New Zealand is a nation of stunning natural beauty and genuinely friendly citizens. It is a full thousand miles from the nearest landmass of Australia, and those who go the distance find an extraordinarily unique array of landscapes, activities, and cultural attractions. A prime example is the Whanganui River (pronounced “FAHN-gah-noo-ee”), which flows through some of the greenest parts of New Zealand’s North Island beneath steep tiers of temperate rainforest. Kayakers and canoeists roll through minor rapids and past slender waterfalls toppling down the steep gray banks.
To paddle down the most scenic stretches of the river can take between one and six days, depending on where you put in. New Zealand’s admirable Department of Conservation has classified 145 particularly stunning kilometres of this river as a Great Walk, where visitors can expect well-maintained campsites and back-country huts. But the Whanganui harbors a far more fascinating way to spend the night: a marae.
