Te Kauaeranga Thames has many amazing fresh-water swimming holes to help escape the oppressive summer heat. Find them up the Kauaeranga, Te Puru and Tararu valleys. THE KAUAERANGA VALLEY The river is known by Māori as Waiwhakaurunga, "the many bathing pools of the upper reaches", so as you can imagine there are dozens of great pools to cool off in all up the valley. Here are a few known pools. [...]
Te Kauaeranga Thames has been a camping destination for over 100 years with a rich history of DIY holidays. For those seeking to explore the backcountry of Thames, Kauaeranga Valley is the place to go. With lush native forests, cool rivers, history of the kauri logging era, and numerous tracks and trails, including the world-renowned Pinnacles, there's something for everyone. Drop into the Department of Conservation Visitor Centre for information [...]
The Thames Coast with its sunsets and pōhutukawa lined coastal highway, is one of the world’s great road trip destinations. Freedom Camping in Thames is a great way to experience the real New Zealand, but there are some rules. Whether in a van or campervan, below is where you can park up for the night in the Thames area. Rhodes Park By the sports field on the way into Thames, [...]
What's your favourite Thames op-shop? Secondhand shop? Antique shop? Market? We've gone through the plethora of quirky and interesting shops and markets selling secondhand goods in the Thames Ward, from Hikutaia in the south to Waikawau in the North and picked our eleven favourites so you can easily go on the hunt for treasures next time you're in the area. If you're smart, you can create a circuit as most [...]
So you’re in Hamilton or Auckland and you fancy getting out into the forest or onto the trail to explore something… interesting. We’ve done the hard work for you, and selected five walks or bike tracks within a 90-minute drive of Hamilton or Auckland - and sometimes even closer. And yes, these are all local Thames walks. We’ve picked some tracks you’ve likely never heard of, some that are close [...]
