Te Urewera

The attraction of walking in Te Urewera

Visitors journey into Te Urewera; it lies off the beaten track and as you approach the ravines get steeper, the forest gets deeper and the settlements disappear. There is a sense of going back in time, to when nature held more secrets and commanded more respect. There’s nourishment for the soul in this place, just breathe in the air, swim in a lake, feel the spray of a waterfall and soak up the beauty.

Te Urewera is home to the Nai Tuhoe people, the children of the mist. The story of the Tuhoe, since Europeans arrived, is a proud and brave one. Fortunately, European intrusion into Te Urewera was relatively late and low impact. Consequently, the culture of the Tuhoe people was less affected and their land better preserved.

In 1954, the New Zealand Government recognised the unique qualities of the area and created the Te Urewera National Park (212,000 hectares). In 2014, through Tuhoe persistence, the area ceased to be a national park and became simply Te Urewera, a protected area administered by Tuhoe and New Zealand Government representatives.

Te Urewera contains the largest area of native forest in the North Island and is regarded as one of the most remote and untouched areas in the North Island. It is located in the central region of the North Island, on the east coast side. Driving time is approximately 3 hours south of Rotorua or 3 hours east of Lake Taupo.

The southern portion of Te Urewera contains  the magnificent Lake Waikaremoana, which is the focus of most visitor activities in Te Urewera. The lake is the setting for the Lake Waikaremoana Track, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks. The Lake Waikaremoana Track broadly follows the edge of the lake but its 46 km only takes you about two-thirds of the way around the lake which gives an indication of the size of the lake.

Interested in walking in Te Urewera?

The Lake Waikaremoana Track is a well formed track and easy to follow. A number of tour operators offer guided and self-guided options. Some of these use the lake to transport your gear, meaning you only carry small day packs for a majority of the walk.

Te Urewera offers many day and multi-day walks and, as mentioned, there are a number of tour operators offering a variety of walking trips. We can help you choose an operator that best suits your interests and requirements.

The Lake Waikaremoana Track well deserves its inclusion in the New Zealand Government’s nine “Great Walks” listing. Click the button below for a description of the Lake Waikaremoana Track.

The Lake Waikaremoana Track is just one of many Te Urewera walks we can tell you about, and help you to plan and book. Click below to learn more.