Lake Waikaremoana Track
Lake Waikaremoana Track
Lake Waikaremoana Track
WAIKAREMOANA
Duration: 3 – 4 days Great Walks season:
Distance: 46 km (one way) All year
LAKE ELEVATION PROFILE & TRACK GUIDE
1100 m
A refuge amongst prehistoric 1000 m
rainforest with access to some of New Onepoto Waiopa
900 m
Zealand’s most iconic birds, this Great Bay
Shelter
30 bu
20 cam
800 m
Walk around the shoreline of Lake
Waikaremoana is truly outstanding. 700 m
600 m
A visit to the heart of Te Urewera on 9 km / 4 – 6 hrs 8 km / 3 – 4 hrs
the eastern side of the North Island
will offer a glimpse of how New
Zealand used to be.
Ko Te Umuariki Te Tanata
4–6 hours, 9 km 3–4 hours, 8 km
Ko Tūhoe Te Iwi
This is the most strenuous part of From Panekire Hut, the
Welcome to Waikaremoana, home the trip, but the views from Panekiri track heads southwest down
of the Nāi Tūhoe people, the make it worthwhile. The track starts the range to the top of the
children of the mist. Pay homage from the Onepoto Shelter and leads Panekiri descent. From here
to Waikaremoana (sea of rippling you through the former Armed the track drops steeply off
Constabulary Redoubt Parade Ground the range into rolling valleys
waters) as you scale the heights
before climbing steadily up to the of beech, podocarp and
of Panekiri. Learn the legend of
top of Panekiri Bluff. You’ll enjoy kāmahi forest and the lake.
Haumapuhia and immerse yourself in spectacular views across the lake as
the ambience of this special place. you follow the undulating ridgeline
before reaching Puketapu Trig
(1180 metres) and onto Panekire Hut.
Day 3: Waiopaoa Hut to Marauiti Hut Day 4: Marauiti Hut to Hopuruahine Landing
ABOVE LEFT TO RIGHT: Day 1: Daniel Deans, Days 2 and 3: Chris McLennan,
Day 4: Kathrin and Stefan Marks (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
1
Take a dip in the cool, crystal-clear
water after a long day’s hike. There are
plenty of spots along the track, and at
most of the huts and campsites.
Photo: Chris McLennan
2 Soak up the rich spiritual history of
the area, which is home to Nāi Tūhoe,
the local Māori people, who are also
known as Nā Tamariki o te Kohu—‘the
children of the mist’.
GISBORNE
LAKE
Waikaremoana
Visitor Centre Sign me up! What do I do next?
WAIKAREMOANA
Frasertown
GETTING THERE
Wairoa
1 waikaremoana
Start off at greatwalks.co.nz/
for more
Waikaremoana can be approached information.
from two directions. Te Urewera
Route (SH38) links Wairoa and the
East Coast with the central North
Island, and passes the lake and
NAPIER
Waikaremoana Visitor Centre.
Otane
The route has long sections of unsealed gravel road.
Waipawa
There is free public parking at the Waikaremoana
Waipukurau
Holiday Park and the nearby Waikaremoana Visitor
Centre. There are water taxi services available
between various points on the lake. We recommend
3 from
Book your transport to and
the track – operators are
booking transport services in advance, especially in listed online and in this brochure.
the quieter season, as they operate on demand.
0 25 50 km
Refer over the page for transport options and services.
4 bags
Buy your food and pack your
– download the Great Walks
PLACES TO STAY packing list and make sure you
have everything you need for a
4-day independent unguided walk.
5 sure
Read up on safety and make
you’re well prepared for your
journey and changeable weather at
greatwalks.co.nz/waikaremoana.
Make sure you have left your
intentions with a trusted contact
Waiharuru Hut. Photo: Daniel Deans
at adventuresmart.org.nz.
5 huts and 5 campsites operate along Lake Waikaremoana, which must be booked
in advance all year round. Campers are not permitted to use hut facilities.
These offer basic facilities including toilets, sinks and a water supply.
Some also have picnic tables and cooking shelters. Great Walks campsites
7 and
All set! Lace up your boots
get hiking. Don’t forget to
can only be accessed on foot and are not accessible by vehicle or by boat. share your experience on
facebook.com/GreatWalks.
Bookings are essential all year round. Great Walks huts and campsites
must be booked in advance.
Waikaremoana Holiday Park Step into New Zealand’s Heart…
Take time to get connected – it’s in your nature!
Lake Waikaremoana, Tongariro, Coromandel
Great Walkers
deserve great hostels
visitruapehu.com
www.adventuresmart.org.nz
greatwalks.co.nz
0800 694 732
OTHER GREAT WALKS
adult/night adult/night
Walk lets you explore dramatic countless hills and valleys. This
volcanic landscapes including journey lets you take a multi-day
craters, glacial valleys, native canoe or kayak trip to experience
beech forest, alpine meadows its most remote scenic beauty,
and emerald-coloured lakes in history and cultural significance.
this World Heritage area.
Location: Tongariro National Park, central North Island Location: Whanganui National Park, south-west North Island
Nearest towns: Taupo, Turangi, Ohakune, Waiouru Nearest towns: Whanganui, Taumarunui, Ohakune
adult/night adult/night
Tasman Coast Track has it all. beauty into one Great Walk.
Choose to walk the whole track Travel through expansive
or water taxi or kayak between tussock downs, lush forests
different locations at any time and nīkau palms to the roaring
of the year. seas of the wild West Coast.
Location: Abel Tasman National Park, north-west South Island Location: Kahurangi National Park, north-west South Island
Nearest towns: Nelson, Motueka, Takaka Nearest towns: Nelson, Westport, Collingwood
T he Routeburn Track
traverses the Southern
Alps of New Zealand and
$54
Huts:
* A n adventure above the
clouds! The Kepler Track
takes you from the gentle,
$54*
Huts:
adult/night adult/night
passes through ice-carved beech-forested shores of Lakes
valleys and beech forest. Walk Te Anau and Manapouri to the
alongside pristine rivers and exposed tussock lands and the
glistening alpine lakes offering summit of Mount Luxmore for
breathtaking views and spectacular alpine views.
mountain scenery.
Location: Mount Aspiring & Fiordland Nat. Parks, South Island Location: Fiordland National Park, south-west South Island
Nearest towns: Queenstown, Glenorchy, Te Anau and Invercargill Nearest towns: Queenstown, Te Anau and Invercargill
adult/night adult/night
breathtaking sheer canyons and life for the tranquillity of
majestic waterfalls. Walk beside the Rakiura Track. Revel in
pristine rivers and amongst lush, the peacefulness and idyllic
green rainforest before crossing surroundings, with the bush,
Mackinnon Pass and reaching birds and beach at your side.
spectacular Milford Sound.
Location: Fiordland National Park, south-west South Island Location: Stewart Island/Rakiura
R92864
Nearest towns: Queenstown, Te Anau and Invercargill Nearest towns: Invercargill (20 min flight) or Bluff (1 hr ferry)
Published by: Department of Conservation, Marketing Team, PO Box 10420, Wellington 6143, New Zealand | November 2016
Editing and design: Publishing Team, DOC National Office
This publication is produced using paper sourced from well-managed, renewable and legally logged forests. * Prices are accurate at the time of publication.
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