For the Mt Kapakapanui track, it is certainly true that from the main range you get the best view! From the highest point you can see Mt Egmont, Ruapehu, the Kapiti Island, and on clear days even the Marlborough Sounds. This track was amazing and should be on your hike list if you are up for a challenging, off-the-beaten-track day hike!
Summary:
- Total Hiking time: 7-8 hours
- Distance: 13.5 km
- Highest point: 1102M
- Difficulty: Hard
Keep in mind that the climb is steep and the track can be muddy. On this track, there is a hut where you can spend the night: Kapakapanui Hut. If you are in good condition I would however recommend doing this hike in 1 day.
Getting There
From Waikanae, it is only a 10-minute drive to the beginning of this hike. You can follow Reikorangi Road and turn into Ngatiawa Road where you will find enough space to park your car.
About the Mt Kapakapanui track
I would recommend walking this track clockwise as you knock off the steep part going up first and have a more relaxing, less steep route down. The entire track is well marked with orange track markers throughout.
After you have walked for about 1km from the parking lot you will come to the point where the loop goes in two directions. When you want to walk this route clockwise, turn left. The first 1.5km were pretty tough as you will ascend approximately 500 meters. After you have survived this part of the hike the path becomes flattered and you can enjoy a relatively easy walk for a couple of kilometers.
One of the coolest things about this hike is that you will walk through a mossy forest. All the trees are completely covered with moss which gives a unique landscape.
So if you are looking for an off-the-beaten track and are up for a bit of a challenging hike, the Kapakapanui Track is for you! Keep an eye on the weather forecast as it would be a shame when it’s all cloudy and you cannot enjoy the view.
Interested in multi-day hikes? Check out this post: Routburn Track
