2 Best Sights in North Island's West Coast, New Zealand

Mt. Taranaki (8,261 feet), called Mt. Egmont by Captain Cook, is a steep, symmetrically shaped volcanic peak that dominates the region's landscape and weather. Egmont National Park was created in 1900 to protect the mountain and its surrounding forests. From a distance, the landscape looks simple; a cone-shape mountain draped white with snow in winter and flanked by a near-perfect circle of forest. Look closer—or try walking on the park trails—and a different picture emerges. Thousands of years of volcanic buildup and erosion have crafted steep gullies and rivers, immense lava bluffs, unstable slips, and acres of moss-covered "goblin" trees and tall, ancient forest giants. It's a fascinating place to explore, and thankfully there are many ways of doing this no matter your level of fitness. Try a scenic drive up one of the three access roads, explore the easy short trails around each of the three park entrances, or take a longer hike, staying in a park hut. The one-day Pouakai Crossing or two- to three-day Pouakai Circuit explores all the park’s landscapes: lava cliffs, wetlands, tussock tops, and goblin forests. (Always check with the DOC before heading out since some tracks are often temporarily closed due to erosion.) Climbing the mountain is a serious undertaking for only experienced hikers, especially with frequent bad weather. The mountain is sacred to the local Māori people, so they ask that hikers respect this and not clamber over the summit rocks. From May to December, reaching the summit is for technically equipped climbers with mountaineering experience only.

The Whanganui River starts high on the volcanic mountains of the central North Island, and travels 329 km (204 miles) to the sea. For several hundred years the tribe Te Atihau nui a Paparangi has lived along the riverbanks; they regard the waterway as their spiritual ancestor. To acknowledge this, the Whanganui became the first river in the world to be accorded legal personhood in 2017. The Whanganui flows through the heart of Whanganui National Park, through steep gorges and huge tracts of forested wilderness. The remoteness and beauty, culture and history, the river’s relatively easy navigability, and forest trails and mountain bike tracks are the main draws to this national park. Scenic jet boat trips operate throughout the year from road access points along the river. Single and multiday kayak trips, both guided and independent, are extremely popular. The Whanganui Journey is, in fact, listed as one of New Zealand’s famed Great Walks. Most visitors kayak in summer, but a river trip is feasible at any time. Two multiday walks and many shorter ones explore the lowland forest. Totaling 317 km (197 miles), the Mountains to Sea—Nga Ara Tuhono Cycle Trail traverses remote forest tracks (challenging for mountain bikes) and roads through Tongariro and Whanganui national parks from Mt. Ruapehu to the river's mouth; it can be ridden in stages. The river journey is also part of Te Araroa, the New Zealand Trail.