We added a detour to our schedule to head to Waitomo Caves, which are world-famous for their glowworm displays. However, thanks to an insider tip, I didn’t join one of the tours that shuttle hundreds of tourists through the caves per day, but rather a more intimate and exciting option, the Lost Worlds Tour by Waitomo Adventures.

After a 20-minute bus ride into the countryside we were equipped with coveralls, gum boots and an abseiling kit. We then hiked through the bush to a huge hole in the ground. At the bottom we saw a flat surface through which a small stream was running. We were hooked up and could abseil 100 meters down to the bottom. That was a very cool experience, especially because the landscape was simply stunning.

Once at the bottom we realized that the “flat” surface was not flat at all, but we faced a small hill going up 30 meters, before it vanished inside a cave. We continued along the path into the cave, over many rocks, crossing the stream a couple of times, to settle in a quiet corner where we could enjoy a fair number of glowworms just for us.

To get back out we had to climb a 30 meter vertical ladder, which was quite strenuous (but they say, they have a pully system to help ;) ). After some further walking uphill and climbing shorter stairs we were back in the daylight.

From the four hours of the tour we were almost three hours actively doing something, which is, in my oppinion, a very good ratio. The tours are limited to 8 people and I was lucky enough that we were only a group of 3. I can highly recommend this tour!

Our next destination was Mount Taranaki on the West Coast. To get there we added another detour to travel the Forgotten World Highway. A scenic route through the hills, that still has a short stretch of gravel road and an ancient hand-hewn tunnel, locally known as Hobbit’s Hole (long before the movies were made).

On the way we passed lookouts with fantastic views, all the way back to Mount Tongariro.

A side-trip brought us to Mount Damper Falls. To get there we had to cross a meadow with many sheep and lambs. They seemed to be used to humans and did not instantly flee, which gave us some great photo opportunities.

We stayed overnight in Whangamomoma, a tiny hamlet in the middle, which once declared itself as an independent republic (and still has a president and celebrates its foundation day biennally). Quite a few of the old buildings are undergoing renovations and are being opened as guest houses. We stayed in the picturesque Bridge House (which isn't the one on the picture below).

The next day we continued to Stratford, where all streets are named after people and places from Shakespeare plays and which features a huge Glockenspiel with excerpts from Romeo and Juliet.

At the foot of Mount Taranaki in the Egmont National Park (Mount Egmont being the name James Cook gave the mountain) we did a wonderful four-hour hike (Stratford Mountain House, Waingongoro Track, Ridge Track, Dawson Falls, Wilkies Pools, Stratford Plateau, Enchanted Track, Stratford Mountain House).

The vegetation was fascinating, it felt like a rainforest and most of the trees were covered in moss and grass.

We can highly recommend doing both the Forgotten World Highway and this hike.