Heapy Track Tramp
The Heaphy Track is one of New Zealand's Great Walks and is a must for any avid hiker. The sheer diversity as you cross from beautiful native beech forest, up to alpine wilderness and down to the wild West Coast is simply spectacular!
Dates: 7-12 March 2010
Price: NZ$1395
Meeting Point: Nelson/Motueka
Fitness level: average
Price includes a night in the delightful Karamea Village Hotel plus:
* Includes scenic return drive
to Motueka or Nelson.
* Transfer to/from Nelson Airport
if required
Prices include all food, hut passes and transport ex Motueka or Nelson. We can arrange your accommodation for you in Motueka. We will get you back to Motueka or Nelson on day 6, unless your option is to carry on down the West Coast, or stay an extra day in Karamea.
The track is well graded and maintained, and all the major rivers and creeks are bridged. Only an average fitness level is therefore required. The walk has been planned so that short days follow the longer ones.
Clients are only expected to carry their own personal gear such as sleeping bag, clothing etc. Your guides take care of the food, cooking gear, and other equipment. The pace will be slow so as to allow ample time for observations, billy boils and snack breaks.
Accommodation on the walk
As there are no private huts on the Heaphy, we use the large well maintained Department of Conservation (DoC) huts with comfortable bunks, coal ranges and gas cookers. There are no shower facilities, but there are some lovely bathing creeks and rivers - not to mention the lagoon at the Heaphy Mouth.
Day One
Flanagans Corner offers stunning views from the highest point on the track.
We begin with a two-hour scenic drive from your accommodation in Motueka to the start of the track in the Aorere Valley in Golden Bay. The road takes us over the renowned Takaka Hill, also known as 'Marble Mountain' for it's huge outcrops of limestone marble rock. We then travel down the beautiful Takaka Valley, through the township of the same name, then turn inland to the Aorere Valley.
The track commences at Brown River and climbs on a well graded track through lowland then podocarp-beech forest. We reach the highest point on the track (910m) approximately 40 minutes from our destination for the night - Perry Saddle Hut (a distance of 17 km - 6 hours). From the hut there are spectacular views of the distant saw-toothed Douglas Range and the Dragon's Teeth.
Highlights for the day
* The change in the unique flora as we ascend the track.
* Numerous bush birds - tui, bellbird, rifleman, tomtit and many more.
* The spectacular vistas from Flanagans lookout at the highest point and then again from the hut.
* A chance to see two of our native parrots at the hut - the Kea and Kaka.
* And at night the piercing cries of the Great Spotted Kiwi can be heard.
Day Two
Entering the Gouland Downs.
An easy day of flat to undulating walking. First through kamahi-beech-quintinia forest, then across the rolling tussock grass lands of the Gouland Downs - a peneplain. We stop at the historic Gouland Downs Hut for lunch, then continue through the 'Enchanted Forest'. This is a limestone remnant with beech forest. On across the Downs, we walk through more magic forest with Dracophyllum traversii and D. townsonii track side. Our destination, Saxon Hut, is situated in tussock country. (A distance of 13 km - approx. 3 1/2 hours walking time, but we will be taking most of the day observing things along the way).
Highlights for the day
* A chance for the fitter walker to climb Mount Perry first thing in the morning for the spectacular views into the Aorere Valley, across the Gouland Downs and out to Tasman Bay (on a clear day Mount Taranaki in the North Island can be seen).
* A fossick among the moss dripping beech trees of the Enchanted Forest, checking out some of the cave entrances in this lovely limestone outcrop.
* Once again at night listening to the great spotted kiwi.
The rare endemic Bulbinella talbotii can be found on the Downs, along with the Pseudopanax lineris.
Day Three
The lush forest opens to a distant view of the Heaphy mouth.The longest day. This day is done in two sections. In the morning we leave the Gouland Downs, and gently wend our way up and over to the edge of the Mackay Downs, then onto the Mackay Hut for our lunch break. Here we have glimpses of the Tasman Sea and tomorrow's destination at the Heaphy mouth. On the way we encounter a different flora habitat once again, with the banks along the track covered with mosses and a huge diversity of other plants. The geology changes to granite country with wonderful outcrops. After lunch we descend to the Heaphy valley floor and the Lewis Hut. The track winds gradually down through ever changing forest with new species being added constantly, until the first nikau palm appears and the forest takes on a jungle like appearance. The Lewis Hut is situated on the confluence of the Heaphy and Lewis Rivers. The day's totals 26 km. in approx. 7 - 8 hours.
Highlights for the day
* The huge change in habitats and flora, the greatest change over the whole track, from the sub-alpine downs to veritable rain forest.
* Bird encounters may include rifleman, bellbird, grey warbler, tomtit, and our very friendly South Island robin.
* Another highlight over the late summer and autumn months is definitely the fungi. Pseudowintera traversii can be found here. It is endemic to this area.
Day Four
The Heaphy River, approaching the coast.The shortest day, only an 8 km - 2 1/2 hours walking. But we take longer as there is so much to see. After crossing the Heaphy swing bridge the mixed lowland rain forest flora and the limestone outcrops cannot be rushed. There is little of this forest type left in New Zealand. We follow the river all the way to the mouth, arriving at Heaphy Hut around 1 p.m. for a leisurely lunch.
Highlights for the day
* Where do we start! The Nikau Podocarp and giant Northern Rata forest will leave you breathless!
* Idyllic river scenes.
* In season, the Earina and Winika perching orchids.
* All afternoon to spend beach combing on the driftwood strewn beach and/or swimming in the large sandbar protected lagoon (but not swimming in the spectacular but dangerous surf!)
* Maybe just a relaxing afternoon with a book.
* "Bush tucker night" -- wild bush greens and fresh mussels are served when the tide is right.
* And finally the chance to experience the famous Heaphy sunset!
Day Five
The roar of surf is a constant compantion on Day 5.
For the entire day the track hugs the coast and goes in and out of nikau and karaka groves beside pounding surf beaches. We stop for a picnic lunch en route to our finish at Kohaihai. There is magnificent scenery all the way (16 km., 5 - 6 hours).
Highlights for the day
* From the nikau and karaka forest to the wonderful West Coast beaches - this whole day is certainly a highlight.
* Sea birds to be seen today include the cormorant, oyster catchers and gulls.
* We may even see a seal sunning itself on the rocks.
* Also to be seen is our large native pigeon, especially when one of their favorite foods - the nikau berry - is ripe.
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