Nikau Cave is in Waikaretu, a sheep and cattle farming area in spectacular limestone country. The drive to Nikau Cave is on Highway 22, a scenic and quiet road, and can include a round trip through Port Waikato and past "Weathertop Hollow" from the Lord of the Rings film.
Directions
| Map | A map of our location |
| Auckland | Directions from Auckland |
| Hamilton | Directions from Hamilton |
| Port Waikato | Directions from Port Waikato |
| Raglan | Directions from Raglan |
Directions from Auckland
Take the Southern Motorway to Mercer. Follow signs to Pukekawa and Golf Club.
Drive through Pukekawa and continue on that road. You will eventually go through Glen Murray.
About 5 kilometres past Glen Murray Motors is a Telecom tower where you take the right hand fork into Waikaretu Valley Rd.
It’s 15 kilometres to Waikaretu (small school and hall) and then another 3 kilometres to our entrance on the right.
You will see our Cafe building with a large carpark and the number 1770 on the gate.
N.B. There are no petrol stations near us.
Directions from Hamilton
Take State Highway 1 to Rangiriri, but do not turn right to the settlement. Instead continue around the bend and turn left over the river,
then almost immediately, turn right onto Glen Murray Rd. (People have trouble seeing this side road, so if you have driven more than half a
kilometre without seeing it, please turn around!)
At the end of Glen Murray Rd, turn left, and drive about 6 kilometres to the Telecom tower where you take the right-hand fork into Waikaretu Valley Rd.
It’s 15 kilometres to Waikaretu (small school and hall) and then another 3 kilometres to our entrance on the right.
You will see our Cafe building with a large carpark and the number 1770 on the gate.
N.B. There are no petrol stations near us.
Directions from Port Waikato
Take the Port Waikato-Waikaretu Coast Rd, (intersection at the bridge opposite the bottle store) heading south for 26 kilometres.
You will pass the limestone quarry on your left (it is big, you can’t miss it). Just after the quarry the road bends inland, keep following it
(don't turn up the road on your right) - at this point it becomes the Waikaretu Valley Rd.
Nikau Cave Cafe is less than 2km away, on your left, number 1770.
N.B. There are no petrol stations near us.
Directions from Raglan
Turn left about 13 kilometres along the main road to Hamilton, signposted to Pukekohe and Waingaro (About a km past Te Uku).
Turn left at the T junction, signposted to Naike.
13kms on, take a left into Waimai Valley Rd, signposted to Waikaretu.
Take the next right into Dixon Rd.
At its end turn right into Matira Rd, then immediately left into Richardson Rd.
At its end turn left into Waikaretu Valley Rd.
Waikaretu School is about 1km further, then it's about 3kms to Nikau Cave on the right.
You will see our Cafe building with a large carpark and the number 1770 on the gate.
N.B. There are no petrol stations near us.