WILD ABOUT NEW ZEALAND - ABEL TASMAN & NELSON LAKES NATIONAL PARK EPISODE GUIDE TO 10/9/13
Episode Two: Abel Tasman – Nelson Lakes National Park, Wild About New Zealand Series. Aired: Tuesday, September 10th, 8.30 on TV ONE
By Gus Roxburgh
The Wild About New Zealand Episode guides provide a simple overview for viewers on planning a trip to the National Park featured in the TV series. What can you visit? What is easily accessible? What needs more planning and preparation? Plus top tips on things to do in and around the National Parks. The guides are written by series presenter, Gus Roxburgh who spent 18 months on adventures – both big and small, in all our National Parks featured in the series. The information is designed to get New Zealanders to move from the inspiration of the TV series to action - and head out to explore our world renowned National Parks.
Gus is presenter of the TV series, Wild About New Zealand, and principal author of the book of the series being published by Random House in October 2013
Content developed with Nelson and Tasman Regional Tourism Office, Department of Conservation and Jasons Travel Media.
For more information on the Abel Tasman National Park please visit: Wild About New Zealand Travel Information Web Site: www.wildaboutnewzealand.co.nz
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WILD ABOUT NEW ZEALAND - ABEL TASMAN & NELSON LAKES NATIONAL PARK EPISODE GUIDE TO 10/9/13
Episode Guide Sections :
i. Essential Travel Information incl. Why You Should Visit, What is So Special, Getting There & 5 Top Things to Do ii. Expanded Itineraries incl. Gus’ Picks for 1, 2 and 4 Day Trips to Abel Tasman and Nelson Lakes National Park
ABEL TASMAN AND NELSON LAKES NATIONAL PARK
Abel Tasman National Park by Robert Zw (Flickr)
ESSENTIAL ABEL TASMAN & NELSON LAKES TRAVEL INFORMATION Why You Should Visit and What is So Special Getting There Gus’ Top 5 Things to Do in Abel Tasman and Nelson Lakes
AS SEEN ON TELEVISION – WILD ABOUT NEW ZEALAND.
Areas of Abel Tasman and Nelson Lakes seen in the September 10th episode of Wild About New Zealand that can easily be visited (for marked locations you may need specialist equipment and experience and/or travel with an specialist guide):
Abel Tasman National Park including:
Marahau The Abel Tasman National Park Coast Track Sea Kayaking or boating in the National Park Visiting the Bays within the National Park accessible by track and boat including Bark Bay & Torrent Bay The Abel Tasman Great Walk – Dept of Conservation Track and Hut (3-4 days).
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Adele Island Nature Reserve Tonga Island Marine Reserve (Seal Colony) Harwoods Hole Cave* Abel Tasman Streams & Canyons including Torrent Canyon and Cleopatra’s Pool*
Nelson Lakes National Park including:
Lake Rotorua Lake Rotoiti Blue Lake - Rotomairewhenua (the “clearest water in the world”) St Arnaud Range Mount Roberts Nelson Lakes National Park tracks including Mt Roberts, Travers – Sabine Saddles and Lake Angelus circuit walks (1-4 days).
WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT ABEL TASMAN AND NELSON LAKES NATIONAL PARK
By Gus Roxburgh
These two parks lie just an hours drive from each other but couldn’t be more different. Nelson Lakes is arguably our least-known park. It’s rugged mountains mark the northern end of the Southern Alps and below the tussock-clad peaks, the storybook beech forests and glacier-carved lakes make Nelson Lakes a hidden gem tucked just one easy hour’s drive from Nelson or Blenheim. There are lots of adventure opportunities, particularly for those who prefer a little more solitude in this perfectly tranquil wilderness.
