Rarakau Lodge is a small lodge at the end of Papatotara Coast Road in Tuatapere, right at the start of the Hump Ridge Track. It is two buildings joined by a deck: the sleepout, where the bedrooms are, and the common room with the kitchen, showers and toilets. Here is everything you can use while you stay, and you can see where it all is on the lodge floorplan.
Outdoor hot tub
The hot tub sits in its own garden at the end of the deck. It is the best way to finish the Hump Ridge Track, or a long drive.
Spa sessions are free with the Deluxe Suite and the Family & Group Room. Staying in another room? A session is $20 for an hour, for as many as you can fit: up to six people. Book it when you arrive.
Guest kitchen, BBQ and pizza oven
Bring your own food and cook for yourself. The self-catering kitchen is open from 5am, early enough for a start on the track, until 10pm.
- Gas oven, microwave, crock pot and toastie maker
- Espresso machine, kettle, toaster and a SodaStream
- Pots and pans, plates, cutlery and a spice rack
- 12 kinds of tea
- Guest fridge and freezer, and an ice maker
- Outdoor BBQ and a pizza oven
Food cart and meals
Not cooking? The food cart is open from 7am to 7pm for really good coffee, cold drinks and baked treats, before you set off and when you get back. For dinner and breakfast there are build-your-own pizzas, loaded burgers and a full cooked breakfast, and lunch packs to take on the track.
See the menu. The Chef’s Special and lunch packs need to be ordered in advance, and tell us about any dietary needs when you book.
Common room and fireplace
The common room is the heart of the lodge: a big open-plan room with long wooden tables, couches and a large woodburner. The fire is an older Yunca, made here in Southland, and like a DeLorean it comes from the days when things were built to last. There is an 85-inch TV with Netflix and a PS5, with four controllers and a 4 TB drive packed with games, all free to use. It is where walkers swap stories the night before the track and the night after.
In your room
Every room comes with:
- Linen, a duvet and towels
- Shampoo and conditioner
- A hot water bottle
- Reading lights and USB charging ports
- A hairdryer, on request
- Starlink WiFi
Most rooms also have a smart TV with Netflix, and the Deluxe Suite adds electric blankets, a Dyson heater and a sofa. Compare them all on the rooms page.
WiFi and phone coverage
No weak spots, no hunting for a bar of signal on the deck. Check the forecast, video call home and download your maps before the track, where there is little or no coverage.
Showers, toilets and boot cleaning
Hot showers and toilets are in the block beside the common room, and they are free for guests. There is also a wheelchair-accessible shower and bathroom in the sleepout, beside the bedrooms, and public toilets at the car park.
The boot cleaning station is right at the end of the track, so the mud comes off your boots before it comes inside.
Guest laundry and drying room
The guest laundry is $5 a load. The drying room is turbocharged: a 3 kW industrial dehumidifier that pulls a litre of water out of the air every hour, plus two more dehumidifiers, so wet gear from the track is dry by morning.
Dogs welcome
Nice dogs are welcome to stay. For dogs that are not so nice, we have kennels. Let us know you are bringing one when you book.
Free parking and gear storage
Guests park free in our car park for as long as they stay, or as long as they are out on the track, with 24-hour cameras and onsite security. There are accessible parking spaces and room for campervans.
Walking the Hump Ridge Track? Repack in your room the night before and leave the extras in your car or in our storage room.
Accessibility
The Twin Room is wheelchair accessible, with an accessible shower and bathroom in the same building, and there are accessible parking spaces in the car park. Both are marked on the floorplan. If you have specific needs, call us and we will talk you through the layout.
Deck, garden and beach
The deck joins the two buildings, with a lawn beside it and the spa garden at the end. Guests also have a private track down to Bluecliffs Beach, about 7 minutes from your door, and the Hump Ridge, South Coast and Teal Bay tracks all start at the lodge.