Kauritatahi Hut

Kauritatahi Hut is maintained with assistance from members of NZDA Thames Valley.

It is accessed on a side track from the main North South track around 30 minutes south from Thompsons summit. This side track is a rough track needing care. Initially as it sidles Ngatamahinerua it is just a case of following the track through exuberant vegetation.

Then a point is reached where there is a tree on your right with various markings and some pink paint on it. The track to the hut veers left from here, but you can also veer off to the right following tape, etc down into the gully to the site of the 1963 DC3 crash. Please resepect that site as a place where there were no survivors of the crash

The track to the hut continues on, now getting to some really muddy patches, plus some rock scrambling. Eventually there is a 90 degree turn to the left down to the hut, at its superb location looking out to the Bay Of Plenty.

The hut has 4 bunks. There is also a helicopter landing site between the hut and the toilet where it would be possible to fit a few tents.

​​​​​​​During the 2026 summer NZDA Thames Valley members working for KRT did an amazing renovation of the hut.

There is an introduction to this hut on our Hut Guides page here - see the Kaimai Cullers Huts file

If you have photos of this hut or the surrounding area, or want to advise of any maintenance issues, please send them to kaimairidgeway@gmail.com