Paparoa Track Great Walk - Independent Three Day Walk

Experience New Zealand's newest Great Walk – a purpose-built track within the spectacular Paparoa National Park on the West Coast of the South Island.
The trail has been carved through the Paparoa Range, an incredibly jagged and knife-edged region that has been shaped by the local weather conditions (which can be harsh). You will climb through lush native rainforest to tussocky alpine tops and limestone karst landscapes. Some of the views from the ridges are exceptional - but don't stray too close to the edge! 

• Hut accommodation on trail included. 
• All your transportation taken care of with shuttle bus from Punakaiki to the start point at Smoke-Ho. 

Day One: Smoke-Ho to Moonlight Tops Hut (20km 7-8 Hours). For the first hour of the track, you’ll pass through mixed podocarp and beech forest and cross a wire suspension bridge over the Smoke-ho Creek. The track then zig-zags up the dividing ridge between Blackball Creek and Roaring Meg catchments for the next hour until you reach the turn-off to the Battery Track.
The track then climbs more steeply into subalpine forest leading towards Ces Clark Hut. 
From there you follow the ridge of the main Paparoa Range through open alpine vegetation above the Roaring Meg and Moonlight Creek catchments, with views of Aoraki/Mt Cook on a clear day.
Moonlight Tops Hut has panoramic views across the Punakaiki River headwaters around to the escarpment, Pike Stream and Paparoa National Park.

Day Two: Moonlight Tops Hut to Pororari Hut (19km 5-7 Hours). Today the track winds along the top of the escarpment, with steep cliffs and stunning views. About half-way to Pororari Hut, you descend from the escarpment through ancient podocarp forest. The track then follows the ridge above Tindale Creek to Pororari Hut. Keep an eye out for the Lone Hand, a gnarled outcrop of rock on the north side of the Pororari River.

Day Three: Pororari Hut to Pororari River Car Park (Punakaiki) (16km 4-5 Hours). The track descends into the upper Pororari River valley and follows the river. In some places it follows an old track which was built c1912–1914 to establish a settlement in the valley. The track sidles along a spectacular gorge and descends through beech forest interspersed with northern rātā.

*Please Note: 

There is a supplementary fee for international (non-NZ) visitors to NZ Great Walks imposed by the NZ Government - If you are an adult international visitor please select the International Adult Price Box