Whanganui River Trip

29/12/2013 - 31/12/2013
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In New Zealand, the DOC (Department of Conservation) which takes care of all the hiking trails, forests, huts, etc... have chosen 9 hiking trails and called them the 9 Great Walks of New Zealand. Most of these hikes take a few days to complete but however, one of them is not a hiking trail but a river trip, in the North island. Basically you pack in some waterproof bags whatever you need for 3 to 5 days, rent camping gear like tent and cooking tools, rent a canoe and you go down this amazing river called Whanganui, going through small rapids and very quiet sections.

So when preparing my trip in New Zealand, I saw this "great walk" and decided that "yes, this sounds pretty awesome"!

Therefore just before New Years' Eve, my friend Daniela and myself took out on the river, with all our equipment in waterproof bags and barrels, on an indian canoe. The weather wasn't perfect as during the first two days we got washed out by the rain a few times but soon enough the sun came back to dry us out.

Instead of the 5 days circuit, we had opted for the 3 days option (you start lower down on the river) because of the timing and availabilities of the camping sites along the river, but still, this was an amazing and relaxing experience. We had really the feeling of becoming one with the nature...

The river is surrounded by some kind of cliffs, giving you the feeling of being in a small canyon. And the colours were so green... Simply surreal!