Coast to Coast Ride

7 days beaches and farmland from Coast to Coast
Ride through some of new Zealand's most beautiful coastal scenery - sandy surf beaches, dunes, Pohutukawa glades and native bush. Journey through exotic pine forests, rolling green farmland to fresh water lakes, where you can end the day with a refreshing swim.

New Zealand Riding Vacation

An epic riding adventure following the mighty Hoteo River to the black sands and wild seas of the Tasman Sea in the west – over spectacular rugged high country hills and forest from the calm white sands and blue waters of the Pacific Ocean in the east, of the northern North Island Tread the trails of the ancestors, both Maori warriors and the early settlers who carved a living from a land covered in forest. And whose descendents have developed New Zealand into the country it is today. Enjoy farmland and bush and the Carter Holt Harvey pine forests whose products are exported all over the world. Your hosts Sharley and Laly Haddon, descendants of the great Ngati Wai Chief Te Kiri, have farmed in this area for the greater part of their lives and between them have years of experience in all equestrian disciplines.

IT-NZRT01  
Rates: All inclusive lodging and meals, 6.5 riding days
7 days/ 6 nights $ 2,650
 -- based on NZ$ 3.399
2008 Dates: 
02/13-02/19    03/12-03/18    04/30-05/06
11/14-11/20    12/10-12/16
  check availability

Meeting:   Pakiri Beach
Airport:     Auckland
Transfer:   Included at 12 o'clock noon
Level:         Low intermediate+
Tack:          English, some western
                  and stock saddles
Horses:      Appaloosa, Arabian,   
                  Clydesdale, Thoroughbred
Pace:         5-7 hours in the saddle -
 moderate lot of hills - some fast gallops
Weight Limit: 185 lbs
Min/Max : 4-8 riders
Minimum Age: 12
Note: Riding helmets are provided
... lodging upgrades are available at an extra cost on some days
If less than 4 riders sign up we can operate the trip for 2-3 riders with a surcharge

Itinerary
Day 1:   Pick up from Auckland City and travel by shuttle bus to Pakiri Beach. Approximate arrival in Pakiri is 1:30pm. Next is an introductory ride along the beach to get to know your horse. Dinner with your hosts Sharley and Laly Haddon follows. Then, overnight in the beach house.  Approx 2 – 3 hours riding
Day 2:   After a hearty breakfast we depart for a full day riding the rolling surf of the South Pacific Ocean, breaks on the unpopulated white sand beach. We ride through the dunes with breath taking views to the islands of Hauturu (Little Barrier) Aotea (Great Barrier) and Taranga (the Hen and Chickens) and in the distance Motuhinau Island and Hawea (Goat Island) Marine Reserve. These you will see as you ride high above the sea over Te Arai Point which is known as the mythical floats on the nets of Toi--the discoverer of Aotearoa NZ. We may stop for lunch by the fresh water Tomarata lakes in the pine forest or at the Te Arai beach. You will ride through ancient Pohutukawa groves where in Summer the pohutukawa trees or New Zealand Christmas tree are ablaze with red flowers. And along a native bush track where you can see the southern most palm the Nikau. This ride shares with you the lands of the Ngati Wai an ancient seafaring Maori tribe who first discovered this land after following the call of the whales through the Pacific. Your hosts are descendents of the paramount chief Te Kiri whose Pa sites over looks the entire area.
Approx. 6 hours riding
Overnight in beach house at Pakiri.
Day 3:  Today you will ride over green farmland through New Zealand native rain forest. You will follow an old kauri logging track through Whangaripo Valley to the top of the Matakana Hill. You will then pass through beef cattle and sheep farms. Te Whio sheep farm is owned by an old farming family. Overnight in home stay “on top of the world” high above the valley with a warm friendly, alternative lifestyle New Zealand family, who live on the edge of the State Forest and the source of the Hoteo River. You will need to share a bunk room here or we may stay at a motel in Matakana. We may change this route if conditions are unfavorable (Approx. 6 hours riding).
Day 4:  Sometimes in the early morning we are able to visit the Matakana Farmers Market before setting off on our ride. You may need to bring pocket money to try some of the yummy things for sale here. We then go for a more leisurely ride through the Carter Holt Harvey Dome State Forest-a pine forest and some native bush-following logging roads to Spring Hill Stud Farm, where we will ride over some very picturesque farmland.
After we have settled the horses we may visit a small town bar El Tapora in Wellsford for dinner at your expense and return to our accommodation with Jeannie and her dog “Pocket” at her lovely little home in Wellsford or we will dine with Jeannie and enjoy her company. If the group is too large for Jeannie to host we will stay at a motel or if the group prefer we can camp in a real working wool shed, sheepy smells and all!  (Approx. 5 hrs riding)
** If weather conditions or logging activities are unfavorable and render this ride unsafe we may have to do an alternative route.
Day 5:   Depart Spring Hill Farm passing under State Highway One following the Hoteo River. We travel over the Whisky Hill farm, along the tree-lined edge of the Hoteo River to enter the Carter Holt Harvey Kaipara State Forest, where we follow logging tracks through the pines. Stopping for lunch by the pretty Awarere waterfall where those who want to can swim in the clear water pool under the falls and then continuing on through pine forest we may call and meet some local people on the way .We over night at Kaipara Flats once an important small village with Colin and Vicki at Willow lodge. Here we enjoy a meal with our hosts. (Approx 5 – 6 hours riding)  ** As For Day 4 if the guides deem the ride unsafe we may have to take an alternative route.
Day 6:   We will need an early start today. We ride over 4 beautiful hill country sheep and beef cattle farms enjoying spectacular views over both coasts. On our way you will pass an old “wim” used in the pioneer days to haul logs. We stop for lunch at a beautiful secret waterfall, here those who wish can swim in the pool beneath the falling water. We follow the Hoteo River as it continues its path to its mouth in the West. Then we ride over Mt. Taranaki the Sister Mountain to Mt. Auckland or Atuanui, along a remote dirt road through rugged and spectacular hill country with views to the West Coast over the Kaipara Harbour. This is New Zealand’s largest water mass and also boasts the most treacherous bar to its entry. From the top of the ridge on a clear day you may be able to see the Sky tower of Auckland city. You are now in Ngati Whatua territory. We ride down steep hillside paths OR due to the difficulties caused by recent logging we may divert through rolling farm country owned by one of the original settler families and ride to the west coast road and then load the horses and truck to the main road. We will then finish the day dining and overnight with Carol Forsyth at her charming little farmlet on the Makarau River. Carol is a skipper and has many tales to tell about her seafaring adventures on the Waitemata. Makarau means to catch with a net and the early Maoris caught much of their food by netting fish in tidal rivers such as this. The rooms here are twin. The early settlers used the Makarau River to float kauri logs down from the forests inland to the harbour where they were picked up by sailing boats and taken to Europe to be used as spars and later they were milled at Helensville.
(Approx 7 – 8 hrs riding)
Day 7:  After breakfast we load the horses on to the truck and drive a short distance to Rimmer Rd Helensville. Maybe stopping at the Arts Café in Helensville for an espresso for those who are hanging out for a coffee hit!
Today we ride through the Woodhill Forest where you may see fallow deer or wild pig as you ride to the sea… Muriwai beach…the WEST coast with its black sand and wild seas so different from the East coast we have come from! A gallop down the beach (if the tides out) and lunch in the forest and ride back through the pines along forest tracks to the truck and say goodbye to your horse and then transfer on to Auckland by shuttle.  (Approx 4 – 5 hours ride)

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