A SKY HIGH ADVENTURE
25 JANUARY 2024
On Top Of The World (Well, The Forest Canopy Anyway)
The West Coast Tree Top Walk is a canopy walk above the rainforest in Hokitika, New Zealand, standing at 20 metres high with a length of 450 metres.
Thet track offers views across the rimu and kamahi tree canopy, Lake Mahinapua, Tasman Sea and across to the snowy Southern Alps! We chose a clear day to do the walk because there's just no point in doing it on a super cloudy day, otherwise you're not going to see much at all, unless you're just keen on looking down at the forest in which case, go for gold!
The walkway is made from steel and was actually created in Australia, shipped over and put together using 13,500 bolts! Could you imagine installing it... I don't think I'd ever want to see another bolt in my life after that! It's a really solid structure and we didn't ever feel it swaying at all, which is good because I hate heights at the best of times, let alone being high up on a structure that's moving with every step I take. Well, there is ONE part that does move and that's the cantilever bridge, where you can sway with harmony, apparently, or absolutely die from fear.. it's gonna go either way, right? Lath and Bella went on the cantilever and Lath said it was a strange feeling. I was more than happy just to stand on the walkway, the solid walkway, walking closer and closer to the end (can you tell I hate heights?!). I liked how high the sides of the walkway were because heights are always nerve wracking with kids but I never felt worried about them falling over the sides.
The track is supposed to take 45 - 60 minutes but it took us only around 15 minutes and we paid nearly $100 for a family so we didn't feel like we got our moneys worth BUT it's an 'each to their own' situation with this one... if you've never experienced walking above a forest canopy, being high above lakes and experience views from a great height, then this is the perfect walk to do. We have done some INCREDIBLE hikes around New Zealand, with a high elevation gain (hello, Roys Peak, Tirohanga Track, Red Tarns, Mt Manaia and Mt Maunganui!), so I think we were already used to the views from a great height (and used to not paying any money for them!) so we weren't too wowed. We have seen a lot of reviews about this walk and some people really do love it and it really is a lovely walk.
There are 2 main attractions on this walk - the first one is the zip lining experience, where you zoom through the air at a thrilling speed of over 60 km/hr along a 425-meter length line for 40 seconds. The line is 47 meters high and takes you above the forest canopy (which is 15 stories of pure excitement!). You can do this tandem as well. As of January 2024, the cost is $350 for a family of 4 and anyone from the age of 6 - 106 can do it.
The other main attraction is the Hokitika Tower, which is a 40 metre tower (an extra 20 metres higher than the walkway) that has a spiral staircase winding up to the top and is ready for you to climb if you dare!! I tried... I really did... but I think I got 10 stairs up (there are 106) and was like NOPE NOPE NOPE I am NOT going up there! So Lath took the girls up and I was impressed that they all made it to the top. I was told that the views were pretty spectacular from up there and I imagine that they would be, from that high up, especially looking across at the Southern Alps - in winter they would be all white with snow and that would look even more amazing).
I wish I had more photos to show you from our trip to the West Coast Tree Top Park, as I love to show as much as possible on every adventure we go on... but sadly this adventure was another victim of the dreaded hard drive crash of 2023 (with no back up, eeeek, soooo sad!!) and these are the only photos I could salvage, as I had sent them to a friend.
Thet track offers views across the rimu and kamahi tree canopy, Lake Mahinapua, Tasman Sea and across to the snowy Southern Alps! We chose a clear day to do the walk because there's just no point in doing it on a super cloudy day, otherwise you're not going to see much at all, unless you're just keen on looking down at the forest in which case, go for gold!
The walkway is made from steel and was actually created in Australia, shipped over and put together using 13,500 bolts! Could you imagine installing it... I don't think I'd ever want to see another bolt in my life after that! It's a really solid structure and we didn't ever feel it swaying at all, which is good because I hate heights at the best of times, let alone being high up on a structure that's moving with every step I take. Well, there is ONE part that does move and that's the cantilever bridge, where you can sway with harmony, apparently, or absolutely die from fear.. it's gonna go either way, right? Lath and Bella went on the cantilever and Lath said it was a strange feeling. I was more than happy just to stand on the walkway, the solid walkway, walking closer and closer to the end (can you tell I hate heights?!). I liked how high the sides of the walkway were because heights are always nerve wracking with kids but I never felt worried about them falling over the sides.
