Mount Ruapehu

Ruapehu is the high point of the North Island and the largest of the three volcanoes in Tongariro National Park, an active mountain with a warm, acidic crater lake in its summit basin. Snow lies on it for much of the year, and its slopes carry the island's main ski fields: Whakapapa on the northern side, above a village of the same name, and Turoa above Ohakune to the south, where the access road climbs higher than any other in the country. A gondola runs from the Whakapapa base in summer as well as winter, lifting walkers to a ridge of lava rock and tussock with long views over the volcanic plateau to Ngauruhoe and, on a clear day, Taranaki.

What you actually see

• The gondola ridge - the lift from Whakapapa up to lava outcrops and views across the plateau.
• Turoa's access road - the highest sealed road in the country, climbing the southern slopes.
• The volcanic terrain - old lava flows, moraine and tussock basins below the snowline.
• Ngauruhoe across the saddle - the near-perfect cone standing apart from Ruapehu.

When to go

July to September is the ski season, when both fields open and the villages fill. January to March gives the easiest walking, with the gondola running and snow only on the tops. Volcanic alert levels and weather can close roads, lifts and tracks at short notice in any season, so check conditions on the day rather than the week before.

Honest expectations

This is an active volcano and access to the upper mountain is restricted at times; the crater lake is not a casual destination and needs proper alpine skill. Cloud sits on Ruapehu often, and the gondola can deliver you into the middle of it. Ski field weather closes lifts frequently. The villages are small and winter accommodation prices rise sharply.

Nearby

Ohakune and National Park village sit at either end of the mountain, with the Tongariro peaks alongside.