7 places · 3 with rooms, 2 camping on the Onepoto (trailhead) section of the Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk, in Te Karetu (Aniwaniwa), Tuai, Rosie Bay. Phone and WhatsApp numbers are listed so you can book ahead.
Te Kura Whenua
Tūhoe-run visitor centre on SH38 at Te Karetu, about 9 km by road from the Onepoto start and 30 minutes from Hopuruahine; open daily 8 am to 4.30 pm for track, weather and transport advice. Free daytime parking only; no multi-day parking.
Lakeside holiday park beside the visitor centre, 9.3 km by gravel road from Onepoto, with 26 tent sites, 32 powered sites, chalets, cabins, a bunkhouse, kitchen, laundry, a small shop and fuel. The usual night before or after the walk; Great Walk parking for up to 10 days is near the entrance.
The only licensed lake transport, run from Te Karetu: boat transfers between Te Karetu, Onepoto and Whananui (Whanganui inlet, about 5 km before Hopuruahine), plus pack transfers; $75 per person per leg in 2026. Usually runs October to April only; book early.
Tūhoe-owned road shuttle between Onepoto, Hopuruahine, Te Karetu and Tuai Hall (2026: Hopuruahine to Onepoto $115, Hopuruahine to Te Karetu $75, Onepoto to Te Karetu $45), plus scheduled transfers from Napier and Rotorua. Book online before you start.
Four historic self-catering lodges (kitchens in each) on Lake Whakamarino in Tuai village, about 3–4 km by road from the Onepoto start. Listed on Visit Wairoa; its own site gives no 2025–26 dates, so call to check.
One self-contained queen suite with kitchen and laundry at 45 Mountain Road, Tuai, about 3–4 km by road from Onepoto. No guests under 16; listed on NewZealand.com, so confirm availability first.
Small free (freedom) campsite on SH38 at Rosie Bay, about 1.5 km by road from the Onepoto start: 6 non-powered sites, non-flush toilets, stream water (treat it), first come first served. It has closed at times for high lake levels and SH38 road works.
Checked online in October 2026. Places marked "not confirmed by the operator" are listed on tourism sites or OpenStreetMap but could not be confirmed as open for 2025–26 on an official page. The huts and campsites on the Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk are booked through DOC and cared for by Te Uru Taumatua (Ngāi Tūhoe). In 2026/27 a hut costs $35 per adult per night and a campsite $19. Camp only at the Great Walk campsites, treat all water and carry out your rubbish.
The Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk route works offline in Outest, with these places on the map and a trail guide you can ask about water, weather and the next village.