Waipohatu Waterfall Loop Hike in The Catlins – New Zealand

Waipohatu Waterfall Loop Hike in The Catlins – New Zealand

The Waipohatu Waterfall Loop Hike is a quick but rewarding hike that leads to two waterfalls in Waikawa Forest (Catlins Conservation Park).

If you're looking to get off the regular tourist trail of New Zealand's South Island, the Waipohatu Waterfall Loop in the Catlins is a great start to your itinerary. Unlike the popular Fiordlands, the Catlins are quiet and less crowded with tourists, but still offer epic day hikes and beautiful rainforest waterfalls.

In this guide I will share my experiences and also help you find your way to the Waipohatu trail and the two epic waterfalls. Punehu and Pouriwai Falls.

READ THE FULL LIST OF THINGS TO DO IN THE CATLINS

• alt=“PURIWAI-WASSERFALL „>Puriwai-Wasserfall
• alt=“PUNEHU-WASSERFALL“>Punehu-Wasserfall

How to get to Waipohatu Waterfall Track

The Waipohatu Loop Track is located at the end of Waipohatu Road. Getting there is a 15-minute drive along the well-maintained Haldane-Curio Bay Road. This road is mostly paved, with some gravel sections that are easy to navigate with any vehicle.

Waipohatu Road is a narrow gravel road between two fields that is easy to miss. Look for a small sign indicating a “Walking Track.” I've pinned the exact location of the intersection on Google Maps below to make it easier for you to find it.

Once on Waipohatu Road, continue driving until you see the parking area with a toilet and small picnic bench. You can find the signpost to the starting point here.

Note that Google Maps does not have the exact information for the gravel road. Instead, you can also use Maps.me to find the starting point.

RELATED: MATAI AND HORSESHOE FALLS IN THE CATLINS

What to Expect on the Waipohatu Waterfall Hike

This short hike through Waikawa Forest (Catlins Conservation Park) was surprisingly wild! Once we reached the trail, we entered a dense forest that felt like stepping straight into a scene from The Lord of the Rings.

The Waipohatu waterfall trail was very easy to navigate, with orange triangles indicating the obvious route to the two waterfalls. However, the route was muddy, meaning we had to jump over rocks and strategically placed punga, the thick trunk of tree ferns.

Length and duration of the hike: 7.8 km return; 2-3 hours.
Difficulty: Easy trail but can get muddy in wet weather.
Total elevation gain: 330 m

Not knowing that the hike would take a few hours, we started a little late. To ensure we would make it to Curio Bay to see the rare yellow-eyed penguins, we walked most of the way through the mud and over isolated sections of easy-to-pass, wind-fallen trees.
alt=“WAIPOHATU WATERFALL HIKE CATLIN’S SOUTH ISLAND NEW ZEALAND”>Beech forest on the Waipohatu Trail

MORE WATERFALLS: MCLEAN FALLS IN THE CATLINS

Waipohatu Loop GPX file

Below I have included our GPX track that I recorded on my Garmin watch.

GPX file: Download

My Strava: Visit

The two Waipohatu waterfalls

The Waipohatu Waterfall Loop features not one, but two fantastic waterfalls to reward you for your efforts.

After about 3 km you will reach a fork in the road with a worn and incomprehensible sign. The left path leads to the lower Punehu Falls while the right path leads to the Pouriwai Falls. Both waterfalls can be reached within 5 minutes of this intersection, so I would recommend making the trip to both!

Punehu Falls

Punehu Falls is the smaller but more beautiful waterfall on the way. After a short descent, you'll stare at a wide rainforest waterfall cascading into a waist-deep pool.

What Punehu Waterfall lacks in height, it certainly makes up for in beauty. The scene is completed by moss-covered trees and the calls of wild birds, making you feel like you've stepped back in time.
alt=“PUNEHU FALLS ON THE WAIPOHATU WATERFALL LOOP “>Punehu Falls

Pouriwai Falls

The larger and more famous waterfall on the Waipohatu Falls Loop is Pouriwai Falls. Just after you turn right at the fork, you'll hear its roar just before you see it hidden behind the moss-covered cliff.

For the best views of this waterfall, you need to cross a shallow and gentle stream. There are some rocks you can jump over, just try not to slip like I did.

Pouriwai Waterfall is also a plunging waterfall, plunging a steep 10-meter drop into a shallow, rocky pool.
alt=“PURIWAI FALLS, WAIPOHATU WATERFALL HIKE “>

Don't miss the Secret Saddle Viewpoint at Lake Alta on the Remarkable Range

Completion of the loop and return to the parking lot

After taking a few photos and getting wet, it was time to head back to the parking lot on the circuit.

Right next to the turnoff to the two waterfalls there is another sign showing the circular route back. Here you can either go back the way you came or follow this new path.

We decided to do the loop, which added maybe 1 kilometer to the hike. This path eventually emerges from the rainforest onto a dirt road that you must follow for about 700 meters before returning to the parking lot.

Read more

I hope this quick guide to the Waipohatu Waterfalls Loop has convinced you to ditch the tourist buses of Milford and explore the less visited regions of New Zealand.

For more hiking and travel guides, check out some of the other articles on this blog below.

MY CAMERA AND PHOTO EQUIPMENT

• Spiegellose Kamera: Canon R5
• Drohne: DJI Mavic Pro 2
• 360-Grad-Action-Kamera: Insta360 One X2
• Landschaftsobjektiv: Canon RF 15-35 mm f/2.8L
• Allround-Objektiv: Canon RF 24–105 mm f/4L
• Teleobjektiv: Canon RF 100–500 mm f/f/4,5–7,1 L
• Lange Aktionsstange: Insta360 Invisible Pole (BulletTime)
• Landschaftslinsenfilter: Hoya Circular Polarizer
• Kamerarucksack: F-Stop Tilopa
• Lieblingsfotozubehör: Peak Design Capture Clip

For a list of my recommended photography gear (including what I use and why), check out my Travel Camera Gear Guide.

If you would like to use any of the photos on this website, please visit my licensing page to find out how. I also sell professional art prints, visit my Print Store or contact me directly for customs deductions of images on We Seek Travel.

• alt=““>
• alt=““>

.