Meanwhile Abel Tasman is the better-known, sun-kissed flirt of our national parks. Less than an hour’s drive from Nelson in the western crook of Tasman Bay, the gateway to the Park is the mellow beach town of Marahau and it stretches around Separation Point to the eastern reaches of Golden Bay. It may be our smallest National Park but it is famed for its granite cliffs and golden sand beaches which in combination with the green native bush that comes down to the blue waters that lap those beaches makes for a unique combination of colours that rivals anything tropical destinations like Tahiti can produce. Add its mild climate and a myriad of untouched coastal hideaways to explore at any time of year and the myriad adventure options in Abel Tasman and there is quite literally something for everyone in Abel Tasman.
Put the two Parks together and you have the perfect getaway, from the mountains to the sea.
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT ABEL TASMAN AND NELSON NALES NATIONAL PARK
Growing up in Nelson I thought I had Nelson Lakes and Abel Tasman all figured out. Over the years I’ve kayaked, sailed and tramped all over these Parks. I’d even descended into Abel Tasman’s somewhat terrifying Harwoods Hole and even flown over the Parks in everything from microlights to helicopters to gliders. But nature has a way of surprising you and just when you think you know a place, the best places always have something more just waiting to be discovered.
Venturing inland from Torrent Bay on the Wild About New Zealand shoot with Toine Houtenbos of the recently opened Abel Tasman Canyons was such a moment. Hiking up the Torrent River laden with a small mountain of camera gear, wetsuits, harnesses and carabineers seems a counter-
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WILD ABOUT NEW ZEALAND - ABEL TASMAN & NELSON LAKES NATIONAL PARK EPISODE GUIDE TO 10/9/13 intuitive thing to do, especially on a warm early summer day when the water looks so inviting. But good things come to those who put a little effort in and after a hard hour’s uphill hike; we’re ready to descend back down the river, canyoneering style.
Canyoneering has its roots in Europe where climbers realized they could use the same technical skills they had developed to get up steep cliff faces to get down steep water courses. And when they did they discovered these often hidden canyons concealed a magical water world of waterfalls, rockslides and verdant greenery. And Torrent Canyon is no different for hidden in the otherwise- inaccessible depths of the canyon is a veritable neverland of natural rock slides, abseils and zip lines and vertigo-inducing leaps into crystal clear pools, ending in the enticingly named Cleopatra’s Pool. It’s a day out like no other and a totally unique take on the Abel Tasman.
But for those less-inclined to hurl themselves off 8 meter high waterfalls, options abound. Like most of our parks, the options for trampers are plentiful but more than anything Abel Tasman is about the water. This is a place for the time-honoured tradition of ‘mucking about in boats’ – be they sea kayaks, water taxis or charter yachts, there’s something for anyone with a taste for the briny here. And if kicking back on a beach with a book is more your style you won’t be disappointed either!
Similarly Nelson Lakes has secrets waiting to be discovered. Several days walk high on the Travers- Sabine circuit in the mountains of Nelson Lakes due south of Rotoroa lies the Blue Lake, officially measured as the clearest fresh water in the world. Just a hundred meters or so across this cerulean gem of a lake is so clear that from one shore you can almost see the rocks under the surface at the other end of the lake. In fact NIWA have measured the lakes water to have an extreme visual clarity of 80 meters – the same theoretical visibility of distilled water! The water filters down slowly from the larger Lake Constance which sits roughly 200 meters above Blue Lake, filtering down an enormous natural dam created by an ancient earthquake, and out here there is nothing to pollute its pristine alpine purity. No wonder the lake, known as Rotomairewhenua to Maori, is considered sacred. Visiting this unique lake in the course of filming Wild About NZ was one of the highlights of the shoot.
In fact there’s something that feels sacred about the whole Park. The beech forests here are like salve for the soul. Walking in these forests it’s hard not to feel the work of some higher power. They’re natural perfection almost as if they’ve been laid out like an enormous Zen garden and for my money they are our natural equivalent of the great cathedrals of Europe.
Perhaps less a place for adrenaline-filled action, Nelson Lakes is the perfect place for reflection and contemplation. And while more active pursuits like skiing are on offer here, to me this is a place to walk and ponder and the variety of walks here is endless – from excellent half hour interpretive walks from the road heads at Rotoiti and Rotoroa, to longer options like the Travers-Sabine or the Lake Angelus circuit.
