Waitawheta Tramway

Waitawheta Tramway

Waitawheta Tramway
5
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Duration: More than 3 hours
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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles7 reviews
Excellent
6
Very good
1
Average
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Andre M
Auckland, New Zealand138 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
My companion and I are in our late 50's and we did a day hike to the DOC hut and back. It was a very sunny day, very warm and dry. We had a awesome and challenging time. (challenging distance wise). 20Kms return took us approx 6.5hrs, not counting the 30min break at the hut for lunch. Next time we'll take more breaks on the way back and a towel so we can soak our feet in the river. further up the water is so clear and inviting.
Walking besides the river under the cover of bush is awesome. Was impressed with the condition of the track, lots of nice bridges, only 1 river crossing. Path fairly flat (elevation gain of 260m over 10km). Min wet patches. some may find the path rocky in places. We're glad we wore our tramping boots. The Waitawheta Hut is very tidy and decent clean.
Highly recommend this walk.
Written 29 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

NZNana
Rotorua, New Zealand679 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2017 • Friends
SO interesting, we are so so lucky to still have this historic area available....Waitawheta is one of the most spectacular bush tramways ever built. A relatively lengthy (14 km) section survives in near pristine condition.

This busy tramway operated from 1898 to 1928 and involved three companies; the Waihi Gold Mining Co, the Kauri Timber Co, and the Waitawheta Sawmilling Co. The motive power included horses, geared steam, and rail tractors. The route featured spectacular viaducts and rock cuttings.
Written 8 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Vaughan M
Auckland, New Zealand7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2019 • Family
Easy gradient. Took the kids. 3.5hrs each way. Hut was clean and tidy. Track conditions were great. Beautiful scenery
Written 4 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jost-Pauline S
Bay of Plenty Region, New Zealand372 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2018 • Friends
The Waitawheta Tramway walk takes you from the end of Franklin Road to Waitawheta Hut in about 3-4 hours, depending on your fitness and your disposition to stop and have a look around along the way. It is a relatively easy walk along the old tramway and has over half a dozen of display board explaining the history of Kauri extraction in the early part of the 20th century. Additionally there are waterfalls and creeks, attractive bridges and bits and pieces of equipment along the way that make the trip more enjoyable. The loop up to the Kauri reserve - about an hour and a bit in from the Franklin Rd is a diversion well worth it. This involves crossing the river and an energetic climb up hill but it certainly is worthwhile as there are some beautiful specimens of Rimu, Matai and Kauri on display. If you plan to stay in the hut (at the end of the tramway) you have to book online. The hut area also features a mill and loggers walk with further historic explanations and a place to go and see glow worms only 3 minutes from the hut in the evening. Overall a worthwhile adventure for hikers and young families alike.
Written 22 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Caros
Tauranga, New Zealand5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022 • Family
Lots of things to see and learn. Good family vibes. Lots of different things to explore. Hard to find a park tho.
Written 1 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

raglantripper
Raglan, New Zealand280 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2022 • Couples
We are preparing for the queen charlotte and this was our first crack at a 20 k walk
The track is gentle climb with 5 swing bridges and a river to ford ( unless you take the detour which adds a extra 2 k
We had great weather great signage and the track is well formed in 90 percent of it the rest is still okay
Interesting history and a great insight into the early European settlers
No toilet at the start it's about 5 k in the scenery is stunning magnificent bluffs and you follow the river most of the way
We walked to the Doc hut very clean and well set up we did the loggers loop walk which was pretty tough really steep climb for 20 minutes before descending back to the start
It's a long walk but we managed and lots of teens were doing it in groups
Take water as we saw no drinking water and good boots
We started at 8.00 from car park and back at 3.00 pm with lunch stops and rest stops on the way
You can also swim so take your togs
Written 19 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Amrita B
New Zealand579 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2018 • Friends
We did this walk in the rain but still was interesting to keep us going. Last reminiscense of the tramway and engineering. Markings and boards in regular intervals describing the logging history vividly in photos. The forests, streams and gorge was also interesting.
Written 16 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
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WAITAWHETA TRAMWAY (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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