Lake Waikaremoana Guided Walk A four-day all inclusive, Rotorua-to-Rotorua, guided hike on the Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk Track through Te Urewera National Park, North Island, New Zealand.
Tahi - Day One: Hopuruahine to Waiharuru 10.5 kms, 4 Hours Hiking (Lunch, Dinner) drive from Rotorua to the start of the Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk Track, along one of New Zealand's oldest
Your New Zealand hiking adventure begins with a scenic Maori trails. We journey through remote villages and dense New Zealand rainforest, into the heart of Te Urewera National Park and on to Lake Waikaremoana.
Beginning the hike, the track at first follows the edge of an estuary where we are likely to enjoy the company of a variety of water birds. Shortly we catch our first glimpse of the lake itself and the reason for its name (sea of rippling waters) becomes apparent.
The hike follows the edge of Lake Waikaremoana for most of the afternoon, before crossing a small headland from which we see our lodgings for the night. The Waiharuru Hut welcomes you with a hot drink and a hearty cooked meal.
The hut is near the Puketukutuku Peninsula, where a kiwi recovery programme is successfully increasing the numbers of our threatened national icon. Visitors may delight in hearing the night time calls of the New Zealand North Island brown kiwi and the morepork / ruru.
Rua - Day Two: Waiharuru to Waiopaoa 18.3 kms, 6-8 Hours Hiking (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
This is our longest day of hiking, but we still have plenty of time to enjoy the bush, birds and beaches of the western arm of Lake Waikaremoana. We make the most of the many scenic lakeside and lookout spots for rests and refreshments, and some may indulge in a swim. A short side track leads to Korokoro Falls, which are well worth a visit.
The Urewera forest has a huge range of tree and plant species (over 650), which provide homes for many native birds. You are likely to witness the amazing flights of the fantail, tomtit and kereru, and hear the melodious calls of the bellbird and tui.
For the last part of the day we walk through kanuka forest, which forms a tunnel-like trail on the Lake Waikaremoana shore.
Waiopaoa Hut, nestled amongst the luxuriant rainforest that stretches to the edge of Lake Waikaremoana, is our home for the night.
Toru - Day Three: Waiopaoa to Panekiri 7.6 kms, 4-5 Hours Hiking (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
On day three of your New Zealand hiking adventure we tackle the Panekiri Bluffs, which have been looming ahead of us for the last two days. Plenty of rest stops and breathtaking views make today's steady climb an enjoyable challenge.
Hiking the Panekiri ridge we pass through several different layers of vegetation. We move from mixed broadleaf podocarp forest featuring giant rata, rimu and miro's to enchanted cloud forest of silver beech trees, cloaked in vibrant green mosses, which dominate the higher altitudes.
At the close of the day relax with a glass of wine on the verandah of the beautifully situated Panekiri Hut, and soak up the panoramic vistas right out to the Pacific Ocean. This special place offers truly spectacular views on a clear day. Watch the sun set over the forest clad hills of Te Urewera National Park, while a birds eye view bestows an appreciation of the amazing terrain we have covered over the last few days.
Wha - Day Four: Panekiri to Onepoto 8.8 kms, 4-5 Hours Hiking (Breakfast, Lunch)
Day four of your New Zealand hiking adventure has you wake to be one of the first in the world to welcome the day's sunrise over the Pacific Ocean!
Hiking along the Panekiri ridge, breaks in the forest offer more magnificent views and fantastic photo opportunities from the ledges of the monolithic rock formations that form the range. From here we can look across Onepoto Bay to see the evidence of the landslide that created Lake Waikaremoana over two thousand years ago. Enjoy a fresh picnic lunch amidst this stunning natural beauty and understand why this hike is considered one of New Zealand's "Great Walks". On completing the track we celebrate our walking achievements, new friends, and enhanced knowledge and appreciation of the natural and cultural history of Waikaremoana, New Zealand.