The track is supposed to take 45 - 60 minutes but it took us only around 15 minutes and we paid nearly $100 for a family so we didn't feel like we got our moneys worth BUT it's an 'each to their own' situation with this one... if you've never experienced walking above a forest canopy, being high above lakes and experience views from a great height, then this is the perfect walk to do. We have done some INCREDIBLE hikes around New Zealand, with a high elevation gain (hello, Roys Peak, Tirohanga Track, Red Tarns, Mt Manaia and Mt Maunganui!), so I think we were already used to the views from a great height (and used to not paying any money for them!) so we weren't too wowed. We have seen a lot of reviews about this walk and some people really do love it and it really is a lovely walk.
There are 2 main attractions on this walk - the first one is the zip lining experience, where you zoom through the air at a thrilling speed of over 60 km/hr along a 425-meter length line for 40 seconds. The line is 47 meters high and takes you above the forest canopy (which is 15 stories of pure excitement!). You can do this tandem as well. As of January 2024, the cost is $350 for a family of 4 and anyone from the age of 6 - 106 can do it.
The other main attraction is the Hokitika Tower, which is a 40 metre tower (an extra 20 metres higher than the walkway) that has a spiral staircase winding up to the top and is ready for you to climb if you dare!! I tried... I really did... but I think I got 10 stairs up (there are 106) and was like NOPE NOPE NOPE I am NOT going up there! So Lath took the girls up and I was impressed that they all made it to the top. I was told that the views were pretty spectacular from up there and I imagine that they would be, from that high up, especially looking across at the Southern Alps - in winter they would be all white with snow and that would look even more amazing).
I wish I had more photos to show you from our trip to the West Coast Tree Top Park, as I love to show as much as possible on every adventure we go on... but sadly this adventure was another victim of the dreaded hard drive crash of 2023 (with no back up, eeeek, soooo sad!!) and these are the only photos I could salvage, as I had sent them to a friend.
View from the top of the Hokitika Tower
Know Before You Go
- This is a paid attraction. For prices and opening hours, click here
- The walkway is pram and wheelchair friendly
- No dogs are allowed
- There are toilets at the cafe
- Allow 1 hour for this walk (we did it in 15 minutes, including climbing the tower)
- The track is 450m long and 20 meters high. The tower is 40-metres high
- This is best done on a clear day so you get to see the Tasman Sea and the Southern Alps
- Zip lining from the top of the tower is an option (but an extra cost)
- This may not be for you if you have an absolutely unstoppable fear of heights!
How To Get To The Tree Top Walk On The West Coast
The West Coast Tree Top Walk is on the West Coast region of the South Island of New Zealand and is 13 minutes south of Hokitika, 40 minutes south of Greymouth and 1.5 hours north of Franz Josef.
Click here for the location on Google Maps.
Click here for the location on Google Maps.
Conclusion
The West Coast Tree Top Walk is a lovely walk above the forest canopy, with nice views across to the Tasman Sea, Souther Alps and Lake Mahinapua. The tower is an added bonus and it offers even more views! It's a great walk for people who haven't experienced views from a great height and don't want to do too much hard work getting a view like this.
More to do in New Zealand
BRUNNER MINE HISTORIC SITE
WEST COAST Experience the history of New Zealand's worst mining disaster on this short walk as well as historic buildings and a bridge crossing.
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LINDIS PASS
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Lost in the mesmerizing beauty of Lindis Valley, where the golden tussock grasslands meet the endless blue sky (and sometimes snow!). |
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OTAGO Set out at Nugget Point, in the wild and untamed Catlins, is one of New Zealand's most photographed spots - the Tokata Lighthouse. |
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