Want to escape the bustle of Auckland? Get your ultimate New Zealand North Island nature fix in the beautiful Waitakere Ranges.
Snuggled up to the rugged west coast of North Island, Waitakere Ranges Regional Park is one of Auckland’s best day trips. The park encompasses over 16,000 hectares of coastline and native forest. You’ll enjoy everything from pristine black-sand beaches to over 250 kilometres of hiking trails. Best of all, Waitakere Ranges is only 40 minutes by car from central Auckland!
Want to plan the perfect day trip to Waitakere Ranges? Learn everything you need to know with this complete guide, including ideas for what to see & do and how to get there…
Looking for more ideas for your trip? Check out our Travel Guide for New Zealand for more recommendations on when to visit, where to go & what to do!
What to see & do in Waitakere Ranges
Arataki Visitor Centre
Most visitors to Waitakere Ranges start at the Arataki Visitor Centre. The tourist centre is perched on the eastern edge of the park and is its main (and closest) gateway from Auckland.
The Arataki Visitor Centre is more than just your average tourism board info booth. The architecture itself is quite remarkable. The exterior features eye-catching Maori carvings and a wing-like gabled roof.
Inside, there’s a rush of interactive exhibits throwing down knowledge bombs about New Zealand’s native plant & animals. (Fun fact: The word “arataki” actually means “place of learning in Maori!)
When you’re done with the centre, the Arataki Nature Trail awaits. Taking about 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete, this loop walk rambles past several lookout points. Each offers spectacular views over the Waitakere Ranges.
Piha Beach
Bonafide Kiwi surfers are no strangers to Piha Beach. But don’t worry: You don’t have to ride the waves to fall in love with this lovely black-sand west coast beach.
Famous for its powerful surf, Piha Beach isn’t only the most popular beach in Waitakere Ranges but one of Auckland’s most beautiful beaches. The native rainforest pressing the rugged coastline into the Tasman Sea is a sight to behold.
Other than its coastal delights, Piha is a great place to hikers. In the area, you’ll find several trails leading through native bush towards viewpoints and even waterfalls.
Kitekite Falls
If you’re visiting Piha Beach, don’t miss the chance to visit the beautiful Kitekite Falls. From the beach and the village, it’s less than 10 minutes to the trailhead for Kitekite Falls Trail.
This easy 2.75-kilometre-long loop track is one of the best walks near Auckland. Following the trail to its apex, you’ll land upon Kitekite Falls. The scenic waterfall drops 40 metres over three tiers into a cold pool below. It’s one of the finest sights in the entire Waitakere Ranges!
After marvelling at the scenery, you can continue your adventure on one of the area’s other hiking trails. Other walks in the Kitekite area include The Byers Walk and The Connect Walk.
NOTE: To prevent the spread of kauri dieback disease, several walking tracks in Waitakere Ranges Regional Park are currently closed. For up-to-date information, consult the Auckland Council Waitakere Ranges track closures list.
Karekare Falls
Although not quite as high as Kitekite, Karekare Falls offers plenty of reasons for a detour. The Karekare area’s scenery is among the most famous in the Waitakere Ranges. The brooding black-sand landscapes of Karekare Beach set the stage in several films, most famously, The Piano.
Once you’ve admired the scenery at Karekare Beach, head a few kilometres inland to the carpark. The walk to catch your first glimpse of Karekare Falls is just 5 minutes.
If you’ve got energy to spare, you can climb to the top of the falls on the Taraire Track for even better views. It should take no more than 30 minutes each way.
Bethells Beach
Popular among hardcore surfers, Bethells Beach is a remote black-sand beach fringed by coastal forest. It’s also known as Te Henga, the Maori phrase for “sand.” Quite apt, wouldn’t you say?
Even if you’re not into surfing or swimming, Bethells Beach is a fantastic place for sightseeing. Twitchers will have a field day scoping out the native birds here. Several species nest in the area, including dotterels, pukekos, warblers, petrels, and harriers. You might even catch a penguin or two in the evening!
For more active pursuits, hit up the area’s hiking tracks. The 75-kilometre-long Hillary Trail passes through the area. It weaves between coastline and rainforest, exploring the best of the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park.
Even if tackling this epic multi-day track isn’t in the cards, you can day hike over various sections of the trail. The most popular is the Te Henga Walkway. The cliff-top trail runs from Bethells Beach to Muriwai Beach via O’Neill Bay. The incredible Tasman Sea views are well worth the moderately steep grades along the track.
Muriwai Beach
Follow the Te Henga Walkway beyond its trail-end and you’ll land upon Muriwai Beach. Like Auckland’s other west coast beaches, Muriwai tosses together a spectacular mix of rugged coastline and black volcanic sands. Like nearby Bethells Beach and Piha, it’s also popular among surfers thanks to its strong waves.
If you’re visiting between August and September, among the best times to go to New Zealand, there’s one more reason to visit Muriwai Beach: its cliff-top gannet colony. Between spring and summer, thousands of pairs of gannets fly over from Australia to nest at Muriwai. Be sure to pack your zoom lens!
Fairy Falls
Got extra time at the end of a day trip to Waitakere Ranges Regional Park? Squeeze in a visit to Fairy Falls. Located about 5 kilometres from the Arataki Visitor Centre, Fairy Falls is yet another entry among the most popular Waitakere Ranges waterfalls.
This stunning natural wonder is accessible via the Fairy Falls Track. Starting at Scenic Drive, the trail follows a well-maintained path through native rainforest. Nearing the end of the trail, endure the steep ascent to the upper boardwalk to enjoy marvellous views over Fairy Falls.
If you decide to continue the loop walk, you’ll stumble upon several more lookout points with views over Auckland and even as far as Rangitoto Island.
NOTE: At the of time of writing (November 2020), The Fairy Falls Track was closed to prevent kauri dieback disease. To learn more about kauri trees and kauri dieback, check out the Keep Kauri Standing official site.
How to get to Waitakere Ranges
From the Auckland city centre, it’s about 35 to 45 minutes to Waitakere Ranges by car. The most common starting point for a day in Waitakere Ranges Regional Park is the Arataki Visitor Centre.
The centre is accessible via State Highway 16 from downtown Auckland and Scenic Drive in Titirangi. To get to the west coast beaches from here, it’ll take another 25 minutes or so.
