• Tuatapere McCracken's Rest
    New Zealand

    Things to do in Tuatapere, New Zealand

    Tuatapere in New Zealand is known as “the town that has the last light of every day.” If you drive one hour further south from Manapouri (which already feels like you’ve reached the end of the world) you will arrive in Tuatapere. This town is located place where agricultural land and Fiordland National Park meet. Right on the Southern Scenic Route, you can make various trips from Tuatapere and you will encounter only a fraction of all the tourists you will find in towns like Te Anau and Manapouri. I’ve been to Tuatapere twice over the past few years and my first impression was that it was quite sleepy and…

  • Abel Tasman Coast Track
    New Zealand,  We12hike

    Abel Tasman Coast Track – all you want to know!

    WOW! That’s just one word to describe New Zealand’s Abel Tasman National Park. Entirely different than the rest of the country, it’s a true hiker’s paradise, either for the experienced trekker or the beginner hiker. During my five trips through New Zealand over the past decade I walked the Abel Tasman Track no fewer than three times and you know what… I would happily do it once again! It’s one of my favorite Great Walks in New Zealand for various reasons and it will always have a special place in my heart. In this article about the Abel Tasman Track I will tell you everything you need to know about…

  • hiking on rangitoto island wandelen in nieuw zeeland
    New Zealand,  We12hike

    Doing the Rangitoto Island walk in New Zealand

    Are you in Auckland and want to go to Rangitoto Island? Then in this article I will tell you everything about this special island. I did the Rangitoto Island walk in 2018, but I visited New Zealand again in 2022-2023 and the information in this blog has been updated following this recent trip. Enjoy reading! This post was first published in 2018 and updated in 2023. The small Rangitoto Island volcano is located just north of central Auckland is a relatively young volcano. The last Rangitoto Island eruption was 600 years ago. It’s a great place for hiking and an easy way to climb a volcano. After a journey of…

  • cycling the otago rail trail in new zealand
    New Zealand,  We12bike

    Cycling the Otago Central Rail Trail in New Zealand

    When you are from The Netherlands, aka “the country where everyone always rides a bike” (and NOT, “the country where everyone visits family on their ice skates because we have so many canals”, as it has once been said during the recent winter Olympics), there’s no way we could say no to a little adventure on the Otago Central Rail Trail while in New Zealand.  This 152 kilometer former railway takes you through some truly stunning scenery in Central Otago and shouldn’t be too much of a problem for anyone who knows how to ride a bike. In this blog I’ll tell you about how much we enjoyed cycling the…