RANGITOTO ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Make sure you are prepared for your trip to Rangitoto New Zealand. The island is much different from other islands as it is pest-free. Since the island is pest-free, there are a lot of rules before entering the island. There aren’t places to eat, drink, or grab last minute supplies so being prepared for your trip is key. Here are a few useful tips for your trip.

• Bring plenty of water and make sure you eat before arriving to the island. Max and I ran out of water hiking and were SO thirsty!! We literally ran directly to the water once we got on the ferry (as did everyone else). With that being said, I highly, highly recommend bringing more water than you need!
• Be sure to pack plenty of food and snacks for your trip. I recommend eating ahead of time as certain foods aren’t allowed on the island. If you decide to bring snacks/ food on the island, make sure they are packed in a sealed container. The container must be rodent proof as the island is pest-free!
• The most important things to pack for a day trip to Rangitoto Island is sunscreen, hiking shoes, and layers.

Luckily, Rangitoto Island is a quick ferry ride from downtown Auckland. The ferry leaves from the terminal off Quay Street in Auckland. The Rangitoto Island ferry is approximately 25 minutes. When I was in New Zealand, a roundtrip ferry to Rangitoto was approximately $23 USD. Click here for the most up to date ferry times and prices.

While the island is easy to get to, be sure to check the ferry times to and from Rangitoto. The ferry doesn’t run as often as it does to some of the other islands from Auckland. When I was in New Zealand, the last ferry left Rangitoto at 4:30 pm. Make sure you do not miss the last ferry back as it is a long swim back!

If you’re looking for some excellent New Zealand hiking then you’re in store. There are so many hikes on Rangitoto! If you’re a hiker, I highly recommend spending a solid amount of time on the island as there are a number of incredible trails. The trails are clearly marked on the island with an estimated duration to get there. Max and I found the times to be WAY off as we finished quite a few hikes in the 3-4 hours we were there. Be sure to grab a map from the ferry, which outlines all the hikes on the island and comes in quite handy! Below is a list of the most common hikes in Rangitoto.

The hike to Rangitoto Summit is amazing. If you only have time for one hike on the island, I recommend checking out the summit track! It offers amazing views of the water and Auckland. The hike is easy to find as you just follow the sign to the summit. We found the hike to be much quicker than the sign recommended however we were booking it since we were worried about missing the ferry.

The Lava Caves Track is technically not a full on hike. It is a quick 15 minutes off the trail to the Summit so if you have time for the lava caves I recommend checking it out! Max and I didn’t have time for it but I have seen pictures of the Lava Caves and it looks awesome!

Rangitoto Island connects to Motutapu Island! You’re able to walk to Motutapu from the ferry in Rangitoto. There are two routes you can take. One of the routes is along the coast whereas the other is more inland. We took the inland route since it was quicker however, the coastal route looked absolutely stunning!

As you can tell, Rangitoto Island offers some of the most incredible hiking New Zealand. I hope you enjoy Rangitoto and the amazing hiking trails as much as we did. There are so many unique places to visit in New Zealand it’s no wonder it’s one of the best places to travel in the world!

For more on your trip to New Zealand:

• What to do in Auckland
• Waiheke Island, New Zealand

Safe Travels,

Sarah :)