Park offers summer adventures

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 562, 15 November 1994, Page 7

Park offers summer adventures

Bookings have opened for the Department of Conservation's Tongariro Taupo Summer Programme. The programme offers more than 60 different outdoor activities which take place from the Depart-

ment' s four local field centres at Taupo, Turangi, Ohakune and Whakapapa. A booklet covering all the activities, timetables, tips for people who wish to take part plus information from commercial activity operators, restaurants and

accommodation houses is available from local information centres and DoC offices. The Summer Programme booklet was produced by the Department in conjunction with the Ruapehu Bulletin. Costs of producing the

booklet were covered mostly from advertising from various commercial supporters of the summer programme. New activities A number of new activities have been added to the already diverse list and included is ajoint venture with the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences at Wairakei where people will discover how 25,000 years of volcanic eruptions have shaped the Taupo Basin. The programme has been run by the Department in Tongariro National Park for more than 20 years and each year some 3000 people take part. Numbers on most trips are limited to ensure the maximum enjoyment and safety of participants, said Lianne Campbell, information officer at DoC's Turangi Office. She said

activities such as the Tongariro Crossing, Kaimanawa Wild Horses, Heli-HikeandHeli-Bikeare J always popular and DoC , recommends that people ' interested in these activities book early. All activities are graded to indicate their level of difficulty and fitness required. "Climbing mountains is only a small part of the summer programme," said Ms Campbell. "We have special children and family activities as well as bus trips, fire and search and rescue demonstrations, and horse riding mountain biking trips. Taupo painter Val Raymond is also leading a trip to give people an artist's perspective of Tongariro National Park." "We hope we've got something for everyone," Ms Campbell said.