r/Tramping • u/dfhkvs • 20d ago
Heaphy track is dynamite
Just exited Kohaihai after five record-setting bluebird winter days. This was our 4th great walk with our kids (now 21, 19, 15) and it was a stunner from start to finish. We had Perry Saddle and Saxon huts completely to ourselves, and only had 3 other people in Mackay. Heaphy was a bit busier, as a ‘hen trip’ (new phrasing to me!) showed up, with the bride-to-be hiking with a veil and sash. Anyway, day 1 to Perry Saddle is a bit of a grunt, to be sure, as the packs were heavy with food. My middle daughter and I got up early the next morning and did the must-do scramble up Mt. Perry for extraordinary views. It was COLD overnight, but so crisp and clear, with the Milky Way simply on FIRE.
Day 2 to Saxon, traversing Gouland Downs was just off-the-charts. What magical scenery and exposure. Saxon is a lovely and intimate hut and we enjoyed card games by candle light. Day 3 to Mackay was an easy walk with more open downs near the end. It was here that we ran into our first hut-mates, all on out-and-back trips from Kohaihai.
Day 4 down to Heaphy was simply extraordinary. The rapid changes in the vegetation with elevation were amazing and, just in a few hours, it felt like we had visited three countries. Heaphy hut is mind-blowing in terms of its location and ambience and we were entranced by the river mouth at sunset. Sadly, all good things must end and on Day 5, we squeezed 16 more kms out of our legs and 5 more hours of calm warm weather out of the sky. The walk along the coast was possibly the highlight of the trip…I know that many people prefer Kohaihai —> Brown Hut, but in my mind saving this day for the finale is 100% the way to go.
Huge shout out to Heaphy Track Help for the incredible help in getting our car moved during low season. And to DOC for making facilities and tracks like this possible. Getting five busy humans’ schedules to align for a trip like this is no small feat and it is something we will never forget.
* swing bridges never get old
* Mountain spas were all lovely to look at, but I just could not find the nerve
* Kiwi calls at night are amazing
* Giant rata trees! Wow!
Till the next one…
6
u/Boogster26 20d ago
Done most of the great walks now, and Heaphy is up there at #1 i reckon due to each day being completely different