Forest Bathing in the Redwoods of Rotorua

Day 5 of our 1 month family road trip in New Zealand fell on the 24th of December.

Several hours before Christmas Eve, we found ourselves looking up at the towering redwoods and exotic trees. Family and nature are two of my favorites in this world. What better way is there to celebrate Christmas than combining these two and spending a mindful time in the forest at our own pace?

Rotorua is a wonderland for walkers, runners, hikers, horse riders and mountain bikers for all ages and fitness levels, from Grade 2 to Grade 6 levels. Put on your walking shoes and you will be able to find the track, trail or walkway that feels right for you.

The Redwoods, Whakarewarewa Forest is just about 5 minutes away from Rotorua's inner city. In fact, Red Bull has even declared it as a world-class riding destination. According to RotoruaNZ.com "The Redwoods Forest is one of the only six Gold Level Ride Centres in the entire world!"

The Redwoods Tree Walk Canopy welcomes us at the entrance. The i-Site and visitor information center can be found along Long Mile Road, off Tarawera Road. The vehicle carpark is open daily from 5:30am to 8:30pm.

i-Site Visitor Information Center Opening Hours: Summer 8.30am to 6pm and Winter 8.30am to 5pm

They provide information and trail maps including Kids Discovery Packs to keep the children entertained. There are plenty of spots for a picnic and coffee carts for a much needed caffeine shot.

There is a different entry to the Rotorua Mountain Bike Carpark right off Waipa State Mill Road.

This 5,600 hectare forest is home to Californian Redwoods, native New Zealand Ferns, Australian Eucalyptus and many more native and exotic plants.

The trail we took started through the redwoods which ended in a loop.

According to this TIME article written by Dr. Qing Li author of the book, Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness, he mentions, "In Japan, we practice something called forest bathing or shinrin-yoku. Shinrin in Japanese means forest, and yoku means bath.” So shinrin-yoku means bathing in the forest atmosphere, or taking in the forest through our senses."

Throughout this slow paced walk in the woods, we had plenty of peaceful alone time. There were moments we strolled together while there were instances spent hiking alongside with someone. I was the only one carrying an electronic device being the official photographer of the trip so I mostly lagged behind. This left me a lot of time to myself and to watch them all from a distance.

Yohann and I have been to Muir National Redwoods in California and it is wrong to compare them. Both destinations are breathtaking and possess their own uniqueness.

We highly recommend this trail as it offers magnificent panoramic views uphill with easy to find signposted tracks.

Enjoy!

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