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Location & access
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route. Check the official route directions before travel.
Official location informationLocation source
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route.
Reference point: -45.57585, 167.60178. WGS84 coordinates retained at the official service's returned precision; decimal resolution is not survey accuracy. Source positional accuracy is not specified.
DOC Maps walking and tramping reference point (WGS84), exact official-page GUID / Department of Conservation. Checked 2026-10-12.
Key facts
- Distance
- Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time
- 3 - 3.5 hr return
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Fiordland National Park / Lake Manapouri area
- Dog access
- No dogs. 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
This tramping track takes you on a pleasant, half-day walk through beech forest near Manapouri, to a hill viewpoint overlooking the lake.
This DOC directory entry covers Pearl Harbour return via Circle Track in Fiordland, within Fiordland National Park / Lake Manapouri area. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time: 3 - 3.5 hr return
- DOC grade: Advanced
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.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
From the jetty on the other side of the Waiau River, follow the riverside track for 15 minutes to a track junction. Turn left and head up the hill to the view point overlooking the lake.
This part of the track is rather steep and slippery so you will need to take care. The track then descends down the ridgeline to the Hope Arm Track.
Turn right to return to Pearl Harbour which takes about one hour.
Robins, tomtits, tūī and bellbirds are abundant in the mixed beech and podocarp forest.
This track can be combined with the Hope Arm or Back Valley Hut tracks for longer or overnight options.
Getting there
This track starts and finishes at Pearl Harbour, Manapouri, Fiordland.
To get to the start of the track you need to cross the Waiau River. There are water taxis available in the summer season.
To get to Manapouri from Te Anau (21 km, 20 minutes drive), follow the Manapouri - Te Anau Highway.
The wharf at Pearl Harbour is 500 m past the shops on Waiau St, and the carpark is accessed from View St (left turn south of shops).
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.
