Te Urewera

Te Urewera lies between the Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay in the North Island. The nearest towns are Whakatane and Taneatua to the north, Murupara and Ruatahuna to the west, and Wairoa to the east.

Lake Waikaremoana

Lake Waikaremoana can be approached from two directions. SH38 links Wairoa and the East Coast with the central North Island, and passes the lake and the Te Urewera Visitor Centre in Aniwaniwa. The highway has a 2WD gravel surface for about 90 km between Murupara and Aniwaniwa (about a 2 hour drive). There are well marked side roads to the main boat ramps, campsites and walk entrances.

Privately owned shuttle buses and water taxis provide transport to either end of the Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk throughout the year. This allows walkers to leave their vehicle at the Waikaremoana Holiday Park where they are more secure than at the walk ends.

Waimana Valley

To access the northern part of Te Urewera via the Waimana Valley, take the Bell Road turnoff from SH2. The road travels about 30 km up the valley to the Matahi Valley Road end. Caution is advised as most of this road is unsealed, narrow and windy.

DOC accepts no responsibility for damage to vehicles left unattended in Te Urewera. 

Extreme weather changes are a feature of the area, including snow in summer.