Whakapapa or Tūroa? This is the best ski field on the North Island for you
/When it comes to skiing on New Zealand’s North Island, there’s only really one mountain you can go to: Mount Ruapehu on the Central Volcanic Plateau. On Ruapehu, two ski fields are operated by RAL (Ruapehu Alpine Lifts), Tūroa and Whakapapa.
If you’ve never skied on the North Island before, you might ask yourself which is better, Whakapapa or Tūroa? The answer is… it depends.
Having skied on both ski fields before, I know each of them has its pros and its cons, depending on your abilities on the board(s) as well as your expectations of the ski field. Read on to find out whether Tūroa or Whakapapa is the better ski field for you and where to go if you just want to touch some snow.
By the way: If you feel like heading to Tongariro for your next mountain getaway after reading all about skiing on the North Island, check out our winter getaway packages over on our sister site Weekend Getaways NZ!
the sky waka gondola at whakapapa is pretty cool.
Whakapapa ski field
Whakapapa is the biggest ski field in New Zealand. With a total of 44km of slopes, you get the most bang for your buck.
Of the Mt Ruapehu ski fields, Whakapapa is the one closest to Auckland and Taupo while Turoa would be closer for skiers coming from Wellington.
If you’re planning to ski in Whakapapa, the best towns to stay in are Tongariro National Park, Whakapapa Village and possibly Taupo (although it’s about a 90 minutes drive from there).
Kiddies fun at happy valley (pic by tnz, Miles holden)
Whakapapa is great for...
...beginners and families
Whakapapa is a great ski field for beginners. With 30% of the slopes for beginners, 45% for intermediate and 25% for advanced skiers, Whakapapa scores with the majority of visitors.
Happy Valley is a separate field and fully dedicated for beginners and kids. With a couple of magic carpets (or snow escalators) as well as a short and slow beginners chairlift, Happy Valley is a pretty awesome spot for finding your feet on skis before hitting the ‘real’ slopes. What’s even better, parents can send their kids on the slopes while sitting in the cafe right next to Happy Valley and watching them from afar.
Happy Valley in Whakapapa is great for beginners and families. The building is the restaurant
Because the snow machines make the snow for the valley, it tends to open with a lot more reliability. The rest of the ski field is a lot more depending on the weather conditions. All they need for snow in Happy Valley is some cold nights to make the snow and then chuck it onto the slopes.
If you know you won’t be going on the big slopes, you can buy a ticket that is for Happy Valley only which is a great money-saver.
...intermediate skiers and snowboarders
Once you know how to properly stand on a snowboard or skis and how to get down a hill without falling (too often) - and maybe even get a curve or two - you can go and tackle the ‘big hill’ that is Whakapapa ski field. Intermediate riders are usually able to tackle every slope as long as it doesn’t have too many nasty surprises. Whakapapa has some steep bits but most of the slopes are fairly wide at and quite nice to ride as an intermediate, even if you’re stuck in the clouds and can’t see much.
this is probably one of the advanced slopes. amazing views, though. (pic by mt ruapehu)
… non-skiers and sightseers
You’re not keen on learning to ski/snowboard but still want to experience snow in the mountains? With a sightseeing ticket, you get to ride the new Sky Waka Gondola to the top of Knoll Ridge. From here, there’s not that much you can do on foot apart from taking in the view and get a hot drink at the Knoll Ridge Chalet, it’s mainly the thrill of riding the gondola and standing on approx 2000m above sea level. It’s still a really good experience on a sunny day, though.
Some minus points for Whakapapa ski field
It has too many non-skiers
As a skier or snowboarder, all you really want to do is hit the slopes. But because Whakapapa is so great for first-timers (be it the first time in the snow and/or first time on skis) it is bloody busy, especially on weekends! The hustle and bustle at the base of the Sky Waka and around Happy Valley makes me rather unhappy, to be completely honest with you. I get that people want to see the snow and they should! But I wish it was separated better from the skiers so we could hit the slopes more often rather than queuing.
Whakapapa is closed more often than Tūroa
The clouds, wind and bad weather tend to stick firmer to Whakapapa. While both Tūroa and Whakapapa can pretty wet and foggy, it’s usually windier at Whakapapa, forcing the lifts to stop more often than over in Tūroa. Best keep an eye on the morning report to see if it’s worth going up.
Wonder what to do if the mountain is closed? We’ve got you covered! Click here for ideas on things to do in Tongariro National Park.
