Intro
Segment 5 links Pont Cassé to Castle Bruce and is known as a long point-to-point day with more descent than climb. This segment has had major changes from landslides and washouts, so information varies a lot depending on the year and recent weather. We’ll update this page as soon as possible as conditions shift.
Quick facts
- Difficulty: 6/10
- Duration: Unknown (varies significantly with detours and road sections)
- Cost: Unknown
What you’ll do
- Start near Pont Cassé and follow WNT markings toward the Emerald Pool area.
- Enjoy the forest sections early on (usually the most intact part).
- After Emerald Pool, be ready to adjust: recent reports describe damaged/eroded sections and landslides.
- If the trail disappears, switch to the main road where needed and continue toward Castle Bruce.
- Finish in Castle Bruce and arrange transport back.
Key tips
- Conditions vary a lot. Do not rely on one old description of this segment.
- Carry an offline GPS track and check trail markers often.
- Long pants help with overgrowth and razor grass.
- Avoid during/after heavy rain: slippery rock + higher risk around landslide zones.
- Plan for road-walking sections and keep a safe margin of daylight.
We haven’t explored the full Waitukubuli National Trail yet. A full end-to-end outing is planned during 2026 so we can update our on-the-ground notes (conditions, access, real timings). If you want to prepare an expedition for one segment or multiple segments, please fill out our form and we’ll connect you with guides based on the sections you want to do.