About | Whakapapa – Mount Ruapehu
Whakapapa is New Zealand’s largest ski area in the winter and open for you to explore for short walks during summer. You can ride the gondola, called the Sky Waka, all the way up to New Zealand’s highest restaurant and cafe, 2,020 metres above sea level. Here, you can enjoy floor to ceiling windows overlooking the pinnacles. Enjoy a bite to eat as you watch skiers and snowboarders catch the ski lifts and slide down the hill.
Summer
In the warmer months (November to May), there are three walks on the mount that you can explore. Walks range from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours.
The Skyline walk, which was been described as the ‘best short walk’ in the Tongariro National Park, takes you to Skyline Ridge where you can take in breathtaking views of Mt Ngauruhoe, Lake Taupo & beyond.
Lord of the Rings fans will enjoy the Meads Wall (or Mordor), where several scenes from The Fellowship of the Ring & The Two Towers were filmed with views of Mt Doom (Mt Ngauruhoe) in the background.
For two of the walks, you will need to purchase a pass to take you up the Sky Waka, a fun experience in itself.
Winter
Visit in the colder months (June to October) and the mount will have transformed. White, glistening snow now covers Mount Ruapehu, calling all snowboarders, skiers and snow lovers who come from far and wide to enjoy and play in the snow.
Whakapapa has it’s own area just for beginners, a nice place to learn and build up your confidence. Lessons are available. For first-timers, the kids are really going to love experiencing the snow and snow sledding at Happy Valley, with its own sledding area.
Otherwise, older and more confident families can hit the slopes, there’s a huge range of great trails to choose from!
Nearby
Location
At the end of Bruce Road.
Photos
This was the boys first snow trip (Mila has already been). Driving up the mount and they were in awe of the views and ecstatic when the snow started appearing – this is what they had been waiting for! We find a park and out they go, there’s heaps of snow to play with!
Sky Waka
Before we get all wet and cold, we head up the sky waka for some sightseeing. The ride up was amazing, it was so cool being able to see the mount that way.
We get to the the top and it’s so bright – there’s snow everywhere.
Happy Valley
Next stop, time for some snowball fights and sledding and what better place than Happy Valley.
Carpark
Back in the carpark and the fun doesn’t stop there. The kids find a good slope so get out their boards – didn’t pay a cent but got so much fun out of this!
Driving down the mount
Just driving up/down the mountain is an experience in itself, passing alpine forest and then as you go up higher it turns into rock and snow. Views are insurmountable.
