Auckland walks: Piha's Kitekite falls (Waterfall)

 The Waitakere ranges is a large regional park area on the west coast of the Auckland region. This lush bush is the closest thing to the wilderness in Auckland.  One of the most popular short day walks amongst tourists is the Kitekite falls walk; the falls being the highlight of the trek. The walk is suitable for beginners and average walkers, and walking times average around 45 minutes. The walk totals around 1.8 Kilometres, and is great for a day out. The track is surrounded by beautiful New Zealand plants including silver ferns, nikau palms and regenerated kauri. Native birds flock to the area, and if you listen carefully you will be able to hear the call of the Tui (a native bird). There are few streams near the track, which you can hear in parts of the walk.

Half way down is a lovely Macrocarpa bench in which you can sit, eat and enjoy the view.
Once you get to the falls, you will need to be careful and watch your step getting down to the rocks by the waterfall. This is why you may want to wear sturdy shoes and a warm jacket as the bush can get quite cold in the winter. The falls are a series of six drops that cascade into a large pool. In the summer some choose to swim in here, even though it can be cold some days. Around this area, there are a number of smaller pools to explore. On a nice day you may even be able to see a native eel.
On the other side of rocks is the continuation of the track. There a number of twisting stairs that lead you back to the start.
There are a number of tracks that lead off the main track so be careful to stay on the right path.
There are other places and tracks to go nearby if you have the time e.g. the Piha Beach. Make sure if you are going on any walking trip to tell a friend or family member where you're going and roughly the time you expect to be back and to check the weather conditions beforehand!