This is the section where you finally stop walking and paddle for a bit. The official Te Araroa route kayaks 7km down the Puhoi River from the historic Bohemian village to Wenderholm Regional Park, then walks 11.5km along the coast to Orewa Beach. Total distance is about 18km and takes 5-6 hours including the paddle.
Here’s the catch: you need two separate tide windows. An outgoing tide for the kayak, and low tide for the coastal rock scramble between Waiwera and Hatfields Beach. Miss either one and you’re onto road walking, which is exactly as boring as it sounds.
By this point in Te Araroa, most northbound walkers have been on the trail for weeks and are pretty sick of farmland and roads. The kayak break is genuinely welcome, the coastal views are decent, but let’s be honest about the road sections between Wenderholm and Orewa. They’re not the highlight.
The Kayak Section: Puhoi to Wenderholm This is where you trade your boots for a paddle. The 7km kayak down the Puhoi River takes about 2 hours and requires zero kayaking experience. The river is calm, you’ll be wearing a life jacket, and it’s a welcome break from walking.
Booking the Kayak:
The Critical Tide Window You MUST paddle on an outgoing tide. If you time it wrong and paddle against incoming tide, you’ll be working hard instead of floating easily downstream. Here’s how to get it right:
What the Paddle Is Like The Puhoi River meanders through farmland and under State Highway 1. You’ll hear motorway traffic at the highway section, then it’s peaceful through the rest. The kayak operators meet you at Wenderholm boat ramp, collect the kayaks, and hand over your backpack.
If You Skip the Kayak Walk 6km along Pōheuhue Road (the old highway) from Puhoi village to Wenderholm Regional Park. It’s quiet but there’s no footpath. This route:
Most people do the kayak. It’s worth the $55.
Wenderholm Regional Park After you finish the kayak, you’re at Auckland’s first regional park. Wenderholm sits on a peninsula between the Puhoi and Waiwera Rivers and has some decent walks if you’re not in a hurry.
What’s Here:
Camping:
Wenderholm to Orewa (11.5km, 3-4 hours) This is where the section gets less interesting. From Wenderholm you’re heading south through a mix of coastal scrambling and road walking. The coastal bits are good. The road bits are exactly what you’d expect.
Waiwera Cross the Waiwera River bridge and you’ll reach the town. There’s a mini-mart at 2 Waiwera Road for resupply, but that’s about it.
The town was famous for its thermal hot pools. The resort closed in February 2018, was demolished in 2023, and there’s now a $50 million redevelopment planned with reopening around late 2027. Right now there’s nothing there.
The Second Tide Window: Waiwera to Hatfields Beach You need low tide to get around the rocks from Waiwera to Hatfields Beach. This is the second tide window you need to plan for on this section.
Low Tide Coastal Route (The Good Option):
High Tide Road Alternative:
Hatfields Beach to Orewa Once you’re past Hatfields Beach, you’re onto Orewa Beach which stretches for 3km. Walk south along the sand to the Orewa River bridge.
What You’ll Find in Orewa:
Getting There and Getting Back To Puhoi (Start):
The Puhoi Pub Before you start, the Puhoi Pub is legendary on the trail. It’s the last proper pub for a while and most hikers stop for a meal and a beer the night before. The nachos get mentioned a lot in trail journals.
From Orewa (Finish):
Water:
Food:
What Actually Catches People Out The Double Tide Timing This is the big one. You need an outgoing tide for the kayak AND low tide for the coastal rocks. Miss the kayak tide and you’re waiting up to 12 hours or road walking 6km. Miss the coastal low tide and you’re back on Hibiscus Coast Highway with traffic and narrow shoulders.
The Road Walking Let’s be straight about this. The road sections are boring. Narrow shoulders, traffic, and you’re walking on asphalt after weeks of hoping for better. Multiple hikers mention this as one of the more demoralizing sections. Early starts help you avoid peak traffic, and some people wear reflective gear even in daylight because visibility around bends is poor.
Cell Coverage Patchy until Waiwera, then reliable. Download offline maps before you start. The Te Araroa app is useful here.
What Hikers Actually Struggle With By this point in Te Araroa, you’re close to Auckland and you’ve been walking for weeks. You’re tired of farmland and roads. The kayak is great but it’s only 2 hours. The rest is a mix of decent coastal walking and forgettable road sections. Manage your expectations.
Wenderholm:
Between Waiwera and Hatfields Beach:
Orewa:
Weather Wind:
Summer:
Winter:
Check Before You Go:
The Honest Assessment This section gives your legs a break with the kayak, and Wenderholm Regional Park is genuinely nice. The coastal views from Lookout Point down to Orewa Beach are good. Orewa Beach at the finish is long, sandy, and usually not too crowded at the northern end.
But let’s not oversell it. After weeks of walking Te Araroa, you’re tired of roads and farmland, and this section has plenty of both. The kayak is only 2 hours. The rest is a mix of decent coastal scrambling and forgettable road walking. It’s not the worst section on Te Araroa, but it’s not the best either.
The trade-off is that you’re nearly at Auckland. For northbound walkers, that’s a psychological win.
Find more walks in this area at Warkworth walks which covers native bush and rural walking options north of this section. Scandrett Regional Park Walk offers heritage farm buildings and coastal scenery, while Long Bay to Okura Track continues south with more coastal walking.
