Kiwi adventurer BareKiwi took the Road Less Travelled and discovered the heartland of the Whakatāne district.
“Staying at Whakatau Retreat was such a unique experience – but it’s not necessarily for everyone given it’s completely off the grid camping. If you are the right person, you’ll discover how incredible ‘forest-bathing’ is. Te Urewera Treks is almost best described as a spiritual experience because of how connected Hinewai is to Papatūānuku and the Ngahere. One of my favourite parts was just sitting down for a chat over a cup of Horopito tea. There is a certain something about being in that forest with Hinewai. One thing that really stood out was there was no set destination for our guided walk so it encourages you to slow down. It allows you to become so in tune to the story, the rich history of the forest comes to life and reaching a destination isn’t the focus. I've never had a tour like that before.”
"One of my favourite parts was just sitting down for a chat over a cup of Horopito tea."
