Ngatuhoa Lodge is an off-grid bush lodge deep in the Kaimai Mamaku ranges, about 40 minutes’ drive from Tauranga in the Western Bay of Plenty. Reached through a locked forestry gate and powered by its own hydro turbine, it gives school camps sole use of a lodge that sleeps up to 80, surrounded by rivers, swimming holes, waterfalls and DOC tracks. A long list of on-site activities, from abseiling and a zipline to tubing, kayaking and Burma trails, makes it a natural fit for a Bay of Plenty school camp.
Why schools choose Ngatuhoa Lodge
- Sole use: your group has the lodge to itself, with no other bookings sharing the building.
- Truly off grid: power from a hydro turbine, water from the Ngatuhoa River and no cellphone coverage.
- Activities on the doorstep: more than 25 adventure, water, educational and night activities around the lodge.
- Waterfalls to walk to: Ngatuhoa Falls is a 30-minute walk, and the 40-metre Te Rereioturu Falls makes a full-day tramp.
- Clear planning information: suggested group sizes, times and adult ratios are set out for each activity.
- A school rate: schools get a reduced per-person rate.
- A long history with schools: Otumoetai Intermediate was the first group to stay, in 1968.
School camp accommodation
The lodge sleeps up to 80 people, with a minimum booking of 10.
Lodge bunk rooms
Six bunk rooms with 47 beds in the main lodge.
Possum Hut
A separate hut with 16 beds.
Marae-style sleeping
Room for 17 more on mattresses on the lodge’s heated floor.
Campsite
A separate campsite for up to 40, booked as a whole site, with a large shelter, a three-person cabin, two toilets, a hot shower and an outdoor fireplace. Campsite groups don’t use the main lodge.
Bring warm wool or polypropylene layers rather than cotton, old clothes for the river, a group first aid kit with insect repellent and antihistamines, toilet paper and cleaning supplies.
Facilities for school groups
- Large kitchen with gas ovens, pots and pans.
- Lounge and dining room with a large open fireplace.
- Renovated bathrooms.
- Drying room for wet gear.
- Heated floor in the marae-style sleeping area.
- Gear shed with 10 mountain bikes.
- Hydro lake and kayak canal beside the lodge, with 12 kayaks.
- Challenge course, abseil walls, zipline and Raptor Ball octagon.
- Nature trail, compass course and Burma trails.
Self-catering
Groups cater for themselves in the lodge’s large kitchen. With no shops nearby and vehicles staying parked once you arrive, bring everything you need for the stay.
Learning opportunities
Ngatuhoa Lodge sets out activities with suggested durations, group sizes and adult ratios (from 1:5 for water activities to 1:20 for some study sessions), so schools can plan their own programme. Abseiling and the zipline need an instructor booked in advance, and instructors are also available for conservation and off-grid studies. The custodian can lead the nature trail and the walk to Te Rereioturu Falls on request.
Curriculum connections
A camp at Ngatuhoa Lodge fits well with education outside the classroom (EOTC) and can support learning in:
- Science: native forest, birds and stream life, conservation work such as trapping and tracking, and how the lodge makes its own power and manages water and waste.
- Health and Physical Education: abseiling, tubing, kayaking, mountain biking, tramping and challenge activities.
- Technology: an off-grid study of the hydro turbine and water supply.
- Social Sciences: the lodge’s history, the Kaimai Mamaku ranges and local land use.
- Key competencies: managing self, relating to others and participating and contributing through raft building, bivouac construction and shared camp life.
Activities on site
Adventure
- Abseiling on 8 and 16-metre walls overlooking the valley (instructor booked in advance).
- Zipline (instructor booked in advance).
- Mountain biking on roads and some trails.
- Challenge course designed for racing.
- Orienteering on short and long courses.
- Tug of war and Raptor Ball.
Water
- Jumping hole beside Hydro Falls.
- Swimming hole with a zipline, wire crossing, slide and inner tubes.
- River tubing with some white-water sections.
- Kayaking on the hydro lake.
- Battle pole duels over the water.
- Raft building to cross the kayak canal.
Educational
- Nature trail: 700 metres of taonga trees and birdlife.
- Outdoor cooking and fire lighting.
- Compass course and bivouac construction.
- Conservation study and off-grid study (instructor-led).
- Bush meditation beside the creek.
Night
- Burma trails of 150 and 550 metres, with stream crossings.
- Night walks for stars, glow-worms, kōura and trout.
- Solo sit in the bush.
- Tent camping and a Morse code challenge.
Walks and waterfalls
- Ngatuhoa Falls: a three-tier waterfall about 50 metres high, a 30-minute walk away, with a swimming hole.
