A Guide to Hamilton’s Waikato River Trails

Do you want to go fast, or slow? More in it for the thrills, or content with the stills? Before you tackle the world famous Waikato River Trails you’ve got one very important question to answer: is it better to bike, or to hike?
 

To hike is to opt for a slower, more measured pace, thrusting you deeper into the immersive landscapes that define this unforgettable terrain: a system of five trail sections that flow along New Zealand’s longest river.

This right here is an epic 104-kilometre spread of diverse landscapes and blockbuster scenery; it deserves your patience. Pick up some wheels, however, and you’ll get a larger scope in a shorter amount of time, tackling thrilling rides that take you through everything from native bushlands and exotic rainforests to cinematic wetlands, outcrops, and mountainous reserves. 
 

The Waikato River Trails, which start in Atiamuri Village at the southern end and finish at the Pokaiwhenua Bridge carpark, are to New Zealand what Route 66 is to the USA, or the seemingly endless Nakasendo Trail is to Japan. For most, it takes between two to four days to complete this meandering path, which lays down some tough decisions and rewards you at every twist.
 

Pick your major stops, plan how you’re going to refuel along the way, and have the immersive experience that’s best suited to you and your speed. Whatever your mode of transport, here’s how to make the most of your time following these various bike trails and walking tracks.

There are several riverside settlements peppered around the Waikato River walking track. Essential stops include the Whakamaru Reserve, beautiful Arapuni with its historic suspension bridge, soulful Mangakino, and geothermal Atiamuri (which is just a 30-minute drive from the volcanic mud baths and spas of Rotorua).
 

And while all of these are remarkable in their own right, the biggest and most convenient base is the city of Hamilton. The trails either pass through or are located near the city, which blends a cosmopolitan dining scene with incredible Hamilton attractions like the immaculately themed gardens that trace styles from the Italian Renaissance to traditional Māori design, and the Waikato Museum with its tribal artefacts and local art. 
 

Check into one of 217 spacious guest rooms at Novotel Hamilton Tainui on the riverbank. The 4.5-star hotel morphs with its natural surroundings using a calm, muted design aesthetic and contemporary décor. Breakfast buffets set a spectacular scene as Restaurant on Alma makes great use of natural light to bring the outdoors indoors, although you’d be remiss if you weren’t snagging a table on the outdoor terrace, which sits adjacent to the calmly chaotic whoosh of Waikato River. 

Here, you’re just under an hour’s drive from the world-famous Hobbiton with its fantastical small houses and filmic beauty, while also being just a short skip over from the well-connected Hamilton Airport. But such things play second fiddle when you’ve got your task set out for you. Your destiny flows down the mighty Waikato, but you get to choose the path to take.

Locals love: If you can take a break from trailing the river, it's a short drive over the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, famous for its underground river system and overabundance of fleshy glowworms. Alternatively, you see the many Hamilton bike trails that snake in and out of the city before tackling the remaining sections of the Waikato River Trails. 

Starting from Hamilton, walking trails continue down to the first section of the five Waikato River Trails. And while some double back into the landscape, you’ll be able to tick them all off if you just go with the flow and let nature do the rest. Although you’ll have your work cut out for you.

Coming from the city, the first trail you’ll come across is Karapiro, taking up the first 11.5km section from Pokaiwhenua Bridge Carpark to Arapuni Village with a grade-3 stretch that can be narrow and includes several hill climbs with some steep drop-offs. Biking may be the better idea to tackle the undulating terrain but hiking lets you slow down and truly soak up the countryside coo of Little Waipa Reserve, the first attraction you’ll pass on your noble journey. 

You’ll know you’ve reached the start of the second trail, Arapuni, when you spy its namesake village with the ever charming Rhubarb Cafe promising cool drinks and cheese toasties for hikers and cyclists. Take a seat in the tiny rhubarb-lined courtyard before heading off down towards the Waipapa Power Station, wedged into dramatic sandstone cliffs with spectacular views of the Waipapa Dam. Forest and farmland characterise much of this intermediate 34.6km shot, which snakes in various directions towards the end, either trailing back to Mangarewa Bridge or continuing onto the challenging Waipapa trail.

The third, and one of the shortest, sections along the river is a proving ground for both cyclists and hikers, disrupting those relatively smooth sails through nature’s greatest hits with several narrow, steep climbs and unavoidable obstacles. If you’ve wheeled your way through the trail so far, you’ll need to take it low and slow for the Waipapa track due to poor traction. Yet the adversity leads to richer rewards, unfolding fantastic thick pine forests, wetland boardwalks, dams, and power stations.

The completely traffic-free Mangakino Village provides some respite before the fourth, and shortest, section creeps up. Maraetai is most noted for the scene-stealing Mangakino Bridge swaying ever-so-gently with a Monet-worthy backdrop of the treelines trailing down the river. Hikers could make light work of this section in just under three hours, while bikers rush through to the fifth and final section, Whakamaru.

The one sight that acts as the proverbial pot at the end of this rainbow stalks in the distance. Pohaturoa Maunga, estimated to have originated up to 500,000 years ago, is a 245-metre lava dome, glued to the country landscape like a static feature in an ever-moving vista. Walk by and slowly watch it shift from side to side or speed it up as you race towards your end goal. You’ll see no traces of trickling red and orange magma sliding down the dome, but an abundance of trees that have sprouted up over the years. It’s a view to remember.

Locals love: Talk to the staff at Novotel Hamilton Tainui before you leave for these epic trails. They can offer local tips as you tackle one of the most underrated tracks in the world.