According to legend, the great mountains Tongariro and Taranaki fought over an alluring summit named Pihanga. Spurned by Pihanga, Taranaki fled westward and gouged a furrow in the earth, a cleft his triumphant rival filled with water. As a result, lush foliage surrounds the Whanganui (fang-gah-NEW-ee) River—the longest navigable course (234km) in New Zealand—as it flows to the Tasman Sea. Historically, Maori pa (fortified village) topped these high ponga-lined bluffs before European missionaries, steamboats, and logging operations altered river life during the 19th century. In recent times, local Maori families have reclaimed parts of the river bank, establishing marae (sacred meeting ground) for weary paddlers.
Few roads penetrate the park’s boundaries. The River Road dips into the southern limits, while a road from Owhango heads to Whakahoro Hut . Most people planning a Whanganui excursion stay in National Park Village , Taumarunui , or Ohakune and arrange transport with the operators who rent equipment for the river journey (see Gear Rental). Trampers who require river transport to return to their point of departure can call Bridge to Nowhere Lodge (☎0800 480 308 or 06 348 7122; www.bridgetonowheretours.co.nz); rides can be costly depending on the endpoints. People who have hitched report that patience is necessary. Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking.
The Whanganui National Park encompasses various pockets west of SH4. Despite its similar name, the city of Wanganui is not the best base for exploring the Whanganui River, though it does contain the park’s main DOC office. (☎06 348 8475. Open M-F 8am-5pm.) The DOC field centers in Taumarunui (☎07 895 8201) and Pipiriki (☎06 385 5022) are open sporadically. In Taumarunui, you’ll find a supermarket and ATMs; in Pipiriki, you won’t find much of anything. Most gear outfitters can provide secure parking; however, there are no places to stay directly adjacent to the park. The phone code for Taumarunui, National Park Village, and points in between is ☎07; Ohakune, while points farther south use ☎06.
The Mangapurua and Kaiwhakauka Tracks combine to form a 40km (3-4 days round-trip) adventure. Mangapurua takes off from Mangapurua Landing on the river, then heads over the Bridge to Nowhere, through the Mangapurua Valley, and past large open sections of former farmland. The track then climbs to the Mangapurua Trig, which offers panoramic views of Mt. Tongariro, Mt. Taranaki, and the junction with the Kaiwhakuaka Track on clear days. From there, it’s down through farms and bush to the Kaiwhakauka Valley and the Whakahoro Hut . This is the only hut along the whole track, though flat campsites are plentiful.
The park’s other major trail is the Matemateaonga Track, which tempts diehard hikers with 42km (4-5 days round-trip) of serpentine trail following an old Maori route. The path leads from the Kohi Saddle on Upper Mangaehu Rd. east of Stratford and across to Tieke Marae on the Whanganui River. There are three huts ($10 each) on the track, which is flatter than the Mangapurua/Kaiwhakauka route. A significantly shorter option, the Atene Skyline Track (6-8hr. round-trip) leads to a lookout with views of Mt. Ruapehu, Mt. Taranaki, and the Tasman Sea, almost forming a complete loop. The Skyline makes a good daytrip from Wanganui, as the trailhead is only 36km north of town on the River Rd.
Not only is the Whanganui River Journey the only Great Walk on water, but it also provides an outdoor experience unique to New Zealand. Those who paddle between the river’s steep banks will encounter rapids, wild goats, and hundreds of waterfalls. The journey passes many reminders of its long human history, from the Lombardy poplars planted by missionaries to the iron moorings used by steamers headed upstream. The tramp also has a living legacy in its two marae, Tieke and Mangapapapa, both of which welcome overnight guests.
Cherry Grove To Whakahoro Hut. 57km. This two-day leg covers the vast majority of the journey’s largest rapids (but still only Class II). Paddlers begin near Taumarunui at Cherry Grove, where the Ongarue and Whanganui Rivers meet. Roads and grazing farm animals surround the introductory stretch of river, and include Lauren’s Lavender Farm, where you can moor your ship and take in a morning coffee in a field of fragrant lavender before setting out for the raging waters. (☎07 896 8705; on the River Road in Taumarunui. Open daily 8:30am-4:30pm. Iced coffee $2.50. Cash only.) Ohinepane Campsite provides the first opportunity to stop and camp, 22km downriver from Cherry Grove. The next two campsites are the most popular Day 1 layovers; Poukaria (14km from Ohinepane) and Maharanui (17km from Poukaria) feature flat ground and abundant bush, and tend to be quieter than the road-accessible Ohinepane. Between these rise the imposing carved niu poles, where Hau Hau warriors used to pray before embarking for battle, and Taniwha Rock, on which legend dictates travelers must place a sprig of green or risk the wrath of the river’s guardians. However, as few people remember which rock is Taniwha, most paddlers take their chances.
Also road-accessible, Whakahoro Hut (16 beds) is a homey old schoolhouse blessed with electricity, 4km down river from Maharanui; the grassy field outside makes good tent camping. It is also the site of the last convenience store and the last place to bail out if you’ve gotten in over your head. Unfortunately, reaching this former pa is no easy task for those already on the river—it involves a 600m upriver paddle (to a landing past the bridge) followed by a 500m uphill climb.
Whakahoro Hut To John Coull Hut. 37.5km. As you paddle into the borders of the national park from Whakahoro on, dramatic cliffs steady the flow of the river. Eleven kilometers downstream, stairs of rounded stone lead up to grassy Mangapapa Campsite, but it’s easier to land by the less romantic wooden ones a few meters down river. Sixteen kilometers downstream, Ohauora Campsite lies across the river from Tamatea’s Cave, named for a former temporary inhabitant (who was also the first man to explore the whole river). More like a shallow overhang of rock, the cave exhibits a small glowworm show by night. Roomy John Coull Hut (30 beds), 10.5km downstream, sports plenty of burners, wardens from October to April, and is known to be an excellent place to spot long-tailed bats, New Zealand’s only native mammal.
John Coull Hut To Tieke Kainga. 19.5km. The next possible stop is at Mangawaiiti Campsite, where a long staircase leads to some beautiful plots, set among ponga trees. Nine kilometers downriver from John Coull Hut, Mangapurua Campsite rests on the river’s right bank across the water from Mangapurua Landing. From the landing, an easy 30-40min. walk (one-way) leads deep into the bush, opening onto an astounding view of the ponga canopy, with a tannin-stained stream far below and, in the middle of it all, a perfectly ordinary concrete bridge. This Bridge to Nowhere is the last remnant of an isolated post-WWI rehabilitation settlement, which officially closed in 1942.
Back on the water, the river leads 10.5km to the well-marked Tieke Kainga (TEE-eh-kee), a hospitable settlement with a Maori caretaker who urges guests to partake in the powhiri (welcoming) ceremony. Whether or not the Maori are in residence, guests are welcome to make themselves at home in the kitchen, on the mattresses in the bunk room, or on the beautiful lawn. Across the river, the privately owned Bridge to Nowhere Lodge 1, (☎0800 480 308) charges $10 per person for camping, $15 for cabins. There are also B&B units available.
Tieke Kainga To Pipiriki Landing. 21.5km. This final stretch holds several of the journey’s largest rapids. Set between two choppy sections of water 12.5km downriver from Tieke Kainga, Ngaporo Campsite provides well-positioned tent sites, framed by sheer gray rock faces. The Puraroto Caves, filled with spa-quality mud, make a good last stop for exploration and body painting. They are near a small stream on the right after the river turns sharply to the left. By the time Pipiriki Landing appears at the journey’s end, the native forest has again yielded to cleared sheep fields.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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