Waihohonu Hut

Ask ThatchGPT
Suggest a local expert to plan my trip
Suggest an unique itinerary for my New Zealand trip
What foods do New Zealand locals eat
What are some true hidden gems in New Zealand
Help me brainstorm trip ideas for New Zealand
Help me plan a family-friendly trip to New Zealand

What people say

Sonia Barrish
"Child friendly rating: 5 stars Distance: 5.6km Signposted time: 1 hour 30 minutes Bookings Required? In season Suitable in Winter? Yes - caution required Camping Available? Yes - at bookable campground 4wd required? No Parking: The easiest way to get to the hut is by parking at the Waihōhonu Track Carpark right off Desert Road (SH1) The Track: The track is almost entirely flat, which makes for an easy walk. It's a great first hut to visit with a luxury hut at the end. There are no river crossings making this track safe after heavy rain, however the track can get very muddy, so you may prefer not to visit while the soil is wet. Make sure you've got waterproof tops and bottoms after rain for younger kids incase they slip on the mud. The track varies between 4wd track, and nice wide track. It's wide enough pretty much the whole way to walk holding little kids hands. There are stunning views of the mountains around. As a solo adult with a 9 month old and a just turned 5 year old, it took us just under 3 hours to get to the hut at a relaxed pace with plenty of breaks. Hut: Being on a Great Walk, the hut can book out very fast, and be very busy. You may prefer to visit out of season (May - late October). With 28 beds, there's plenty of space. If you were worried about getting a bed (Eg. on a weekend during school holidays), taking sleeping mats will be enough - no need for a tent - there's plenty of floor space in the hut to sleep on. The beds are platform bunks too making it easier to squeeze more people in. There is cellphone reception at the helipad if needed and you can't get any at the hut. Recommendations: This is a fantastic first hut for all ages! I'd recommend visiting off-season, however be aware of the weather forecast, especially when snow is due. The walk is long enough that deep snow will make the walk quite unpleasant slow-going. You may also get very cold very quickly as you will need a few breaks on the walk. "
Bailey Selland
" Epic views of the mountains from the hut. 6km walk from Desert Road and quite flat."

Mentioned in these guides

*please note price is in USD and I can’t change the currency* And please note the guide is IN PROGRESS. Purchasing gives you all updates, and I’m spending a lot of time to update most days. Currently you can view the waypoints. Track descriptions are being added daily. Not all tracks have descriptions yet. Descriptions include info on track conditions and terrain and how our kids of various stages found it. A guide to the Hut of New Zealand, with children in tow! Get reliable information on which hikes (With a focus on overnight) are great for kids, as well as specific child-friendly information on them. This is designed to be a parents guide and works great as an accompaniment to our My Overnight Adventure Journal, available in both Te Ika-a-Māui and Te Waipounamu, in hard print for the kids to take with on your adventures. Map Key: STAY symbol -DOC or other hut. GO symbol - Drive-to DOC or similar hut. (May be 4wd accessible) DO symbol - Walk-to camp ground. Either wild camping, or proper DOC tramping campground with toilets. Child friendly ratings explained: 5 stars: Easy shorter track, simple enough that most first timers can visit, and kids of all ages can visit (with some carrying needed for younger ages) Suitable for beginner/ never ever tramped before parents to take never ever tramped before kids. 4 stars: Easy spot to visit, however caveats exist. Eg. Big river crossing, not having a 4wd makes the track harder, there is a dodgy section, or track is on the longer side. Sometimes it is because despite the hut being very easily accessible, it’s in poor condition, and you’d need a tent to stay here, making it a less than ideal trip. 3 stars: Might not make a great first trip, but is a track kids will enjoy. Still relatively child friendly, but will need adults that have overnight hiked in a variety of terrain before, and are capable of decision making on the trip. Kids under 4 will likely need carried for sections. 2 stars: Not super child friendly, but still enjoyable for capable kids. Kids under 5 will likely need to be carried for sections. 5 year olds would need to have done several trips to be capable. But could be a first time trip for average 10yo+ 1 star: Older and fit kids 8-12+ will enjoy these. They’re not great first trips, but if you’re experienced, you could take an older more capable kid here as a first trip if you’re prepared to take all day. 0 stars: I likely won’t add these to the map, but these would be huts not recommended even for experienced kids. At the start, this map will have a bunch of locations that are child friendly, and I will add descriptive text as time goes on. For now some are missing descriptive text. Buying the guide now ensures you will get all the updates. This includes text and images, as it is updated in real time. Your support of the guide in these early stages ensures that I can continue writing the content. It will also be published in a hard copy physical book once ready.
$16.00
4.2
(5)
42

About Waihohonu Hut

Get the inside scoop on Waihohonu Hut from local experts, travel creators, and tastemakers. Browse genuine trip notes, Waihohonu Hut reviews, photos, travel guides, and itineraries from real travelers and plan your trip with confidence.