Mangaharakeikei Falls

A Hidden gem, 60 meters high, Mangaharakeikei Falls is found in the Tararua Range. There is no official track to the waterfall, though it is easily seen from the SH-57.

Driving and walking conditions
GPS of the view point:	S 40° 29' 47.8242" E 175° 29' 36.3078"
Parking:	Makerua Rd/State Highway 57
Vehicle type:	Track type:
Road type: State HW	Return track duration: 1min
Waterfall parameters
Waterfall height: 60m	Type of the waterfall: Multi-step

Rating:       ⭐⭐
GPS:          S 40° 29' 47.8242" E 175° 29' 36.3078"
Parking:     Makerua Rd/State Highway 57
Access:     1min return walk

Walking and driving instructions

Mangaharakeikei Falls is roughly a 25 minutes’ drive away from Palmerston North or 1.5 hours’ from Wellington. The road surface is always sealed.

From Palmerston North travel south on the SH-57 for 24km. From the intersection with Albert Rd continue on to the SH-57 for 1 more km until you reach a small bridge over the Mangaharakeikei Stream. There is not official car park there, so leave your car on a roadside.

The waterfall is seen on your left and very well observed from the main road. Admit its beauty from a distance.

The best time to visit this waterfall is a sunny afternoon. In the morning the waterfall is less observed due to hills’ shade; hence it will be difficult to take good photos.

Maybe a closer approach is possible. Talk to the landowners - a couple of private roads lead to the waterfall’s direction. However, we haven’t tried it yet, so can’t tell for sure whether it’s possible or not.