Distance: 12.6 km (4.0 DOC hours) - Road - Easy terrain
Altitude: 295m to 347m. Gain: 270m. Loss: 288m . Gradient: 3 deg (Gentle)
Skills:

Road (1/9)
Formed road, 4WD track, etc

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

Gentle (difficulty: 2/5)
Gentle slopes

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

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

None (difficulty: 1/6)
No unbridged river crossings

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

From the Takaputaki Road / Pukeiahomnga Road junction you can either head NW to the Motu Road saddle above Opotiki, or south to reach it at Toatoa via the Whitikau campsite. Given we were heading on to Pakiki, we head south.

This is a legal road, though signs and a padlock at the south end suggest that permission is required. It’s easy going for 4.5km through the pines to farmland at Rawea, and then another 8km on a formed public gravel road to Whitikau. There are a few houses & baches scattered along this section.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

No description