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Taranaki, often overshadowed by New Zealand’s most famous destinations like Rotorua and Queenstown, is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. Nestled on the North Island’s West Coast, this region boasts rugged coastlines, lush forests, and the iconic cone-shaped peak of Mount Taranaki.

I’ll be honest – despite living in New Zealand for sixteen years, I only recently visited Taranaki in April 2024. Unlike other popular destinations, Taranaki isn’t necessarily ‘on the way’ to another destination, making it a destination that requires a specific intention to visit.

But it’s been on my bucket list for a long time. And after visiting, I can tell you it’s well worth the effort to get there. I recently spent four days hiking in the shadows of mountains, camping under the stars, and exploring Taranaki.

Now, let me share with you my perfect itinerary, highlighting the best of our stay in Taranaki and showcasing why it’s a must-visit destination for any traveler seeking adventure and natural beauty.

1. How to get to Taranaki
2. Where to stay in Taranaki
3. Day One: Auckland to Taranaki
4. Day Two: New Plymouth and Dawson Falls
5. Day Three: Hiking Pouakai Tarns
6. Day Four: Driving on the Forgotten World Highway

How to get to Taranaki

Getting to Taranaki from major cities in the North Island, Auckland, Tauranga, and Wellington is relatively straightforward.

From Auckland, head south on State Highway 1 and then jump onto the scenic drive down State Highway 3, which leads directly to Taranaki. I’ll always recommend driving because I love road trips and it’s the best way to explore New Zealand. But domestic flights are easy to grab from Auckland Airport to New Plymouth Airport if you don’t want to drive.

If you’re travelling from Wellington, choose between driving via State Highway 1 and then onto State Highway 3 or catching a flight from Wellington Airport to New Plymouth.

For travellers coming from Tauranga, driving south on State Highway 2 and then connecting to State Highway 3 offers the most beautiful route to Taranaki, showcasing the North Island’s diverse landscapes along the way.

Where to stay in Taranaki

Accommodation in Taranaki varies from holiday parks and campsites to boutique hotels.

Given that I’ve only visited Taranaki once, I cannot point you in the direction of luxury accommodation in New Plymouth. However, I can introduce you to the best camp ground in the region: Durham Lake Holiday Park.

Owned by the most welcoming man, Gavin, Durham Lake has facilities to boot, a fully stocked bar and a jaw-dropping view of Mount Taranaki. We chose to stay here because it’s just four minutes from Inglewood and twenty minutes from New Plymouth. But seriously, I’d travel out of my way to stay here.

Day One: Auckland to Taranaki

The drive from Auckland to Taranaki takes 5 hours, so you’ll be in for a reasonably long stretch in the car! You can break up the drive by visiting other beautiful places in New Zealand along the way. But we drove down without stopping (except for lunch) until we reached Three Sisters. Unfortunately, it was high tide when we passed by, so we didn’t get to do the walk, but I’ve heard it’s a must-do if you time it right.

It was 5pm when we arrived in New Plymouth, and we beelined to our accommodation for the weekend.

Durham Lake Holiday Park is only 25 minutes from New Plymouth and is, without a doubt, the best place to camp in the region. It’s cheap, cosy, and has the best views of Mount Taranaki. Did I mention they also have a fully stocked bar?

I’m big into photos (if you couldn’t tell), so before we set up camp, we drove down Durham Road for a few minutes to take some iconic shots of Mount Taranaki.

I’ve heard that most people do this on Pembroke Road, but it was too busy when we visited! This was a perfect, super quiet option!

Day Two: New Plymouth and Dawson Falls

Start your first day in Taranaki by getting up early to watch the sunrise. But I promise you, you’ll thank yourself for it! We stayed at the campsite for sunrise instead of one of the more popular, but the view was still perfect.

After breakfast, head over to New Plymouth to explore. There’s lots to do here: climb Paritutu Rock, visit the Len Lye Centre or walk along the Coastal Walkway. We opted for the coastal walk and then hit the road.

After visiting New Plymouth, head around the coast to Cape Egmont Lighthouse before stopping at the Dawson Falls Visitors Centre in Egmont National Park.
I’ll prioritise hiking over museums and cafes any day, and if you’re like me, you’ll probably do the same!

There are lots of epic walking tracks in Dawson Falls, but the most popular ones are Wilkies Pools and Dawson Falls waterfall. I highly recommend both!

The walk to Dawson Falls is straightforward and only takes about 30 minutes to get from the carpark to the base of the falls. Once you’ve Spent some time here, follow the loop track to Wilkies Pools. You’ll climb through the Goblin Forest, along a boardwalk and then cross a bridge before you pop out at the falls.

Day Three: Hiking Pouakai Tarns

On our last full day, we woke up to beautiful weather and drove to the start of the Pouakai Tarns Track. Pouakai Tarn is one of the most famous views in Taranaki. Seeing the mirror reflection in person is a mind-altering experience!

To get here, park at the Mangorei Road Carpark in Mount Egmont National Park. Parking is free, and there are public toilets at the trailhead! Then, head uphill through the native bush. The walk isn’t challenging (700m elevation) and is along a boardwalk for most of the way, but it can get muddy, so I’d recommend bringing good shoes!
It will take you about 1.5 hours to get to the Pouakai Hut and then another 10-20 minutes to get to Pouakai Tarn.

The view at the top knocked our socks off. We couldn’t believe our luck with the weather: sunny, blue skies and the wind died down long enough for us to ‘almost’ get a perfect mirror reflection. The views were amazing, but it’s an Instagram vs Reality moment. It gets busy, and everyone stands on one side of the tarn, lining up to take a photo. It sounds like you’ll share the tarn with many other people, but it’s a lovely experience. Everyone waiting shared cameras, snapped pictures of each other and took turns walking in front of Mount Taranaki.

Humans are so cute.

Once you’ve had your lunch, head back the way you came to the Mangorei Road Carpark. This is, for sure, a day for the books!

For a full guide to hiking to Pouakai Tarn, check out my blog post!

Day Four: Driving on the Forgotten World Highway

We travelled back up to Auckland on the Forgotten World Highway. The road twists and turns (not to mention adds about 1.5 hours onto your trip) but is know-your-socks-off beautiful. Endless fields of lush green farmland and native bush give you a taste of what life must have been like across Aotearoa hundreds of years ago.

Do as we did and stop in Whangamomona to stretch your legs and explore New Zealand’s only republic town. It’s quirky but oh so beautiful (and has a great pub!)

I’m sure there are many, many amazing places in Taranaki that I’ve missed off this list. To me, that sounds like I’ll have to book another trip! Do you have a favourite place in Taranaki? Let me know in the comments below!