The Pukapuka Track Loop Walk is a scenic hiking trail located in the Hunua Ranges Regional Park, south of Auckland, New Zealand. This moderate loop track winds through native forest, offering walkers tranquil bush scenery and birdlife. The trail provides an accessible outdoor experience showcasing the natural beauty of the Hunua Ranges’ podocarp and broadleaf forest ecosystem.
👉 👉 Freedom Camp Between Walks – Hire a Campervan – We’ve got the best deals
Find more walks in this area… explore South Auckland walking tracks and trails
By Car: From Auckland city centre, take State Highway 1 south towards Papakura. Exit onto Hunua Road and continue for approximately 15 kilometres. Turn right onto Moumoukai Road and follow signs to the Pukapuka Track car park. The journey takes roughly 50 minutes from central Auckland without traffic. The car park is small and can fill up on weekends, so arriving early is advisable.
Public Transport: Unfortunately there are no direct public transport options to the Pukapuka Track. The closest you can get via public transport is Papakura, from where you would need to arrange a taxi or rideshare for the remaining 20 kilometres.
GPS Coordinates: -37.0842° S, 175.1547° E
The Pukapuka Track stands out among Hunua walks for its remarkable canopy cover. While other tracks in the ranges offer river views or waterfalls, Pukapuka delivers an immersive forest bathing experience that feels genuinely remote despite being less than an hour from Auckland’s suburbs.
The track showcases some impressive rimu and totara specimens, including several trees that are easily over 500 years old. Keen observers will notice the intricate epiphyte gardens growing on these giants—perching lilies, astelia and various ferns creating miniature ecosystems in the canopy.
Serious birders rate Pukapuka highly because the dense canopy attracts species that prefer undisturbed forest. Listen for the distinctive call of the kōkako, though sightings are rare and require patience. More commonly you’ll hear tūī, bellbirds and the cheeky fantails that often follow walkers hoping to snap up insects disturbed by footsteps.
Early morning walks offer the best chance of hearing North Island robin. They’re not shy and will often come remarkably close if you stand still for a minute or two.
The Pukapuka Track has a well-deserved moderate rating. The elevation gain is around 150 metres which doesn’t sound like much but it comes in short sharp bursts rather than gentle gradients. The steepest section near the beginning catches out unprepared walkers who expect a flat forest stroll.
After rain the track develops slippery patches particularly on the wooden steps and boardwalk sections. The clay soil becomes greasy and boot grip matters more than you’d think. I’ve seen confident trampers reduced to undignified shuffling on the descents after heavy rainfall.
Tree roots cross the path frequently and several sections require stepping over or ducking under fallen branches. This is regenerating bush being managed for conservation rather than a manicured park, which is part of its charm but does require attention to footing.
Summer brings the muggiest conditions. The dense canopy traps humidity and by midday you’ll be sweating more than the elevation suggests you should be. Carry more water than seems necessary.
Winter offers the most comfortable walking temperatures but also the highest chance of slippery conditions. The forest floor stays damp for days after rain and morning dew makes boardwalks treacherous until mid-morning sun (if any penetrates the canopy) dries them out.
Spring showcases the forest at its most vibrant with new growth and active birdlife. This is prime time for tūī watching as they work the flowering trees.
👉 👉 Freedom Camp Between Walks – Hire a Campervan – We’ve got the best deals
The biggest challenge isn’t the gradient or distance but the technical footing. Wet roots and clay become skating rinks. Walkers with dodgy knees or ankles should consider trekking poles for the steep descents.
Navigation occasionally confuses people despite the track being well-marked. Several unmarked side trails created by animals or curious trampers diverge from the main path. When in doubt follow the orange markers and if you stop seeing them backtrack to the last one you noticed.
The isolation is real. On weekday mornings you might not see another soul. This solitude is wonderful until you turn an ankle or have a problem. Walk with a companion if possible or at minimum tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to return.
Older children with reasonable fitness can complete the walk but it’s not suitable for pushchairs or very young kids. The steep sections and irregular footing require confident walkers. Most families with children over 8 have no issues if they take it slowly.
Yes, Pukapuka Track remains open throughout the year unless specifically closed due to extreme weather or track maintenance. Check the Auckland Council website before heading out as the Hunua Ranges occasionally close during severe fire risk periods or after significant storm damage.
The car park offers parking only with no toilets, picnic tables or water taps. Come prepared with everything you need for the walk as there’s nothing available once you’re there.
Pukapuka sees moderate use compared to more famous Auckland walks like the Waitakere Ranges tracks. Weekday mornings you might have it to yourself. Weekend mornings attract more visitors but it never feels crowded. The track’s moderate difficulty filters out casual walkers.
No, there are no swimming holes on the Pukapuka Track itself. The stream crossing is shallow and not suitable for swimming. For water activities in the Hunua Ranges head to Hunua Falls or the Wairoa River.
Early morning offers the best birdlife activity and cooler temperatures plus you’ll likely have the track to yourself. Late afternoon can be magical when low sun filters through the canopy but be aware that the dense forest gets dark earlier than you’d expect.
The Pukapuka Track Loop caught me off guard. I’d read it was an easy family walk, which technically it is, but nobody mentioned how the forest here feels different—older somehow, darker even on bright days.
I started at the car park near Pūhoi, where the track immediately drops you into dense bush. Within minutes, the kauri trees closed in overhead, their massive trunks streaked with moss and lichen. The air turned cooler and smelled of damp earth and rotting wood. My footsteps on the wooden boardwalks echoed strangely in the silence.
The loop itself only took about forty minutes, but I kept stopping. There’s something mesmerizing about the way light filters down through the canopy in thin, dusty shafts. I passed one particularly enormous kauri that must have been standing there for centuries, its base wider than my car. I put my hand on the bark—rough and surprisingly warm—and felt ridiculous for doing it, but also glad no one was around to see.
The track winds through nikau palms and tree ferns, crossing a couple of small streams on wooden bridges that bounced slightly under my weight. Near the halfway point, I encountered the only other person I’d see that morning—an older woman with binoculars who nodded and kept walking. We both understood this wasn’t a place for chatting.
What stayed with me afterward wasn’t any single dramatic view or landmark. It was the quiet, the green-filtered light, and that feeling of walking through something ancient that would be there long after I was gone.
