The New Zealand Walks for Wimps series provides essential information about short, relatively easy hikes around New Zealand. Today we’re on the South Island, looking for the Big Totara Walk. Click on the map markers at the bottom of this post for more great easy NZ walks!
The road started wide, winding up a hill and through farmland, the thick layer of fresh gravel on it making my car skid on the corners. There were no signs for the Big Totara Walk, and I stopped a couple of times to check the directions and my Google map.
I’d already gone the wrong way once, missing the unmarked road. I realized several kilometres on that I must have missed the turn, and went back to try again.
I was hoping I’d gotten it right this time.
But the Big Totara Walk is not on Google maps, so all I could do was assume that I must be on the right road and that if I continued on, I would eventually find it. (Note: this was in 2015, and it is on the map now, and thus probably quite easy to find.)
My brochure said the Big Totara Walk was 12 km from the main road, and I’d been to places that were much further off any main road, such as the Rob Roy Glacier track, which involves driving 30km down a gravel road to get to the carpark.
But that road was wide and through an open valley, and I encountered other cars coming and going along it (not a lot, mind you, but a few). There were signs and it was very clear that I was going the right way.
This one was very different.
I kept going, through farmland and forests, the road getting narrower all the time and the forest closing in more and more, until it was not much wider than a single lane track and my little car was surrounded by trees with not another soul or another vehicle in sight.
I was mildly concerned, only because I am a worrier by nature and my car was nearly 20 years old. While it had been exceptionally reliable up to this point, you just never knew what might happen and by this time my phone had lost all reception. I tried to remember how far back the nearest farmhouse was, should my car break down and I had to start walking.
I wondered if (assuming I was not on the right road) the narrow road would suddenly end without me having reached my destination, leaving me with nowhere to turn around and having to drive my car in reverse all the way back to a place where it was wider.
I speculated about what would happen if a large vehicle came the other way, because it would be a pretty tight squeeze to pass each other.
I worried that I’d finally get there and discover a wild bushman, madman, or rapist waiting to do me harm and rob me of all my belongings and leave me for dead out there in the woods where no one would find my body for years.
Yeah, my imagination can get a little overactive sometimes.
Finally I came across a sign, proclaiming that the walk’s start was only 2km further. Yay! My relief at being on the right track was tempered slightly by the same sign mentioning that hunters required a permit. Was I supposed to bring a bright orange jacket to avoid being shot like a deer in the forest?
I arrived, pulling off the road into the small lonely carpark. The walk to the track from here is just about as long as the track itself, through a tunnel of trees inhabited by shy wood pigeons and friendly, chirping robins.
Imagine my surprise when, arriving at the start of the track, I found another vehicle parked on the side of the road! A family I’d encountered earlier in the day was also visiting, one of the children throwing a tantrum, his screaming destroying the peace and quiet of the place.
I avoided them, taking the opposite branch of the loop, but the walk is not long and the entire forest echoed with earsplitting cries. I was reminded once more why I am glad I don’t have children.
Finally they left, shrieking child trapped in his car seat, and I was relieved at the silence, while once again worried about what I might do if my car didn’t start when I returned to it.
I followed the short loop track along a boardwalk over a swamp, between trees hung with moss and jungle-like ferns, the sunlight from above barely visible, the green of it all barely penetrating the dark mood the forest creates.
And then, finally, I reached the Totaras.
The trees towered above me, their hulking bodies dwarfing my very existence, their age making me think of all the changes they must have witnessed in New Zealand over the past millennium.
A fully grown Totara tree can reach up to 30 metres high, and the forest here has never been logged, so these are some of the biggest and oldest trees in New Zealand. The largest tree on the Big Totara Walk is the Hall’s Totara (one of several varieties of Totara), which is over 1000 years old and has a girth of 8.31 metres. That’s one giant tree.
I spent some time admiring them, taking photos, or at least trying to, unable to get far enough away through the forest to fit an entire Totara tree into one frame. I even hugged them, stretching my arms as far as they could go while realizing that my entire wingspan did not even cover a quarter of the tree.
As I made my way back out to the car I enjoyed the peace of the forest and the non-silence that filled the air, the sounds of chirping birds and leaves rustling in the wind.
Have you ever gone somewhere and felt like you were heading into the middle of nowhere, wondering what you might find at the end of the road? Tell me about it in the comments!
Do you want to see some more giant trees? When you’re on the North Island, check out the Coromandel’s Waiau Falls and Kauri Grove!
Click on any map marker below to check out another easy New Zealand walk.
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Those Totara trees are awesome! I these walks not too crazy and simple enough I could do it with my kids.
They are great trees! So huge, the pictures really don’t do them justice. Check out all my walks, there’s a whole series (with many more to come) and I haven’t done them with kids but none of them are too hard. The great thing about New Zealand is that you don’t HAVE to do any crazy hard multi-day walks to get great views! 🙂
I’ve never heard of a Totara tree but they certainly are tall! Looks like a great walk!
It is a great walk Michele, and short and easy too, and the trees are pretty cool to see!
Wow, you have captured the tress beautifully. Inspiring
Thank you Debbie! The totara trees are pretty impressive! 🙂
Hi Jenny, I just found your blog this morning, and am using Walks for Wimps to plan our trip to NZ in Feb. We were there two years ago and did the Hooker Valley walk, but weren’t sure what else there would be that was at a similar level. Your pictures are beautiful and you’re telling me exactly the kind of information I want to know. Thanks!
Hi Jo! Thanks for stopping by, and I’m glad my Walks for Wimps posts are useful! If you have questions about any that you don’t find on my site, or want more recommendations for a particular region, feel free to ask. I have a ton more that I have yet to write about!
Hello Jenny, great post!
We really wanna check out this walk in march. Do you think we can make the drive with a camper van or is it to small?
Thanks so much,
Yvonne
I think you could, but of course it depends on the size of your campervan! If it’s the average sort of one you see around NZ, then yes, I think you could. You might just find that you’re brushing the trees in some places. I guess if a vehicle came the other way it might get tricky but honestly, I didn’t see many other vehicles out there at all. And the carpark would provide enough space to turn around, as long as it’s not full (doubtful). Also, as I recall, the road widened out quite a bit where the track actually begins, so you could probably turn around there too in a pinch. Enjoy, and let me know how it goes!
Thank you. We will try 🙂
Hi Jenny, just came across your blog which I found most interesting and enjoyable.
We were taking a drive through Peel Forest, Sth Canterbury today and came across a 15 minute totara tree walk with a good walking track. It was amazing. Saw at least 3 huge totara trees with the biggest one right at the end. It was 31metres tall and 8.4 meters around its trunk. Was most unexpected and enjoyable. Wish I could send a photo!
That sounds wonderful Kathleen! Those trees are so huge and amazing. I’m glad you got to see some!