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Introduction
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INTRODUCTION Being a Kiwi myself, it is not hard for me to wax eloquent about my country! But whenever I visit, I am amazed once more by the great beauty of this place. Some of the best destinations are not on the itinerary of the regular tourist, and Lake Waikaremoana is one of these. Lake Waikaremoana is located in the Te Urewera National Park between Rotorua and Wairoa. It is a large lake, covering an area of 54 square kilometres, and at 256 metres is the North Island’s deepest lake. The Maori name means 'sea of rippling waters’, making the usual terminology ‘Lake Waikaremoana’ redundant. The access from Rotorua is by a long, hilly, winding unsealed road which never seems to end, branching off the main Rotorua – Taupo Road between Waimangu and Waiotapu. The distance from Rotorua is in fact 173 km. A similar but shorter road from Wairoa is only 63 km, but then of course you have to get to Wairoa first!
The lake has been created by a huge, natural landslide dam, about 250 metres high, which is believed to be around 2200 years old. The landslide was sealed around 1950 to prevent seepage through the slip, the work being carried out as part of a hydrelectric development below the dam.
There are some lovely (strenuous!) walks around the lake, and camping is permitted along these. Other accommodation is fairly limited, and bookings need to be made in advance at the Lake Waikaremoana Motor Camp. For non-walkers, there is magnificent scenery making two nights’ stay well worthwhile – longer for a relaxing holiday. The above map shows the main places we visit on this website. |
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