Tourist attractionNew Zealand · NZ
Karangahake gorge
Strung along State Highway 2 between Paeroa and Waihi on the Coromandel Peninsula, Karangahake Gorge is one of New Zealand's most loved short-stop escapes – voted among the country's '101 Must Dos'. The gorge squeezes the Ohinemuri and Waitawheta rivers between steep bushed hills, and threaded through that scenery is the rusting, atmospheric legacy of a gold-mining and railway era. The real pleasure is wandering it on foot or by bike, following old rail lines and through tunnels cut for ore and trains. It suits almost every kind of visitor: a 1–2 hour loop walk takes you through well-lit rail tunnels and mining adits with windows hacked out to look down over the river, while longer day walks lead to a vast abandoned gold battery and a waterfall. Parking, toilets and a cafe sit right at the highway, so Karangahake works as either a quick roadside break on the way to the Coromandel or the focus of a full day out.