Te Pua-a-Tāne Circuit: Walking Guide, Time & Access

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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 information

Location source

DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route.

Reference point: -38.74777, 176.72365. 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: 78.7 km loop
Walking time: 5 days
Track grade: Advanced
Location: Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park
Dog access: Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit. 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

The Te Pua-a-Tāne Circuit is the ultimate Whirinaki challenge for the more adventurous.

This DOC directory entry covers Te Pua-a-Tāne Circuit in Gisborne, within Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.

Distance, time and grade

Distance: 78.7 km loop
Walking time: 5 days
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.

Parts of Upper Whirinaki Track damaged; First published on 8 October 2026.

Dog access

Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit. Other pets on conservation land rules.

Description

Te Pua-a-Tāne Circuit elevation profile part 1 – view larger in Whirinaki walks brochure

Te Pua-a-Tāne Circuit elevation profile part 2 – view larger in Whirinaki walks brochure

Traversing nearly 80 km around the park, trampers will experience the full range of the Whirinaki’s prehistoric forest.

Day 1: River Road car park to Central Whirinaki Hut

Time: 5 hrDistance: 16 km

Begin at the River Road car park and travel towards the Whirinaki Waterfall, then Vern’s Camp, and stay overnight at Central Whirinaki Hut.

Day 2: Central Whirinaki Hut to Upper Te Hoe Hut

Time: 10 hrDistance: 17.7 km

From Central Whirinaki Hut continue south along the Whirinaki River. The track will fork at the Taumutu bridge. Rather than crossing the bridge, keep left and follow the Taumutu Stream to Upper Whirinaki Hut. From Upper Whirinaki Hut its another 6 hr 30 min (11 km) to Upper Te Hoe Hut where you’ll stop for night two.

Day 3: Upper Te Hoe Hut to Mangakahika Hut

Time: 8 hr 30 minDistance: 15 km

The track climbs about 300 m before dropping down to the Te Hoe bluffs on the way to Central Te Hoe Hut. Cross the Te Hoe suspension bridge for a lunch break at Central Te Hoe Hut – Whirinaki’s southernmost hut. After lunch, backtrack across the suspension bridge and carry on north for 3 hr 30 min (8.5 km) to Mangakahika Hut for night three.

Note: Parallel Creek bridge is closed due to cyclone damage in 2017. The bridge is 10 minutes north of Central Te Hoe Hut along the track to Mangakahika Hut. A temporary marked track has been added for people to cross. Cross the creek below the bridge or where it is low and safe to do so. Check the weather forecast for rain or previous rainfall, as this will cause the stream to rise rapidly.

Day 4: Mangakahika Hut to Moerangi Hut

Time: 6 hr 30 minDistance: 17 km

On day four the track climbs up over a saddle before dropping down to Rogers Hut 3 hr 30 min (8.5 km). At Rogers take the track along the Moerangi Stream towards Moerangi Hut. Its another 3 hr (9 km) of easy walking from Rogers to Moerangi and night number four.

Day 5: Moerangi Hut to River Road carpark

Time: 4 hr 30 minDistance: 13 km

The final day is 4 hr 30 min (13 km) of walking and a big climb up and over the Moerangi saddle (955 m). The track travels downhill from the saddle into lowland podocarp forest. Finish where you started at the River Road car park.

Getting there

Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park is 90 km south east of Rotorua.

Turn off SH5 onto SH38. At Te Waiti, turn into Minginui Road, then into River Road (gravel) at Minginui village.

Know before you go

NZTopo50 map sheets: BG38 (Wairapukao), BG39 (Ruatahuna), BH38 (Te Haroto), BH39 (Putorino).

Track condition

This site may be damaged with slips, flooding or fallen trees from severe weather. Be prepared to turn back if needed.

History and culture

Do you know what ‘Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne’ means?

Te Pua-a-Tāne means the abundance or the blossoming of Tane. For Māori, Tāne is god of the forest and all the creatures within the forest. As one of New Zealand’s greatest forests Whirinaki represents Tāne’s domain In its fullest and most abundant state.

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 published in DOC's official route gallery with an explicit reuse licence. Its original caption and credit are retained; it does not establish current track conditions.