What Our VISITORS
Say About Us
"Nothing prepares you for that silence at the summit. The most meaningful thing we did in New Zealand."
— Sarah M - United Kingdom
"Our guide brought the stories to life. We left feeling like we'd actually been welcomed, not just toured."
— David K - Auckland
"Worth every early alarm. The light hitting the clouds below the summit. I'll never forget it."
— Yuki T - Japan
TE URUNGA-TU
A guided 4WD journey from Ruatoria to the summit of Maunga Hikurangi — the first point on mainland Aotearoa to meet the dawn. You'll stand among the sacred carvings of the tribe Ngāti Porou as the sun rises over the Pacific, and head back down with a story no one else in the world has yet.
5 HOURS | MAX 7 PEOPLE | AGES 5+
SUNRISE
EXPERIENCE
HARAMAI
Haramai is the daylight side of Maunga Hikurangi. A guided 4WD journey from the base to the summit, with time to take in the country as it unfolds — the ranges, the coast, and the nine carvings that hold the stories of the tribe Ngāti Porou at the top.
4 HOURS | MAX 7 PEOPLE | AGES 5+
DAY
EXPERIENCE
Te URUNGA-PAE
Stand among nine larger-than-life Māori carvings as the sun sets over the Waiapu Valley. Kōrero, karakia, and a warm drink close out your journey to the summit.
5 HOURS | MAX 7 PEOPLE | AGES 5+
Sunset
Experience
Adventure Awaits with maunga hikurangi tours
Ko Hikurangi te Maunga, Ko Waiapu te Awa, Ko Ngāti Porou te Iwi
Hikurangi the mountain, Waiapu the river, Ngāti Porou the people.
We offer daily tours to Maunga Hikurangi — the sacred mountain of the tribe Ngāti Porou and the first point of mainland New Zealand to greet the sunrise each morning.
As the only tour company authorised to drive up the mountain, we take small groups on a 4WD journey through living Māori history, past nine monumental whakairo (carvings), through landscapes that trace back to the feats of Maui, and into the stories of the Ngāti Porou people who have called this place home since the beginning.
The first light calls
We offer daily tours to Maunga Hikurangi — the sacred mountain of the tribe Ngāti Porou and the first point of mainland New Zealand to greet the sunrise each morning.
As the only tour company authorised to drive up the mountain, we take small groups on a 4WD journey through living Māori history — past nine monumental whakairo (carvings), through landscapes that trace back to the feats of Maui, and into the stories of the Ngāti Porou people who have called this place home since the beginning.
Quick Facts - Tours limited 3-7 people.
Bookings are essential.
Tour Information
2026 Season
Hikurangi is not just a mountain
It is the resting place of Māui's waka. The peak that greets every sunrise in Aotearoa. For people of the tribe
Ngāti Porou, it is a living ancestor, a mountain (Maunga) that carries the geneology of a people.
These experiences are guided by Ngāti Porou. Rooted in the values of guardianship, care, and hospitality.
Open to those who come with respect.