Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk hiking guide: route map, stages & where to stay

The Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk is one of New Zealand's Great Walks. It follows the western and southern shores of Lake Waikaremoana in Te Urewera, the homeland of Ngāi Tūhoe, for 46 km from Onepoto in the south to Hopuruahine in the north. Most walkers take 3 or 4 days and sleep in four bookable huts or five campsites. The first day climbs over the Panekire Bluff, 600 m above the lake, and the rest of the walk winds through beech and podocarp rainforest, past quiet bays, beaches and streams.

The route

The track starts at the Onepoto shelter, passes the site of an old Armed Constabulary redoubt and climbs steeply onto Panekire Bluff. The ridge is undulating and passes Puketapu Trig (1,180 m), with long views over the lake, to Panekire Hut. On day 2 the track follows the range south-west and then drops steeply through beech, podocarp and kāmahi forest to Waiopaoa Hut at the head of the Wairaumoana arm. From there it is mostly gentle walking close to the shore: across grassy flats and the Korokoro suspension bridge, past the side track to Korokoro Falls, over small ridges to Maraunui Bay and Marauiti Hut. The last day crosses a saddle to Te Totara Bay and Waiharuru Hut, climbs over the neck of Puketukutuku Peninsula, follows the Whanganui arm and the Huiarau Stream, and ends on the Hopuruahine River flats.

This guide follows the route mapped on OpenStreetMap and splits it into 4 stages, about 11.3 km each, using the 3-night itinerary that DOC suggests: Panekire Hut, Waiopaoa Hut and Marauiti Hut. To walk it in 5 days, add a night at Waiharuru Hut on the last stage. The highest point is on Panekire Bluff at about 1,180 m; after the descent the track stays between 580 and 700 m.

Highlights

• Panekire Bluff: a sandstone escarpment with the whole lake spread below, best in the early morning
• Korokoro Falls: a waterfall dropping off a sheer cliff in rainforest, 1 hour return from Korokoro Campsite
• Puketukutuku Peninsula: a protected area where you can hear kiwi at dusk, a short walk from Marauiti Hut
• The lake: Lake Waikaremoana, "sea of rippling waters", formed about 2,200 years ago when a landslide blocked the Waikaretāheke River; it is up to 248 m deep
• The forest: some of the largest native forest left in the North Island, with kererū, tūī and kākā

When to walk

The walk is open all year, but most people go between October and April, when the days are long and the water taxi runs. January and February are the busiest. In winter (June to August) there is no water taxi, nights at Panekire are cold and snow is possible on the bluff. The weather changes fast at any time of year: heavy rain, wind and snow can arrive in a few hours, and streams rise quickly after rain. Te Urewera is rainforest, so expect mud.

How many days do you need?

Most walkers take 4 days and 3 nights. Fit walkers can do it in 3 days by skipping Panekire Hut (Onepoto to Waiopaoa is 16.4 km with the big climb). Five days gives time for Korokoro Falls and a swim. Plan a night at Waikaremoana Holiday Park or in Tuai before and after, because the area is remote.

Permits, booking and fees

You must book every hut and campsite night online with DOC before you start, all year, for everyone in your group. In 2026/27 huts cost $35 per adult per night and campsites $19, with child rates of $18 and $9; NZ and international walkers pay the same here. Bookings for stays from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 opened on 20 May 2026, and the summer weekends fill first. There is no fee to enter Te Urewera. Without a booking you can be fined or turned away from a full hut. Camping is allowed only at the Great Walk campsites.

Te Urewera is not a national park any more. Since the Te Urewera Act 2014 it is a legal entity in its own right, governed by the Te Urewera Board, and Tūhoe's Te Uru Taumatua cares for the tracks and huts. Tūhoe wardens stay at the main huts in summer. Respect the land: carry out all rubbish.

Getting there and away

The walk is one way and the two ends are about 30 km apart by road. Most walkers drive or take a shuttle to the Te Kura Whenua visitor centre and Waikaremoana Holiday Park at Te Karetu, on SH38. Wairoa is about an hour away; Rotorua is about 3 hours, with about 90 km of gravel on SH38, where DOC recommends a 4WD or SUV. Check NZTA for SH38 road works before you go.

From October to April the Waiwai Xpres water taxi runs between Te Karetu, Onepoto and Whananui on the Whanganui inlet, about 5 km before Hopuruahine ($75 per leg in 2026). The Tira 38 road shuttle runs between Onepoto, Hopuruahine, Te Karetu and Tuai and from Napier and Rotorua. You can leave a car free for up to 10 days near the Holiday Park entrance; the Hopuruahine Landing road is not suitable for 2WD cars in 2026.

Huts, water and food

The four huts (Panekire, Waiopaoa, Marauiti and Waiharuru, 26 to 40 bunks) have mattresses, heating, non-flush toilets and tank water, but no gas, lighting or toilet paper. Bring a stove, fuel, pot, torch, sleeping bag and all your food: nothing is sold on the track. Boil, filter or treat all water; Panekire's tank can run low in summer. Whanganui Hut has been removed. The Holiday Park shop sells basic supplies and fuel, and the nearest supermarkets and pharmacy are in Wairoa.

Money and phone signal

There is little or no mobile coverage on most of the track and only patchy signal at Te Karetu. Download maps before you leave Wairoa or Rotorua. Tell someone your plans and when you expect to finish.

What to pack

A 50–65 litre pack under about 15 kg, waterproof jacket and overtrousers, warm layers, hat and gloves (even in summer), boots with good grip for mud and roots, sandfly repellent, a stove and fuel, food for every day plus a spare, a water filter or tablets, a first-aid kit, a head torch and a power bank. A personal locator beacon (PLB) is strongly recommended.

Difficulty and safety

DOC rates the track as intermediate. The only hard part is Panekire Bluff: a climb and descent of about 600 m with some steep, rooty and exposed sections, 4–6 hours on day 1. The rest is undulating lakeside track. It is not recommended for children under 10. In an emergency call 111 and ask for the police, or activate your PLB. The nearest emergency department is Wairoa Hospital, about an hour by road from the track ends; serious cases go by helicopter to Hastings. Stay on the track, and do not cross flooded streams: wait for the water to drop.