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Key facts
- Distance
- 6 km one way
- Walking time
- 2 hr
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Te Paki Recreation Reserve
- Dog access
- Dogs with a DOC permit for recreational hunting or management purposes only. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Checked against official sources on 8 October 2026. Rules and conditions are set by Department of Conservation — confirm with them before you go.
Route overview
From Cape Reinga Road, this 6 km track follows an old vehicle track through low manuka shrub leading you to Pandora, a beautiful sandy bay.
This DOC directory entry covers Pandora Track in Northland, within Te Paki Recreation Reserve. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 6 km one way
- Walking time: 2 hr
- DOC grade: Easy
Access and alerts
Source checked 2026-10-08. This page is a dated snapshot, not a live track-status report. Check current DOC route information immediately before travelling. An absence of listed alerts does not establish that a route is open.
- Pandora Track and Pandora Campsite closed; First published on 16 January 2025. Last reviewed on 16 September 2026.
Dog access
Dogs with a DOC permit for recreational hunting or management purposes only. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
After about 30 minutes, a 2 km, 40 minute side track leads from Cape Reinga Road to Kauri Bush, a remnant of kauri forest that once covered the Far North. The detour will take you about 1 hour 30 minutes return.
Another side track, a further 1 km up the road to the right, leads up to Te Paki trig – the highest point in the area. On your way to the summit you can get great views to Spirits Bay/Kapowairua and on a clear day you can see North Cape.
A further 5 minutes along the track you reach the junction with Darkies Ridge. From here you can walk to Pandora or carry on to Tapotupotu Bay.
Mountain biking
The 4WD standard road to Pandora is suitable for walking and mountain biking.
Getting there
Pandora Track is in Te Paki Recreation Reserve. Te Paki is located in the Far North of the North Island, New Zealand, approximately 96 km north of Kaitaia. Just follow State Highway 1 north.
From Te Paki onwards, follow Cape Reinga Road, which gets very busy over the summer months. Drive slowly and take extra caution. As you near Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua, a car park and signage is located on the right-hand side of the road.
You can also access Pandora Track by foot via the Te Paki Coastal Track.
Know before you go
There are lots of mosquitos.
Sources and reuse
Route descriptions and practical information reproduced from the Department of Conservation, Crown copyright, under CC BY 4.0, subject to DOC's copyright policy. Formatting has been adapted, including flattening page sections; follow the original DOC page for maps, section-specific layout, current notices and linked documents. Outdoor Next is independent and is not endorsed by DOC.
The accompanying photograph is a licensed general hiking illustration, not a photograph of this route.
