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Te Mata Peak: a great way to see Hawkes Bay

Dated: February 17, 2020

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View of mountain ridge to sea
The view from the summit of Te Mata Peak

Hawkes Bay is located on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand, and is home to many attractions, including the beautiful Te Mata Peak.

There are many different hiking and biking options to get to the summit, as well as a paved road for those who’d prefer to drive up.

Te Mata is a very significant place in Māori culture; the legend says that the hill is the body of the Waimarama chief Te Mata, who died after trying to accomplish a series of impossible tasks in order to be with his love, Hinerakau.

The final task was to bite through the hills between the coast and the plains, but Te Mata choked on the earth of what is now known as Te Mata Peak.

There is a fantastic view from the summit over the plains, and it can be reached by foot, bike or car.

Te Mata hiking options

Map of Te Mata hikes
The map at the lower car park

Piwakawaka Loop

1.3km – 40 mins

This is a short loop walk that passes through native trees and bushes, but does not lead to the summit.

Big Redwoods Track

2.7km – 1 hour

This loop track takes in the huge redwoods near the plains, with a fantastic lookout spot.

Karaka Wander

4km – 1 hour 15 mins

This loop takes its name from a grove of karaka trees around 200 years old. The track passes through the upper parts of the hillside with panoramic views.

Rangokako Trail

5.5km – 2 hours 15 mins

This is one of the two tracks which take in the summit of Te Mata Peak. It is similar to the Giant Circuit in that it passes through the Big Redwoods and is a large loop, but it takes a slightly different route with some steep sections.

Giant Circuit

5.4km – 2 hours 15 mins

Taking in the perimeter of Te Mata Park and climbing via the ‘Snakes and Ladders’ track to the summit, this is a more challenging walk. Walk through the Big Redwoods, grassy areas and take care on steep sections.

When we visited Te Mata, we opted to walk the Giant Circuit and found it to be very enjoyable! Follow the red markers and make sure you head in an anti-clockwise direction from the car park!

Giant Circuit Track

View from ridge over hills
The view from the first ridge on Giant Circuit

The track starts at the edge of the lower car park and immediately heads downhill through a wooded area.

The track is uneven but well-formed, so just make sure you watch your step.

After reaching the bottom of the slope, the path branches off in three directions, with a marked post showing which way to go, depending on the colour of the track you’re taking (Giant Circuit is red).

We followed the red arrow to the right and started climbing uphill again.

Eventually, this brought us out onto a small ridge with fantastic views over the Heretaunga Plains, and we followed this uphill for a while before dropping down into the woods again.

Before long, we found ourselves on the edge of the Big Redwoods, which were amazing and so tall!

Tall redwoods with man in background
The Big Redwoods… can you spot Theo?

Follow the red arrow again to leave the redwoods and head out onto a rolling grassy area, which gradually leads uphill.

Before long, we reached the base of the steep hill we were about to climb. The path zig-zags up from here to make the climb a little easier, but it is still a steep ascent.

The wind was quite strong at this point and we had to be careful not to be blown over the edge!

When the path stops zig-zagging, it means that the summit is not far away.

Keep following the track and you’ll see where the road reaches the summit.

There is a trig point on the top and an absolutely stunning view over Hawkes Bay!

We took some time to admire the view before continuing on the red track, which follows the road for a while.

The descent was much shorter than the ascent and we soon found ourselves back at the lower car park again.

Te Mata Park

Grassy mountain landscape
The view before the big climb on the Giant Circuit

The timing on the maps and signs was fairly accurate, although we completed the hike in less than the 2 hours 15 minutes specified.

The car park has a lot of information on the Te Mata Park, including all the hikes and the legend of Te Mata.

There are also biking options, and the sealed road leads to the summit; just make sure you’re careful when driving around the narrow bends.

I wish that we had more time to explore the area; we definitely would have come back to do some of the other hikes!

For wonderful views of Hawkes Bay, Te Mata Park is a great day out for visitors of all abilities.

Will you visit Te Mata on your next trip to Hawkes Bay? If you’ve visited before, which is your favourite hike? Let me know in the comments! 🙂

Want more like this? Check out these articles:

  • Your guide to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing
  • Mount Taranaki Summit Track
  • Lake Taupō’s impressive Māori rock carving

All images in this post are the property of lastminutewanders.com

View of hill ridge and sea with text overlay - Te Mata Peak: a great way to see Hawkes Bay
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Posted Under: Hiking, New Zealand, New Zealand

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We're in Hong Kong! And we brought a new little pa We're in Hong Kong! And we brought a new little passenger along for the ride ♥️🤰🏻👶🏻🥰
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In 10 years of travel I had to make one claim but if I hadn't been covered it would have ended my travels before they even got started!
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Two years spent in this indescribably beautiful co Two years spent in this indescribably beautiful country were not enough!
New Zealand is more amazing than you could ever dream of...
Do you want to go??
Follow me for more 🌍
Don't forget to:
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💬 Leave a comment
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Are you worried about jet lag ruining the first fe Are you worried about jet lag ruining the first few days of your trip? 
Here are my top tips to help you enjoy your adventure from day one!
Don't forget to:
♥️ Double tap
💬 Leave a comment
📤 Share with a friend
📥 Save it for later
💌 DM me to chat!
#travelexpert #travelmentor #mindsetmentor #travelmindset #travelmotivation #mindsetmatters #travelplanning #travelplantheeasyway #travelplanningmadeeasy #longtermtravel #worldtravel #firsttimetravel #firsttimetraveller #lastminutewanders
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