TOP FIVE – Gus’ Top Five Things to do in Abel Tasman National Park
1. The 3-5 day easy trail of Abel Tasman Coast Track. 2. Winter mountain biking over the Gibbs Hill Track 3. Rent a kayak and see the park as Abel Tasman saw it, from the sea. 4. Go canyoning on the Torrent River down to Cleopatra’s Pool. 5. Trek up to the skyline through beech forest on the 3-5 day Inland Track
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TOP FIVE – Gus’ Top Five Things to do in Nelson Lakes National Park
1. Fishing for brown trout on Lakes Rotoroa or Rotoiti. 2. A short ramble through bird friendly forests alongside Lake Rotoiti. 3. The serious tramping challenge of the Travers-Sabine Circuit. 4. A not so serious, but challenging tramp/ climb up to Angelus Hut. 5. Spring skiing at Rainbow ski field.
More Information on Abel Tasman and Nelson Lakes National Park:
Wild About New Zealand Abel Tasman Visitor Park Page: http://www.wildaboutnewzealand.co.nz/nelson-lakes-national-park/ Wild About New Zealand Nelson Lakes Visitor Park Page http://www.wildaboutnewzealand.co.nz/nelson-lakes-national-park/ Nelson Tasman Regional Tourism Office: http://www.nelsonnz.com/ Jasons Encounter Outdoor Adventure Guide: http://jasons.co.nz/nelson-lakes-area/activities- attractions DOC Abel Tasman National Park: http://doc.org.nz/parks-and-recreation/national-parks/abel- tasman/ DOC Nelson Lakes National Park: http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/national- parks/nelson-lakes/
Gus is principal author of Wild About New Zealand – the book of the series being published by Random House in October 2013
Abel Tasman National Park by Lara Ortiz
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WILD ABOUT NEW ZEALAND - ABEL TASMAN & NELSON LAKES NATIONAL PARK EPISODE GUIDE TO 10/9/13
Expanded Itineraries
One, Two and Four Day Suggested Itineraries.
ABEL TASMAN NATIONAL PARK
ONE DAY– Gus’ suggestions for those with one day in Abel Tasman.
Go Sea Kayaking. A number of operators offer a one day guided experience for those with little or no previous kayaking experience. It's an amazing chance to see plenty of wildlife and visit protected coves and golden sand beaches. More info: Jasons Encounter Outdoor Guide www.jasons.co.nz and www.Nelsonnz.com
Take on the Torrent River (or Falls River) on a canyoning adventure. Feel the true force of water on rivers that offer great opportunities for sliding down natural rock slides, abseiling, zip lines and jumping into crystal clear pools. More info: http://abeltasmancanyons.co.nz/ - contact Toine Houtenbos
Walk to Harwoods Hole to see the real middle earth. The walking track from the Canaan Road carpark takes you to the lookout on the rim of steep sided Gorge Creek. From here you gaze down onto the sheer rock walled spectacle of Harwoods Hole. New Zealand’s ‘longest drop’ is 176 metres. The round trip takes about 2 hours.
You can swim with seals. Jump on a water taxi and take a 40 minute ride into the heart of the park - Tonga Island. It’s wise to take a guided trip as they have the gear and know the protocol of interacting with the seals. It is a memorable experience. More info: http://www.sealswim.com/
Fly Over Abel Tasman. For a unique view of the blue, green and gold colours of the Abel Tasman, take a scenic micro light flight over the Park. You’ll take off from nearby Motueka and take a spectacular loop over the Park. With the wing above your head and the open cockpit there’s literally nothing between you and the incredible scenery but the seat you’re sitting on. More info: http://www.skyadventures.co.nz/
Mountain bike the Wainui – Gibbs Hill – Totaranui loop. There is definitely some steep climbing to be done, but the view from Gibbs Hill is worth it, so is the descent after some ridge riding. The track is open from 1 May to 1 October and there is a maximum group size of 8. The 23-kilometer track takes riders around 3 hours.More Info: – Department of Conservation Mountain Biking Brochure
TWO DAYS – Gus’s suggestions for those with a couple of days in Abel Tasman National Park.
