Great Walks of New Zealand
Lake Waikaremoana
North Island
The Lake Waikaremoana Track is a stunning 46-kilometer hike located in the Te Urewera National Park in the North Island of New Zealand. The track takes hikers through lush forests, past cascading waterfalls, and along the shores of the crystal-clear Lake Waikaremoana. With breathtaking views and a variety of terrain, this track is a must-do for anyone keen to get off the beaten track.
Quick Overview
If you are keen to read our real experience of the track - Read it here
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Lake Waikaremoana Track
The Lake Waikaremoana Track is located on the east of the North Island in the Te Urewera National Park. Te Urewera is home to the Ngai Tūhoe iwi who care for Te Urewera, including the tracks and facilities.
The track is not a loop track and follows the shores of Lake Waikaremoana either from Onepoto in the south or Hopuruahine in the north. The 46km track can be hiked at any time of year over 3-4 days. The track is not as busy as the other Great Walks and due to its more remote location can be easier to get hut/campsite bookings. This is also what makes this Great Walk so special.
Camping is allowed at designated campsites with 5 to choose from (Waiopaoa, Korokoro, Maraunui, Waiharuru, Tapuaenui). There are also 4 huts that can be booked - Panekire (36 bunks), Waiopaoa (30 bunks), Marauiti (26 bunks), Waiharuru (40 bunks). Hikers will need to bring their own toilet paper and portable stoves as gas burners are not provided for cooking. Be aware that water tanks can run low during summer at Panekire Hut so consider taking extra water for this leg of the hike.
What To Expect
From Onepoto (South) to Hopuruahine (North)
Day 1 - Onepoto to Panekire Hut - 8.8km / 4-6hrs
Day 1 starts at Onepoto Shelter and within minutes the moderate ascent begins quickly up to Panekire Bluff. The 8.8km hike to Panekire Hut is expected to take 4-6 hours. Most of the ascent is under the cover of ancient native forest and the path has lots of raised tree roots. The climb is one of the more difficult climbs of the Great Walks. The climb to Panekire Bluff is worth the effort and gives spectacular views over the lake on a clear day. It is a great place to stop for lunch and a rest. From the bluff, the track follows undulating ridgeline until you reach Panekire Hut sitting at 1180m.
Day 2 - Panekire Hut to Waiopaoa Hut - 7.6km / 3-4hrs
Day 2 descends hikers from the heights of the Panekire Hut back down 7.6km to the lake's edge. The descent should take 3-4 hours through beech, podocarp and kamahi forest. You will encounter a lot of steps on this section as you reach Waiopaoa Hut with the campsite close by. If completing the walk in 3 days, combine days 2 and 3 to stay at Marauiti Hut.
Day 3 - Waiopaoa Hut to Marauiti Hut 10.4km / 5-6hrs
The 10.4km hike from Waiopaoa Hut to Marauiti Hut will take approx 5-6 hours or longer if the Korokoro Falls side trip is completed on the way. Hikers head off around the lake and just before the suspension bridge is the turn off to Korokoro Falls. Many hikers may stash their pack and complete the 1hr return trip to the waterfalls. To get there requires rock hopping and stream crossings. Beware the rocks are very slippery at the waterfalls so be careful if swimming. Past the Korokoro Falls turn off and after crossing the suspension bridge is Korokoro campsite. Beyond the campsite, the track is quite undulating twisting hikers in an out of forest and around the lake perimeter. Hikers will pass Maraunui Campsite and one last climb over the ridge will drop hikers to Marauiti Hut, an older style backcountry hut.
Day 4 – Marauiti Hut to Hopuruahine landing 12.5km / 5-6hrs
The last day from Marauiti Hut to Hopuruahine landing is 12.5km in length and will take approx 5-6 hours. The hike today is easy going and not as undulating as the day before. The track follows lakeside for the most part and passes Waiharuru Hut/Campsite and Tapuaenui Campsite on the way to the water taxi to take you home.
Day Walk Options
Lake Waikaremoana is reasonably remote, but it is possible to complete day walks if staying close by. There is accommodation located nearby at Waikaremoana Holiday Park.
