Care for a slice of legend?
A divine gust of wind, and there you are, transported to Te-waka-a-Maui, New Zealand’s South Island.
Toward New Zealand’s glaciers and fjords. And toward isolated valleys, like Ahuriri’s, breathtaking in their beauty.
Here, the legend is called The Lindis.
Close to a conservation park and the Ahuriri River sits a lodge unlike any you’ve seen before. In fact, where is it? Tucked imperceptibly into the contours of the land at the bottom of the valley, it blends into this landscape at the end of the earth thanks to a majestic timber roof. It seems to have been carved together with nature itself, so strong is the sense of harmony it conveys. Staying here is a legendary delight. Wrapped in your blanket, you let yourself dream.
“YOU’RE AS IF HYPNOTIZED BY THIS GEMSTONE GREEN”
Everyone agrees that in the beginning, there was nothing.
Nada. Zilch. Not a thing. The void. No sky, no sea, no land, no gods. Or rather, the absence of everything.
And everyone says that at the origin of the world, the very beginning was made from nothing. There where there was only darkness. From that void came Papatuanuku and Ranginui, Mother Earth and Sky Father. And later came Maui, the legendary Maori hero.
The story goes that one day, when he was very young and fishing with his magic hook, Maui felt a big catch at the end of his line. Standing on his waka (canoe), he saw an enormous fish surge up from the waves. After a long struggle, Maui managed to pull it out of the water and set about killing it by striking it with his magnificent mere (club), carved entirely from jade.
The canoe became the South Island, Te-waka-a-Maui. Te-Ika-a-Maui, or Maui’s fish, became the North Island.
Lake Ngarotopounamu, New Zealand © Juliette Foltz
When you’re in Tongariro National Park, on New Zealand’s North Island, you’re at the heart of Maori legends. Hard to ignore them — they surround you. The island is steeped in them. You can still feel them today as you walk through the park. Listen. Listen to the story of the volcanoes. In the beginning there were four: Ruapehu, married to Taranaki, Ngaruahoe the solitary one, and fiery Tongariro. One day Tongariro won the heart of the beautiful Ruapehu. But Taranaki caught the two lovers, and his anger was as endless as his grief. Tongariro won the fight, and the beauty, at Taranaki’s expense — he withdrew, bitter and sorrowful, toward the west coast.
So it’s no surprise that as you walk through these landscapes shaped by volcanic torment, you can feel their indifference, their anger, their jealousy, their bitterness, and their love.
But what a spectacle awaits you on your hike! Grand landscapes where volcanoes, waterfalls, craters, and lakes follow one after another. It’s no accident that this park is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
So when Mount Ngaruahoe, with its reddish cone and smell of sulfur, reveals itself, and Tongariro appears, you feel very small. You pass through in silence, carefully. The gash of the Red Crater is striking. Your gaze gets lost in it. You cannot look away. It fascinates you, and it calls to you. It leads straight to the center of the Earth. Or to hell. Your pace quickens. The gods keep you company still. After earth, water. After red, green, jade. The three Ngarotopounamu lakes call to you. You’re as if hypnotized by this gemstone green, this water so naturally emerald. And so dangerous, because of the volcanic minerals it contains.
As clouds and sun alternate, the lakes reinvent themselves. And the fumaroles act like brushes, casting extraordinary colors onto the canvas of the still water. You walk toward the long descent back. And there, the blue of the eponymous lake welcomes you and claims you. An electric blue, cold. Sharp like its waters. Said to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.
Were you dreaming? You’re back at The Lindis! Quite the tricksters, those gods! In the distance, you can hear their voices wishing you a good stay in Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud.
The dry, cold air finally pulls you out of your daze. An impressive natural world unfolds before you. Your gaze is as if hypnotized by this wild expanse. Panoramic version. No movement, no sound. Everything seems absorbed by this vast, untouched space. Calm. Total isolation. And yet life is there, all around you. You can feel it. This is the realm of nature, under the triple sign of stone, forest, and water. Rugged mountains, tussocks of grass and beech forests, wetlands and rivers.
In a few hours, departure time will come. You’re already looking forward to it. The idea of an outdoor picnic experience in the Ahuriri Valley fills you with anticipation. Your mouth waters. First, because somewhere in the valley a barbecue fit for kings awaits you. The hotel provides everything: Bay of Plenty wines, langoustines, and lobster are all on the menu! You can’t wait.
Then, because you’re about to climb onto a fabulous creature, the Lindis horse. Perhaps a descendant of the famous Kaimanawa horses, native to the North Island? Reliable, gentle, powerfully built, sturdy, and easy to ride, it’s the ideal animal for someone like you who hasn’t ridden in a long time.
Finally, your mouth waters because you’ve just learned about the nature program ahead of you. And you know you won’t soon forget the landscapes you’re about to encounter. The hike follows along the river. Before crossing it, it’s best to check the flow carefully. Depending on the season, if birds circle overhead or call loudly around you, it’s probably because they have ground nests nearby. Be careful whether on horseback or on foot. Now, if you feel like trying your hand at trout fishing, go right ahead. Then you pass by the Ben Avon ponds, before reaching an extraordinary rock formation called the Amphitheatre, named for its shape. Fancy a line or two? Hesitating? The river then winds you back to the hotel’s picture windows.
It’s at that moment you realize you’re completely encircled. Around you, motionless, the mountain ranges stand in rows as far as the eye can see, forming a perfect cirque.
The Lindis is a refuge.
Within a landscape like no other.
Reserved exclusively for lovers of wild expanses.
