Heaphy Track Frequently Asked Questions

The Heaphy Track covers 78.4km between Brown Hut Carpark in Golden Bay and Kōhaihai at the northern end of the South Island West Coast. The highest elevation is at Flanagans Corner near Perry Saddle at 915m above sea level (3000ft).

Most walkers spend between 3 nights/4 days on the track, staying in Perry Saddle, James Mackay and Heaphy Huts. Add a night at Saxon Hut for a more leisurely pace. Bikers usually stay at Perry Saddle and Heaphy Huts or spend just one overnight at James Mackay.

Yes! The Heaphy track is not technical. The track is wide and firm the whole of its length and the huts are comfortable and well equipped.

As the Heaphy is the longest Great Walk, the major challenge is the total distance. If you can walk up to 20km (5-6 hours) including some gentle gradients with a 10kg pack on your back, you can walk the Heaphy. Certainly regular day-walks in the lead-up to the Heaphy to get your body walk-fit will help you enjoy the experience.

Blisters can be a problem on multi-day walks. We recommend Hikers Wool be worn at pressure points as a preventative and also a good supply of blister plasters. Try double-layer anti-blister socks if you are susceptable to blisters. Make sure your trail shoes or boots are comfortable and well worn-in before you attempt a multi-day walk. Try to limit the weight you carry to reduce fatigue. Read our extensive blogs for great advice and hints to help you prepare for your adventure.

If you don’t have a lot of tramping experience, we recommend you walk the track over 5 days so you have some shorter days to relax and recover. Book Perry Saddle, Saxon, James Mackay and Heaphy Huts so the maximum you will walk each day is 5 hours each day.

The most popular direction is to walk or bike from Brown Hut to Kōhaihai, but there are advantages to starting at Kōhaihai. If you begin at Brown Hut you will complete most of the climbing on the first day. If you walk from Kōhaihai, your first day will be a more relaxed adjacent to the beach while your backpack is the heaviest, with a climb up to James Mackay on the second day. Either way the gradients are reasonable in either direction.

Golden Bay Air offers $99 special fares on many flights from Tākaka to Karamea which those beginning the track at Kohaihai can take advantage of.

The Heaphy Track can be walked at any time of year. It is most popular during summer and autumn, but in the winter its hard to beat a clear crisp day and huts with a cosy fire all to yourself. Snow does fall on the higher elevations, but the track seldom becomes impassable. Rain occurs on the Heaphy at any time of year but there is a greater chance between August and December. The track is well drained and all the rivers are all bridged so you won’t get wet feet. Mountain bikers can only ride the Heaphy between 1 May and 30 November.

The Department of Conservation operates huts and campsites on the Heaphy Track. These need to be booked prior to departure and tickets must be shown to hut wardens on request. Bookings can be made online at the Department of Conservation website. We advise that you check availability for your preferred dates before booking your flights and shuttles.

All the huts on the Heaphy Track have bunk beds and mattresses, wood burners with fire wood supplied, cold running water, kitchen areas and dining/seating tables. All but Gouland Downs and Brown Huts have gas cookers with gas supplied. The huts usually have pots and pans, but DOC doesn’t advertise this. Take a cooking pot just in case you are caught short. There is often also dishwashing detergent left by others and scrubbers and cloths for cleaning your dishes and wiping benches.

There is solar lighting in James Mackay and Heaphy Huts. Take a candle for the other huts and a headlamp.

There are flush toilets at the newer huts with toilet paper supplied but take your own just in case.

There are no rubbish recepticles and you are expected to pack out your rubbish. A large ziplock bag is handy for this.

The Heaphy Track is a multi-day wilderness walk, so you need to be prepared with proper gear. At a minimum, you will need walking clothes, warm clothes, proper rain-proof jacket, a sleeping bag, water bottle, cooking and eating utensils (but not cookers or gas if you are staying in the huts as this is supplied), food, first aid kit and torch.

Check out our blog What gear to pack for a check-list.

All huts except Brown Hut and Gouland Downs Hut have gas cookers with gas supplied. Camping fuels are hazardous substances and cannot be carried on aircraft. We can provide you with camping gas canisters and fuel at cost price if you have flown into Nelson, Takaka or Karamea. Please contact us to arrange.

At the Golden Bay side of the track, Tākaka makes an ideal staging post. There is a good range of accommodation available.

Those flying into Nelson Airport can stay overnight and catch Golden Bay Air transport to Brown Hut.

At the Kohaihai end, Karamea is the ideal location 16km from Kohaihai with good accommodation available.

The Heaphy Track is open to mountain bikers from 1 May-30 November each year.

To book flights, shuttles or packages with bikes, please contact us as bikes cannot be booked online.

Golden Bay Air uses bike trailers for its shuttle transport and for flights we provide wheel and bike bags to pack up and protect your bikes during the flight. We stow the bags side by side in the aircraft, with wheels removed and stored separately. For flights, please present bikes in a clean state with wheels and baggage removed and seat post lowered. Pedals do not need to be removed.

Note that e-bikes cannot be carried on any aircraft unless the battery can be removed and not flown. Passengers wishing to have e-bikes transported should select our return shuttle bus options.

Please keep the following DOC conditions in mind:

• No night riding. Riding is only permitted 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Mid-winter daylight is as short as 9 hours
• Maximum group size is six
• Keep the huts and verandahs bike-free
• Keep to the designated track—further exploration by foot only
• Know your fitness level and ability
• Be prepared—you should take the gear you'll need if something goes wrong
• Be flexible and delay your trip in bad weather—DOC may close the track after heavy rain or snow
• Watch out for walkers, and ride with extra caution on downhill sections
• Follow the Mountain Bikers' Code

The weather on the Heaphy Track can be unsettled and unpredictable any time of year. Sections of the track itself can be closed at short notice.

Flights into Karamea can be disrupted by the weather. Depending on the situation, we will adjust flight times or provide alternate transport where possible (either on the day of travel or the day after) in adverse weather, but it is worth building some flexibility into your trip. For example, consider planning a little extra time to enjoy Takaka or Karamea. We also suggest that if you are connecting with flights from other airlines that you book flexible fares or you purchase their insurance option or purchase your own travel insurance, enabling a claim in case of a missed connection.

Golden Bay Air does not cover the cost of accommodation or other expenses due to any delay. If we provide alternative ground transport, we may offer a partial refund. This will be calculated based on Golden Bay Air's shuttle charter rates divided by number of people travelling on the same leg.

DOC will refund/amend hut bookings if you cannot access the track or it is closed due to bad weather.

There is cell reception at Brown Hut and Kohaihai carparks and on parts of the track from Brown Hut up to Aorere Shelter. There is cell reception on the beach in front of Heaphy Hut and a various points along the coast to Kohaihai and at Kohaihai carpark itself. Landlines have been removed from Brown Hut and Kohaihai Shelter.

There is plenty to keep you entertained in sunny Golden Bay. Enjoy many local artists' galleries and cafes or explore the spectacular scenery in Abel Tasman National Park, Farewell Spit or the Cobb Valley. Or just relax at the beach. Check out our comprehensive list of fantastic Golden Bay and Abel Tasman Activities or visit the Golden Bay Visitor Centre for things to do, and places to stay and eat. Golden Bay Air offers rental cars to help you get around.

After your hike or ride, why not stay a while in Karamea? A visit to the incredible Oparara is a must. Or go heli-rafting, kayaking or fishing. Karamea has a number of fantastic new mountain bike tracks to keep bikers smiling. Or just relax. There are plenty of accommodation options available. Information is available from the Karamea Information Centre.