Skotel Whakapapa New Zealand

... , we climbed up through mountain and vallies and then the weather changed and snow appeared. Our hostel called Skotel, is the highest alpine lodges in New Zealand and offers great ski facilities but all us, most Brit's from the bus wanted to do is stay ...

Early arrival at 6:30am in Auckland, why not jump on a bus and make our way to National Park/Whakapapa to start our hike the same day (ooooh we are a bit tired!).  We catch a bus in Manakau City (between airport and Auckland), getting some fuelite at ...

22.33 - Unfortunately it was an early start for me today. I had to be up at 06.30 and by the bus pick up point outside TBC at 08.00. This wasn't quite as early as it sounds mainly because of all the luggage and food I was carrying in preparation for the ...

... had a more sedate drive down to Lake Taupo.  It provided us a good stopover on the way to Whakapapa and gave us a good opportunity to enjoy New Zealand's largest lake for the evening. We stayed in a funny little place called Bradshaws, which was a ...

... the Park had been to complete the 20 kilometre Tongariro Alpine Crossing, across the shoulder between Mts Ngauruhoe and Tongariro, famous as New Zealand's best one day hike.  Our first day dawned grey and rainy with the clouds right down, no day for ...