Mount Ruapehu

By wanderlust

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Located in the World Heritage Tongariro National Park, Mount Ruapehu is a few hours out from major cities but is certainly worth the trip. The mountain is sacred among the local Maori, and derives its name from their dialect (“rua” means pit and “pehu” to explode). It is actually an active volcano with a crater lake – only one of three in the world that is surrounded by ice and snow.

Aside from the magnificent scenery, Ruapehu also offers New Zealand’s largest ski areas Whakapapa and Turoa for skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, or just playing in the snow.


Best time to visit: The winter mounts of June to August are the best times of the year to visit. Be sure to check the forecast for snow and weather conditions before setting off, as the area is sometimes closed due to severe conditions.

Access:
Ruapeh is about a 4 hour drive from Aucland or Wellington. If traveling from domestic airports such as Hamilton, Rotorua, Taupo, New Plymouth, Wanganui, or Palmerston North, the drive can be shorter.

From the base of the mountain, shuttle buses are available to bring you to the ski areas.




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