Pouakai Crossing Tour Taranaki

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The Pouakai Crossing is Taranaki’s premier one-day walk. Your knowledgeable guide will help you interpret the magical surroundings, providing you with information about the park’s cultural and conservation history, and the unique native birds and plants around you.

The day begins low on the slopes of the mountain, walking through gnarled and twisted trees dripping with mosses and ferns. You’ll witness red water oozing out of the ground along the Kokowai Stream, while your guide explains the cultural importance of this area to local Maori.

As you climb higher up the mountain, you’ll enjoy breathtaking views over the fragile Ahukawakawa Swamp. This unique microclimate is home to many plant species – some unusual at this altitude, and some found nowhere else in the world. If time permits, you can also take an optional side trip to the mighty Bells Falls waterfall from our lunch spot at Holly Hut.

Crossing the wetland, the terrain changes as the trail climbs up through mountain cedar to the golden tussocks of the Pouakai Plateau, and the famous tarns with their mirror reflections of Mt Taranaki. On a clear day, you can enjoy spectacular views of the mountain and out to the coast before descending through the goblin forest to the trail end.

The tour includes transport from New Plymouth and requires 8-12 hours of hiking. It operates from November to March only.

TARANAKI, WHANGANUI & MANAWATU