Distance: 1.4 km (0.5 DOC hours) - Unmarked route, clear - Easy terrain
Altitude: 141m to 180m. Gain: 43m. Loss: 4m . Gradient: 2 deg (Flat)
Skills: - Occasional rivers (3/6)

Unmarked route, clear (7/9)
Unmarked route, follows obvious geography (river, spur, trail, etc)

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Flat (difficulty: 1/5)
Flat

Easy (difficulty: 1/5)
Grass / prepared surface

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

Occasional rivers (difficulty: 3/6)
Occasional rivers - impassible after heavy rain

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

Heading upriver from the Whakanui track junction, the Orongorongo is a broad expanse of gravel, the river often invisible in its expanse. The route upriver sticks to the gravel riverbed, crossing at least a couple of times where the river undercuts the north bank.

Papatahi Hut is out of sight 60m above the river. A rough old 4wd track cuts onto a terrace ont he northern bank, and once there a signpost on the bushedge marks that track to the hut. This is easy to miss.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the Papatahi hut turnoff, the Orongorongo is a broad expanse of gravel, the river often invisible in its expanse. The route downriver sticks to the gravel riverbed, crossing at least a couple of times where the river undercuts the north bank.

Whakanui Creek is the next main creek on the right, and the track junction with the Whakanui track is signposted on its western bank.