Pohangina Base

The place

DOC lodge at 369 m in Ruahine Forest Park (Manawatu-Whanganui), on the western bank of the Pohangina River, about 45 min from Palmerston North. Seventeen beds spread across five dorms in two buildings (rooms of 2 to 6 beds), plus three campsites with no power. Communal area with a wood-stove-heated kitchen and lounge. Facilities: hot showers, flush toilets, cooking equipment, dining room. Mattresses provided, bring your own bedding. Tap water must be boiled. Rates per room per night (until June 30, 2026): NZD 52 (2 beds), NZD 78 (3 beds), NZD 104 (4 beds), NZD 156 (6 beds), NZD 357 for the whole complex. Online booking open until June 2027; same-day bookings until 8 p.m. Phone booking: NZD 10 fee. Neighboring helipad for conservation operations. Caution: the eastern boundary of the site is a high cliff.