Our spring holidays took us to the wild West Coast of New Zealand, where we explored rugged coastlines, hidden seal colonies and spectacular rock formations. We started with the Cape Foulwind walk, spotting seals among the rocks and wekas along the way, before heading to Punakaiki for its famous pancake rocks and natural bridges. The short Truman Track was another highlight, with a beautiful waterfall and dramatic cliffs where we could feel the full force of the Tasman Sea.
The next day, we ventured further north to the remote Oparara Basin near Karamea. After a long drive along gravel roads, we wandered through lush rainforest to discover enormous natural arches, mysterious caves and a peaceful mirror lake. Even Little G. joined us for the cave adventures, mostly from the comfort of Dad’s back, with the occasional banana to keep him going. We finished the day in Karamea, waiting for pizza and spending the night next to some rather noisy alpacas.
It was a weekend of misty landscapes, empty tracks and incredible natural scenery — exactly the kind of off-season adventure we love.
So, we load everything in our car for a weekend at the West Coast.Our first track: Cape Foulwind, 1h from the light house to the other end of the track. The weather isn’t the best, but that’s part of the coastal charm.Dad carrying him around everywhere.Little G. misses most of the track, as usual.Arriving at the seal colony.First, you only see rocks, but then more and more perfectly hidden seals appear.A banana for G. and a weka photo for C.Ready for the walk back!An amazing photo spot further South along the highway.No one but us there. It’s clearly off-season.The always misty West Coast. Love it.Arriving at Punakaiki.The world famous pancakes.Rightly so. They’re stunning.On top of a natural bridge on the 30 min loop walk.The boys.Family selfie time. 🙂Heading back towards Westport. Next stop Truman Track.Such a cool waterfall.What a cliff.We can feel the power of the sea, carving the rocks.Wild place.The short track follows layers of vegetation. Here: Nikau palms.Dinner at the best rated restaurant in Westport: The Chilean burger. Next day: After a long gravel road drive to the Oparara Basin near Karamea.Rusty brown rivers.Winding paths.Lots of steps.Through the jungle.We arrive at the Oparara Arch and cave.This reminds me of the flying rocks in the Avatar movies.Even G. is excited to be here.Just a little suspicious.Banana for the strenuous walk on Dad’s back.Another track at Oparara to a cave.We climbed down into the cave with the baby.He’s not easily scared of anything.Family selfie with the narrow cave entrance in the back.That’s how it looks from the outside.Very well maintained track, given the extreme remoteness of the place.Final stop at the mirror lake before heading back to civilization.Guess who’s missing out on the beautiful bush again.A little visitor to guide us home.“Do you think there was a Weka in the car?”A night in Karamea, waiting for our pizzas.It’s just an hour, right?Sleeping next to Alpacas.They’re shitting all day.And if they’re not shitting, they’re weeing.On the road back to our home. Little G. is getting a bit impatient. Will the phone help?
