1 active Westland Tai Poutini alert
- CautionActive landslide zones on Copland TrackDo not stop in either of Copland Track’s signposted active landslide zones; take extra care during and after heavy rain.Official details
Overview
About Pakihi Lookout
Why stop
- Wetland, forest and alpine views from a short track.
Heads up
- The short climb is steep, and cloud can hide the distant peaks.
Map
Where it is
Loading the Westland Tai Poutini map
Full mapPlan your stop
Before you go
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Westland Tai Poutini Tour Guide
Your drive to Pakihi Lookout, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Westland Tai Poutini National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Westland Tai Poutini audio tourRecorded for this place
Pakihi Walk: Wetland, Forest and Mountains0:00 / 0:25
“The start of Pakihi Walk is ahead on the road to Ōkārito.”
Plays as you drive up to Pakihi Lookout in the Parkwolf Westland Tai Poutini Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Rowi Keep the Family Together
- Why Pakihi Stays Open
- The Blue Duck's Soft Bill
- Ōkārito Wharf: a Gold-Rush Port
- 49 audio storiesacross Westland Tai Poutini’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Kea, Blue Duck, Kererū, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 31 trails, 53 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
More about Pakihi Lookout
A short climb with a wide payoffPakihi Lookout is a small platform at the end of Pakihi Walk, above the Ōkārito area's pakihi…
Pakihi Lookout is a small platform at the end of Pakihi Walk, above the Ōkārito area's pakihi wetland and native forest. The walk is 1 km return on the same track and takes about 30 minutes. It’s a handy add-on if you’re already driving toward Ōkārito. The climb is short but steep, so don’t mistake the quick time for a flat stroll.
Finding the startFrom Franz Josef, head 15 km north and turn left at the Ōkārito turnoff.
From Franz Josef, head 15 km north and turn left at the Ōkārito turnoff. The walk is signposted 5.7 km along that road, on the right. Dogs aren’t allowed on the track. Ōkārito has no shops or service stations, so sort out food and fuel before you turn off.
Wetland into forestThe path crosses pakihi swamp, then climbs through kāmahi and rimu forest to the platform.
The path crosses pakihi swamp, then climbs through kāmahi and rimu forest to the platform. That quick change from open wet ground to taller native forest is part of the stop, not just a way up. Birdlife is another reason to pause on the climb.
The view from aboveFrom the platform, look over rainforest and coastal landforms toward the Southern Alps.
From the platform, look over rainforest and coastal landforms toward the Southern Alps. Aoraki/Mount Cook is on the skyline, and Franz Josef Glacier may appear as a distant glimpse when the cloud breaks. For a photo, keep some of the open pakihi and treetops below the snowy ridgeline; it shows the landscape between you and the mountains, not just the peaks.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Westland Tai Poutini
89 sightingsKeaMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
10 sightingsBlue DuckMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
80 sightingsKererūMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
38 sightingsTūīMost seen around 5 AMSighting map
10 sightingsNew Zealand FalconMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
28 sightingsYellow-crowned ParakeetMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Westland Tai Poutini. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
