Three nights in the Waioeka Gorge, a walk a day, all meals, and only one small group on the station at a time. From November.
How a small group booking works
There’s only ever one group on the station at a time, so the people you walk with are the only people you’ll see on the tracks or at the table. Until now that meant you needed a full group of your own. Now you don’t, because we’ll put you with a few others who want the same week, and that becomes the group for those three nights.
Tell us how many and roughly when.
Put your names down below and pick up to three windows that suit. It takes a minute and there’s nothing to pay.
We match the week.
As a window fills, Mary puts the people who want it together and emails you a date. If it doesn’t suit, you say so and stay on the list for the next one.
Then you book.
The walk is $900 a person for the three nights, with every meal included, and a 30% deposit holds your date once you’ve got one you’re happy with.
Register your interest
The most common message we’ve had since June is some version of “can two of us come?”, and until now the answer has been no, because we only take one group at a time and we had no way of making a group out of two of you. So this is the other way to do it. Tell us how many of you there are and which windows suit, and we’ll put you with a few others who want the same week. It’s still a small group and still the only one here, it’s just not all your own people. You’re not committing to anything by filling this in, and you’ll hear from us by email, not a booking system.
“A highlight for me was spending a quiet moment looking over the tarn, it was magically peaceful. The homecooked meals were the perfect fuel for the days walk. The evening swims in the river were so refreshing.” - Chrissy, from the guest book
Three walks, with the same bed to come back to
You’ll explore the farm, native bush and hill country on three marked, self-guided walks. Each starts and finishes at your accommodation, so your main bag stays put and you only carry what you need for the day. The tarn is the longer outing, so a reasonable level of fitness will help.
The Creek Walk
Your first walk follows the creek through native bush, past small waterfalls and a spreading pukatea tree before climbing above the valley. You’ll head out after your arrival briefing on Thursday, so aim to reach us by 2 pm to leave time for the walk.
4 km · Around 2 hours
The Waterfall Walk
Friday takes you through paddocks and bush, with a side track to a 15-metre terraced waterfall. There’s a proper climb after the falls, but the ridgeline gives you a view across the gorge and plenty of reason to stop along the way.
10 km · Around 3–4 hours
The Tarn Walk
Saturday is the longer day, taking you from river flats through farmland and into native forest. You’ll climb to Kahikatea Tarn and follow the track around the water, with the option to walk further before heading back for a hot shower.
13–18 km · Around 5–7 hours
The river across the road is the swim after the tarn, and in summer most people take it. The Before You Arrive page walks you through the three days hour by hour, and has the packing list.
Meet Mary and Bob
We’ve welcomed guests to Wairata for more than 35 years. Bob grew up on the station, and Mary spent her working life nursing in Ōpōtiki, so there’s plenty of local knowledge and a few stories to share when you get back from the tracks.
The walks are the new part. For years the tracks were family routes, the ones Bob took when he needed to clear his head or had grandkids to show something, and most of the people who stayed with us came to fish or to get away rather than to walk. It turns out those same tracks are what people now want to come for. So the chalets are the same, the dinners are Mary’s, and the difference is that the day is yours on the tracks and ours at the table.
Before you ask
How fit do I need to be?
A reasonable level of fitness helps, and you don’t need to be a serious tramper. The Creek Walk is two hours, the Waterfall Walk is three to four with a proper climb in the middle, and the tarn is the long day at five to seven hours. Nobody’s timing you, and the tracks start and finish at the door, so you carry a day pack and nothing else.
What’s included?
Three nights in the chalets and cabins, Thursday to Sunday, three marked self-guided walks, and every meal: breakfast each morning, packed lunches for the trails and home-cooked dinners. Bedding and towels are provided. You bring your boots and a day pack, and the Before You Arrive page has the full list.
What does it cost?
$900 a person for the three nights with everything in. A 30% deposit holds your date, and you only pay it once you’ve agreed to a date. Cancellations more than 60 days before arrival are refunded in full; inside 60 days the deposit is non-refundable.
Where do we sleep?
Your group will stay across two chalets and two newly built cabins, all together alongside the gazebo. Everyone has their own bed, though you may share a room with others in the group. There are proper beds, somewhere to dry your boots and hang wet jackets, and three shared bathrooms with flush toilets and hot showers. The gazebo is where everyone comes together to put their feet up, get to know each other and settle in for the evening.
When are the weekends?
The season runs from November to the end of May, one weekend at a time with one group on the station, so there are 5 weekends left this season. The windows on the form are the months still open.
Can I come on my own?
Yes. Put your name down as one and we’ll match you with others who want the same week. Most people who’ve asked us this are one or two, so you won’t be the only pair in the group.
What happens after I register?
Mary emails you when a window has enough people to run. If the date suits, you pay the deposit and it’s yours. If it doesn’t, you tell us and you stay on the list for the next window you picked.
What about food allergies?
Tell us when we’re in touch about a date. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and allergies are all fine with notice, because Mary cooks everything here.
Will I have reception?
Very limited, which the guest book treats as a feature. “Love the darkness, no street lights, no cars.” was Jaki and Steve’s line, and that’s about the size of it.
How do I get there?
We’re in the Waioeka Gorge on State Highway 2, forty minutes south of Ōpōtiki and about an hour and twenty from Gisborne, which has regular flights from Auckland and Wellington. We send directions for the last stretch once you’ve got a date.
Already got your own group?
If you’ve already got a full group together, you can book a weekend of your own on the walks page.