The Pororari River Track is one of the most underrated day walks in Aotearoa, just outside Punakaiki on the West Coast of the South Island. Due to its short(ish) length, it's the perfect way to experience the beauty of the West Coast without committing to the entire 73km Paparoa Great Walk!

Track overview

• Difficulty: Easy

• Length: 7.7km

• Time: 1.5 hours return

The first 15 minutes of the trail follow the emerald-green waters of the Pororari River through a limestone gorge before popping out at a lookout. Here, you'll find a picnic bench and a lookout with jaw-dropping views of the towering cliffs. This is the perfect place to stop if you’re not up for the full hike but still want to take some beautiful photos.

If you keep going, the trail narrows and climbs for another 2.5km before reaching a suspension bridge. This is a great spot to take (more!) photos and have lunch before returning to the car via the same path.

How to get there

The track starts from a carpark beside the Pororari River bridge, 1 km north of the Paparoa National Park Visitors Centre and Pancake Rocks.