Ski or snowboard on an active volcano
Mt Ruapehu is home to the two largest ski areas in New Zealand - Whakapapa and Tūroa - and we're close to them both. In addition to the thrill of riding on an active volcano, the great thing about coming to Ruapehu is that you can visit both ski areas with a single pass.
Whakapapa
The Whakapapa ski area is New Zealand's largest ski area and just a 20 minute drive or 30 minute bus journey away from the lodge.
Whakapapa boasts New Zealand's premiere beginners' area, Happy Valley with its own cafe, rental complex and ski school meeting area. The gentle slope is nice and long, giving you plenty of time to get the hang of your new sport.
Whakapapa is also home to New Zealand's newest gondola, the Sky Waka, which opened in July 2019 and offers access to the upper slopes of Mt Ruapehu for some of the best runs in the country including 30 intermediate groomed trails and 24 black and black diamond runs.
It also provides access to New Zealand's highest eatery - the Knoll Ridge Chalet at 2020m above sea level with sightseeing passes available for those not skiing or boarding.
Tūroa
Tūroa is located on the south western slopes of Mt Ruapehu and is a 45 minutes drive from our lodge. Tūroa features the longest vertical drop in the country at 722m and the High Noon Express which travels to the highest lifted point in New Zealand offering panoramic views of the North Island. On offer are two beginners areas, wide trails with plenty of gullies and drops, and world-class terrain parks. Tūroa also has a number of cafes both at the base and higher up on the slopes.
Other fun things to do around Ruapehu
There are plenty of fun activities to enjoy around Ruapehu throughout the year.
Options range from quad bike riding to whitewater rafting to a round of mini-golf, or just relaxing over warm meal or cold drink.
Click here for some of our favourite activities to enjoy around Ruapehu out of the snow.
