Waipohatu Waterfall Loop Hike in the Catlins - New Zealand
Waipohatu Waterfall Loop Hike in the Catlins - New Zealand
The Waipohatu Waterfall Round hike is a quick but rewarding hike that leads to two waterfalls in Waikawa Forest (Catlins Conservation Park).
If you want to leave the regular tourist path of the New Zealand South Island, the Waipohatu Waterfall Loop in the Catlins is a great start for your travel route. In contrast to the popular fjordlands, the catlins are calm and less overflowing, but still offer epic day hikes and beautiful rainforest waterfalls.
In this guide, I will share my experiences and also help you to find the way to the Waipohatu path and the two epic waterfalls. Punehu- und Pouriwai cases.
Read the full list of things that can be done in the catlins
- Alt = "Puriwai waterfall"> Puriwai waterfall
- Alt = "Punehu waterfall"> Punehu waterfall
How to come to the Waipohatu Waterfall Track
The Waipohatu Loop Track is at the end of the Waipohatu Road. The journey takes a 15-minute drive along the well-kept Haldane-Curio Bay Road. This road is largely paved, with some gravel sections that are easy to drive with every vehicle.
The Waipohatu Road is a narrow gravel road between two fields, which is easy to overlook. Look for a small sign that indicates a "walking track". I attached the exact position of the intersection below to Google Maps so that you can find it easier.
As soon as you are on the Waipohatu Road, continue until you see the parking lot with a toilet and a small picnic bench. You can find the guide 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.
Connection: Matai and Horseshoe Cases in the Catlins
What to expect on the Waipohatu waterfall hike
This short hike through the Waikawa Forest (Catlins Conservation Park) was surprisingly wild! As soon as we reached the path, we immerse yourself in a dense forest that felt like you would step directly into a scene from the Lord of the Rings.
The Waipohatu waterfall path was very easy to navigate, with orange triangles showing the obvious path to the two waterfalls. However, the route was muddy, which meant that 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 back and forth; 2-3 hours. not knowing that the hike would take a few hours, we started a little late. To ensure that we would make it to Curio Bay to see the rare gel building penguins, we ran most of the route through the mud and over occasional sections with easy -to -pass trees overturned by the wind. More waterfalls: McLean cases in the Catlins Below I inserted our GPX track that I recorded on my Garmin watch. gpx file: download Mein Strava: Visit The Waipohatu waterfall loop does not offer one, but two fantastic waterfalls to reward them for their efforts. After approx. 3 km you can reach a fork 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 from this intersection within 5 minutes, so I would recommend making the trip to both! Punehu Falls is the smaller but more beautiful waterfall on the way. After a short descent, stare at a wide rainforest waterfall that falls into a hip -deep pool. What the Punehu waterfall is missing is certainly made up for with its beauty. The scene is completed by moss -covered trees and the calls of wild birds, which give them the feeling that they have resigned in time. The larger and more famous waterfall on the Waipohatu waterfall loop are the Pouriwai Falls. Shortly after you turn to the right at the fork, hear his roar just before you see it hidden behind the moss -covered cliff. For the best view of this waterfall, you have to cross a flat and gentle stream. There are some rocks that you can jump over, just try not to go out that I did. The Pouriwai waterfall is also a falling waterfall that plunges a steep 10-meter case into a flat, rocky pelvis. Do not miss the Secret Saddle Viewpoint am Lake Alta on the Remarkable Range After taking a few photos and getting wet, it was time to return to the parking lot on the circular route. Right next to the junction to the two waterfalls there is another sign that shows the circular route back. Here you can either go back the way you have come or follow this new way. We chose the loop that extends the hike by maybe 1 kilometer. In the end, this path flows from the rainforest into an unpaved road, which you have to follow about 700 meters before you return to the parking lot. I hope that this short guide to the Waipohatu waterfall circuit has convinced you to leave Milford's tourist buses behind and to explore the less visited regions of New Zealand. More hiking and travel guides can be found in some of the other articles in this blog below. A list of my recommended photo equipment (including what I use and why) can be found in my guide for camera equipment for the trip. If you want to use one 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 from pictures on WE Seek Travel. .
Light away, but can become mushy in wet weather.
Total difference
Alt = “Waipohatu waterfall hike Catlins South Island New Zealand”> Buchenwald on the Waipohatu Trail Waipohatu Loop GPX file
The two Waipohatu waterfalls
Punehu Falls
Alt = “Punehu cases on the Waipohatu waterfall loop“> Punehu cases Pouriwai Falls
Alt = “Puriwai cases, Waipohatu waterfall hike“> Completion of the loop and return to the parking lot
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My camera and photo equipment
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