New Zealand Great Walk | Lake Waikaremoana

Lake Waikaremoana is a refuge amongst prehistoric rainforest with access to some of New Zealand’s most iconic birds. This Great Walk around the shoreline of Lake Waikaremoana is truly outstanding. A visit to the heart of Te Urewera on the eastern side of the North Island will offer a glimpse of how New Zealand used to be.

Lake Waikaremoana is a semicircular track that can be walked in either direction. The track is well marked and signposted, but some sections may be steep, rough or muddy.

Day 1: Onepoto to Panekire Hut - Hiked 9.7 km (6.1 miles), Climbed 608 meters (1,995 feet), in 3:50 actual moving time. This is the most strenuous part of the trip, but the views from Panekire make it worthwhile. The track starts from the Onepoto Shelter and leads you through the former Armed Constabulary Redoubt Parade Ground before climbing steadily up to the top of Panekire Bluff. You’ll enjoy spectacular views across the lake as you follow the undulating ridgeline before reaching Puketapu Trigand onto Panekire Hut.

Day 2: Panekire Hut to Korokoro Camp - 2 - Hiked 13.0 km (8.1 miles), Climbed 598 meters (1,962 feet), in 4:03 actual moving time. From Panekire Hut, the track heads southwest down the range to the top of the Panekire descent. From here the track drops steeply off the range into rolling valleys of beech, podocarp and kāmahi forest and the lake.

Day 3: Korokoro Camp to Waiharuru Camp - Hiked 16.9 km (10.5 miles), Climbed 25 meters (82 feet), in 6:16 actual moving time. Head up the Waiopaoa Stream a short distance before crossing grassy flats and heading through kānuka forest on the lakeshore. The track, while undulating, weaves its way through rimu wooded areas and along the lake edge to Marauiti Hut. A worthwhile side trip on this day is a 1-hour return trip to the amazing Korokoro Falls. At the Waiharuru camp—take a walk at dusk to the edge of Puketukutuku peninsula and listen out for the call of kiwi.

Day 4 - Waiharuru Camp to the End of trail and Water taxi - Hiked 14.2 km (8.8 miles), Climbed 210 meters (689 feet), in 4:55 actual moving time. This was another moderate day of walking with plenty of fantastic photo opportunities and chances to relax beside the lake’s edge. From Waiharuru Hut, the track climbs over the Pukehou ridge following the kiwi enclosure fence line all the way down to Tapuaenui Campsite, and leads on to Hopuruahine Landing.

The 30-minute water taxi ride back across Lake Waikeremoana was like a reward at the end of the journey. Here we got to see all the mountains and valleys we had traversed and the distance which we had traveled. It was the perfect ending to this four-day journey of discovery.

In total we hiked 53.8 km (33.5 miles), climbed 1,441 meters (4,728 feet), in 19:04 actual moving time.

Cost for the two of us (in US $): $157.18 Total = $79.02 Shelter & $78.16 Water Taxi

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