Last Updated: 6th Apr 2024
Twice Over The Kamais
From Whakamarama to Wairere Falls
Ngamarama track, Wairere Track, North South track
Submitted by Tony Bullot
Last Updated: 6th Apr 2024
Open
Grunt Factor: 40 ?
Gnarl Factor: 58 ?
28.5km
680m
730m
540m
Last Updated: 6th Apr 2024
Ngamarama track, Wairere Track, North South track
Submitted by Tony Bullot
Last Updated: 6th Apr 2024
Open
Grunt Factor: 40 ?
Gnarl Factor: 58 ?
28.5km
680m
730m
540m
Front country - easily accessible
Combo
Undulating, some big hills
With permit
Native bush
Easy Single Track
Moderate Single Track
Technical Single Track
Untracked / Route only
Average Uphill Gradient: +3.9%
Average Downhill Gradient: -4.2%
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Not suitable
Slow
5:15
Moderate
3:30
Fast
Start at the carpark at the end of Whakamarama Road going anticlockwise on the loop track. After 200m take a right onto the marked Ngamarama track. After some stairs you run along the old logging tramline - it's generally straight with gentle inclines as the track cuts through the steeper hills. 4km up Ngamarama Track look for an unmarked track on the right, it seems to be an old forestry road but is well overgrown with Manuka and Toe Toe, especially the 1st 200m, it then opens up progressively onto an obvious but not maintained or marked track, by the end it’s a Quad bike track.
Here you ideally want to be following the route on your watch, or phone, or using a topo map - note there are some smaller overgrown quad trails not marked on the topo map.
After approx 7.7km, turn left left (west) onto Wairere Track - the junction is at a clearing and obvious, and there is a signpost at the junction (albeit off to the right (east) of the track you're on, about 20m in the bush edge).
From here, again stay on this track - after approx 9.7km (total), look out for a not-so-obvious track junction on the left and take this. You will start heading into thicker native bush. This junction is signed with an orange triangle, but the track you were on continues straight and it's easy to stick to that by mistake.
There is always a lot of tree fall on this next section of track so take care to sight and follow the orange marker triangles.
Stay on Wairere Track until you hit the obvious junction with the North-South track (11.2km), where you'll turn left (south).
From here, navigation is easier - stay on the North-South track, heading south, until you come to the Te Tuhu / Ngamarama track junction. Turn left (east), signed to Whakamarama Car Park, and stay on this track the whole way back to the start/finish at Blade Car Park.
Leland O'Brian historic tramline. Wairere Falls and plenty of mature native bush.
You'll go through large Mānuka and Kānuka forest which has grown after the area was cleared for logging. This is also a bit more rugged and less traveled than the overlapping and very popular Whakamarama Loop.
If you know of any public toilets near the trail start or on the route, please login and then let us know so we can update this section.
The last couple of kms on Whakamarama road is single lane rough metal but there is a good size carpark and a toilet at the end.
27 km
29 minutes
With Permit
No
Hard.
Due to the large number of tracks around the start, plus the old logging tracks around the Clay Road area, following the route on your phone or watch (by downloading the GPX file provided) is highly recommended.
The eastern side of Wairere Track is not as well used as other tracks in the Kaimais, so again, care should be taken to stay on trail and follow the orange triangles.
Non-existent.
Thermal leggings, Long-sleeved thermal top, Seam-sealed waterproof jacket, Beanie/thermal headwear, Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Cellphone, Map, Headtorch and spare batteries
Plenty of streams along the way (unless it's been a super dry summer), but always treat the water using a UV Steripen or tablets.
Stream crossings are relatively small, so should be fine even after rain, but still take care. They may be dry in summer. It will be very wet and muddy throughout winter.
Trail Legend
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
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Tough going in parts and handy to have GPX as needed to bush crash a few times to pick up the trail. Great to explore a "non-marked" in the Kaimais.
March 26, 2022
A great run in the flatter southern part of the Kaimais. Thanks for encouraging me to explore the supposedly unmaintained (but actually excellent) old logging roads shown on the topo map.
A couple of points regarding navigation:
- At the carpark its easiest to start by heading down the "Pa Kereru" loop which is a nice newly made track that joins the Ngamarama track after a km or so.
- When approaching the junction with the the Ngamarama track and old logging road you'll come to a scrubby area at the point where the junction is shown on the topo map. You *can* turn right here and follow a rough track for a few 100 metres but another option is to stay on the main track for another 300m at which point a much better track, not marked on the map, branches off. Uploaded a map to explain what I mean.
- Some care is needed - check your device - to find the start of the old Wairere track where it leaves the logging road; once you're in the forest though its generally OK to follow as long as you keep eyes open for the permolat markers.
October 13, 2020
From the carpark there's 3 entry points to the trail, after a few false starts (they loop back to the carpark) I found the right one. From the carpark there's two entry points to the right of the toilet - go to the furthest on the right and trail starts here.My watch estimated it was about 1km from entry to the turn Ngamarama track but well-marked.The next part of the run was definitely my favourite - awesome single track and mostly runnable. The trails seem to be a bit better than when the description was first posted as I was able to follow the DOC markers all the way to the Wairere signpost. It's then just following the markers out to the waterfall.The second half after turning South on North South Track is a bit more challenging to follow. Not as well travelled and quite a few fallen trees so you have to pay attention for the next marker. It opens out and becomes more runnable once you hit the old signposts. Overall, a very good adventure with plenty of mud, stream crossings, tree dodging etc. to make you feel like you've had a proper adventure. Running poles recommended if you have them.
August 2, 2020
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