Kayak Trails

Te Pae o Kaiwaka and Waimanu Trails

Five Day / Four Night Freedom Trip

Waiuku-Manukau

This seven to nine day (195km) scenic trip on the Waikato River and the Manukau Harbour follows the path of the Maori food (kai) waka (canoes) that made their way from the Waikato and central North Island to portage across to the Manukau Harbour, and further north, long before the Pakeha (Europeans) found and settled in New Zealand.

You can paddle for five or six days (142km) on the lower Waikato River from the last dam, Karapiro, to Hoods Landing in the River Delta before portaging (10km) to the Manukau Harbour's Waiuku Estuary.

After a night in New Zealand's oldest continuously licensed Kentish Hotel you can continue your journey on the 43km Wai-manu Trail, from the Waiuku Estuary opposite the hotel, on New Zealand's second largest harbour, the Manukau Harbour, for another two or three days to Orua Bay near the Harbour Entrance.

This river trail is being extended by 120km in early (January) 2015 by the addition of trails on five Waikato River Hydro Dam Lakes to total 262km on the river.

The full trail distance (including options of off road cycling and walking or kayaking on the dam lakes of Waikato River Trails (see Map) will be 315km and take up to 14 days. Click o the large map (right) for full information on the trail for accommodation, food stops and transport.


View Te Pae o Kaiwaka Kayak Trail in a larger map

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