Motatapu Track tramping info

There are a steady stream of enquries about the Motatapu Track between Wanaka and Arrowtown. People must be planning well ahead for their spring and summer tramping trips. I can't imagine many would be walking it at this time of year when there's likely to be snow over much of it.

I haven't tramped the Motataup myself. And I don't expect to in the immediate future either. The Wanaka and Queenstown area has such a wealth of wonderful tramping routes that the Motatapu isn't likely to rise to the top of my list for a while yet.

However I accept it does appeal to a lot of people. So to help people with their planning, here are the best links I could find, all in one place:

Three best links for Motatapu Track

• Motatapu Track 22-24 November 2008   This is a slide show of an Otago Tramping & Mountaineering Club trip through the Motatapu

• Motatapu Track brochure   The official DoC brochure on the Motatapu Track

• N Z Tramper website  Motatapu Track information on Matthew Walker's website

Comments

[Rod T]

I led a party from the Rangiora Tramping Club over the Motutapu Track in November 2008. We had fine weather all the way, and enjoyed the trip. Brand new huts, great views, well marked track.

But DoC at Wanaka warned us not to underestimate it, and they were right. There is a fair bit of strenuous sidling across steep snowgrass slopes. These would be very exposed in a southerly, and the saddles are quite high at 1300m or so.

The new hut at Fern Burn has since been opened, which will add some flexibility to the schedule. It also helps if you can get a friendly 4WD'er to pick you up at Macetown.

Overall a great trip, just check the forecast beforehand.

[Frank]

Thanks for adding the useful info, Rod. I've just been talking to a young American couple, Parker & Celeste, who loved the Motatapu especially after a lot of flat tramping and road walks on the Southland section of the Te Araroa.