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Waitomo Scenic Route

35 million years ago, The land was invaded by water and became a shallow sea. Shell fragments and the skeletons of other sea creatures built up on the sea floor and over time were buried, compacted and cemented together to form limestone. When the limestone became exposed to the corrosive power of rain, the Waitomo landscape began to form. Waitomo is famous for its Limestone landscapes, or karst, which are with unusual features. Rivers disappear into the earth and spring out of nowhere. Stone arches span deep gorges, and  caves. You could also find marine fossils millions of years old.

We visted some sites of interest: Ruakuri Scenic Reserve, Mangapohue Natural Bridge, Piripiri Cave, Marokopa Falls , and Kiritehere Beach

Ruakuri Scenic Reserve

Ruakuri Scenic Reserve contains classic limestone outcrops, caves, tunnels and beautiful native forest

map for Ruakuri Walk

a kisosk at the entrance

track is well maintained

elegant track scenes

corssing over a bridge

Ruakuri Cave (view from the bridge) - in/out of black water rafting

track goes along cliff side

crossing through Cave 1

track (boardwalk) built on the cliff side and above the Waitomo Stream

beautiful scene

looking down the stream from the track above. Water flows out from Cave 3

entrance of Cave 2A

stairs down to the cave inside

viewing platform of Cave 2A

inside scenes of the cave

looking to Cave 2B (couldn't enter)

Cave 2B scene

cave scene

Remnant Arch 1

crossing over the bridge then return to the car park

Waitomo Stream viewing from the bridge

Mangapohue Natural Bridge

Mangapohue Natural Bridge is one of the most spectacular sights on the scenic route. The 17 metre-high limestone arch, which spans Mangapohue Stream, is all that remains of an ancient cave system. The loop track  passes under the bridge giving a superb view of the ceiling studded with stalactite-like formations and an excellent view back down the gorge. It then continues on over a farm trail where you ccould see 30 million- year-old fossilised oysters 

entering the gorge

elegant scene

物換星移 六年前拍攝的snaper  已不見蹤影