Stray New Zealand & Kohutapu Lodge: Making a Positive Impact on Murupara
Stray - New Zealand's flexible bus network for adventurous travellers - straytravel.com
A little over a year ago Stray changed its North Island tour route to include an overnight stay at Kohutapu Lodge on the edge of Lake Aniwhenua in Murupara, a small town in the middle of the North Island. This place is not a typical ‘tourist’ destination one might expect to visit while touring New Zealand.
For many New Zealanders, Murupara doesn’t register on the radar and it’s not featured on any “top 10” destination lists. Once a thriving logging town, Murupara suffered from declining employment as mechanisation replaced labourers’ work in the area.
It was under the vision of Maurice, Nadine and Karl ToeToe that Kohutapu Lodge has helped to revitalize the community of Murupara. They identified the positive impact that tourism can have on a struggling and isolated community. Admirably they made it their mission to develop a social project that connects Stray international visitors to Murupara.
Kohutapu Lodge, nestled on Lake Aniwhenua is a charming gem well aligned to Stray’s ‘off the beaten track’ style of travel and has become a highlight on the North Island itinerary. Guests can expect to be greeted by friendly farm animals and find comfortable lakeside cabins set on manicured grounds with volleyball nets, lounge areas and the ‘Taniwha Bar,’ the perfect spot for a sunset drink.
In addition to the serene settings, Stray guests are introduced to a range of traditional Maori activities that include flax weaving, cooking fried Maori bread, night-time eeling and the ‘laying of a hangi’ for dinner (a traditional underground oven). Once Stray travellers have finished their hangi dinner, the leftovers are prepared into food parcels which are gifted to the children of Murupara Area School the next morning by the passengers themselves.
Together Stray and Kohutapu Lodge are working towards a positive change for Murupara.
Stray further off the beaten track in New Zealand
#StrayFurther
Credit: Maori Television. Clip taken from Murupara Dreaming Documentary:
STRAY- Adventuring across Southeast Asia and New Zealand
STRAY: Show casing our flexible adventure travel network spanning New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
New Zealand: Asia:
Stray specialises in sociable, guided adventure travel that gets you further off the beaten track. You’ll share the journey with other adventure travellers and make life-long friends and memories. Stray attracts adventurous people of all ages with a common attitude of exploration, open-mindedness and trailblazing.
Stray immerses you in activities and experiences that will, quite simply, blow you away.
In New Zealand you’ll stay over night on a real marae (Maori meeting ground), experience an authentic farmstay experience, surf black sand beaches, ride horses through the countryside, search for kiwis in Stewart Island, bungy jump the world’s first commercial bungy, skydive over glaciers, hike active volcanoes and more!
In Southeast Asia you’ll pioneer into remote villages, be introduced to exotic food, real people and real culture. You’ll learn about local customs and traditions, link with communities and learn about how they make their livelihood. We’ll also ensure you tick everything off your Southeast Asia “must-do” list – those great destinations we all know and love. Our local guides and western tour leaders amplify your experience with invaluable knowledge, support and local insight.
Get up close with wildlife, soak up nature and get further off the beaten track!
More countries, more options, more adventure: turn travel aspirations into real adventures with Stray.
Stray further off the beaten track in New Zealand and Southeast Asia.
#StrayFurther
Music: Technicolor, by Liam Aidan
Mark's year travelling with Stray in New Zealand
In 2014 Mark travelled with Stray on the “Max Pass,” Stray's most popular hop-on hop-off travel pass (straytravel.com/max).
He explored New Zealand from Auckland all the way down to Stewart Island, the furthest southern point of New Zealand, getting off the beaten track and taking in all of the highlights on the way.
This video is a snippet of his journey and shows the beautiful and different natural landscapes New Zealand has to offer including lakes, mountains, sunsets, beaches, forests and geothermal pools.
Watch Mark make the most of his Stray experience by taking on all the adrenaline activities he can find! Mark goes bungy jumping off the skytower in Auckland and in Queenstown. He skydives in Taupo, goes rally driving, luging and cliff jumping.
He hikes the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, through the active volcanoes made famous in the Lord of The Rings films: Mordor and Mt Doom (considered New Zealand’s best one day walk). He goes sailing and kayaking in Abel Tasman National Park, and explores the Franz Josef Glacier. He spots seals playing on the shoreline in Kaikoura and experiences Stewart Island’s natural untouched beauty and remote scenery.
Mark says: “Kia Ora! If anyone is watching this and wondering whether or not to travel with Stray, all I can say is, for me, Stray is the best way to see New Zealand.
