Page 25 - New Zealand holiday

Chateau Tongariro Hotel, where we stayed one night, is a French style property which is the last thing you might expect to see in this remote and beautiful area. We donned our hiking boots and set out to see the Taranaki Falls on a two hour walk of nearly 4 miles. Some of the sections were steep, rough or muddy and the vegetation in the forest areas was unusual and beautiful. No wonder this area featured in the filming of Lord of the Rings and has made New Zealand famous.