Ruapehu is an easy four hour drive from Auckland and offers a choice of two ski fields; Whakapapa and Turoa.
There are a wide range of different places to stay from back packers and homes-to-rent to motels and 5 star luxury hotels and lodges. For the easy classic getaway there is something romantic about booking a room in the historic Chateau Tongariro at the base of the mountain. It’s picturesque and with so many facilities on site it’s an easy and luxurious way to enjoy a few days on the snow with everything you need in one place. Just call the reservations team, they are super helpful and can help you find the best rooms and rates for your family or group.
Whether you stay on the Whakapapa side at Tongariro National Park or the Turoa side in Ohakune there are a great range of restaurants, bars, and cafes to enjoy. The general manager of Visit Ruapehu, Jo Kennedy, explains it’s hard to choose just one to recommend but suggests readers check out the www.visitruapehu.com site for a comprehensive list of places to stay and eat and great suggestions for all sorts of outdoor activities in the wider Ruapehu area.
Isabel Pasch of Ponsonby’s Bread & Butter Bakery and Cafe is a season pass holder at Ruapehu ski fields. A keen snowboarder, Isabel, her husband and her boys (who ski) get down to the slopes as often as their busy work schedule allows over winter. “I love Turoa, when it’s not windy. The view on a clear day is just unbelievable and the size of the field is great for families. Basically our kids just go off on missions by themselves all day, we just meet them for lunch,” explains Isabel.
After a full day on the mountain, if you have the energy, there is the fabulous tradition of unwinding and socialising at a nearby mountain bar or cafe - aprés-ski. “We sometimes do the classic aprés ski thing and go to the Powderkeg. It’s great with kids as well, as they have a large entertainment area with pool tables, darts etc for older kids. So perfect, if you have a gaggle of moody teenagers in tow, they have somewhere to go to and you can enjoy a couple of drinks in peace,” says Isabel. Other options that are family friendly around the ski resorts include Pihanga Cafe under the Chateau Tongariro in Whakapapa, the Macrocarpa Cafe, and the Station Cafe in National Park Village.
Of course it’s all about getting amongst the snow and this year’s season pass will give you access to both Turoa and Whakapapa. Mt Ruapehu CEO, Jono Dean, explains that the ski season this year will be a little different but anticipates that both Turoa and Whakapapa fields will be open from 1 July. “This year the beginners fields at Turoa won’t be open, but it’s only a 15 minute drive from Ohakune to Whakapapa. If you’re trying skiing or snowboarding for the first time in 2020, Jono recommends Happy Valley. “It’s a stand-alone beginner ski area with multiple carpet lifts, some of which are even covered. It’s a great sheltered ski area with gentle terrain that’s ideal for first timers to the snow,” says Jono Dean.
It’s well worth checking out the beginner packages available at Happy Valley as these make it so easy to organise the first time family trip to the snow to get everyone enjoying fun on the slopes faster. The first timer package includes: hire of skis, boots, poles, or snowboard and boots & bindings, plus a lift pass and a 1hr50m group lesson and a sightseeing pass to Knoll Ridge on the Sky Waka for $179 for an adult and $139 for a youth (5-17years).
Turoa
Did you know Turoa has the longest vertical drop in Australasia? With great chair lifts and excellent infrastructure it offers all the modern thrills and adventure. Ohakune offers it’s own unique nightlife with fabulous bars, restaurants, the perfect ingredients for après ski activities and fun.
Whakapapa
A great choice for families, especially this season, the Whakapapa ski fields are totally family friendly. Happy Valley must be one of the most well known beginner slopes around. With lots of intermediate slopes it is easy (over successive trips) to build skill levels across the range of intermediate level slopes.