The Horokaka Track in the Tangihua Ranges

The view from the top

The Tangihua Ranges most popular day tramp

The Horokaka Track is an ideal school camp tramp. From the Tangihua Lions Lodge access road to the Horokaka Transmitteris considered to be one of Northlands most educational and scenic one day tramps.

Horokaka Track Access and Route

There are two ways to get to Horokaka;

• via the Te Haua Uru Route and then the Tangihua Main Ridge, or
• via the Horokaka Track.

The Horokaka Track is the quicker, safer and easier of the two options.

The Horokaka Track officially starts on the access road to the Lodge but you can also get there by following the Nature Trail, Whakapono Track or Tumanako Track. If leaving from the Lodge the easiest access is along the Whakapono Track that starts immediately behind the Lodge.

Horokaka Track Time and Difficulty Level

Depending on the route you take, the tramp will take 2 to 3 hours to get to the top and 1 to 2 hours to get back down again.

Most of the track is unformed and some sections are narrow and bit tricky but the whole length is well marked with DoC’s orange markers. Classes of year 7 and 8s have completed this tramp without difficulty. It is an excellent tramp for exuberant teenagers whose caregivers want a good night’s sleep.

You need to be careful with the weather as the top of the track is high enough that low cloud can restrict visibility at times. Take plenty of water, as you won’t cross any streams, and warm clothing, as it can be windy and cold up on the ridges.

What you will see on the walk to Horokaka

Most of the walk is through thick native vegetation. The first section of the track goes through an area of the forest that had been logged, burnt and grazed before the Tangihua Ranges became a reserve. This area has regenerated well and the track will take you through ever changing scenery and a range of different forest types.

Further up the range you will enter areas of forest that escaped any major destruction and therefore has much more mature trees. Even in this area the scenery is ever changing, with different species dominating the forest at different elevations.

If you want to know more about the forest, the history of the area and the plants, birds and insects you might find, browse through the pages on this website.

What you will see when you get to Horokaka

The climb up the Horokaka Track is well worth the effort for the view at the top.

When standing next to the transmitter the stunning view includes both the Kaipara and Whangarei harbours, the Tasman Sea, the Hen and Chicken islands, Whangarei and Dargaville. On a clear evening the lights of Auckland can be seen on the horizon.

The panoramic, coast to coast views makes this an ideal spot to experience and understand Northlands geology and geography. You can clearly see how the volcanoes line up and where the main towns and cities lie in relation to harbours and rivers.

Important Information

When walking the tracks you are likely to notice a range of different coloured markers.

DO NOT

follow any markers other than the orange markers.

The other markers indicate the location of trap and bait station lines that are part of a range of conservation programs underway in the Tangihua Forest, including;

• Tangihua Community Pest Control Area: Targeting pests on farm land with local farmers and the Northland Regional Council
• Conservation on DoC Land: Tangihua Lions Lodge Conservation and Education project
• Conservation Education: Creating a high quality, accessible educational center surrounded by a fully functional ecosystem for schools and any one else who may choose to use the facility.
• Volunteers Options : How you can help protect our native bush.

For more information or to book the Tangihua Lions Lodge please click here.

You may be interested in our conservation project aiming to restore the forest. If so, visit our conservation page.