- Te Rereioturu Falls: 40 metres high and 20 metres wide, about six hours return on foot or three by bike.
- Whio Falls: a wide fall with swimming spots, a short walk on from Te Rereioturu.
- Ngatuhoa Stream Track: a river walk past two waterfalls.
- Rimu Loop Track: a 5 km loop.
- Old Mill Track: walk or bike, finishing at the lodge.
- Milk Bottle Creek Track: a challenging walk to the creek’s headwaters.
About Ngatuhoa Lodge
The lodge was the idea of Bill Kennedy, who in 1967 proposed a base for schools, tramping clubs, Scouts and community groups in the Kaimai ranges. With New Zealand Forest Service support and donated timber, building began late that year, and the Kaimai Youth Camp Society was formed in 1968. Otumoetai Intermediate was the first school to use it in 1968, and it was officially opened in March 1970. Kennedy also championed the hydro scheme and a native tree arboretum. The lodge sits within a DOC lease area and is supported by volunteers through Friends of Ngatuhoa Lodge, with a rebuild fundraising effort under way.
School camp rates
The lodge is charged per person per night, with a reduced school rate and a minimum nightly charge. Children aged five and under are free. A non-refundable deposit applies close to the booking date, and the final invoice is based on actual numbers after the stay. The campsite has its own per-person rate and minimum. Contact Ngatuhoa Lodge for current pricing.
Example three-day camp
An example of how a school camp at Ngatuhoa Lodge could look (every camp is planned by the school):
- Day 1: Convoy through the forestry gate, settle in, nature trail and challenge course, evening Burma trail.
- Day 2: Rotations of abseiling, kayaking, raft building and tubing, afternoon walk to Ngatuhoa Falls, night walk for glow-worms.
- Day 3: Bivouac construction and outdoor cooking, clean up, depart.
Getting there
Ngatuhoa Lodge is off Frankham Road, about 40 minutes’ drive from Tauranga. The last 8 km is on a private forestry road behind a locked gate, with access given to lodge users. Groups travel in convoy behind a leader who locks the gate after the last vehicle, keep to 25 km/h and watch for logging trucks. Front-wheel-drive vehicles towing trailers aren’t recommended, and vehicles stay parked at the lodge except in an emergency.
Nearby attractions for school groups
- Ngatuhoa Falls: the closest of the big waterfalls, with a swimming hole at its base.
- Te Rereioturu Falls: a full-day tramp to one of the area’s largest falls.
- Whio Falls and Waipapa Falls: further on for experienced groups (Waipapa is unmarked).
- Kaimai Mamaku ranges: DOC-marked tracks through native forest around the lodge.
- Ngatuhoa and Opuiaki rivers: river walks, swimming spots and stream life.
- Tauranga: about 40 minutes away for beaches and city visits on the way in or out.
Other groups and events
- Scouts, tramping clubs and youth groups: the groups the lodge was first built for.
- Church and community groups: weekend camps with sole use of the lodge.
- Families and private groups: weekend stays of at least two nights.
- Volunteers: working bees and volunteer days.
Good to know
- There is no cellphone coverage.
- Weekend bookings are a minimum of two nights, Friday to Sunday.
- Abseiling and zipline instructors must be booked before you arrive.
- No dogs, and no hunting from the lodge.
- Drinking water comes from the Ngatuhoa River.
- Bring a group first aid kit, toilet paper and cleaning supplies.
Frequently asked questions
How many students can Ngatuhoa Lodge accommodate?
Up to 80: 47 beds in six bunk rooms, 16 in the Possum Hut and 17 marae-style on the heated floor. The minimum booking is 10.
Do we share the lodge with other groups?
No. Each booking has sole use of the lodge. The nearby campsite is booked separately.
Is Ngatuhoa Lodge catered?
No. Groups self-cater in the large kitchen with gas ovens, pots and pans.
What activities are available?
Abseiling, a zipline, tubing, kayaking, raft building, mountain biking, a challenge course, orienteering, nature and Burma trails, night walks and waterfall tramps.
Are instructors provided?
Abseiling and zipline instructors must be booked in advance, and instructors are available for conservation and off-grid studies. Other activities are led by the school.
Is there cellphone coverage?
No. The lodge is off grid with no cellphone coverage.
How do we get to the lodge?
It is about 40 minutes’ drive from Tauranga. The last 8 km is a private forestry road behind a locked gate, driven in convoy at 25 km/h.
Is there a school rate?
Yes. Schools get a reduced per-person rate, with a minimum nightly charge.
