From Akaroa, head north along SH75 and turn right onto Long Bay Road. Follow it up over the hill and down the other side; the main entrance to Hinewai Reserve will be on your right, about 1.4 km after the Summit Road intersection. The main car park offers good parking, though it can fill up quickly on long weekends and holidays—street parking along the road is a handy alternative if needed. You’ll find an information board with reserve maps at the entrance, and donations are greatly appreciated to help support the reserve’s ongoing conservation work.

Start your walk along the West Track, a well-maintained, wide, and gentle downhill path (a pit toilet is available near the trailhead). Fuchsia Falls is arguably the most accessible waterfall in the entire reserve. The track is very well signposted, taking only about 15 minutes of easy downhill walking to reach the falls, where you can walk right up to the base.

If you are just visiting Fuchsia Falls, return the way you came. The return trip takes roughly 35 minutes in total (allowing around 20 minutes for the uphill walk back to the car park).

If you have more time, we highly recommend continuing along the trail system rather than heading straight back. Combining Fuchsia Falls with Ghost Falls, Hinewai Falls, and Boundary Falls creates a fantastic 2 to 2.5-hour waterfall loop through the reserve, allowing you to see four unique waterfalls in a single outing.

To experience the falls with strong water flow, plan your visit after a solid rainfall, or schedule your trip for late autumn, winter, or early spring.