Karamea
Destination
The chilled out town of Karamea sits literally at the end of the road - the SH67 terminates in this quaint, little hamlet of at town. Situated between densely rainforested hills and the roaring Tasman Sea, Karamea serves as base for adventurers, hikers and mountain bikers who have just come off the Heaphy Track or other hikes in the Kahurangi National Park.
Limestone arch formations are present throughout the area and a highlight for many visitors who make their way this far up the West Coast (unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, many visitors to the South Island never make it as far as Karamea). From the village you can walk to the impressive Oparara Arch, which spans the Oparara River, or hike further to find the Moria Gate Arch.
Karamea benefits from a subtropical maritime climate and is often warmer and drier than the rest of the rainsoaked West Coast. The settlement actually sits further north than the capital city, Wellington. A chilled out, no worries mix of locals makes for an epic little town of where we imagine you'll want to spend more than just a day after finishing biking the Heaphy Track.
