Mt Maunganui/Mauao Summit Walk

This perennial favourite is a short yet hearty hike to the 232m summit.

Where is it?

Start at the Mt Maunganui Surf Life Saving Club at the base of the mountain in the Bay of Plenty.

Terrain

Well-maintained bush paths, some shingle and quite a few steps if you choose the steeper, quicker Waikorire track.

Need to know

40min to reach 232m peak

Reasonable fitness required

Steep walk

No dogs

TRACK OVERVIEW

No trip to Mt Maunganui is complete without a walk to this summit. Two of the most popular tracks are Oruahine and Waikorire and both begin at the base of the mountain on the ocean side, starting at the boardwalk just beyond the Surf Life Saving Club. Māori for ‘big mountain’, the walk up Maunganui, or Mauao, is challenging, but the views when you reach the peak make every drop of sweat worthwhile. Catch your breath while gazing out upon the entire western Bay of Plenty, south along the white sandy beaches of Papamoa, north toward the shores of Waihi and Bowentown and over to the port and Matakana Island. You can walk these trails any time of day, although sunrise and sunset are most popular. Māori also know the mountain as Mauao which means ‘caught by the dawn’. And if you feel like you’ve earned a reward, once you return to sea level, why not treat yourself to an ice cream, a soak in the hot pools, or if the season suits, a swim in the surf?

For those not inclined to tackle the incline, Mauao also boasts a scenic, 3.5km mostly flat walkway around its base.

Mauao © Bay of Plenty Tourism

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