Travel and visit The Paparoa National Park in New Zealand, this park created to protect a unique limestone karst environment from mining and forestry. In the interests of science, the boundaries of the park were carefully established to encompass a complete range of landscapes and ecosystems, from the granite and gneiss summits of the Paparoa Range down to the layered rock formations of Punakaiki. The Paparoa Limestone underlies most of the park, and is responsible for the area's impressive landforms. Sculptured mountain ridges, mysterious river canyons, delicate cave decorations and the bizarre.The park is the overlapping point between subtropical and cool climate trees. Nikau palms, northern rata and cabbage trees give the lowland rainforest a lush, Pacific feeling. Further up, silver beech forest merges with sub alpine shrubs. Higher still, daisies and gentians provide colour among the alpine tussocks. Some plants are unique to the area, suggesting that it was a botanic refuge during the ice ages. Birdlife is prolific in these Park. The endemic Westland Black Petrel breeds only on the Punakaiki coast, and the Great Spotted Kiwi combs the forest by night.
Activities, Kayaking on the Pororari River is a peaceful way to soak up the ambience of the park. Highlights include a dramatic limestone gorge and bird spotting in the rainforest. The short track to the blowholes at Punakaiki is one of New Zealand's most travelled trails, with good reason. When high tides coincide with westerly swells, seawater geysers shoot for the sky. Behind Punakaiki there are accessible limestone caves - you'll need a torch.
Local caving companies can help you to explore the deeper cave systems in the park, including the five kilometre Xanadu cave. Accommodation The Paparoa, the village of Punakaiki offers a choice of accommodation styles, Hotel Motel or from bed and breakfast to luxury seaview villas. There are no Department of Conservation hikers' huts in the park. Hikers walking the Inland Pack Track can park their tents at the Ballroom Overhang campsite.
Local caving companies can help you to explore the deeper cave systems in the park, including the five kilometre Xanadu cave. Accommodation The Paparoa, the village of Punakaiki offers a choice of accommodation styles, Hotel Motel or from bed and breakfast to luxury seaview villas. There are no Department of Conservation hikers' huts in the park. Hikers walking the Inland Pack Track can park their tents at the Ballroom Overhang campsite.