Waipoua Forest

In the middle of the pristine Waipoua Forest, surrounded by ancient trees and dense vegetation. Access is via the winding, narrow Waipoua Forest Drive, a spectacular route through untouched wilderness. $10 per person/night, night walk an additional $10 per person.

Positive: a family-run site, the operator (a Māori) is warm and helpful, an authentic nature experience in the heart of the forest, night walk departing right from the campground, guided by the owner in person, fascinating information about plants, animals and Māori culture, a chance of spotting kiwis in the wild if you're lucky. Negative: the ground can get muddy when it rains, basic facilities with no modern sanitary amenities.

This gigantic kauri tree is over 2,000 years old and, at around 51 meters tall with a girth of more than 13 meters, the largest of its kind. For Māori it's a sacred symbol, named after Tāne, the god of the forest. Standing in front of it, it was hard to grasp how many centuries it has already existed. Free entry.

Possible both by day and at night. The daytime walk lets you experience the impressive kauri trees and diverse plant life in full glory. The night walk offers a completely different atmosphere and the chance to learn more about wildlife like the rare kiwi, along with interesting insights into the forest's history and the significance of nature for Māori. Free.