ExploreTūhuratia Kakepuku

Hike a forest trail from the base to the summit of the treasured mountain, Kakepuku.

Takahia tētehi ara i te ngahere mai i te pūtake ki te tihi o tēnei maunga nui whakahirahira o Kakepuku.

Overview

Tirohanga whānui

4 stopsE 4 ngā tūnga3 hours3 haora

A 10 minute drive from Te Awamutu, the maunga (mountain) Kakepuku has great cultural, historical and ecological significance. At its summit is the site of an ancient pā (Māori settlement), Hikurangi Pā Tirohia. The mountain was once surrounded by lush wetlands – these were drained to develop European agriculture. Today, conservation projects are helping wildlife, forests and waterways on and around Kakepuku. Journey with us from the base to the summit of Kakepuku, following a forest track.

10 meneti te roa o te taraiwa i Te Awamutu ki Kakepuku. He maunga whai mana ā-ahurea, ā-hītori, ā-hauropi anō hoki a Kakepuku. Kei tōna taumata te wāhi i tū ai tētehi pā tūwatawata tawhito, ko Hikurangi Pā Tirohia te ingoa. I mua, he repo i te pūtake o te maunga, engari he mea keri ēnei kia pai ai tā te Pākehā mahi pāmu. I tēnei rā, kei te āwhina ngā kaupapa tiaki taiao i te tini o Tāne, i ngā ngahere me ngā wai i runga i a Kakepuku me ōna pūtakenga. Kia whai tātou i te ara kei roto i te ngahere i te pūtake ki te taumata o Kakepuku.

Get driving directionsTīkina ngā tohutohu mō te taraiwa Take the mobile tourMahia atu te tāpoi ā-waea

Kakepuku Historic Reserve – Overview StopTe Kuhunga ki te Rohe o Kakepuku – Te Wāhi Tirohanga Whānui

Orientate yourself to this area and learn why it is significant.

Whakamōhio i a koe ki te takiwā nei, me te ako, he aha i hirahira ai.

Inhabitation Over GenerationsTe Noho mai o Ngā Whakatupuranga

Stand at the foot of Kakepuku maunga (mountain), and hear about some of the first Māori tūpuna (ancestors) and European settlers to inhabit this area.

E tū i te pūtake o te maunga o Kakepuku me te whakarongo ki ngā kōrero mō ngā tūpuna Māori me ngā Pākehā tuatahi i noho i tēnei whenua.

A Changed LandscapeTe Huringa o te Whenua

Take in a view of farmlands that were once lush wetlands, and across to Te Kawa maunga (mountain), from a lookout a short walk from the foot of Kakepuku.

Tirohia ngā pāmu i kapi katoa i te repo i tōna wā, ā, tirohia atu te maunga o Te Kawa i te tirohanga kāore noa e matara atu te whīkoi mai i te pūtake o Kakepuku.

Flora and Fauna TodayNgāi Tupu me Ngāi Kīrehe i Tēnei Rā

Learn how conservation projects are helping wildlife, forests and waterways on and around Kakepuku.

Ako mai i ngā kōrero mō ngā kaupapa manaaki i ngā kararehe, i ngā ngahere me ngā wai, huri i te rohe o Kakepuku.

Kakepuku SummitTe Taumata o Kakepuku

Visit the site of Hikurangi Pā Tirohia, an ancient Māori pā (fortified settlement) that was impenetrable across generations.

Haere ki te wāhi i tū ai a Hikurangi Pā Tirohia, tētehi pā tawhito nō te Māori kāore nei i taea te urutomo i roto i ngā whakatupuranga maha.

Te Nehenehenui (The Great Forest)

Ngā Repo kua Ngaro

Some time after voyaging from Polynesia circa 1200 AD on the Tainui waka (double-hulled canoe), the captain, Hoturoa, ventured inland from Kāwhia. As he came over the mountain Pirongia, into this area, Hoturoa called to his scouts ‘what lies beyond?’

