelous fiords, New Zealand’s tallest waterfall, pristine lakes, and snowcapped mountains. The huts on this track, however, fill up quickly, so booking in advance is a must.
Visitors who prefer to do one-day hikes have plenty of walks to choose from. Besides the numerous options in Abel Tasman National Park, a favorite walk — perhaps the world’s best single-day wilderness walk — is the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. With often over 200 hikers a day during the peak season from December to March, this walk traverses Tongariro National Park in the middle of the Northern Island. Established in 1887, Tongariro was the first national park in New Zealand and the fourth in the world. The park encompasses three active volcanic mountains, lakes in various shades of blue and green, scenic views, desert-like plateaus, and hot springs. It is one of the few places in the world recognized by UNESCO as a dual World Heritage area because of the region’s cultural significance to the Maoris, the aboriginal people of New Zealand.
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is a 19.4-km walk over volcanic terrain, making it a challenging and lengthy day walk. Given that it is an alpine walk on open and high altitude terrain, hikers can be exposed to severe weather conditions like snow, rain, and heavy winds, and need to be well prepared before setting off. The track’s unique features, however, make the hike well worth it. It passes the active volcanic mountains Ngauruhoe and Tongariro as well as the latter’s big Red Crater. The color of this crater is a result of the high temperature oxidation of iron in the rock. Immensely enchanting are the three Emerald Lakes and the Blue Lake the walk passes. The former owe their name to their bright green color caused by minerals leaching from the adjacent thermal area. Blue Lake, as the name suggests, has a deep blue color. Its Maori name, Te Wai-whakaata-o-te-Rangihiroa, translates as Rangihiroa’s Mirror. On still days, it is easy to see why the Maori gave it this name. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing ends its long descent in native, lush forest, a refreshing change after a long walk in open volcanic terrain that hardly sees any vegetation.
The walks mentioned here are just a few examples of the numerous “tramps” through national parks and other protected areas in these islands of splendid beauty. The Department of Conservation is in charge of taking care of the parks, and most tracks are clearly marked. However, to prevent accidents and other hazards, people should prepare their hikes carefully. It is extremely important to wear warm and waterproof clothes, as the weather can change rapidly. In winter, temperatures can be well below zero and snow is common in most national parks, but even in summer temperatures may drop promptly at night or during the day. Many alpine areas are covered with snow in all seasons. Footwear should be sturdy to prevent injuries. Also, bring plenty of energy-rich food such as nuts, muesli bars and dried fruits, as well as water, since there are no shops in the national parks. Taking all proper arrangements will ensure you to have a memorable experience in New Zealand’s cherished wilderness.
For more information and to prepare for your trip, visit the website of New Zealand’s Department of Conservation: http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/

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