Things to do in Taranaki New Zealand
Taranaki New Zealand is a region midway between Auckland and Wellington while situated on the beautiful west coast of the North Island.
The principal centre in the region is New Plymouth, the only deep-water port on New Zealand’s west coast.
New Plymouth is dominated by astonishing views of Mount Taranaki (also known as Mount Egmont).
Mt Taranaki is famous for its perfectly symmetrical volcano with it cone-like summit permanently covered by ice and snow
The Taranaki region is an agricultural heartland and rural backwater and this means the area offers superb day treks and wild windswept beaches.
The mountain provides a source for over 50 rivers and streams and these streams feed a host of unique plant species
Add to this that the mountain is the subject of many legends and you can see why this place is an ideal destination to welcome tourists.
First settled by the Maori people, eight tribes (iwi) found their homes here and remain firmly tied to the land.
Why You Must Visit Taranaki and New Plymouth
New Plymouth is a great base to travel about the Taranaki region.
From here you can visit the national parks, soak up the surroundings with a hike, get up the mountain for some stunning views or hit the coast for some surfing.
If you have some time we highly recommend Mount Damper where the waterfalls are some of the highest and most impressive in the North Island.
Must Do Taranaki New Zealand
So now you are asking what “must do” activities there are in New Plymouth.
Here are a few of the highlights.
- Chill in Pukekura Park
- Take some time to explore the Brooklands Zoo
- Travel the Forgotten World Highway (Highway 43)
- Mesmerise yourself with the stunning Te Rewa Rewa Bridge
- Visit Mount Damper Falls – A 1.5h drive to one of the highest in the north island
- Go to the Ratapihipihi Scenic Reserve
- Check out the views of Sugar Loaf Islands and Paritutu Rock
- Mt Egmont National Park
- Hit the Beaches
- Ride the waves at one of the plentiful Surfing Spots on “surf highway 45” boasting some of the best spots in the country.
Hiking in Taranaki
We wanted to highlight some of the top hikes in the region as these have to be one of the main attractions to the area.
- Mt Egmont National Park e.g Pouakai Circuit, York, Ridge or Connett loops
- The Te Henui Walkway
- Huatoki Trails
- A lovely walk through the farmland to Mount Damper falls
- Wilkies Pools trail
If you like Hiking it is worth looking into which of these is more suitable to you and your abilities.
Most importantly let someone know where and when you are going and when you expect to be back. When you visit Taranaki New Zealand, you will certainly not be disappointed.
Organised tours in Taranaki New Zealand
Yeah of course we have tours in New Plymouth and Taranaki but we wanted to highlight the area despite having limited products available.
As usual get in touch for the best deals.