Suggestions:
Onepoto to Panekire Hut (return) - 17.6km / 8 -12hrs. A strenuous climb to the bluff with rewarding views of the lake. Stop for lunch at Panekire Hut and return.
Alternatively, water taxis service the lake, and it is possible to organize pickups and drop offs to tailor a hike to suit.
Difficulty
The climb to Panekire Bluff from Onepoto is one of the more difficult climbs of the Great Walks, in our opinion. It was a really hot day for us and the ascent starts almost immediately from Onepoto. The track after the bluff is undulating and the day finishes off by some stairs to the hut with a maximum 1-person limit. After the first day the track follows lakeside and is pretty cruisy for the most part. The track undulates from Korokoro campsite but is not too difficult, although has a few sneaky climbs before you reach Marauiti Hut.
We were lucky and had hot and dry weather, but friends had completed the track previously and said the track was horribly muddy and made for long, slippery, and slow hiking.
Lake Waikaremoana Track Profile
Logistics & Bookings
Lake Waikaremoana Track is not as popular as other Great Walks, so bookings are often still available throughout the year. Before you book anything, secure bookings for the huts/campsites first. For more information check out the BOOK IT section or click the link below.
Lake Waikaremoana is quite remote so you will likely need to book accommodation either before or after the hike. There is only one option, the Waikaremoana Holiday Park. For more information check out the BOOK IT section or click the link below.
The best option to get to Lake Waikaremoana is to drive yourself. If coming from Rotorua then the road is unsealed, narrow and winding. It is not suitable for campervans and will take approx 3 hours to travel. If coming from Wairoa the road is only unsealed for approx 30mins. For information on how to book water taxis to or from Hopuruahine landing check out the BOOK IT section or click the link below.
Things We Learnt
1. First Aid kit - The First Aid kit we bought at an outdoor store was rubbish. The scissors wouldn't cut a piece of paper and the things you would actually need weren't included. Only basic first aid can be administered on the track anyway, but this kit was useless. Make sure that your first aid kit is decent. Our crew nurse ending up restocking it with good quality items for future (but hopefully never) use.
2. Choose hut shoes wisely - We decreased our gear on the second hike and took our hiking boots and one pair of footwear for the hut. Consider hut footwear that if needed to, you could hike in. One of the crew had terrible blisters and couldn't put her boots back on so was hiking in jandals (flip flops) for a while. If your hiking footwear fails, it's good to have a decent backup option for the rest of the walk.
3. Huts - some of the huts are tired and need some TLC. Waiharuru Hut is newer and more modern whilst Panekire/Maruiti are more older style backcountry huts (and look like it). While we love the newer design of the modern DOC huts, the classic old skool DOC hut is still pretty cool, but appreciate it is not for everyone so consider this when booking huts.
TIPS From The Crew
1. If climbing from Onepoto on the first day, it is possible if you start early to hike to Waiopaoa Hut. Waiopaoa Hut is lakeside so you will be able to get a swim after a gut busting climb to the Panekire Hut. We found Panekire Hut needed a good clean and some TLC.
2. If you hike from Panekire Bluff to Waiopaoa Hut on Day 2 you should have plenty of time to ditch your packs and head to the side trip to Korokoro Falls for the afternoon (1hr return trip from the main track).
3. The rocks are very slippery at Korokoro Falls so be careful with your footing. You will need to rock hop on the way there and may get wet boots.
4. Bag delivery is available for your packs by water taxi to the huts (except Panekire Hut) to make the hiking easier if needed.
3. Te Urewera is a rainforest and the track can get very muddy in places after periods of heavy rain. Check the weather and consider your footwear and/or gaiters.
5. If driving from Rotorua you will need to travel on a narrow gravel winding road for 70km which is slow going and can take 3 hours. The road is not suitable for campervans. If possible, consider travelling from the East into Lake Waikaremoana instead.
6. Consider your direction when planning this Great Walk. If you hiking from Hopuruahine Landing your pack will be lighter with less food for the climb up to Panekire Hut, but you will encounter a lot of stairs. We prefer to get the climbs out of the way on the first day when we have fresh legs, so opted to hike from Onepoto. We also avoided all those stairs.
7. There are a lot of possums on the trail. Don't leave food open and lying around. Pack it away or you will get a visit from some furry critters.
