Start of the Routeburn

Routeburn Track: Day 1

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January 3rd 2011
Time to leave Queenstown and start my first Great Walk - The Routeburn Track. First, it was a bus ride, about one hour north past the town of Glenorchy. For Lord of the Rings buffs, this area was used for three scenes in the movie: Lothlorien, Isengard, and the Battle of Amon Hen. On the first day I'm slated to hike 8.8km (estimated time of four hours) to Routeburn Falls Hut (elevation approxim ... read more

Oceania » New Zealand » National Parks » Mt Aspiring National Park

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The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year... ... read more