We warmed up on a couple of uniqe routes in the northern most part of New Zealand, the Cape Brett Track, 90 Mile Beach, and the Herekino Forest walk, but it was time to take on one of New Zealand's Great Walks: in this case, the Lake Waikaremoana Track. There are only nine such designated hikes in the country, and the Lake Waikaremoana route is one of only two Great Walks hiking routes on the North Island.

Located in the sprawling 212,000 hectare Te Urewera National Park, fourth largest in in New Zealand, the route covers 46 kilometers around the deepest lake in on the North Island, set in the middle of one of the most remote regions of the country. Most people take four days to cover the route, but with a tight schedule, I had to do it in three.

Fortunately, I had the right company.

In 2002 I had hiked one of New Zealand's premier trails, the Routeburne Track, with Rob Franklin. When I learned that he had transformed his passion for hiking into a profession by forming Walking Legends, a hiking guide and logistical support service for Lake Waikaremoana area, I asked him to join me. On any big route in a far-away place, it's crucial to have someone with local knowledge along, otherwise you miss a lot of cool detail.

As we followed the varied terrain along the lake shore, through the dense forest and up onto the highlands that form the climax of this stunning route, Rob filled me in on the unique history and culture of the area. One of the few predominately Maori regions of New Zealand that never came to treaty terms with the government, the Tuhoe people of the region to this day exercise a degree of cultural and political independence that is unusual. This, after all, is the people once lead in the late 1800s by the iconic Maori leader, Takooti.

Isolated from the rest of New Zealand in their remote, densely forested empire, the Tuhoes have a degree of pride and cultural autonomy that defines the region. But it's the hiking that really blew me away. Rob likes to do the route in reverse of the usual, starting at the north and heading south along the western shore, which gives you time to warm up on the gentle terrain and lakeshore sections before taking on the steep elevation gains of the highlands. At more than 2,000 feet, the lake is pretty high, but the highest sections of trail, such as Panekire Bluffs, rise to more than twice that altitude.

The dense rainforest is rare, a podocarp forest (an acient tree type that dates from the time of the dinosaur) that is mixed with more traditional broadleaf forests of beech species, and the combination makes for a unique experience. But the climax of the hike, reaching the bluffs and seeing the long, almost 50 kilometer route in its entirety, is truly the highlight.

Most people approach the route via the popular tourist city of Rotorura, but I came from Gisborne.

Being a Captain Cook buff, this area on the coast, with its great surfing and outstanding wines, is a place I've always wanted to see. With the Lake Waikaremoana track behind me, I've now done a Great Walk on each island of this nation: the North Island, the South Island and Stewart Island. That has to be the best hiking trifecta on the planet. Next is the four day Queen Charlotte Sound Track out of Picton, on the South Island. That's a lengthy route, so it's going to be a few days before the next update. The only downside of doing all these hikes is that means my time in New Zealand is winding down. For any avid hiker, that's a regrettable development. But it's not over yet. More as internet access allows.