Nile Rainforest Train Ride

You’ll depart on your journey from the Festival Site train station, at the entry to the water-sculpted limestone Nile / Waitakere River Canyon. From towering Kahikatea trees to beautiful Rata, Fuscia and ferns, you’ll see and hear about the lush landscapes as you pass through.

Enjoy the untamed natural wilderness and listen to stories about the miners and other pioneers that helped shape the region. You’ll pass through some of the film sites for the BBC production “The Lost World” and imagine dinosaurs walking in this Jurassic landscape.

Arriving at Softrock Station, nestled beneath the towering limestone bluffs, you’ll have the option of a short walk through the rainforest to the Nile River Suspension Bridge. Enjoy the views up and down the canyon from there, before returning to Softrock Station and back to the Festival Site.

This is Cecil the other train that found at the start of your rainforest journey and pulls the small yet comfortable carriages along with ease.

This is one of two small and toughest little trains that will provide you with a great and enjoyable ride to Softrock station.

Here out in the open this space was used for the filming of Jurassic World.

The only main view of the river that appears on the ride and the floating massive rock that sits out on the rivers edge.

This is the pathway that will lead you on a 5-10 minute walk through dense bush to the Nile Suspension Bridge.

This amazing limestone rock formations that is on left of your ride is called the "Bough of the Ship".

Here you can see the tracks that meander and wind through the bush that reach out to you along the track on both sides.

The Ferns of all sizes cover the canopy and the ground while the trees stretch as far through the bush as you can see.

The only little bridge crossing over a gap in the bush along the path to the bridge.

Shear Limestone formations stretch high above like they have been carved out of the landscape over hundreds of years.

Here the train stops at Softrock Station while you enjoy the walk to the bridge.

Looking North up the Nile River you get a view of how the River has carved is way through the bush, sometimes completely flooding on boths sides.

From the Nile River Suspension Bridge you are able to get great views south as it winds through the landscape.

The shoreline of the Nile River is covered with bush and the tanin that leaches from the ground turns the river brown.

Path is easy and so peaceful surrounded by dense native bush.

During the walk there are part where the sun breks through and brightens the punga, ferns and native trees.

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Plant life grows on any surface both plant and rock face hanging like strands or reaching for the light.

The bush is even above you head along the path.

The amazing limestone cliffs and formations stretch high up on both sides of the valley during your ride and the names given to some of them.