A 2-3 day tramp over the rugged Kowhai Saddle through typical Kaikoura bush and mountain country. This trip is classed as a route, with no bridges and not marked in places. There are two huts along the way, one in the Kowhai Valley, the other in the Hapuku Valley. Caution should be used crossing the pass due to the alpine weather conditions. 
Access via the Kowhai is the same as for the Mount Fyffe Track. The route from here mainly follows the river bed with short sections, sometimes marked with rock cairns, crossing the few small river flats. About 4km upstream from the car park there is a marked flood bypass track on the west bank but at most times it is easy to walk up the winding gorge to the Snowflake Hapuku confluence. Passing the Snowflake junction on your left carry on up the river to the Kowhai hut. (about 3 hours from the car park). The Kowhai Saddle can be seen from here at the head of the creek branching off the Kowhai. After the hut, cross to the true left of the river, follow cairns up the river flat, with views of waterfalls sometimes seen on your right , to the rough track through the bush and scrub at the top of the flat. The going gets harder as the valley narrows with some boulder hopping as you ascend to the pass at 1153 metres. A final climb up tussock slope reveals spectacular views of both river valleys and the surrounding mountains from the saddle making this an ideal spot for lunch. The route down from here is on the eastern side of the saddle but care should be taken when picking a descent into the Hapuku valley as it is very unstable country and easy to get bluffed. Once in the Hapuku River (West Branch) either travel down the river bed or look for the cairned track through the Beech forest, bush and scrub on the true left to the Hapuku Hut. (Kowhai Hut to Hapuku Hut 4 - 6 hours) This is a good base camp for forays up the North Branch of the Hapuku to the historical Barretts Hut or a climb up Mount Stace, 1167 metres. It is also a starting point for climbs up Mount Uwerau, 2213 metres.
Leaving the hut travel down river bed and banks for about 30 minutes to just below the junction of Stace Creek and watch out for a track on the true right. This track skirts the deep and narrow Hapuku Gorge. The Forest surrounding the gorge is both beautiful and varied. Alpine species such as Celery pine, Totara, Hinau and Hebes can be found here. Marlborough Daisies and Hebe hulkiana will be seen cling to the cliffs around a high waterfall in the gorge when you regain the river bed. The pool under the waterfall is a great place to cool off on a hot day. Sometimes the rare N.Z. Falcon can be encountered in this area so be wary during nesting season. Not far below the waterfall a track enters the bush and leads through the bush for a while. At the bottom end of this track look across the river to see a Nikau Palm and the Giant Totara in the bush. A worth while side trip. From here it is an unmarked tramp down the river bed to a shingle road that leads out of the river on the true right to Grange Road and the ride back to civilisation that you were smart enough to organise before you left! (Hapuku Hut to Grange Road 4 hours)

To do this trip in reverse travel north from Kaikoura on State Highway 1 for about 10 minutes, turn left into Bay Paddock Road, then right at the end into Grange Road. Straight ahead at end of Grange Road on Shingle road to river bed.