The Ultimate New Zealand Travel Guide
Tree Top Walk - West Coast
Just fifteen minutes south of Hokitika we spotted the sign to the turn off for a new addition to the New Zealand experience – the West Coast Tree Top Walk. I was quite surprised on the expanse of the layout when we pulled up to a large very modern cafe complex.
We parked the camper van and with cameras in hand took the path to the entrance.
Several people were milling about the cafe and the shop. We went to the desk and there Pauline explained what this was all about. It seems an Australian company who had built several of these over there had spent over seven million dollars providing us with a chance to walk high in the canopy of the rain forest's giant rimu.
They have built a 25 metre high steel walkway that winds through the trees for almost a half kilometre. In addition they have created a forty metre tower with a 115 step spiral staircase where in the 360 degree ability to see high in the trees you have a birds-eye view of the Tasman Sea, Lake Mahinapua, the Southern Alps and the surrounding forest. Quite spectacular so David said as I stayed behind chatting with Pauline while sipping an espresso.
One thing that impressed me as I talked to several people as they returned from the experience was all ages can enjoy it. It is not a hard walk or adventure for either the very young or the very old.
Quite interesting and David enjoyed the experience. I enjoyed the coffee and muffin I had added to my exercise. Thank you Pauline for filling me in on how it all happened.
It was time we moved on south.
Some photos.........more on the Facebook page
Just fifteen minutes south of Hokitika we spotted the sign to the turn off for a new addition to the New Zealand experience – the West Coast Tree Top Walk. I was quite surprised on the expanse of the layout when we pulled up to a large very modern cafe complex.
We parked the camper van and with cameras in hand took the path to the entrance.
Several people were milling about the cafe and the shop. We went to the desk and there Pauline explained what this was all about. It seems an Australian company who had built several of these over there had spent over seven million dollars providing us with a chance to walk high in the canopy of the rain forest's giant rimu.
They have built a 25 metre high steel walkway that winds through the trees for almost a half kilometre. In addition they have created a forty metre tower with a 115 step spiral staircase where in the 360 degree ability to see high in the trees you have a birds-eye view of the Tasman Sea, Lake Mahinapua, the Southern Alps and the surrounding forest. Quite spectacular so David said as I stayed behind chatting with Pauline while sipping an espresso.
One thing that impressed me as I talked to several people as they returned from the experience was all ages can enjoy it. It is not a hard walk or adventure for either the very young or the very old.
Quite interesting and David enjoyed the experience. I enjoyed the coffee and muffin I had added to my exercise. Thank you Pauline for filling me in on how it all happened.
It was time we moved on south.
Some photos.........more on the Facebook page
