Redwoods Treetop Walk, Rotorua, New Zealand

One of my favourite places in New Zealand is the Redwood Grove in Rotorua.  It is always on my 'must do' list whenever I visit the city. The thermal city of Rotorua is famous for its steaming geysers, boiling mud and natural hot pools.  It is packed with interesting places to see and things to do but for me nothing tops the Redwood Grove.  The tall majestic Californian Redwoods, planted 118 years ago, fill me with a sense of peace, calm, and awe.  Wandering through the grove feels to me like walking through a grand European cathedral. So it was a no brainer that on my recent visit to the city I would take a walk through the grove, albeit this time by way of the Tree Top Walk.

Left: One of the 28 bridges

Right: The highest platform, 
20 metres above the forest floor








At 700 metres long and with 28 bridges and 27 platforms it is the longest living tree walk in the world. The day I visited there was a light drizzle but, just as their brochure states, it made the colours of the forest more vibrant with raindrops sparkling like diamonds on the ferns and spider webs below and that lovely, earthy, foresty aroma rising up.  A plus, as far as I was concerned, was that the rain meant their were fewer visitors.  It is suggested that the walk takes 40 minutes to complete but I was enjoying it so much, and because there were so few people around, I took about an hour just meandering along and admiring a birds eye view of the forest and the stunning ferns below.

I enjoyed it so much that I went back in the evening  to see the Redwood Nightlights. At night the Treetop Walk is illuminated by huge suspended lanterns hung from high in the trees.  Designed by New Zealand award winning light designer, David Trubridge (appropriate name) the sculptural, wooden lanterns reflect the patterns of nature.  They are magnificent and the way they throw light on the trees and illuminate the ferns at night is quite magical.  Unfortunately for me by evening the rain was steady, nevertheless, undeterred, I forged ahead and enjoyed it thoroughly. I met only one other hardy soul braving the elements and I ended up drenched but it was worth it, one of the many beauties of Rotorua being that I could have a warming soak in a thermal pool later at my hotel.  I am now keen to return and do both walks all over again in better weather

Above and right: The David Trubridge lanterns. 

Below right: The only photo I got at night
due to steady rain blurring my lens. 

A few facts: The tallest tree in the forest is 75 metres or 246 feet high.  The lowest part of the Treetop Walk is 6 metres high, working up to 12 metres. The highest part is 20 metres above the forest floor and 100 metres long. 

If you have visited the Redwood Forest before, the Treetop Walk is a must do.  If you haven't visited the Redwood Forest before, the treetop walk is also a must do but you should, before or after the experience, wander through the forest at ground level.  I guarantee you will love it as much as I do.

Wet but happy!

Visit the Treetop Walk website: www.treewalk.co.nz for more information.