The Heaphy Track is not a circuit track.

You can start the track either from:

• Brown Hut in Golden Bay – 156 km from Nelson – at the end of Aorere Valley Rd, or
• Kohaihai on the West Coast – 110 km from Westport – at the end of Kohaihai Rd.

Air access

Air services make it possible to walk the track one way and return by air to near your starting point.

Air New Zealand flies into Nelson, the closest regional airport to the Brown Hut, and Sounds Air flies into Westport, the closest regional airport to Kohaihai.

A number of local operators provide air transport into Takaka in Golden Bay and Karamea on the West Coast.

Road access

Brown Hut is 156 km and a 2 hr 25 min drive from Nelson. To reach this eastern end of the track:

• take SH 60 from Nelson to Collingwood (128 km)
• at Collingwood take the road up the Aorere Valley to Brown Hut (28 km).

Kohaihai is 110 km and a 1 hr 45 min drive from Westport. To reach this western track end:

• take SH 67 from Westport to Karamea (95 km)
• at Karamea head north to the car park and campsite at the Kohaihai River (15 km).

Track transport

Bus and taxi services are available to reach either end of the track from nearby towns. Regular bus services link Nelson and Westport. Vehicle relocation services are also available. 

There is mobile phone coverage at both ends of the Heaphy Track. The landlines at Brown hut and Kohaihai campsite have both been removed.

Some transport businesses may not operate in winter

Transport, activity, equipment and accommodation businesses operate in the summer. Some businesses do not operate in winter. Check with the operator.