I first arrived in Auckland with no idea of how to travel the country until a hostel worker suggested I check out Stray. As a solo traveller, it was a great way to travel with people in the same age range, with similar interests and be shown incredible spots I wouldn't have been able to see without Stray's intensive knowledge of the country.
It was quite possibly the best thing I have done to date, seeing new and very different landscapes everyday. Seeing the natural beauty New Zealand has to offer along with some adrenaline filled activities.
From bungy jumping to kayaking to sunset cruises to cultural stays, Stray has a bit of something for everyone. A variety of optional activities, which I got very involved with, made the travel really special for me. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Stray to anyone who wants to see the beautiful country that is New Zealand.
10/10 for Stray!”
Music/Song credit: Holocene - Bon Iver (no copyright infringement intended)
Google street view timelapse. New Zealand State Highway 38 (New Zealand)
State Highway 38 is one of New Zealand's State Highways on the North Island. It starts near Wai-O-Tapu at the intersection with SH 5 and it ends at Wairoa, where it connects to SH 2. It is the shortest connection from the Central North Island (Rotorua) to the East Coast (Gisborne), but it is not often used as such. Large parts of the road are narrow and winding, and about 100 km is unsealed. Part of this unsealed section (between Te Whaiti and Aniwaniwa) is not designated a State Highway.
Starting at the intersection with SH5, one drives through the Kaingaroa Forest. After 38 km the small town of Murupara is passed. At km 58, at Te Whaiti, a road branches to Minginui, leading into Whirinaki Forest Park. The next 100 km are unsealed[1] and winds and climbs through The Ureweras. Apart from small settlements like Ruatahuna, only forested mountains are travelled by. Following small streams the road reaches the borders of Lake Waikaremoana. At km 134, at Aniwaniwa, is a visitor centre of Department of Conservation. This is the place where different walks start, including a short stroll to the Aniwaniwa Falls. At the southern end of the lake, at Onepoto, is a motorcamp. Further south, along the Waikaretaheke River, the three powerstations of the Waikaremoana Power Scheme[2] can be seen.
The road now bends into the valley of the Waiau River. At km 185, at the village of Frasertown, where the Waiau River joins the Wairoa River, the Tiniroto Road branches of to Gisborne (another 97 km). At km 195, at Wairoa, the road finally intersects with SH2.
Stray NZ - Stray bus impressions Auckland - Hahei Beach
Thinking about traveling with Stray NZ?
Check out how you can save an additional 50 NZD on your Stray Bus Pass:
The Stray Bus is one of the most fun ways to see New Zealand. It will definitely take you off the beaten track and will show you places you will otherwise miss.
Not only this, the busdrivers are indeed legendary and take care off you very well. They truely deserve a statue.
Auckland Things To Do: Auckland Art Gallery - Yayoi Kusama, Ponsonby Central
A whirlwind 1 night 1 day in Auckland to catch the Ross Kemp Live Show, eat, chill and roam Yayoi Kusama's Obliteration Room at the Art Gallery with one of my high school BFFs.
Stories of New Zealand's Extraordinary Landscape - Taniwha
Fabulous monsters that live in the water, Taniwha could be terrifying creatures that captured people and ate them. Others were kaitiaki, or protectors of iwi or tribes.
movingcontent.co.nz
Hoi An Experience - Cycling Tour | Stray Asia
Video By: Celia Richardson
This video was taken when I was travelling with Stray Asia in Hoi An in Vietnam. Stray had recommended some activities for us to do. I chose to do the bike ride, which included going on a water buffalo, trying rice wine and going in a bamboo boat. This clip was when we were in the bamboo boat and the lady in our boat was making us bracelets and hats out of bamboo. We also had bamboo boat races with the other people who were with us.
Find out more about the Hoi An Experience Cycling Tour:
Check Out Stray Asia: straytravel.asia
DOC Community Engagement: Otago
Each year thousands of people from the community -- be they businesses, iwi, motivated individuals, trusts, landowners, schools -- help in conservation efforts around New Zealand. This year, as part of Conservation Week, Otago decided to recognise many of those individuals by recording their stories on film. This 8.5 minute video highlights the work of groups as diverse as the Yellow Eyed Penguin Trust, Orokonui Ecosanctuary, Air New Zealand, Ngai Tahu, Mitre 10 Mega, and many more. We hope that many more people become involved, so that DOC can achieve its vision of doubling conservation efforts in our beautiful country in the next 20 years.