3165B Opunake / Pouakai Crossing (Full)

Long Weekend 24th - 27th January 2025

We will travel to Opunake on Saturday morning.  If the tides are right, we’ll walk out to the Three Sisters just south of Mokau.  This is a flat walk along the river to some stunning sea stacks that you can walk through. We will also, potentially, climb Paritutu, which is a 156m high rock in New Plymouth.  We will be staying at our bach in Opunake.  There is plenty of space to put up tents and we might have a couple of bunkrooms ready in time for this trip. You are welcome to use the bach facilities. 

Sunday, we hope to do the Pouakai Crossing beside Mt Taranaki.  This is a 19km walk that is likened to the Tongariro Crossing.  DOC times are 7.5 to 9.5 hours. This tramp starts at North Egmont, climbs up to a lookout, then sidles along the mountain and passes the towering lava columns of the Dieffenbach Cliffs. The track descends to Holly Hut and crosses the Ahukawakawa swamp.  Time dependent, we will take a side trip to Pouakai Tarn where there are reflections of Mt Taranaki.  Then there is a long descent through Goblin forest to the Mangorei Road end.  

Monday, we will do some of the walks around Opunake, including the clifftop garden, and walk around the lake, before heading back to Hamilton.

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