Driving from Mokihinui to Karamea | West Coast | New Zealand | 4K

Categories: West Coast Region

Tags: driving, karamea, mokihinui, new zealand, west coast

Added: 2 years ago

Driving from Mokihinui to Karamea, on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. Driving from Mokihinui to Karamea is about 53km.

Mokihinui is a small coastal settlement about 40km north of Westport on the western side of Kahurangi National Park. The Mokihinui River is a top-quality river providing fantastic wilderness fishing, with large heads of fish that can easily reach trophy size. The river is one of the country's top wilderness rivers, with great fishing along its length, with the two upper branches being the most popular. The river gives access to Trout, Whitebaiting, Herring, and Kahawai fishing in the bordering river; and surf casting for Rig and Snapper off the beach.

The Kahurangi National Park is on the town's doorstep. It is the perfect spot for a relaxing break away or to use as a base for hunting, fishing, or whitebaiting. There are various accommodation options available in Mokihinui, with great dining options. The town is situated between the sea and the foothills of the Glasgow Range. SH67 passes through Mokihinui just before its northernmost end. Mokihinui is the perfect place to relax. You can light a bonfire on the beach, toast marshmallows on the fire, or listen to the waves lapping at your doorstep.

Karamea is a coastal town about a 100km drive north of Westport. It is the northernmost settlement of reasonable size on the West Coast. The town is secluded, being located between the mountains and the sea. As such, it offers excellent tramping, fishing, kayaking, and caving. The Karamea area is on the border of Kahurangi National Park. It is a natural wonderland with opportunities for hiking, caving, birdwatching, mountain biking, fishing and hunting, kayaking, and rafting. Karamea has many short walks nearby, including the Scotts Beach Walk and the Nikau Walk with each highlighting Karamea's natural bush and coastal features.

The Heaphy Track is excellent for families or those new to tramping. It starts or finishes at Kohaihai, 16km north of Karamea. From May through September, the Heaphy is also open to mountain biking. Other trails, including the Wangapeka and Karamea-Leslie Tracks, are popular too. There are guided walks and kayaking into the Oparara Arch and Cave and the Honeycomb Hill Caves from Karamea. When you visit, you feel like you have entered another world – it is beauty born of a million years of isolation.