Historic & Scenic Karangahake Gorge – South of Auckland

South of Auckland is a great place to go for a drive. This area has a lot to offer to those who want to get back to nature or just take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city.

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If you are travelling around New Zealand, the best way is by car. Not only do you get to see more but you will also find more hidden gems that the average traveller doesn’t see.

Need a Car?

If you want to book a car, you can try using one of these car rental websites, EconomyBookings.com, DiscoverCars, Expedia or RentalCars.

Need Accommodation?

Try using these accommodation websites to find a comfortable place to sleep after your day exploring, Booking.com, Agoda and Expedia.

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All prices and times were correct when this was written or updated, but please check the websites when you wish to visit.

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Stops to Make South of Auckland

Pokeno

Less than 45 minutes south of Auckland, on the other side of the Bombay Hills, is the little township of Pokeno, which is great for a Sunday drive. For years it has been the stopping-off point for travellers, especially at the Original Pokeno Ice Cream Shop. It’s an excellent place to enjoy a break in the drive south and east.

Of course, there is more than ice cream here, it is also a takeaway, including pies, sandwiches and fried foods. With 40 delicious flavours, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

If you visit on a Sunday between 8 am-2 pm, you can also visit the Farmers’ Markets held on the other side of the Original Ice Cream Shop.

How to Get Here

Take the Pokeno turn-off from Highway 1. The Pokeno Ice Cream and Coffee Shop is at 57 Great South Road, 57 km from Auckland City.

Hours

6 am – 6 pm daily

Karangahake Gorge

An hour-and-a-half southeast of Auckland is the Karangahake Gorge, steeped in history, walks and waterfalls.

A large car park is on the right-hand side of the road, coming from Auckland. It is from here that you start your walks in the Karangahake Gorge. Click here to find a list of them.

Tracks taking 5-minutes to nearly 3 hours, lead you to places of interest. Here you can see historic sites and nature at its best.

I did the tunnel loop track, which starts just after you cross the bridge. You can use either route once you’re on the other side. I chose to go up first instead of over the second bridge, which followed the river downstream. After crossing another bridge over the main highway, it takes you to the entrance to the old rail tunnel. Walking through here, it’s just over a kilometre long at 1086 metres.

This tunnel was built from 1900 to 1905 to quicken up the process of getting the gold out, with rail being a lot quicker than the pack horses they had in the early 1900s.

Once you have passed through, turn right, which takes you back to the car park via the loop track. You could also carry on for another 3km to Owharoa Falls.

How to Get Here

Karangahake Gorge is an hour and a half or 129 km from Auckland City. From Highway 1, take the State Highway 2 turnoff at Pokeno. 80 km (1 hour) from Pokeno, the Gorge car park will be on the right-hand side of the road.

Owharoa Falls Karangahake Gorge

The beautiful Owharoa Falls are south of Auckland at Karangahake Gorge. They’re only a one-minute walk off the road and two minutes from the car park. Turn off the main road when you’re through the Karangahake Gorge, and cross the one-way bridge. You then turn left just after into the car park. Just 100m up the road is the entrance to the track and a minute down is the falls.

With such an easy walk, it’s hard to believe these Falls can be so beautiful, but they are. You can swim here, but it’s not recommended as strong currents, deep holes, snags, and slippery rocks can be fatal.

How to Get Here

Owharoa Falls car park is a 5-minute drive from Karangahake Gorge. The Falls are then a 2-minute walk down a small track on the other side of the road from the car park.

You can also walk from the Karangahake Tunnel Walk.

Paeroa

South of Auckland is the township of Paeroa, home to the iconic carbonated drink L & P.

If you’re after lunch or dinner on your trip, the L & P Café is the place to stop and refresh.

Here you can try many L & P-inspired dishes, including ice cream.

Only about 10 minutes back toward Auckland from Karangahake Gorge, Paeroa is a great little town. There are plenty of places to eat including the L & P Café in Thames. You can also have your photo taken with the big L & P bottle.

L & P Cafe Hours

8 am – 8 pm daily

How to Get Here

Paeroa is less than an hour from Auckland City on State Highway 2. Take the turn-off from State Highway 1 at Pokeno.

Conclusion

Whether it’s a Sunday drive you’re taking south of Auckland to Karangahake Gorge or just spending time in the area, there is much more to see and do.

To read my blog on Cathedral Cove nearby on the Coromandel Peninsula, click here.

There is so much to see and do in the Auckland area, and if you want to see more, you can read my blogs on 25 Best Attractions to See in Auckland N.Z. and Things to See and Do in The 2 Best of Auckland’s Wild Coast Beaches. For other areas of New Zealand, click here.

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Links

If you’d like to read more of my blogs on Australia, you can find them on the following links; Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Camping and Silo Art, or if you’re after New Zealand, the United Kingdom or Photography, you can click on their links.

Travel Resources

• Flights, Accommodation & Car Hire – You can search for the cheapest flights and accommodation using Booking.com, Skyscanner, Hopper and WayAway, which has 5% cashback.
• Car Hire – Take to the open road with great deals from EconomyBookings.com, RentalCars.com and DiscoverCars.
• Train & Bus Tickets UK & Europe – Use Trainline to plan and book your rail and train travel in the UK and Europe.
• Travel Insurance – is your number one thing to pack when you’re travelling. Cover-More Australia, Cover-More New Zealand, EKTA, Travel Insurance Master and Insubuy are invaluable in keeping you insured during your travels.
• Attractions – buy before you leave home with these great sites, Big Bus Tour, Get Your Guide, GoCity and Viator.
• House Sitting – is a great way to save on accommodation and Trusted Housesitters has house sits all around the world for you to try.
• Photo Editing – is a great way to bring your photos to life and you can try Luminar Neo, which I use.
• Visa Applications – apply online for your visa requirements with iVisa.
• Sim cards – Try Airalo is the world’s first eSIM store that solves the pain of high roaming bills by giving travellers access to eSIMs (digital SIM cards).

If you want more tips, try my Travel Links and Resource page.

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