Hiking in Hiker Paradise

More pronounceably called "the Lake Track," this track runs through the North Island's Te Urewera National Park. It circles most of the shoreline of Lake Waikaramoana, which was formed about 2,500 years ago when a landslide dammed the Waikaretaheke River.

Passing by sparkling streams and lakes, this track offers plenty of opportunities to rest and take a dip or try your luck trout fishing (permit required). But the highlight of this hike is its forest, the largest untouched native forest on North Island, which boasts endemic trees like rimu, rata, tawa, podocarp, and, of course, ubiquitous beech, as well as more than 600 species of native plants.