Where to stay if you plan on going to Whakapapa
If you’re planning on visiting Whakapapa, the closest places to look for accommodation are National Park Village and Whakapapa Village. You can also stay in Taupo (approx 90 minutes drive) or Ohakune (60 minutes drive).
National Park Village is the town with the most hotels, motels and backpackers to choose from. One of the most popular hotels in National Park Village is The Park Hotel. It’s a lovely rustic 3* hotel, centrally located in the village and has its own restaurant and bar with wood fire.
Another favourite in the same price range is Plateau Lodge just around the corner from the Park Hotel. For a charming cottage feel, stay at the Tongariro Crossing Lodge.
Playing pool at howard’s mountain lodge
We tend to stay at Howard’s Mountain Lodge. It is a backpackers but has its own private rooms (shared bathroom), a spa pool and, our main reason for staying there, a communal area with wood fire oven, free pool table and tv. We love their value for money.
Whakapapa Village is a little closer to the ski field but if Whakapapa mountain is closed and you need to go to Tūroa, it’s further than from National Park. At Whakapapa Village, you find the iconic Chateau Tongariro. If on a lower budget, you can stay at Skotel a little further off the main road.
bluebird day at turoa
Tūroa ski field
Tūroa can be reached from Ohakune, a lovely mountain village with cafes, bars, restaurants and hands down the best eclairs in New Zealand.
Coming from Auckland, to reach Tūroa ski field you’ll first pass National Park Village to Ohakune and drive up the mountain from there. From Wellington, Tūroa ski field is closer than Whakapapa.
Tūroa is great for…
...intermediate and advanced skiers
At Tūroa, you dive right into skiing or snowboarding. There’s nowhere as much foot traffic as you’d get it over at Whakapapa. Two chairlifts bring you from the base to the slopes and from there, you either hop over to the beginners’ area or continue to the other lifts.
Officially, 20% of Tūroa’s slopes are for beginners, 55% for intermediate and 25% for advanced riders. Personally, I’d say 20% is calculated very generously, it’s probably closer to 10 or 15% and more slopes are for intermediate and advanced riders.
Looking down from the top of high noon express at turoa ski field
The High Noon Chair is the one modern and fast chair lift in the Ruapehu ski areas (apart from Sky Waka gondola), making it the most popular lift for most riders. It brings skiers to 2322m above sea level. It’s by far my favourite of the lifts in all the Ruapehu ski fields, also because it’s the only one with a footrest. I just wish it was much longer.
...more weather security
When the Ruapehu weather is wet and foggy, the Tūroa side tends to be a tad less windy and thus more reliable to operate.
Some minus points for Tūroa ski field
It’s not as much fun for beginners
If your group consists of intermediate riders as well as beginners, the beginners might not enjoy themselves as much as they would in Whakapapa. The beginners’ area, consisting of a magic carpet and a platter lift, is rather small. Plus, you need to take a chair lift to get to the area. If you’ve never stood on a board or skis before, having to instantly take a chairlift is too hard (especially getting out of the lift), I would not advise you to do that.
A well-earned apres ski mulled wine at schnapps bar in tongariro national park village.
Where to stay if you plan on going to Tūroa
The closest town to Tūroa is Ohakune. From here, you can either drive up the mountain or take a shuttle from the centre (20 minutes drive). You can also stay in National Park Village (60 minutes drive) or Whakapapa Village (70 minutes drive).
Ohakune is a cute little town with more charm than National Park Village (in my opinion). You’ll find plenty of cafes here, a supermarket, good restaurants and the best eclairs in New Zealand. If you only have 5 minutes for a break in Ohakune, spend the time buying eclairs (yup, plural) at the Ohakune Chocolate Eclair Shop next door to BP petrol station!
You’ll find accommodation for all budgets in Ohakune. There’s a Top10 campsite with heated cabins for those on a lower budget, various backpackers and hotels as well as B’n’Bs. The most luxurious hotel in Ohakune is probably the rustic Powderhorn Chateau a few minutes walk from the town centre.
Some pros, cons and general info about both Whakapapa and Tūroa ski fields
sunset views from national park village
Pros
Your mountain pass is valid for both ski fields
Because both Ruapehu ski fields belong to RAL, you can buy one pass and it’s valid for both ski fields. That way you can check the weather in the morning, decide which ski field has the better forecast for the day and go skiing there (unless you need to book on-mountain parking, read more on this below).
