Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track — Attraction in Tuatapere Te Waewae Community

We did the self-guided walk. Really enjoyed this experience but it is tough. If you enjoy a challenge, then this is a great one to add to the list. The previous review and tips by Hannah Zhang were true for me too. It's essential to have a good level of fitness and prepare your knees well before tackling this walk. Poles are a must and it's important to pack as light as possible while still being responsible. The lodges sell plenty of food and drinks as well as essentials like plasters and blister packs. The kitchens are fully stocked with anything you might need. Pillows and pillow cases are provided, even on the self-guided walk and you can arrange to hire sleeping bags if you'd like your pack to be even lighter. Do take jandals or slip-ons as the lodges are connected by a network of boardwalks covered with chicken wire. We were lucky to have good weather for the whole tramp. I don't think I would have enjoyed the first day in bad weather as it's already really tough. The summit walk was awesome, I thought it was the best part of the whole walk. Other than being quite long, I didn't find the descent nearly as hard as the ascent as it was mostly boardwalks and we had great views. The sandflies at Port Craig were really bad when outside and were not repelled by DEET. The only remedy was to cover up completely. This is especially true if you'd like to spend time at the beach watching the dolphins as the sandflies were particularly bad at beaches. The staff at lodges looked after us really well, taking the time to get to know us and cooking great porridge in the mornings. It was also great to chat to fellow trampers along the way and over a drink in...

Our family, a party of 8,of varying ages 27-61 years,recently walked the Hump.Hard work the first day but worth it! We were fortunate to get good weather that day ,the views were amazing,and motivating! The accommodation was comfortable and warm,with a good chance to dry boots etc overnight at Okaka lodge.Second day we had rain,which gave us a chance to see the varying bush in all it's glory. The track is so well maintained, with work still continuing. We were really impressed! We got a chance to speak with a small digger driver on the track.At the Port Craig lodge we tried the Tuatapere sausages, yummy!Staff at both lodges were friendly and informative. Next day instead of walking out to the Rarakau carpark we walked back to the South Coast track and the Wairaurahiri river. We caught a jetboat to Lake Hauroko,with W Jets.A Fantastic way to end our tramp! The South Coast track was very boggy and poorly maintained in comparison to the Hump.The track was well marked though and it did add another aspect to the adventure. You do need to be reasonable fit and have some endurance.Although you could use the helicopter to take your packs,we didn't.The times given for each leg were accurate for our party,with the slowest walking at the front. The wildlife,forrest,terrain ,and history of area with the tramline and viaducts all added to the trip. I would thoroughly...

The Humpridge Track organisation in Tuatapere is the only way to book into the lodges necessary to walk the Hump Ridge Track. I booked their Prime package, which includes taking my belongings to Okaka Lodge, allowing me to walk with just a day pack on the first day. They simply left my belongings in the office! When the error was identified, at 2:30pm, they did not immediately bring the belongings up. Nor did they deliver them to Port Craig Lodge on the second day. They simply left them in the office for three days. I assumed that they would refund me the cost of Heli Packing option, but no. They took no responsibility, made no apology, and offered no refund. Indeed they tried telling me that it was my fault that they had not put my belongings on their helicopter. This is a strange and untrustworthy operation. You have...