Peaks and Places | Travel and Adventure Blog

I feel like I have said this in almost every single vlog we have posted, but the water here is SO blue, and Hokitika Gorge was no exception. In fact, it made a lot of the water that we have seen feel less blue, if that is even possible. This is due to the fact that there is glacial flour in the water, which is a fine, silt-like sediment that is created by the grinding of rocks by glaciers.

We walked along the track, getting glimpses of the blue water until we reached what was known as the beach. From the beach, we were able to go to a viewing platform, and down onto rocks overlooking a (sadly) closed suspension bridge and providing stunning views of the gorge. There were some guys below unsuccessfully casting some lines in the water, although we didn’t see any fish the entire time. Supposedly, there are a good number of trout, but again, we didn’t see any.

We spent a good amount of time hanging out on the rocks, and then down on the ‘beach.’ The water, like everywhere else, was ice cold. The current looked pretty strong, and I’m sure that swimming, while allowed, is pretty dangerous due to strong currents and riptides. If you are ever in the area, I would absolutely recommend adding this to your itinerary, as again, it was truly the bluest water we have seen so far, made even more striking by the white rock surrounding the river, and was well worth the easy hike through the gorge.

After exploring the Gorge, we had heard of some hot springs in the area. We both use different apps, which denote different campsites, activities, hikes, and an assortment of other information that we may need along our travels such as dump stations, free wifi, and hot showers. This app showed a free natural hot springs, but it was a little difficult to get to. It was unnamed, and there really wasn’t a specific track that led to these springs. To say we got lost was an understatement, but it was an adventure within itself.

When we finally made it to the hot springs, it was shallow and too hot for us. We tried to move some rocks to let the river water in, and had a shovel in case we wanted to make it deeper. After spending over an hour trying to find it, we were determined to enjoy the springs. Sand flies were vicious, and the water was full of algae and other debris. After several minutes of sitting there with our feet in too hot water, we made the decision to journey back to the car. Sometimes, these experiences don’t always work out exactly how we have them planned, but looking back, I’m glad we did it and would do it again now that we know an easier route to get there!