Kāpiti Coast

Waikanae River - 4.5km / 1¼hr

From the Waikanae Bridge, take the track down the river on the true right bank (north).

Follow the main track downstream for 4.5km. Pass a footbridge over the river and continue under the expressway. Cross the second footbridge towards the Otaihanga Domain.

Otaihanga, Estuary and Scientific Reserve — 2.5km / ½hr

Exit bridge into Otaihanga Domain. Immediately turn sharp right on the river side of the toilets. Follow the true left bank (south side).

After 500m, veer left to the boardwalk and track through the Waikanae Estuary Scientific Reserve.

Ignore side tracks. After 15 minutes, join an older section of the Reserve Track that exits onto Manly Street. 

Turn right and follow the grass verge for 5min, skirting the lagoons. Just before the houses, turn right, leaving the verge to enter another section of the Waikanae Estuary Scientific Reserve.

Follow boardwalks over the swamp, sand dunes and onto the beach.

Paraparaumu Beach to Raumati South — 8.5km / 3hr

At the beach, turn left (south) by yellow Marine Reserve triangles. Weather and tide permitting, keep on the beach heading south for 8km.

Walking along the beach is safe and accessible right to Queen Elizabeth Park except in extremely high tides; in this case, use local roads running parallel to the beach. All major streams are bridged.

You can divert to cafes near high-rise apartments at the boat launch area.

At the end of Raumati South Beach, turn inland through piles of driftwood, where you see a triangular “Total Fire Ban” sign. Continue for a short distance, then turn right onto the Coastal Track. 

Queen Elizabeth Park — 3.5km / 1½hr

Follow the undulating Coastal Track — the one nearest to the sea — for about 1.5km to the picnic and toilet area. Turn left (inland) onto a sealed road for 100m.

Turn right at the next road intersection and follow another 100m before rejoining the coastal track.

In August 2018, the Coastal Track at Raumati South was closed due to coastal erosion. The alternatives are:

• Continue along the beach at low tide
• Continue on the Coastal Track at your own risk,
• or use the alternative Inland Track. Follow a track uphill to the north briefly. This soon joins up with the Inland Track. Head along this, down a hill and join a major sealed track. Turn right (south), and a short distance along, turn right onto a small track signposted “Coastal Track 900 metres”. This takes you back onto the Coastal Track — continue as above.

At the end of the Coastal Track, cross the small Wainui Stream and continue along the beach until you see a large building, the Surf Life Saving Club, on your left. A little way past this, head up onto the north end of The Parade. An alternative is to use the road bridge 100m upstream and cross a field on the right to the Surf Life Saving Club.

Paekākāriki - 2km / ½hr

Continue along The Parade for 1.7km, then turn left into Beach Road, Paekākāriki’s main street.

Cross over the pedestrian crossing to the right-hand side of the road and head past the shops toward the railway lines.