Located in Whanganui National Park in the Manawatu/Whanganui region
Bookings are open for the 2022/23 season.
87 or 145 km one way
Bookings are required for huts and campsites
Bookings are not required - huts and campsites are first come, first served
Canoers navigate through the choppy rapids Image: Charles Ranginui | Whanganui River Canoes ©
Canoers on the Whanganui Journey Image: | DOC
Be immersed in culture & history with a unique stay at Tieke Kainga Image: | DOC
Campers at John Coull campsite Image: | DOC
Canoers make their way through the rapids on the Whanganui journey Image: Charles Ranginui | Whanganui River Canoes ©
Take a break from the water on a short walk to the Bridge to Nowhere Image: Robert Dickinson ©
Canoer on the Whanganui Journey Image: | DOC
This trip is very different to other Great Walks – it’s a paddle, not a walk. Think carefully about if it’s right for you.
To do the Whanganui Journey safely without a guide, you should:
If you aren’t an experienced canoe user or are travelling alone, book a guided trip instead.
If you can’t swim or aren’t fit enough, then this isn’t the trip for you. There are lots of other great adventures in Whanganui National Park.
Watch videos of the Whanganui Journey
The 145 kilometre river journey from Taumarunui to Pipiriki takes an average 5 days to complete by canoe. A shorter 3 day journey from Whakahoro to Pipiriki is also possible.
Each trip requires a good level of fitness and confidence in using a canoe.
For a 5 day / 4 night trip:
Distance: 57 km
Access points are at Ngāhuinga (Cherry Grove) in Taumarunui or further downstream at Ōhinepane (accessed from River Road SH43).
Travelling the upper reaches of the Whanganui River, you’ll pass through a mixture of farmland and patches of native bush. You’ll be in for some excitement as you shoot down rapids on this section of the river.
Camp beside the river at Ōhinepane, Poukaria or Maharanui campsites or stay in a campsite or bunkhouse at Whakahoro. From here, you get the feeling of venturing into the heart of a rich and rugged landscape.
Distance: 37.5 km
Many begin their river journey here – the scenic middle reaches of the river, featuring numerous waterfalls after heavy rain. Past Mangapapa Campsite, take a long loop around the Kirikiriroa Peninsula, pass the Tarepokiore (whirlpool) rapid and then the large overhang known as Tamatea’s Cave.
Please do not enter the cave as it is wāhi tapu (a sacred place). Ōtaihanga Reach leads you to your overnight stop at John Coull and Campsite and John Coull Campsite.
You may see long-tailed bats fluttering overhead at dusk.
Distance: 29 km
On this section, follow the river as it meanders through bush-covered hills, passing the mouths of the Tāngārākau and Whangamōmona rivers where they join the Whanganui. Perched high above the river, Manga-wai-iti is an attractive spot to camp or stop for lunch.
Continue your trip downstream to Tīeke Kāinga where you can examine the intricately carved pou whenua and learn about the history of Tīeke and the tikanga (protocol) of the marae.
Tīeke Kāinga information and tikanga (protocol).
For a more secluded night’s sleep, stay at Puketotara Hut. Opposite Tieke Kainga, this 1 hr and 30 min track takes you high up on the Matemateaonga Range where you will spend the night in podocarp splendour, with expansive views of the Whanganui River, the bush clad hills of Whanganui National Park and the volcanoes of the Central Plateau.
At Mangapurua Landing, where the old riverboats used to tie up, hop out of your canoe and take the 40-minute (one way) Bridge to Nowhere Walk to this poignant reminder of the Mangapurua Valley farm settlement, carved out of the bush and then abandoned between the two World Wars.
Exercise caution when disembarking and embarking. The Landing can become very congested with canoes and boats. The rock surface is very slippery when wet.
Look out for cyclists – the track is also part of the Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail.
Distance: 21.5 km
You’ll pass through the scenic gorge of the Manganui o te Ao River where it enters the Whanganui after its journey from the slopes of Mount Ruapehu. Ngāporo and Autapu rapids can provide plenty of excitement and perhaps a cool dip on a hot day.
More exotic trees and farmland indicate you are getting close to Pīpīriki. Pass an eel weir on your left, shoot the Paparoa rapid and you will see the boat ramp below Pīpīriki village up ahead.
Bookings are open for the 2022/23 season.
Fees are charged per person, per night to stay in huts or campsites on the Whanganui Journey. There are no fees for entry into the Whanganui National Park.
New Zealand citizens and those ordinarily resident in New Zealand*:
International visitors:
Proof of eligibility is required for the New Zealand rate.
For all visitors:
New Zealand citizens and those ordinarily resident in New Zealand*:
International visitors:
Proof of eligibility is required for the New Zealand rate.
For all visitors:
Discounts for Great Walks are not available online. If you belong to a group or organisation that is entitled to a discount we will need to see proof of your membership.
To receive your discount, you must email your organisation's membership card, showing your name, membership number and expiry date, to bookings@doc.govt.nz or go to a DOC visitor centre in person. Visitor centre staff will make your booking for you and apply your discount. No booking fee will be charged.
