Hi there! My name is Laurie and welcome to my short guide on hiking Mt Taranaki. I just finished my year-and-a-half stint of traveling around the world by myself, which included a one year stop in New Zealand.
I did that after completing five years of study at a sports university in Paris to become a gym coach. I traveled to Iceland for my 18th birthday and I enjoyed the trip, and I think NZ was the only country that offered similar landscapes with amazing snowy mountains surrounded by the ocean.
Like many others, I found out about Mt Taranaki from the famous pictures of the lake with the mountain behind it. After speaking with lots of locals and travelers, it seemed like a great place to go on a hiking trip!
Hiking to Maketawa Hut and Pouakai Hut
The first hike that I ticked off my list in Mt Taranaki was the Maketawa Hut Circuit. I stayed for two nights at the hut. Sadly, I couldn’t reach the top of the mountain due to bad weather (why we were stuck in the hut for two days). The wind and rain made it impossible to continue. The second hike that I did was the most famous one called the Pouakai Hut Trail. I went camping here for a night and visited the famous lake behind the hut.
For Maketawa Hut, I walked for three kilometers for a little less than two hours one way. The difficulty level was pretty advanced and I had to carry my sleeping bag, which added to the difficulty. For Pouakai Hut, I walked for five kilometers which also took just under two hours one way. The path was well-maintained but the stairs made it hard on the knees.
Highlights of Hiking Around Mt Taranaki
The views on both of these hikes were stunning and the hiking infrastructure was fantastic, with easy to walk on wooden stairs and not much mud due to the well-maintained paths. The highlights for me were the nights spent at the huts and being able to see thousands of stars in the sky. I also enjoyed watching the morning light blanket the landscape with the view of the city and ocean, and lots of different colors of the vegetation.
Tips for Your Hiking Trip in Mt Taranaki
As a gym coach, I’m pretty fit but I think everyone can do these types of hikes because the trails around Mt Taranaki are well maintained, and everyone can go at their own pace. My only advice would be for people with bad knees to be careful with the stairs, as that can cause issues.
To really enjoy Mt Taranaki, you need to do it by staying in a hut or by going camping. But remember, you should book the huts in advance because they receive lots of requests. If you’re not so adventurous, the best option is to stay in New Plymouth. It’s a reasonably sized city with lots of shops and beaches to go surfing. Remember to also check the DOC website to ensure the tracks are good and to keep an eye out on the weather forecast.
My Favorite Memory from These Adventures
Being a surfer, before going on my sunset hike to Pouakai Hut, I remember checking out the waves and having my lunch at Back Beach. At the car park there, a guy came up to me and asked if I could apply some sunscreen on his back. At first I thought: “OMG!”, that is so weird – especially when you’re a female traveler on your own and needing to be careful.
But we started talking and I told him about my plans to go hiking on the Pouakai Tarns at sunset, and without a torch because mine was dead. My original plan was to sleep in the hut but sadly it was booked. This guy proposed to me that I come with him and share his tent to sleep at the top of the mountain. I accepted and it was so nice to meet such an amazing person like this, sharing the walk together and creating memories!