WEST TO EAST HEAPHY IS THE BETTER DIRECTION!!!

With our car relocation business we often go through the track either way on foot or bike due to our logistics. People regularly ask us ‘Which is the better way to do the track?’. Well, having cumulatively gone through the track close to a thousand times we can unequivocally say West - East (Kohaihai - Brown) is the better way. Whether biking, walking or running the Kohaihai - Heaphy section is a much gentler way to start. It’s 17kms of undulating, stunningly beautiful coastal section which is both a great warm up for your journey and also best savoured when you are fresh! The 12kms uphill from Lewis to MacKay is nicely graded and maintained track and a much gentler way to get up onto the top of the track. The section from MacKay - Gouland has some incredible mountain bike riding when going West - East; it has a fantastic flow to it and overall more downhill than going Gouland - MacKay. We also enjoy going ‘against’ the general flow of people on the track, therefore having different people at the huts each night. The end of your journey is then the 17kms downhill to Brown - an incredible length of downhill for biking, and a nice walk out with your packs at their lightest having eaten all your food! Starting with the 17kms uphill from Brown to Perry can be a demoralising initiation to the journey and quite arduous with your fully laden packs/gear. What better way to end your Heaphy experience than in Golden Bay - with a plethora of beaches, accommodation, pubs and restaurants. Also, it’s worth considering the travel times: Nelson - Brown and then the arduous walk to Perry is about 7 - 9 hours. Nelson - Kohaihai then the beautiful walk to Heaphy is about 7 - 8 hours. If you are using Heaphy Track Help’s vehicle relocation the prices are: $495 (GST Incl.) for Brown - Kohaihai and $395 (GST Incl) Kohaihai - Brown. Whichever way you end up going, the Heaphy is amazing!

Feel free to CONTACT US for gear recommendations or further advice. Remember a great way to sort your Heaphy Track Transport logistics is to have your private or rental car relocated. If you are Mountain Biking the Heaphy Track it is fantastic not to be tied into scheduled services and have the freedom to start and finish on your terms and have your own bike transport gear. Check out Heaphy Track Help’s HEAPHY TRACK CAR RELOCATION options.