If you make your booking online yourself, you must contact bookings@doc.govt.nz or a DOC visitor centre within 48 hours of making the booking to receive your discount. Discounts cannot be retrospectively applied to bookings after this time.
You need to book huts and/or campsites if you're doing the Whanganui Journey in the Great Walks season.
If you don’t have a valid booking for your stay, you may be charged a penalty, or turned away if the hut/campsite is full.
Bookings are not required outside the Great Walks season.
Book huts / campsites online or contact a DOC visitor centre or a local i-SITE for personal assistance.
Read the booking terms and conditions (scroll to the bottom to find the Terms and Conditions link) for general information, age ranges, prices, discounts, penalty rates and the alterations and cancellations policy. Bookings not meeting the terms and conditions will be treated as invalid and cancelled.
Guided groups: To operate a commercial activity in an area managed by DOC, you need to apply for a concession (an official permit), in addition to any bookings you would need to make. Read more about concessions
To make multiple bookings for facilities/services on behalf of customers, you must obtain permission or an agent agreement from DOC. To do this, email: agents@doc.govt.nz
Location of the Whanganui Journey
Traditional entry or exit points for the Whanganui Journey are off SH4 at:
Equipment hire, services, food and transport can be found in Taumarunui, Whanganui, Raetihi, Ōhakune and National Park Village.
To have a safe and enjoyable Whanganui Journey, you need to prepare and pack the right gear. You cannot turn back once you start.
Take these important steps before you start the Whanganui Journey.
You should also:
Stay safe by always wearing a life jacket. If you fall out, it could save your life.
Stay on the true right whenever possible. The true right is the right hand side when facing downstream.
Be aware of jet boats and know what to do. This is essential for a safe trip.
When a jet boat approaches:
Crafts travelling up river must give way to crafts travelling down the river. However, jet boats in rapids cannot slow down or stop.
Keep an eye on the weather and the river. If the river starts rising or is in flood, stay at your campground or hut until the river levels drop. You won’t be charged for staying an extra night due to high river levels. Rivers can rise overnight even if it’s not raining where you are, so tie your canoe up securely.
Leave enough time to reach your next hut or campsite in daylight. It is hard to find them in the dark. Allow extra time if it’s windy as canoeing into the wind can be slow and tiring.
More ways to stay safe in the outdoors.
Many sites are of high cultural significance – please respect them. Do not drink alcohol while on the Awa or at Tīeke Marae/Kāinga.
Protect nature while on the Whanganui Journey by:
Huts on the Whanganui Journey don't have toilet paper. Remember to take this with you.
These items can be hired as a package from local suppliers.
You cannot buy food on the track.
Bring food that is lightweight, fast cooking and high in energy value. For example:
You'll also need water, snacks, biscuits, muesli bars, tea or coffee, powdered fruit drinks and emergency food in case of any delays on the track.
The land surrounding the river is only about one million years old. Formed of soft sandstone and mudstone (papa) from the ocean-bed, it has been eroded by water to form sharp ridges, deep gorges, sheer papa cliffs and waterfalls.
Over this land has grown a broadleaf-podocarp forest of rata, rewarewa, rimu, tawa, kamahi and kowhai with beech dominant on the ridge tops. Tree ferns and plants that cling to the steep riverbanks are very distinctive.
Bird species such as kereru (native pigeon), tiwaiwaka (fantail), tui, toutouwai (robin), riroriro (grey warbler) and miromiro (tomtit) are often seen and heard. The call of the brown kiwi can often be heard at night. The river is rich in eels, lamprey, species of galaxiid (a group of native fish species including whitebait and kokopu), koura (freshwater crayfish) and black flounder.
Māori cultivated the sheltered terraces and built elaborate eel weirs along river channels where eels and lamprey were known to converge. Every bend of the river had kaitiaki (guardian) which controlled the mauri (life force) of that place. The mana (prestige) of a settlement depended upon the way in which food supplies and living areas were looked after for the benefit of the tribe and visitors.
Te Atihaunui, a Paparangi people, settled the valley from 1100 AD. In time the river became linked by a series of pa which were later called 'the plaited fibres of Hinengakau'.
The first major European influence arrived with missionaries in the 1840s. In 1891 a regular riverboat service began carrying passengers, mail and freight to the European settlers on the river between Taumarunui and Pipiriki and thriving tourist trade soon began between Mt Ruapehu and Wanganui.
The main riverboat trade ceased in the 1920s due to better roads, a main trunk railway and the development of other tourist attractions around the country, although riverboats were still operating in the late 1950s.
Tongariro National Park Visitor Centre | |
Phone: | +64 7 892 3729 |
Fax: | +64 4 471 1117 |
Email: | tongarirovc@doc.govt.nz |
Address: |
Whakapapa Village State Highway 48 Mount Ruapehu |
Postal Address: |
PO Box 71029 Whakapapa Village Mount Ruapehu 3951 |
Full office details |