Hokitika Gorge

INTO THE BLUE

10 JANUARY 2024

Electric Blue Water

Hokitika Gorge is a stunning gorge full of electric blue water, located near the town of Hokitika on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It's a place that attracts thousands of visitors per year (and sandflies!) and if someone is talking about Hokitika (or Hoki, as the locals call it) then the gorge is most likely going to be mentioned... that and whitebait.

New Zealand, in particular the South Island, has some of the bluest water in the world. We have been to many amazing places with blue water, like Lake Pukaki (NZ's bluest lake!) and Lake Tekapo in Canterbury, Callery Gorge in Franz Josef, Cable Bay in Nelson and Kai Iwi Lakes in Northland. As well as these beautiful lakes, so many of the rivers in the South Island are incredibly blue! Our favourite are the rivers along the Milford Road in Southland, the rivers flowing under the bridges in Canterbury and Blenheim, as well as the rivers and streams in Mt Cook National Park.

The track through Hokitika Gorge is 1.2km one way and currently is a there and back track, while the lower suspension bridge is closed for maintenance (it will hopefully be back open in Oct 2024). It's a beautiful 45 min walk to the "beach" part of the gorge, through mature podocarp forest, which is filled with twisted vines hanging high above and tree roots that look as though they have been sculpted by an artist.

Every now and then, a clearing in the forest will appear and you're offered a naturally framed view across the area and of you go on a clear day, like we did, the view is spectacular, looking out over the river to the mountains.

Don't Look Down. Or Do.

There are two swing bridges along the Hokitika Gorge Track (currently one is open, as mentioned earlier) and these bridges take you over the incredibly blue blue bluuuuue water! It's hard to believe your eyes with how blue it is and even my phone couldn't pick up the electric blueness as well as my little old eyes did. These bridges offer some of the best views along the track, as you're right above the water.

Even though I despise heights (that's putting it lightly!), I enjoy looking down (for a split second) at the milky blue water and thinking how incredible it is! Lath and I both lived in Auckland for most of lives and there is no blue water like this in rivers, lakes or beaches, it's all pretty bog standard! Places like this are part of what makes the South Island of New Zealand such a beautiful destination.

Oh Fiddleheads

The River Lookout is exactly how it sounds... a river lookout. There is a viewing platform, with a bench seat, which offers a great view up and down the Hokitika River. The platform sticks out from the track, so you are a lot closer to the river than you have been so far on the track.

I really enjoyed taking photos along the way - there was so much new growth and taking photos of the baby ferns is such a treat in the New Zealand forests! The curl before they stretch out and become a fern leaf is called a fiddlehead... who knew! They are an icon in New Zealand and I've photographed so many in spring, mostly on tracks in the rainforests of the West Coast.

A Beach... Apparently!

There is an area of the gorge called "the beach", which isn't a beach at all... there is no big sandy patches to get your tan on and it's not even safe to swim, but here we are! There are small patches of sand scattered around the place, so I am guessing this is how it got its name.

The beach area has a gate to get down to it, which stops little people from wandering down, as the water is unsafe to swim in due to steep drop offs and strong currents (despite it looking calm on the surface). This area is the busiest along the track, as it's large area to chill at and take photos at. The girls wanted to put their feet in the water, so we stayed right beside them while they cooled off and then we did some exploring around the rocks.

The best place for photos here is on the large boulder to the left (it's hard to miss it!!). It requires a little rock climbing to get up onto but nothing difficult. The reason I think this is the best place, is that you're higher up and can get a better view of the gorge and if you have someone to take photos of you, they can stand by the stairs whilst you pose your posiest pose on the boulder.

I am still learning to use my DSLR, so I didn't have the settings quite right and editing was a bit difficult, especially trying to get the true blue colour... so trust me when I say the gorge is bluer than blue! Hoki Gorge is one special place and one of the reasons we love writing our blogs, so we can share these places with people from all around the world!

Lower Suspension Bridge

The Hokitika Gorge lower suspension bridge is closed until approximately October 2024, but you can still walk near to it and look out across the gorge from the Lower Gorge Lookout. This is an ideal place to soak it all in and take photos if you really want to see the blue water but are short on time.

We first visited in Autumn 2023 and were really disappointed when we went back in Spring 2024 as we had missed the lower bridge closure by 1 day! Luckily the rest of the track is open still, but we can't wait to do it again when the whole loop is ready to go.

We arrived in the late afternoon, so there were shadows on the water which meant we couldn't see how electric blue the water was. Something to take note of if you're visiting Hokitika Gorge one day, as you want to see it at its full potential.

Know Before You Go

The Hokitika Gorge lower suspension bridge is closed until approx October 2024
The Hokitika Gorge Viewpoint and Hokitika Gorge Track are return tracks until the lower suspension bridge has reopened
If you're wanting to see blue water at the gorge, it's best to visit a couple of days after it has rained, otherwise it may look grey and milky
If you're short on time and can't do the full track, there is a viewing platform just 4-minutes from the carpark, beside the lower suspension bridge. This viewpoint is suitable for prams and wheelchairs
It's not safe to swim in the Hokitika River. It looks calm, but there are sudden drop offs and strong currents and, sadly, people have drowned here
Sandflies can be swarming around the gorge, usually in the warmer months
The track is flat and a mixture of gravel path and bridges

How To Get To Hokitika Gorge On The West Coast

Hokitika Gorge is a 40-minute drive from Hokitika town. There is no public transport out there, so you'll need your own car.

Click here for directions from Hokitika town.

Conclusion

Hokitika Gorge on the West Coast is seriously a gem you don't want to miss. The electric blue water is unreal and when you throw in the lush native forests as a backdrop, it's like stepping into a dreamy painting—serene and surreal at the same time. Plus, there are endless opportunities to capture it on camera.

Callery Gorge in Franz Josef is another gorge with spectacular blue water, so check it out if you're passing through Franz!