Mt Pirongia | Waikato | Part One

Chasing the Summit Through Mud, Moss, and Mist

Overnight Hiking Adventure via Mahaukura and Tirohanga Tracks

There’s something wild about Pirongia.

Maybe it’s the way the mountain holds its own weather. Or the way the roots claw at your boots like they’re testing you. Or maybe it’s the silence — that thick, ancient kind of quiet, broken only by the call of a tūī or the squelch of another muddy step.

Whatever it is, Pirongia pulls you in. And we wanted to answer that call.

A Peak Worth Earning

Mount Pirongia, the tallest peak in the Waikato at 959 metres, is more than a hike — it's a test of endurance, patience, and stoke. It rises from native forest cloaked in mist, with dense bush trails that’ll have you knee-deep in mud one moment and wide-eyed at panoramic views the next.

We set out to tackle it as an overnight mission: up the rugged Mahaukura Track, stay the night at Pahautea Hut, and descend the next day via the Tirohanga Track.

This blog is part one of that journey — and as you’ll see, it didn’t exactly go to plan.

Trailhead: Mahaukura Track from Grey Road

We got a later start than expected — setting off in the late morning under a sky that couldn’t decide if it was clearing or closing in. The Mahaukura Track wastes no time. It throws you into lush, tangled forest right from the start.

The reward? Ridge-top moments where the canopy opens and the Waikato Basin sprawls below — fleeting, but magic.

Mahaukura is no joke. It’s steep, technical, and energy-sapping. We underestimated just how long it would take. As the day wore on, so did our legs — and we began to realise we might not reach the hut before dark.

The Sun Faded. The Challenge Deepened.

The final few hours were tough. Light faded. The bush thickened. Mud swallowed boots. Roots turned into puzzles. And suddenly, we were in full darkness — the only way forward lit by fading torches that we weren’t sure would last the distance.

Each corner, each incline, we hoped would be the last. But Pirongia makes you earn it.

And just when the doubts crept in... we saw it.

A clearing in the dark. The silhouette of a structure. Pahautea Hut.

A Hut, a Hug, and a Huge Relief

The relief was instant. That warm flood of “we made it.” We dropped our packs on the hut deck, cracked a smile, and let the silence settle in.

We were lucky — the hut was empty. Just us, the bush, and a roof overhead. It was exactly what we needed.

Dinner by headlamp. Cold night air. Stars peeking through the mist. And the mountain finally, mercifully, letting us rest.

The Summit Awaits…

Just ten minutes above the hut lies the summit platform — the highest point of the Pirongia range. But that moment, that view, that feeling? It deserves its own space.

And so the story continues…

[Check out Part Two ]

Free Mt Pirongia Hiking Guide

We’ve created a downloadable PDF guide with everything you need to tackle this mission yourself:

✅ Trail maps (Mahaukura & Tirohanga) ✅ Gear checklist ✅ Safety + DOC hut info ✅ Local insights Email us to grab your copy! hello@tikitoa.com

Key Hike Details:

• Location: Mt Pirongia, Waikato

• Route: Mahaukura Track up, Tirohanga Track down (loop)

• Distance: ~22 km loop

• Time: 4–5 hrs up (longer if muddy!), 3–4 hrs down

• Difficulty: Intermediate–Advanced

• Hut: Pahautea Hut (20 bunks, first come, first served, no booking required)

• Highlights: Ridge views, native forest, panoramic summit platform

• Part of Te Araroa Trail: Yes (Tirohanga side)

• Best time to go: Late summer or early autumn for stable weather and drier track