​​The Waikato is a prosperous agricultural region situated on the banks of the Waikato river.

 

Surrounded by rolling green hills, long plains stretch across vast underground networks of limestone caves which have attracted New Zealand visitors for decades.

 

Waitomo Caves present a wonderland of stalagmites, stalactites, deep caverns, and underground streams dowsed in the light of millions of glow worms.  Waitomo translates as wai / water and tomo / hole - the caves are one of New Zealand's most famous tourist attractions.

 

The north island's Waikato region is both historically and culturally significant to Māori and Pakeha (European New Zealanders). The ancestry of the local Māori is traced back to the Tainui canoe which arrived in New Zealand about 800 years ago. At that time the region was an important centre for the site of early Māori commerce with many Māori pa / fortified villages set about the area.  It was here that many significant battles took place between iwi tribes in the 1800's which was escalated by the introduction of European muskets and weaponry.

 

Due to British settlers flooding the country during the mid-1800s, it was decide within Māori to unite their tribes, choose a Māori king and form the Kingitanga / king movement, the first of which was Waikato chief "Pōtatau Te Wherowhero".  To date his decendants continue to assume the role of king or queen.

 

Waikato's wildlife & nature experiences are as varied as its riverside, coastal, hill and underground landscapes, offering a range of easy day walks and multi-day hikes within its native forests and parklands.  For those wishing to walk among the birds, there are walkways in Mt Pirongia Forest Park which pass through native bush filled with native NZ birds.

 

 

Waikato consists of 32 main townships, all within three sub-regions.

Hamilton, Taupo & Coromandel.

 

 

Please click on the region below to go to the area applicable, within the box you'll find the towns relative to the region in question. Travel distances between sights in each region average between 30mins to 1hr.