Best walks and wilderness in North Island

It depends what you like and where in particular you're going, but the Central Plateau (around Tongariro National Park) is a good starting point for suggesting things.

What walks in particular do you suggest? I'm most into lush forests and wild landscape. Anyone know where in North Island is the most intact old growth forest?

You don't say much about yourself in your profile so I take it that you are from the South Island. Tongariro with its volcanic landscape will be something different. The Kaimanawas are another area with a variety of tramping areas, ie. bush, tops, rivers etc. The Whirinaki has good huts and is great bush country. Then there is the Ureweras for a real wilderness experience, which might incluse wild natives in some areas. Do a search on this site and you will find trip descriptions for all of these areas.

Probably the Ureweras then. A huge wilderness area, with lush rainforest. Lots of options including the more popular Waikaremoana Great Walk to more remote backcountry routes. The Manuoha Circuit is a good option - gets you to the highest point in the Ureweras with 360 degree views.

Cephid, are you coming to the North Island specifically to look for places to go walking, or are you here for another reason and looking for something to visit on the side? If it's the latter, it'd be helpful to know where you'll be, because a week isn't very long to get to anywhere but a few places in the island and still expect to do some exploring. What kind of experience and background are you coming from? Do you have your own transport to get down 3 hours of anonymous back-roads, or will you be relying on things like public buses?

Cheers guys, I really appreciate the help. I'm actually from australia. I've spent most of my time in the sub-tropical rainforests between the gold coast and Byron bay. I've been hiking on the kepler track and around Mt Cook. Just been to Switzaland, which is stunning, but it still doesn't have the lush life of NZ. I'd really love somewhere as wild and untouched as possible. I'm going to Aukland for a sustainability conference, then we'll probably hire a car and to camping for a week. That way we can get around pretty quick and out to the good spots. We'll be camping every night either on walks in in the bush. We've only god a week, and we want to see as much as we can. Thanks again for all your advice.

Hi Cephid. I tend to spend most time around the southern end of the North Island (especially Tararuas and Ruahines) so I'm not too up with what's good when coming from an Auckland direction. The Ureweras suggestion sounds pretty good, and it's within range of Auckland if you only have a week. http://www.nztopomaps.com/-38.530979,177.074890,10,Map,100 You'd also be looking at places like Tongariro National Park. Supposedly the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is rated as one of the best daywalks in the world, as long as you get good weather (it can be dangerous in bad weather, though partly because so many people go unprepared). But you'll meet lots of tourists and it's not exactly lush forests. Alternatively you could hop across State Highway 1 to the Kaimanawas, which will have less people, and also wilderness areas. If this interests you though, make sure you know where you're going in advance because there are some private land blocks in the middle which you're not allowed to cross. http://www.nztopomaps.com/-39.186498,175.762711,11,Map,100 Others would be better to suggest specific good walks in these areas, though.

Actually if you are heading down to Tongariro from Auckland theres a great short two day trip along the way to Waihaha Hut. Track each way is about 3 hours, nice forest and birdlife. There is also somewhere handy to leave your car, its on this site somewhere.

The carpark at the start of the Waihaha would not be a good place to leave a car overnight, as is the case with many other North Island carparks. I would hate to see a tramper's trip spoilt by finding their car has been broken into or stolen. Best to ask at the local DOC office about advise for safe parking anywhere. As for the Waihaha site, I did post an article on this site but DOC requested that it be removed because they want to keep the arrangement low key so the safe parking place can remain safe. If anyone wants to know about it, ask at the DOC Maniapoto Office http://www.doc.govt.nz/about-doc/structure/offices/conservancies/waikato/maniapoto-area/ and the instructions will be given.