Just a bit of a whiteout here…
Cons
On-Mountain parking is a b…
On-mountain parking has always been difficult and made even more tricky with RAL’s new parking system. But let’s start at the beginning:
Both Whakapapa and Tūroa ski fields have a limited number of on-mountain parking. On the weekend and on a bluebird day, you need to be on the mountain and parked by about 7am or you lose out. When all parking on the mountain is full, you will have to park in town (either Ohakune for Tūroa or National Park Village for Whakapapa) and take a shuttle bus, if they’re still available.
In 2020, RAL introduced a new parking system for the mountain which caused a lot of issues and frustration (now imagine if this wouldn’t have been the Covid year..phew!). They adjusted it slightly for 2021, but you still need to reserve on-mountain parking for weekends between 31 July and 5 September. If it works like last year, you’ll be able to book parking from Wednesday for the following weekend. Season Pass and Life Pass holders are exempt from booking. So better be quick to book those spots.
on-mountain car park and shuttle bus
Skiing on Mt Ruapehu is expensive
I guess this is true for all skiing in New Zealand. While it’s awesome we have ski fields in the Southern Hemisphere, I personally find the overall value for money is rather poor. A ski pass for the family, possibly even with gear and clothing, will cost an arm and a leg and make you think twice whether or not it’s really worth it.
I assume some of the pricing has to do with the fact that all spare parts need to be imported from Europe, which takes long and is costly. But it still makes you think twice about skiing in New Zealand.
Waiting for the lifts to open
Other Info
Morning Report
Please check Ruapehu’s report in the morning before deciding if you’re going skiing and if yes, which side you’ll go. The report will also tell you if the mountain road is open (it can be open, restricted to 4WD and chains or closed). If you don’t check the report before you go, you might end up in front of closed gates.
Click here for Tūroa’s report and webcams
Click here for Whakapapa’s report and webcams
Wear waterproof clothing
Being one of the few high mountains on the North Island, Mt Ruapehu catches all the clouds coming from the ocean. Of the three times we’ve been skiing on Ruapehu so far (four, if you count snowshoe walking in Tukino) we only had sunshine and amazing weather once. All other days were pretty grey, with low visibility and rain (oh, how I wished it was snow instead of wet). After our first skiing session, it became apparent that I needed to upgrade my 10-years-old skiing gear to something more waterproof.
Did you know there is a third ski field on Mt Ruapehu?
Tucked away at the top of a pretty steep gravel road, is the small private Tukino ski field. You can’t compare it with the other two ski fields, not only because you need a 4WD to reach it but also because the lifts are pretty old-school.
Tukino ski field has the charm of the good old days where skiing wasn’t all about profit.
Additionally, it offers pretty badass cat skiing. From the top of the lifts, you can hop on the snowcat which brings you to the summit. From here you get to ride off-piste, through natural bowls and past frozen waterfalls.
We did a snowshoe walking tour from Tukino which was really cool, but I think this tour is currently on hold until further notice.
The snow cat’s waiting for better weather
So, which is better, Whakapapa or Tūroa ski field?
Let’s give the two ski fields a quick recap:
Whakapapa
+ Biggest ski field in New Zealand
+ Great for beginners and families, thanks to Happy Valley
+ Intermediate and advanced skiers find plenty of grounds to play, too
+ Non-skiers and sightseers can take the Sky Waka Gondola to the summit
- Very busy
- Higher risk of lifts being closed due to weather
Tūroa
+ Less busy (but still plenty of people on weekends)
+ Intermediate and advanced riders
+ High Noon Express is the fastest chairlift in all the Ruapehu ski fields
+ Slightly more weather security
- Not as much fun for beginners as Whakapapa
If you’re a beginner, keen to put the kids on skis or you don’t ski or snowboard but want to touch snow and breathe alpine air? Whakapapa is your best bet!
And if you’re an intermediate or advanced skier/boarder who just wants to ride? Go to Tūroa!
Which ski field do you like better, Whakapapa or Tūroa? Why? Let us know in the comments!
How about Rotorua or Taupo as your next stop on your itinerary? The hot springs and geothermal parks there will heat you right back up.
Make it a winter getaway!
Why not make it a mountain getaway? On our very own booking website Weekend Getaways NZ, you’ll find getaways of 1 - 3 nights as well as discount codes for your favourite attractions, tours and accommodation all over New Zealand!
