A divine gust of wind and you find yourself carried to Te-waka-a-Maui, the South Island. Toward New Zealand’s glaciers and fjords. And toward isolated valleys, like the breathtaking Ahuriri Valley.
Here, the legend is called The Lindis.
Near a conservation park and the Ahuriri River sits a lodge unlike any you’ve seen. In fact, where is it? Tucked almost imperceptibly into the contours of the land at the bottom of the valley, it blends into this landscape at the end of the world beneath a majestic timber roof. It seems carved alongside nature itself, so palpable is the sense of harmony. Staying here is a legendary delight. Wrapped in your blanket, you let yourself dream…
Everyone agrees that in the beginning, there was nothing.
Nada. Zilch. Zero. The void. No sky, no sea, no earth, 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 this void emerged Papatuanuku and Ranginui, the Earth Mother and the Sky Father. And later came Maui, the legendary Maori hero.
Everyone tells how, one day when he was very young, Maui was fishing with his magic hook and felt a huge 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 haul it out of the water and set about killing it, striking it with his magnificent mere (jade club).
The canoe became the South Island, Te-waka-a-Maui. Te-Ika-a-Maui, or Maui’s fish, became the North Island.
When you’re in Tongariro National Park, on New Zealand’s North Island, you are at the heart of Maori legends. They are hard to ignore — 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, Ngaruhoe the solitary one, and fiery Tongariro. One day, Tongariro won the heart of beautiful Ruapehu. But Taranaki caught the two lovers together, and his anger was as endless as his grief. Tongariro won the battle 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 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 another in succession. It’s no accident that this park is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
So when Mount Ngaruhoe, with its reddish cone and sulphur smell, reveals itself, and Tongariro comes into view, 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, calls to you. It leads straight to the centre of the Earth. Or to hell. Your pace quickens. The gods keep accompanying you. After earth, water. After red, green, jade. The three Ngarotopounamu lakes call out to you. You are as if hypnotised 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 colours across the canvas of still water. You walk toward the long descent back. And there, the blue of the lake that shares its name welcomes you and takes hold of you. An electric, cold blue. As sharp as its waters. One of the most beautiful lakes in the world, they say.
YOU ARE AS IF HYPNOTISED BY THIS GEMSTONE GREEN
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.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand © Juliette Foltz
The dry, cold air finishes rousing you from your daze. Impressive nature lies before you. Your gaze is as if hypnotised by this wild expanse. Panoramic version. No movement, no sound. Everything seems absorbed by this vast, untouched space. Stillness. Total isolation. And yet life is there, all around you. You can feel it. It is the realm of nature, under the triple sign of stone, forest, and water. Rugged mountains, tufts of grass and beech forests, wetlands and rivers.
In a few hours, you’ll be setting off. You’re already looking forward to it. The idea of this open-air picnic experience in the Ahuriri Valley fills you with anticipation. Your mouth is watering. First, because somewhere in the valley awaits a barbecue fit for kings. The hotel provides everything: wines from Paroa Bay, langoustines and lobster are all on the menu! You can’t wait.
Then, because you’re going to mount 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, you’re eager because you’ve learned what the nature programme ahead has in store. And you know you won’t soon forget the landscapes you’re about to encounter. The hike follows the river. Before crossing it, it’s advisable to check its flow carefully. Depending on the season, if birds are circling or calling loudly around you, it’s probably because they have ground nests nearby. Be careful, whether on horseback or on foot. Now, if you fancy trying your luck at trout fishing, feel free. You then pass by the Ben Avon tarns, 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 glass walls.
It’s at this point that you realise you are completely encircled. All around you, motionless, mountain ranges stretch as far as the eye can see, forming a perfect circle.
The Lindis is a sanctuary.
Set within a landscape like no other.
Reserved exclusively for lovers of wild places.
Text: Christian Stefani
Images: The Lindis & Juliette Foltz
