Restaurants
Place of Interest
Mohaka River - Te Puia Lodge and Mangatainoka Hot Springs
Situated in the Kaweka Forest Park, this walk is pretty unique with hot pools at both ends of the track - a rare treat!
It's a bit of an ordeal to get to the start of the track, however the isolation and remoteness is part of the experience, and generally ensures the hut is not overcrowded – we had it to ourselves.
From Gums carpark at the end of Makahu Road, it is only a short walk to the Mangatutu Hot Springs, an old tub sunk into a wooden deck, big enough for 4 or 5 people. An awesome way to start or end your day.
The track meanders alongside the picturesque Mohaka River, popular for trout fishing and rafting, with a number of good swimming holes along the way. At times the track climbs up from the edge of the river to flats and high bluffs, nothing too arduous but providing great views.
Don't expect anything grand, while it's often referred to as Te Puia lodge, it is in fact a pretty basic hut with 24 bunks. Situated on the banks of the Mohaka River, the hut is surrounded by bush and enjoys river views. It's a relatively easy track 2 ½ – 3 hours each way, making it an attractive overnight option for anyone with modest fitness and family friendly. If you're lucky you might see deer grazing nearby the stream.
The hut facilities are basic, with bunks, mattresses, a water supply, a wood burning heater, gas stove tops and a long drop toilet. You need to take everything else.
The Mangatainoka Hot Springs, are located further up the valley, over a swingbridge, passing through beech and podocarp forests, a 30 – 40 minute walk from the hut. Close enough that you can enjoy a hot soak in the afternoon, and another in the morning before heading back on the same track to the carpark.
From Napier it's about 60 kms, via Puketitiri Road, Pakaututu Road and Makahu Road. The last section along Makahu Road is narrow, windy in places and crossses a ford - the road can be impassable during wet weather.
Driving from Taupo, on SH5, turn right into Glengarry Road, right into Puketitiri Road, and into Makahu Road. (About 60km's from the SH.)
p.s. Ensure you go well prepared with plenty of warm clothes. The wood burner was not in working order when we stayed and with ice on the inside of the windows, it was absolutely freezing, which certainly made the trip memorable. In a twist of fate, a helicopter landed on the grass in front of the hut the next morning bringing in a serviceman to fix the heating. Too late to benefit us, but surely welcomed by the next trampers.
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Pogies. When the weather gets chilly over the winter months, or you're paddling in the deep south when it can be cold at any time of the year, quality neoprene pogies will keep your hands toasty warm and dry. Velcro the pogies around the paddle shaft then simply slip your hands through to grip your paddle. The wide wrist opening makes it easy to get your hands in or out quickly.
When camping with access to the car, this 3 burner gas cooker is perfect. It even has a rack for cooking toast and the lid acts as a wind shield. The legs unscrew and it folds up into a tidy, compact unit. We have been using this cooker for over 20 years, so a pretty good investment. New models will no doubt have been modified and improved, but we have never had any issues with this one.
really basic, but don't buy two the same size and check that they fit inside each other to save space in your pack. Stainless steel, bullet proof coffee plungers, are a bonus when space is not an issue.
When bigger fold out chairs are not an option due to space or weight, but you don't fancy sitting on the ground all the time, these little beauties are just what you need. They take very little space and when kayaking fit up the pointy nose end especially well. We have had ours for quite a few years and have used them on frequent trips, so I can personally recommmend these Roamer Tri Stools. Available from Kathmandu, you can often pick them up for less than $20. Check them out 
At some locations in NZ at certain times of the year, and certain times of the day (especially in Fiordland) sandflies or mosquito's can be a nuisance.
Air mattresses: Double and single styles available, perfect if you are camping close to your vehicle when weight and size not an issue. Lengthwise 185cm is a snug fit in our tent, however many of the new ones are 200 – 215 cm and will not fit in some compact dome tents. Many are also double the height, suitable only for large tents.
Stackable plastic cubes are fantastic to keep all related items together and the car stays nice & tidy. We can fit twelve boxes and access from back and rear doors means you only ever need to move one box to reach what you want.