Pororari River Track
Punakaiki
42 Rankers Reviews
40 Face-to-Face
8 Punakaiki
Your Nature Guide
Marios Gavalas
Author And Researcher
Nau mai, haere mai
Nau mai, haere mai
I'm Marios, delivering the best of Aotearoa's nature walks to your device.
I've personally walked hundreds of New Zealand's tracks and spent months in libraries uncovering interesting information on New Zealand/Aotearoa. And you'll find a slice of that research on this page - enjoy!
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Photos
Information
Deep limestone canyons, jungle like nikau, huge rata and a swirling river make this walk a real distillation of West Coast majesty.
Access
Pororari River Track is signposted 1 km north of Punakaiki Visitor Centre on SH6.
Track
The well-graded track shortly enters the vertical walled gorge and weaves alongside the tannin-stained Pororari River.
A natural arch under a rata tree, memorable lookout over the river, forest and limestone walls and a dense temperate rainforest quickly make you realise this is a special walk.
Look for trout in the water.
A grotto with wooden and rock steps after 45 minutes is an easy place to bump your head and can be slippery.
The track concludes at the swingbridge, where there is a small rocky beach at the natural turn-around spot.
Return via the same track.
There are options to follow the Punakaiki River to form an 11 km loop, but this requires transport at the other end.
Geology
The limestone around Paparoa forms part of a syncline. The exposed beds above ground have been upthrust through tectonic movements, then carved by rivers to form the deep gorges.
Flora
Rata, nikau and podocarps are the distinguishing specimens lending a tropical-like feel to the forest.
This well-watered forest is true rainforest, but in a temperate latitude.
Be aware of the native nettle ongaonga on the trackside. The spines are easily recognisable and the sting can hurt for months.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Location |
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Punakaiki |
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Categories |
Reviews
Showing 13 reviews of 39.
Tim Struessmann
Ranking: 10/10
Beautiful native forest, nice river.
Jerome Cluzel
Ranking: 8/10
Super easy hiking and largely ahead of the time given at the outset. Beautiful view and atypical scenery!
Loic Besson
Ranking: 8/10
A free hike between forest and the Pororari River. A beautiful forest and a finish with the Pancake Rocks. Amazing view for this landscape. And the must: eat a pancake at the Pancake Rocks Cafe.
Cyril
Ranking: 7/10
Very nice walk along the river, with hills on both sides. When you wake up early in the morning, head to the top, the hills are in the clouds and it gives you a special atmosphere. Also nice for jogging!!
Thank You - to the thousands of travellers that have contributed to our Top Voted NZ Activities Map - it's free from Rankers.
Richard Fox
Ranking: 8/10
Lovely, quite easy riverside walk amongst the tree ferns with a few openings to view the other side of the river.
Gabriela
Ranking: 10/10
When done as a loop it is an easy half day walk. Through an almost magic Nikau forest all along the river, then uphill over the range, down to Punakaiki River. Back to Pororari carpark along the road.
Laura and Marie
Ranking: 7/10
Very nice walk along the river through the rainforest, beautiful views, mud on the last half - that was the bad side.
Douglas Dean
Ranking: 9/10
Expansive stretch of emerald green water, a winding track with lovely mountain overhang and many swimming launch points.
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Jacques Revel
Ranking: 9/10
Very beautiful walk along the river with magnificent flora, but short cut because of bridge works.
Patricia Revel
Ranking: 10/10
Very beautiful and peaceful place.
Daniel Danamer
Ranking: 9/10
Gentle flowing river surrounded by lush trees and cliffs. Very quiet and easy to access. Map available from the i-Site.
Dave Mertzig
Ranking: 10/10
Amazing! Beautiful, awesome swimming, just perfect.
Helen Dean
Ranking: 10/10
The walk was perfect even for slightly out of shape middle aged people. So beautiful with eye candy you hardly notice you are hiking up and down moss lined trails.
DOC Managed
Thanks to all the good people working for the NZ Department of Conservation - for all your hard work - making NZ more beautiful, accessable and healthy! Cheers 😍
