The Enchanted Forest

As night falls on The Redwoods of Rotorua, New Zealand, Kiran Mehta takes a walk in the forest to encounter the magical amidst the twinkle of lanterns.

There’s something unexplainable about walking in the woods of the Whakarewarewa Forest. Even when the trees are illuminated by the scorching sun, it is as though some secrets lurk behind the thick foliage, peeking occasionally through the branches above, and whispering in the crackling of bramble beneath your feet. But the enigma really comes alive in the play of shadow and light, as I discovered on my tree-walk after dark.

Spanning over half a kilometre—553 metres to be precise—the Redwood Bridge is known for being the world’s longest living tree walk. Visitors walk amidst 22 gigantic redwood trees that are over 100 years old, and are connected by means of 23 swing bridges; the highest viewing platform is at 20 metres above the ground. While the bridge is open by day, it is only when the sun goes down that the night lights emerge from behind the barks of the trees.