2 Month North Island

Here's a few I think are superlative: * Hike from Kapowairua around Cape Reinga, then down to 90-Mile Beach * Buck Taylor track down to the beach, then north up to Piha & out * Waipoua Forest * Lake Waikaremoana * Cape Kidnappers * Pouakai Circuit * Round-the Mountain (Ruapehu) * Tongariro Crossing * Urchin-Umakarikari Some of these are multi-day, some are excellent day hikes.

A few suggestions: *Sunrise on the summit of Mt Hikurangi - 1st place in NZ to see sun. *Loop around Whirinaki Forest Park - virgin lowland forest. *Lake Waikareiti - row a boat across the lake to the hut, visit the island in the lake with its own lake. *Kayak down the Whanganui River. *ANYTHING in the Tararuas... the birthplace of tramping as a recreational activity in NZ. Any crossing is fantastic, the Southern is the classic trip but I prefer the Northern or Mid crossings. Another great trip is a loop from Otaki Forks up to Kime, along the range to Manugahuka and Andersons. Down Junction Knob to Waitaewaewae and back to Otaki Forks. Something to consider is that any trip that goes above the bushline at this time of year you'll probably encounter snow and ice.

I thought the Chatham islands (or Pitt Island) would be the first place in New Zealand to see the sun.

The Chatham Islands aren't New Zealand... wellaccording to the Chatham Islanders anyway. ;-)

Geez you lot a picky bunch... :) Perhaps I should of said "the first place on mainland New Zealand..." Anyway this question has occurred to me: is Mt Hikurangi the first place to see the sun on every day of the year or is it only on some days during the year?

My 2p worth - many duplicating the above: 1) Tararuas Tararua main ridge - best bits are: Kyme/Field to Andersons - e.g a loop frm Otaki forks via Waitewaewae Arete north. - Either a through walk from levin roadends to Mangahau / Roaring stag roadends, or a loop from Mangahau over Mt Dundas and Arete returning via Mangahau valley Or the above two can be combined for a good 4-6 day through walk - see my artical here 'tararua main ridge' All high up on a good track on an exposed ridgeline. Great views. Need to make sure not too much snow around. 2) Ruahines A more remote experience, with less well maintained tracks and a bit more navigation skill required. Good loops from Kawatau base, Makaroro river roadend or Sunrise tracks. Look at the park brocure from Doc and plan any circuit that gets you onto the tops. The Sawtooth is a great bit if you get good weather. 3) Kawekas Anything here is great and unique - dry clay-pan mountains and manuka bush. Amazing colours and views of Ruapehu and the Hawkes bay. Recommend a loop from Kurikapanga or the Lakes over Kaweka summit via either Studholm or Back ridge. 2-3 days. Like the Ruahines - tracks marked through the bush, and good ridgelines above the bush but the tracks on the tops not always marked. Others ====== The Haurangis mentioned above are a rougher experience. Deep valleys and few real tracks - most of the time spent walking in the creeks. A greener, wetter more mobile environment, bush all the way to the tops so only views are from the coast or glimpses though the bush. A through walk from Cape Palliser to The Pinnables is a 2-4 day option. Plenty of huts. See the hut pages on this site for details of the route - I never got round to writing it up as an artical - though I could if you're specifically interested. Not a place I'd normally recommend unless you really want to get to a little explored part of the country as remote and interesting but not as spectacular as the above suggestions - but since someone's mentioned it ... Kawekas is as far north as I've reaslly been - so north of there is someone elses domain.

"Anyway this question has occurred to me: is Mt Hikurangi the first place to see the sun on every day of the year or is it only on some days during the year?" I have heard Mount Tapuaenuku is first to see the sun in the middle of Summer, Wikipedia says "and in mid-summer, some of the hills of the southeastern South Island receive the sun fractionally earlier "then mt Hikurangi". So there seems to be a bit of confusion on which place is first to see it... Maybe only a few minutes difference. Going to need more research I think.

the first place to see the sun depends on where the first person to see the sun is on any given day.

Thanks everyone!!! Makes it a lot easier!!!