Makarora: Forest Walks, Flights and Jet Boat Experiences

Makarora combines short forest walks with longer hikes and trips by plane, helicopter or jet boat. The settlement is on the Haast Pass Highway between Wānaka and the West Coast and offers easy access to Mount Aspiring National Park. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday home, it can therefore help to consider whether you want to make a short loop, a guided tour or a multi-part wilderness adventure the focus of your trip.

Forest walks for different day plans

For a short stroll, the Makarora Bush Walk is a one-kilometre loop, with a walking time of 15 minutes. The track passes through podocarp and silver beech forest; the named tree species include mataī, miro, kahikatea and rimu. Along the way, a pit saw illustrates early timber processing. The trailhead is at the car park north of the Makarora DOC base. The loop thus combines impressions of the forest with a tangible insight into local timber processing.

Another option in the settlement is the Charteris Track: it is 1.1 kilometres long and forms part of a loop through Makarora. The track connects with the Nature Walk and continues to Rata Road. Those looking for a longer backcountry trail will find the challenging Makarora Track nearby. The 10.5-kilometre route has a stated walking time of seven hours; along the way, it passes Stewart Falls and leads to the four-bunk Makarora Hut. The short Bush Walk loop and this challenging track offer very different kinds of walks.

Nearby, the Blue Pools Track leads through native silver beech forest to a swing bridge over the Makarora River and a second swing bridge above the Blue Pools. No booking is required for this track. There are toilets at the Blue Pools car park, including an accessible toilet.

Flights, guided walks and jet boats

The Tiel Discovery Trail tour flies from Makarora to the head of the Tiel Hanging Valley and back. It includes a marked walk described as easy to moderate and taking two to three hours. Conservation specialists from the Aspiring Biodiversity Trust accompany the tour. The flight and guided walk together make for a different kind of outing than the short forest walks.

The Siberia Experience combines a 25-minute flight, a three-hour walk through Mount Aspiring National Park and a jet boat ride. It starts in Makarora with the flight. Wilkin River Jets also offers jet boat rides on shallow water and operates the “Siberia Wilderness Adventure” in Mount Aspiring National Park. Backcountry Helicopters offers Heli Siberia, a day trip combining a helicopter flight, walk and jet boat ride; the company also specialises in adventure scenic flights and jet boat tours, and offers wilderness adventures in Makarora.

Getting your bearings in the settlement

There are toilets in the community, but no visitor centre in Makarora. Makarora Country Cafe serves coffee, desserts and savoury food. This gives you a range of options for planning your day: a short forest loop, a longer backcountry track or an outing combining a flight with other activities. If you are looking for accommodation, you can choose Makarora as your base and tailor your search to the experiences that matter most for your trip.

Discover more places

These places are also part of the wider selection: Hawea Flat, Dingle Burn, Lower Shotover, Arrowtown, Queenstown, Gibbston, Wanaka and Moonlight.

For the broader travel overview: Queenstown Lakes District.