Blue Springs Itinerary

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Duration: 1 hr - Full Day

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Budget: $0 - $300

Closed from 13 November 2023 – November 2024

The Blue Springs is well known internationally with the water being so pure that it accounts for 60% of New Zealand’s bottled water.

The walkway ranges from easy walking to a few steeper areas with some steps and boardwalks through wetland areas. Below are optional Blue Springs and Te Waihou walkway itineraries for the and surrounding areas.

The Blue Springs and Te Waihou walkway are located near Putaruru, just south of Matamata, is a must see in the Waikato region. The Blue Springs is a part of the Te Waihou Walkway which can be accessed at two different entrances. The entire walkway is a little over 10km round-trip. If you’d like a shorter trip you can start from Leslie rd, round-trip 30 min.

These itineraries are interchangeable and you can do them in any order you please. If you have any further questions about the itinerary options above, please don’t hesitate to contact us by email or phone. We are also available in person at the isite and look forward to helping you plan your trip!

Option 1

Te Waihou Walkway

Closed from 13 November 2023 – November 2024

If your heading south from Matamata, or are in search of one of the worlds most natural beauties, we highly recommend Te Waihou walkway. Located in this walkway is the Blue Springs, one of Waikato’s gems.

You can either start on HWY 28, which is a longer trek, 10km round-trip. Or you have the option of starting at Leslie road, which is only about a 15 min walk to the Blue Springs.

There is no entrance fee or tour times so you may choose to do this anytime throughout the day!

Details

Option 2

Stone Hill Horse Trek

Do you want to experience a fantastic landscape on the back of a horse? Then we invite you to discover our farm of over 1500 acres!

Situated in the beautiful Owairaka Valley, this magical experience will take you on a journey amongst grand rhyolite volcanic boulders, passed countless charming streams and infinite green rolling hills, in order to give you the ultimate taste of the Waikato region.

Stone Hill caters to all riding abilities from complete beginners to experienced riders. Located 33km SW of Blue Springs.

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Option 3

Riverside Adventures

Formerly Lake District Adventures, Riverside Adventures is a family run business located in the South Waikato region of New Zealand, on the shores of stunning Lake Karapiro.

“We offer mountain bike, kayak and SUP hire, along with kayak glow worm tours and guided mountain bike tours. We also provide regular shuttle services along the Waikato River Trail and to other trails in surrounding areas.

We are privileged to be able to share our amazing local area and strive to offer the highest levels of professionalism and experience. Our services are available to anyone of varying age and fitness levels to try, and we pride ourselves on offering great value for money.” Located 26.5km NW of Blue Springs.

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Option 4

Full Day

If you have the time the best option is to do all three activities. Stone Hill Horse Trek has 2 times, 9:30am/3:30pm, Wednesday through Sunday to do the guided trek.

Lake District Adventures has many packages and times to choose from. If you want to do all three in one day we advise you to do the 9:30 horse trek and 6:30pm guided glow worm tour with LDA. Or 9:30am guided kayak tour (LDA) and 3:30pm horse trek (SH). Within this day you can enjoy the Blue Springs/Te Waihou Walkway before, after, or inbetween these tours.

If you have more than one day then we reccomend 1 day of horse trek and Te Waihou/Blue Springs and 1 day of Lake District Adventures packages with multiple activities.

Stone Hill Horse Treck

Blue Springs

Te Waihou Walkway

Riverside Adventures

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I bring

For all three activities we recommend comfortable athletic shoes and attire, all weather gear, sunscreen/hat, and food and water.

Times for excursions

The Blue Springs is open to the public and is free of charge.

Stone Hill Horse Trek is open Wednesday-Sunday and has two times to ride, 9:30am/3:30pm.

Lake District Adventures has multiple tour options starting some starting in the morning and some at night. LDA tours also run anywhere from 3 hrs to 7 hrs. We advise you to choose the LDA tour you’d like to do then based on that time decide your SHT tour and stop at the Blue Springs.

Please take into account the drive to these tours and be sure to leave yourself enough time to get from one to the other. Please contact our office if you have any further questions.

Do I need to have a car for this itinerary?

Yes, for this itinerary you need to have your own mode of transportation as these are self-driving tour itineraries

Is there an age limit for these activities?

Blue Springs, no.

Stone Hill Horse Trek, 12 years of age or older.

Lake District Adventures, depends on the activity we recommend to call ahead of time.

We have an abundance of shops and eateries all within walking distance of each other, conveniently located in the town center. At the Matamata isite We also have a wide range of activities whether you’d like to relax or be active. If you are looking for something to fill your day or even your week we have a list of suggested itineraries you may be interested in. We take pride in our locally owned and operated businesses.

Matamata isite