The scouts responded: ‘Te Nehenehenui’ (a great forest). Before them, they saw nothing but an expanse of kahikatea trees.

So, the name Te Nehenehenui was bestowed upon this area. Te Nehenehenui extends all the way south to Te Kūiti. Kakepuku is known as 'te tatau ki Te Nehenehenui' (the door to the great forest).

E ai ki ngā kōrero tuku iho, i ahu mai a Kakepuku i Taupō, i te whai ia i tōna matua. Ka hinga ia i te ātaahua o Te Kawa, kātahi ia ka tū.

I te karapotia a Te Kawa e ōna hoa tāne tokotoru. Ka whawhai a Kakepuku ki a rātou kia riro mai ai a Te Kawa, ā, nāwai rā ka oma rātou. I haere a Kārewa ki te uru, ki reira horoi ai i ōna taotū i te moana e tata ana ki Kāwhia. I tēnei rā e mōhiotia ana ia ko Gannet Island. I haere a Puketarata ki te tonga. I tanuku tōna tihi i te pakanga. I haere a Pukeatua ki te rāwhiti, ki reira punanga ai i te taha o Maungatautari, ā, he tihi ia nō taua maunga.

Kei te kitea tonutia ngā tohu o tā rāua moe tahi i ēnei rā. I te ata mōata, ka ara te kohu i Te Kawa, ka tauawhi i a Kakepuku. Kātahi ka heke te kohu i a Kakepuku ka tāwaikohu i a Te Kawa.

Take the mobile tourMahia atu te tāpoi ā-waea

Presented ByNā
Shane Te RukiWikitōria Tāne

Graphic Novel

He pūrākau whai whakaahua

Kakepuku and Te Kawa

Kakepuku rāua ko Te Kawa

The story of Kakepuku, who was struck by the beauty of the gracefully-shaped Te Kawa, and battled her three husbands for her.

Koinei te kōrero mō Kakepuku i hinga i te ātaahua o Te Kawa, ā, ka pakanga ia ki ōna hoa tāne e toru kia riro mai ai ia.

Travel Information

He mōhiohio ā-kaihora

For best experience of the mobile tour, pack some earphones so you can easily hear the video stories while out and about.

Kia riro pai i ngā hua o te haerenga nei mā runga waea, kawea mai ētehi purutaringa kia rangona pai ai ngā kiriata whakamārama.

Getting There

Te haere atu

If you’re travelling from Hamilton, allow 45 minutes to get to Kakepuku Historic Reserve. If you’re coming from Te Awamutu it’s a 10 minute drive.

Mehemea koe e haere ana i Kirikiriroa, whakawāteatia te 45 meneti mō te haere ki te Papa Hītori o Kakepuku. Mehemea koe e haere ana i Te Awamutu, 10 meneti te roa o te taraiwa.

The Track

Te ara

To walk the track to the summit (449 metres), allow approximately 3 hours return. The track is of easy gradient 3/4 of the way, there are steps on the final incline before the top.

Please use caution when wet, as the track can be slippery. Dogs are prohibited in the reserve.

Whakawāteahia te 3 hāora mō te haere atu me te hoki mai mō te whīkoi i te ara ki te taumata (449 mita). He māmā te ara mō tētehi hautoru (3/4) o te haere, arā ētehi arapiki kei te pikinga whakamutunga i mua i tō taenga ki te taumata.

Kia āta haere i te wā e mākū ana, ka māniania pea te ara. Kāore te kurī e whakaaetia i te papa nei.

Amenities

Ngā ratonga

There is a toilet near the carpark at the bottom of the mountain. Bring your own drinking water, particularly in hot summer months.

He whareiti e tata ana ki te tūnga waka i te pūtake o te maunga. Mauria mai tō ake wai hei inu, me tino pēnei i ngā marama wera o te raumati.