Descend into Harwood Hole and Starlight Cave. It begins with a walk in, then a spectacular 200 metre abseil descent and then an exit out through Starlight Cave. This adventure is only for very experienced climbers/cavers and each party must include someone who knows the area intimately to avoid getting lost on the way out through the labyrinth of caves. More info: Department of Conservation Harwoods Hole & Staylight Cave Information. 6 | P a g e Wild About New Zealand Episode Guide
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Walk the Inland Track to ‘the roof of the park’. It begins on the Coastal Track but quickly climbs through regenerating forest up and away from the coast to Castle Rocks, which has a hut and great views. Second day you stay high, through stunted forest, the Moa Park tussock moorlands. There are side trips to spectacular look out points. If you are reasonably fit and prepared to walk on some unformed track, the overall distance is 41 kilometres and takes 3 days.
Kayak the coast of Abel Tasman National Park. Seeing the park from the water offers a completely fresh perspective. Another advantage is being able to land wherever you want and then take a walk, go snorkelling and set up camp on a secluded beach. Some of the park’s most spectacular features like Falls River lagoon and Tonga Island Marine Reserve can only be fully appreciated from the sea. A three day tour will allow you to see most of the park.
FOUR OR MORE DAYS – Gus’ Suggestions for those with a bit more time in Abel Tasman National Park.
Walk the Abel Tasman Coast Track. This is one of New Zealand’s Great Walks and can be accessed from either the west or the east, taking you through forest, onto beaches and headlands close to seal colonies and the Tonga Marine Reserve, so bring your snorkel and mask. Being coastal, you cross several (bridged) streams and tidal inlets, and the weather can be changeable. There are 4 huts and plenty of campsites. The overall distance is 55 kilometres and can take from 3-5 days to complete, depending whether or not you are in a hurry. More info: http://doc.org.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/nelson- tasman/golden-bay/abel-tasman-coast-track/
On a Catamaran sailing tour there is no fixed itinerary. You go where the wind and your wishes take you. It’s like a motel on water, you can be dropped off to tramp the coastal track; dive with the seals; go off wildlife watching or stay on board and relax on deck. More info: http://www.sailingcharters.co.nz/
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Nelson Lakes National Park by David Wall
NELSON LAKES NATIONAL PARK
ONE DAY – Gus’ suggestions for those with one day
Lake Rotoiti has lots of short walks, including those that weave through the ‘mainland island’, a 5,000 hectare area of beech forest that is alive with birds. Walking within sight and sound of so many birds is a wonderful experience made possible by an extensive predator- trapping programme. More Info: http://doc.org.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and- walks/nelson-tasman/nelson-lakes/lake-rotoiti-walking-tracks/
There are several mountain bike trails in and around the National Park. They vary from easy to advanced, from valley run to hill summit riding. Trails that lead off from near St Arnaud include Mount Robert Road – that takes just over 1 hour, Beeby’s Knob – 3 hours and Porika Road – 1 hour.
The track up Mount Robert is a steep and exhilarating climb. You start from the car park near St Arnaud. After a short distance on Paddy’s Track in tall beech forest you emerge onto the bare face of the mountain. The track zig zags on steeply, but there is a seat for a rest, and a magical piece of bush higher up called ‘the pixie dell’. Rest again at the Bushline Shelter half way up before striking out for the summit, pausing at the ‘whistling pole’ to take photographs. You should allow 4 - 5 hours for the walk; considerably longer with children.
Guided 4WD tours are available to traverse routes that include one from St Arnaud to Murchison. The route goes up the old Porika Stock Route above Lake Rotoroa, and onto the Braeburn track, then on over to Murchison.
