Directions

From Westport take State Highway 67 to Karamea (allow one and a half hours) – then allow another 50 minutes driving time to get you into the carpark areas of the Oparara Basin. Drive from Karamea, 10 minutes north on the Karamea-Kohaihai Road. Turn right off this road on to McCallum’s Mill Road.

For the Arches and Valley Walks you want the second car park which is also the large, newly constructed picnic area with toilets and shelter…distance around 14 kilometres.

Warning: This reasonably well maintained gravel (shingle) road is not suitable for large motor homes or buses. To drive it safely, keep left, watch for oncoming traffic, and keep your speed down.

Oparara Basin Walks – The Arches and Valley

Jaw-dropping huge ancient arches, caves and fossils – unmissable!

About 26km northeast of Karamea is the stunning Oparara Basin, featuring breathtaking limestone formations including arches and land bridges along with a 15km system of caves enveloped by dense rainforest. Much of the gravel road into the basin which is part of Kahurangi National Park is narrow and winding but can easily be undertaken by 2WD vehicles. Most spectacular is the Oparara Arch, 43m high and spanning 219m across the river, which is reached after a 25 minute walk on a good track through the moss-covered rainforest. A relatively newer track gets you to Moria Gate Arch, smaller in size but arguably even more picturesque. The highly fragile Honeycomb cave system, first explored in 1980, is accessible only with a Oparara Valley Trust guide, and contains the remains of some 50 species, including the extinct moa and New Zealand eagle. Areas that can be explored without a guide are the Box Canyon and Crazy Paving Caves. A good torch is essential.     

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You can walk it, bike parts of it, explore the small public access caves; or through the Oparara Valley Trust you can do guided tours through the World Heritage Honeycomb Cave Systems (see their listing on this website) or inquire at the Karamea Information Centre www.karameainfo.co.nz.

Here are a cluster of short walks all centred around the second car park off the Oparara Valley access road.

Oparara Arch (25 minutes one way) 1 kilometre

This was the first arch opened up to the public.  It soars some 43 metres above the clear amber waters of the Oparara River.  You will notice all waterways in the Basin are the colour of tea – and just like tea which contains a lot of tannin, so does this water.

Take the left hand track just before the Oparara Bridge. This is a well formed track following the Oparara River to the larger of the two limestone arches accessible to the public.  Highly endangered rare blue ducks can sometimes be seen playing in the rapids – their colour helps camouflage them so they are hard to spot – and they are incredibly ‘constructed’ with little suction grips on the bottoms of their feet, which help them hang on to rocks in fast flowing water.

Mirror Tarn (10 minutes one way) 600 metres

Turn right at the sign just past the Oparara Bridge and follow the track upriver to a small but picturesque lake tucked away in the bush.  Often it is so still in here that the ancient forests are reflected perfectly in the dark mirrored water.

These first two walks are a great taste of the area and perfect for combining with a couple of the shorter walks at the start of the Heaphy Track if you have only one day to fit in the wonders of Karamea.

Moria Gate Arch (30 minutes one way) 1.2 kilometres Beginning at the Oparara carpark, this relatively new track takes you through beautiful rainforest and moss-covered trees to a very picturesque but smaller arch stretching over the Oparara River.

Moria Gate was named in 1984 after the mythical gate to the dark world in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  Why?  Conservationists involved with opening up the Oparara Valley to people felt that its magical forms and mysteries paralleled the mythology of the world created by J R R Tolkien, the Rings trilogy creator.

Moria Gate/Mirror Tarn Loop Track (1 hour 30 minutes round trip) 4.1 kilometres

An easy-access easy-grade loop track linking these two attractions. Explore down under the Arch, then continue on over the top of Moria Gate (try counting the paving stones, where Moa have obviously been before you!) and loop around the terrace to come back out at the carpark via Mirror Tarn.

What were/are Moa?  Huge flightless birds now extinct which were vigorously hunted by early Maori.

Oparara Valley Track (5 hours one way) 14 kilometres

A stunning new full day walk, through ancient stands of rimu and kahikatea forest, down the Oparara River. Links up with the Fenian Track and comes out at the carpark in the Fenian. A reasonable level of fitness is required.  Just go as far as you want to if you have a tight timetable.