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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: -45.65209, 167.97483. 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
- 16 km one way
- Walking time
- 6 hr
- Track grade
- Expert
- Location
- Takitimu Conservation Area
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
Part of the Te Araroa Trail, this challenging track starts at Princhester Road end and skirts the Waterloo Station to the Aparima Huts.
This DOC directory entry covers Princhester Saddle Route in Southland, within Takitimu Conservation 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: 16 km one way
- Walking time: 6 hr
- DOC grade: Expert
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.
Description
This track is part of Te Araroa Trail.
The track from Lower Princhester Hut is through beech forest and climbs to a saddle between the Bog Burn and Waterloo Burn catchments. It then descends to the northern boundary of Waterloo Station, a Crown pastoral lease comprising 3,500 ha. It is about 4.5 km to this point.
Waterloo Station is private property but the lessees allow tramper access down their western boundary to Aparima Hut (12 bunks). The route is poled through tussock land on the bush fringe and marked through the bush-clad headlands. Care is required to stay on the permitted track line.
Getting there
Lower Princhester Hut is sited at the end of Princhester Road (gravel), which branches off SH94 just over Princhester Creek. You need permission to access this area. Phone +64 27 437 7297 (ring first) or +64 27 488 5377.
Access the southern end of the track from the Aparima River Track.
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.
