Walk Details
NZ Walking Routes > Waikato > Te Awamutu > Kaniwhaniwha Caves – Pirongia Forest Park
Kaniwhaniwha Caves – Pirongia Forest Park
- Location
- The Park is near Hamilton and has many access points. Some access ways cross private land. To protect the Te Awamutu water supply, access is not encouraged in the Mangauika catchment.
- Description
Pirongia Forest Park is known for its most widely recognised landmark, Mt Pirongia (959 metres). The Park consists of four separate blocks of land, including Mt Karioi, close to Raglan.
The two limestone caves are near the start of the Bell Track, 5 minutes from the Nikau Walk junction. You can walk through the 20 m long main cave, except for a short hands-and-knees crawl. The cave is wet underfoot and torches are required. The second smaller cave is tight and narrow.
From the Kaniwhaniwha Caves follow the Bell track to the tallest recorded kahikatea tree, a mighty 66.5 metres high. Native birds have diminished in number over recent years, but you are still likely to see grey warblers, fantails,tomtits, pippits, harriers, kingfishers, New Zealand falcons, kereru, tui, bellbirds and whitehead.
See Nikau walk for more information.
- Distance
- 2.5 km
- Level
- Medium
- Amenities
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- Birds
- Camping
- Carpark
- Fishing
- Historical
- Picnics
- Plant Life
- Swimming
- Toilets
- Source
- www.doc.govt.nz
- Discussion
- Start a discussion on this walk