By Gea van der Horst, 15 May 2025
Mount Taranaki
Good evening,
Woohooo, it is finally time to tell the story of the Mount Taranaki trip. This was so incredibly cool!
Mount Taranaki, also known as Mount Egmont, is an impressive volcano on the west side of New Zealand’s North Island. With its nearly perfect symmetry and height of 2,518 meters, it forms the heart of Egmont National Park. For the Māori, Taranaki is a sacred mountain, deeply woven into centuries-old legends. The European name “Egmont” was given in the 18th century by British explorer James Cook, but the original name Taranaki, meaning “shining peak,” is proudly recognized today.
On May 15th, 2025, the ten of us set out for Mount Taranaki. The first day was immediately a challenge because our goal was Syme Hut, a popular but tough destination for trampers (hikers). Syme Hut sits at about 1,960 meters, just below the summit of Fanthams Peak, a side crater of the main volcano. The track is steep and rugged, and the scenery changes quickly from dense rainforest to hardened lava fields and steep scree slopes.
It all began down in the lush green rainforest that surrounds Mount Taranaki. Because the mountain is so steep, the trail did not start with rocky paths but with a lot of stairs. Step by step, we made our way up, spirits high. It was definitely a workout. I can now say with absolute confidence that long stair climbs are not exactly my favorite thing. I much prefer trails made of earth, rock, and gravel instead of endless steps.
The weather was not too bad at first, cloudy but still dry. At the end of the stair section, we hit the harder part: the scree. Scree is a steep slope of loose rock that slides around as you climb it. Naturally, the higher you go, the colder it gets. So we stopped to put on warm layers, grabbed our trekking poles, and got ready for the real climb.
It started out manageable but became steeper very quickly. The big rocks gave way to loose gravel, which made slipping much easier. The clouds thickened, the wind picked up, and then the rain started. Not the best combination. It became so misty that we could not see the summit anymore, and in reality it was even mistier than it looks in the photos. Still, everyone kept climbing. Despite the conditions, morale stayed surprisingly high.
It took us about two to three hours to finally reach the top of Fanthams Peak. Sadly, the mist never lifted, and we could barely see a thing. It was so foggy that the people in the front stopped to wait for the rest, only to discover they were literally a few steps away from Syme Hut the whole time.
Syme Hut is famous for its spectacular views and starry nights. Unfortunately, because of the clouds, we did not get to see any of that. But we made it! We arrived soaked through but proud to have reached Syme Hut.
The hut sits way above the treeline, which means no trees, no wood, and no fireplace. This is why Syme Hut is known as one of the coldest huts in New Zealand. Luckily, with plenty of thermals and ten people crammed into a tiny hut, it did eventually get a little warmer. Everyone took some time to rest, eat, play Dutch Blitz, and then head to bed early.
Here is a fun fact: toilets are always outside the hut. Which makes sense, but it is not always convenient in the dark. It was misty, raining, windy, and pitch-black, so you literally could not see the toilet. Even with a headlamp, it was hard to find. Thankfully, someone had explained how to get there: “Go to the right side of the hut to where the hut is anchored by a cable, walk 18 steps straight ahead, then 4 steps to the left.”
The next morning, May 16th, it was still cloudy, but luckily the wind had died down a bit. We decided to descend. Going down is faster, but it is also easier to slip. I think every single one of us fell at least once. If you have hiked before, you know the feeling: you think the uphill climb is the hard part until you are halfway down and realize your legs are screaming.
We made it back to the cars, and normally when you get back to the cars, the hike is over. I later realized I did not take any pictures at this point, probably because we were all exhausted. But nope, we were not done yet. We drove to the other side of the mountain and continued our tramp. I really loved this trail. There were barely any stairs, just a few small climbs, but overall, it was a great path with amazing views. Even though we were a little tired, the atmosphere was still cheerful and full of energy. Before we knew it, we had reached the next hut: Holly Hut.
This hut was much fancier. It was bigger, had a fireplace, and even had lighting. True to the spirit of tramping, we ate, played more games, and went to bed. Oh, and another fun fact: in almost every hut it is normal to be quiet after 9 p.m. because most people go to sleep then. Unfortunately, this time there were a few people who did not know this and they kept talking loudly until 11 p.m. And yes, huts are definitely not soundproof.
The next day, May 17th, we started early again for our final hike on Mount Taranaki. Everyone was excited. The weather was pretty good, very cloudy but with almost no rain. The track climbed quite a bit, with a lot of stairs and even a few ladders, but luckily no scree. We were heading toward the Pouakai Tarns, which are famous alpine lakes at the foot of Mount Taranaki, known for their perfect reflections of the volcano when the weather is clear. They are an iconic photo spot for hikers and also hold special spiritual meaning for the Māori.
Unfortunately, everything was hidden in the mist when we got there. But of course, we still posed for the classic photo pretending the mountain was right there behind us. During the whole tramp we had often seen Mount Taranaki quite clearly, but the summit almost always stayed hidden in the clouds.
After the Tarns, we started the descent through the beautiful rainforest. And finally, we reached the cars again. Woohooo, we did it! We all went for pizza together before driving back to Wellington.
Mount Taranaki is absolutely worth it. There are many different routes around the mountain, so if you ever go there, choose the one that suits you best.
Have a wonderful day!