Full moon tramp, Mt Egmont, Taranaki

What: 4 hours to summit, 8 hours return

When: Summer is best (very dangerous in the winter months)

Where: From New Plymouth it's about a 30 minute drive. Head south on State Highway 3 to Egmont  Village and turn right onto Egmont Road. The track access point is at the North Egmont Visitor Centre.

How... 

You can choose to either do a day tramp or if you are lucky enough, a full moon tramp, starting at around 2am. It's pretty tough work climbing the mountain so would not recommend starting after about 10am. We decided to do the moonlight tramp so we could watch the famous sunrise. We met up at the visitors centre at 2am, kitted with headlamps, thermals and plenty of food and water. I would highly advise if you choose to do the moonlight walk to go with an experienced climber as this mountain is definitely not one to mess with!




To begin, climb the stile over the locked gate and wind your way up the gravel road to the private hut. The last public toilets on your way up are found here. Continue up the steps through the rock covered Hongi Valley. This will lead onto the steep scoria slopes where you will be going two steps up and one step back. There is no track from here, so you just aim for the summit. Eventually you will get to the Lizard (2314m) which is a prominent rocky ridge. Here, it is vital to watch and warn others of falling rocks both above and below you. This is probably one of the most difficult and dangerous parts of the climb, as sections of this route involve almost free-style rock climbing. Some rocks may look stable to climb on, but can easily become dislodged. It is also about the stage in the climb where your legs become very fatigued and heavy. After about 3.5hours of straight climbing you will reach the crater entrance. The crater is covered in ice year round; this can be a bit slippery so take your time while on it. After crossing the crater there is another 30minutes of clambering up rocks to reach the summit (2518m). 

I can't even begin to describe the incredible feeling of reaching the summit. On a fine day you will be rewarded with views of as far as Mt Ruapehu. Watching the sunrise from the summit is probably the most amazing thing I have seen while out tramping. You are up so high that the earth looks rounded and as the sun breaks you are surrounded by spectacular changes in the colours of the sky. If you look north as the sun is rising you might be lucky enough to see the shadow of Mount Taranaki on the ocean!






To return, head back down the same way you came up. The trip down is a lot faster and easier than on the way up so take your time ad enjoy the beautiful views in the sunshine.










This tramp is rated as the most difficult day tramp in New Zealand. It has also taken peoples lives, so don't take safety lightly. Make sure you have plenty of warm clothes for when you are at the summit. We went in the peak of summer and were still freezing wearing 3 thermals and a windproof jacket! Lots of short breaks are vital to allow you to stay focused while climbing. Take at least 1.5 litres of water and plenty of food. The weather can change rapidly on this mountain so if the weather takes a turn for the worst, head back down. The mountain will still be there tomorrow!