Child friendly rating: 4.5 stars

Distance: 5.6km

Signposted time: 2 hours

Bookings Required? Yes

Suitable in Winter? Yes

Camping Available? Very Limited, but could squeeze a tent in.

4wd required? No

Parking: For walking, park at the end of Wairākau Road, in Tōtara North. The last section of the road is steep gravel, so park lower down if you think this might be an issue.

Other options:

You can also take a water taxi to and/or from this hut from either Tōtara North or Whangaroa. This must be booked in advance.

If taking the water taxi one way, it is around 1.5km along the road between the Tōtara North marina and the Wairākau Road trailhead.

You can also pay to have your overnight bags delivered by the water taxi to make walking to the hut easier.

A sea kayak or packraft is another option for getting to the hut. It's around 8km to the hut along the water. Be confident in your navigation, and watch the wind levels if doing this side-trip.

Track:

There is not too much undulation, but the track is a bit muddy so can be slippery when wet. Most of the way it is wide enough to hold a toddlers hand while walking.

There are two rivers to cross, which can flood. Don't attempt this walk after heavy rain. In summer however, they do make great spots to stop and have a dip. There are also side-creeks before the river.

River crossings are safest done with boots on. Carry kids over to keep their feet dry so they don't get too cold.

Between the two river crossings, the farmland can get a little swampy in heavy rain too.

It took us just under 3.5 hours to walk in with a 1.5yo walking short sections, a 3.5yo mostly walking, & 5.5yo walking the whole way.

The Hut: This hut is actually kept locked. Make sure you've booked in advance, and have the door code saved somewhere handy so you can get in.

From the hut: The Kaiaraara Rock (Duke's Nose) is well worth a visit, as long as you're not afraid of heights. Young kids under 2yo will need to be in a carrier. 3yo+ should be able to manage, however you'll need to be right behind them and very confident in your own abilities. If you're not confident yourself, better safe than sorry.

Swimming near the hut in summer is lovely, however you'll need water shoes. The beach is full of shells, and a bit muddy. It's more pleasant at high tide when you don't have to go out as far.

Recommendations: I would recommend walking in, and taking the water taxi out for a fun different experience. This walk is short enough and flat enough that most kids can manage even for a first overnight trip. It's not THE easiest, but definitely one of the easier overnight trips. The river crossings brings this down from a 5 star.