Venture beyond the bustling Mt Fyffe track with this challenging two to three day circuit and be rewarded with stunning sunrises and two boulder strewn rivers.
We left Ashburton early Friday morning heading for Kaikoura and hoping to beat the long weekend traffic, after a 4 hour drive we reached Mt Fyffe carpark, had lunch at one of the conveniently shaded picnic tables before getting set to head off on our Wild Waitangi Weekend Adventure.
The track from the upper carpark to Mt Fyffe Hut is straightforward following a 4WD track initially heading through bush and climbing steadily along the south-west ridge, interspersed with conveniently located seats and rewarding views to the Kaikoura Peninsula below and Seaward Kaikoura Ranges inland. After 2.5 hot sweaty hours we reached Mt Fyffe Hut, which is set in a stunning location to capture impressive sunrise vistas with ample camping sites. We had arrived to an empty hut and one tent pitched to capture the best of the sunrise view in the morning. Later in the afternoon and into the evening more hikers arrived to fill the hut and camp sites.
After waking up on Saturday morning and bathing in the stunning sunrise over the Kaikoura coast, we pack up and headed on our way. Beyond the hut the 4WD track continued its steady climb until we reached the summit of Mt Fyffe at 1602m. We had a brief stop to drink in the view and contemplate the next section heading along the tops towards Gable (1585m) and Gables End (1592m). Poles marked the way from the summit following the main ridge, once we reached Gable the track took a steep rocky descent down to a saddle before a climb up to reach the ridgeline of Gables End, the highest point of the track offering commanding views of the Seaward Kaikoura Range, Mt Manakau and the full length of the Kaikoura coast. We then had a challenging 350m descent from Gables End to Kowhai Saddle, with the trail being a mixture of scree, sharp often loose rocks and grasses.
Once on the saddle we headed down the Hapuku Hut route following the Hapuku River, with a short steep section before hitting the rocks and boulders of the upper river, and the first water source since leaving Mt Fyffe Hut 4 hours earlier. We followed the recently replaced poles and large brightly spray painted triangles on oversized boulders down the true left before crossing to the true right to bypass a small gorge. Getting around the gorge, this section was brief but went through overgrown scrub and had a very steep descent to get back down to the river, once through we crossed back to the true left and enjoyed our lunch beside the river before heading into the bush and some relatively well-worn trail. Two hours after leaving Kowhai Saddle we reached the final river crossing to get to Hapuku Hut which is located in a sunny clearing with camping 50m below the hut. Unfortunately the hut was full and the camping sites in full hot sun so we decided to retrace our steps and head back up the river to where we had seen a good looking camp site. A 40 minute hike had us back to the camp site but unfortunately it had no access to water so we carried on to the next water source, 280m further up the track. Unfortunately this had no camping sites so we ended up pitching the tent in the middle of the track. We tried to make the most of the camp site but being surround by bush and sandflies it wasn't easy, so we ended up having our dinner at 4pm and were in the tent in bed by 5.30pm.
On Sunday we returned to Kowhai Saddle then took the Kowhai Hut route down the upper Kowhai River with its 750m descent from the saddle down to the hut. This section was freshly cut in December 2022, however, it was still a challenge for route finding with steep descents over large boulders and scrub having overgrown the track in numerous places. Eventually after 2.5 hours we finally reached the Kowhai River junction where we crossed to the other side and reached Kohwai Hut after another 100m, the hut is set in a large open clearing with ample camping opportunities if full. We enjoyed an early lunch here before making the decision to carry on back to the carpark.
Below Kowhai Hut the track crossed the Kowhai River to the true left and we followed this clearly marked easy well-worn trail all the way to the Spaniard Spur Track. We then entered the river again following intermittent rock cairns and orange triangles crossing the river multiple times and following marked sections along flat mossy grass trails. Where Snowflake Stream joined the Kowhai River the water turned a slight muddy colour and we could no longer see the through the water, although not dangerous at the time it did slow our pace as each crossing took more concentration. Eventually we joined a 4WD track and followed this all the way back to the carpark.
Details
Carpark to Mt Fyffe Hut 2.5 hours
Mt Fyffe Hut to Hapuku Hut 6 hours
Hapuku Hut to Kowhai Hut 4.5 hours
Kowhai Hut to Carpark 3 hours
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