Take a fault line foray or a rock hound ramble on hills above Lake Rotoroa. There are several short bush walks around Lake Rotoroa, but, you can break out of the delightful beech/ podocarp forest and hike up the Porika 4WD Track up on the northern end of the 8 | P a g e Wild About New Zealand Episode Guide
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Muntz Range. Here you are close to New Zealand’s main alpine fault line. To the west are mountains of ancient volcanic rock; to the east, mountains are of crumbly, ancient sediments. This hike takes half a day return. More info: http://doc.org.nz/parks-and- recreation/tracks-and-walks/nelson-tasman/nelson-lakes/lake-rotoroa-walking-tracks/
TWO DAYS – Gus’s suggestions for those with a couple of days in Lake Nelson National Park.
Brown trout can be fished in numerous locations around Lake Rotoroa. If you like to fish, it’s good to have options, especially if the weather is changeable. First, there is Lake fishing, which is an art in itself. But, there are also over 20 rivers close by, and that’s where fly- fishing is king. A guide may help make the most of local conditions.
The spectacular alpine landscape around Angelus Hut is accessed via several tracks. Each has its own challenges taking you up through beech forest, beyond the bush and sometimes above snowline up to the hut, close to Lake Angelus. To make the trip, you must be fit enough to walk for 2-3 days, up to 12 kilometres a day for six hours. You will need good balance on rocky ground and a head for heights. Winter climbs are for experts only.
Ski the Rainbow ski field. High above the village of St. Arnaud this ski field offers every kind of terrain on and off piste for skiers and snowboarders. Rainbow often gets its best snow in spring. That’s the time to make tracks in some great spring corn snow! More info: http://doc.org.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/nelson-tasman/nelson- lakes/angelus-hut-tracks-and-routes/
FOUR OR MORE DAYS – Gus’ Suggestions for those with a bit more time in Nelson Lakes National Park
The Travers Sabine Track Circuit offers a serious tramp through beech forests, tussock grasslands, beside rushing streams, through alpine meadows and over a 2,000 metre mountain pass. The pass at Travers Saddle is subject to freezing conditions at any time of year. It’s also worth making an overnight side trip to Blue Lake, with the purest, clearest waters of any lake in the world. The complete circuit requires a good level of preparation and fitness as it covers a distance of 80 kilometres, taking between 4 and 7 days. More info: http://doc.org.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/nelson-tasman/nelson-lakes/travers-sabine- circuit/
More Information:
For more information on the Abel Tasman National Park please visit: Wild About New Zealand Travel Information Web Site
Other Resources:
Wild About New Zealand – Abel Tasman National Park page Wild About New Zealand – Nelson Lakes National Park page Department of Conservation: Abel Tasman National Park Department of Conservation: Nelson Lakes National Park Nelson NZ: http://www.nelsonnz.com/ 9 | P a g e Wild About New Zealand Episode Guide
WILD ABOUT NEW ZEALAND - ABEL TASMAN & NELSON LAKES NATIONAL PARK EPISODE GUIDE TO 10/9/13
Jasons Encounter Outdoor Adventure Guide: www.jasons.co.nz
Wild About New Zealand Partner Information & Media:
Working with the Wild About New Zealand television series on TVNZ’s ONE are a number of partners responsible for important parts of the programme or related media:
Wild About New Zealand Television Series on ONE. Tuesdays 8.30 pm starting September 3rd 2013. New Zealand on Air (the TV series was funded from NZOA’s Platinum Fund). Gus Roxburgh - More information on Gus Roxburgh – presenter of the series. Department of Conservation National Park Information - DOC’s detailed information on each National Park NHNZ - the iconic New Zealand based production company who worked with TVNZ creating the TV series Wild About New Zealand Book - The book of the series published by Random House, October 2013 Wild About New Zealand Visitor Information - supporting web site offering visitor information and deals Jasons Encounter – New Zealand Outdoor Adventure Activity and Attractions Information Wild About New Zealand Outdoor Safety Videos - outdoor safety videos sponsored by Macpac Macpac Outdoor Equipment - Outdoor equipment sponsor to the series and the related Outdoor Safety Videos Wild About New Zealand Facebook Page - for behind the scenes on production and visitor information
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