Hapuku Hut | Ka Whata Tu o Rakihouia Conservation Park

The hut is located in a sunny spot and is well cared for. It’s a typical New Zealand Forest Service SF 70 hut, with a good porch added later.

Not advisable to visit if heavy rain is forecast, as there are plenty of river crossings.

This is part of a circuit around Mt Fyffe that crosses Kowhai Saddle.

The river travel from the car park is easy enough when the river is down, as the Kaikoura earthquake has filled the valley with gravel, but you do need to cross the Hapuku River a few times. The hardest crossing is just before you start the climb. Then you clamber up through the forest, which is short and sharp, and immediately drop back to the river to get around a short gorge and to climb above a slip. After that, there is a chunky rockfall area to traverse.

category . . . standard hut

hut fee . . . from 1 July 2026

Adult (18+ years): $15.00 per night
Youth (5–17 years): $7.50 per night
Child/Infant (0–4 years): free

Before you go, buy 1 Standard Hut Ticket (blue for adults, red for youth) for each night of your stay. Put this in the honesty box at the hut. A Backcountry Hut Pass is also valid year-round.

booking . . . not required all year for either hut or camping

campsite fee . . . free to camp

elevation . . . 555 m

bunks . . . 6 mattresses, on bunks

built . . . about 1970

heating . . . woodburner

water . . . 50 m to Hapuku River

toilet . . . 1 x longdrop