Rangitoto Island

Thoroughly enjoyed the 2 hour hike to the top of the once volcanic island. Spectacular views of Auckland and the islands.

This is an awesome walk to go on on a nice day. Wait till a clear day take the ferry out, when we went it was $ 30 return each for adults. It takes about an hour to walk to the summit, you get awesome views of Auckland, Waiheke, and the Coromandel on a clear day, pack a picnic and enjoy it at the top. On the way back down, you can detour half way down to the volcanic caves which is cool, make sure to duck going through, it gets a bit narrow!

With the insanely dense vegetation surrounding the wharf where you arrive, the very lightly tended path to the left in particular, and the relative lack of civilization at Rangitoto Island, my first thought upon walking off the dock was «Crap, now I’m in Far Cry 3.» My thought was not dampened by the native-​style archway at the end of the dock and the fact that as we passed under it, a woman came off the path sprinting for the ferry and dragging her child saying «I want to get off this island!”*
But hey, 2015 is my year of bad decisions, so we pressed on into the island. I hadn’t really done my homework, so as we read the signs along the paths, we learned plenty more about the island: Formed by a volcano about 600 years ago, which is of course the rough equivalent of half a geologic second, so it could go again any time I suppose. 239m high at the summit but of course surrounded by a huge crater in the center after the volcano finished creating the island. Features numerous lava caves near the center of the island caused by bubbling magma.^
Since I misread the summit as 239 feet instead of meters, we climbed the damn thing. Totally worth it, as the detours took us past the aforementioned caves and even an abandoned botanical garden. You think natural volcano-​jungle is creepy? Try abandoned botanical garden well on its way to being reclaimed by nature. In any case, the path to the summit will provide several breathtaking views on the way up, and once near the summit, you can see into the center of the island and the massive volcanic crater itself. It’s absolutely incredible; as the graffiti on the guardrail accurately noted, it is truly some «next level shit.»
There is far more to explore on the island than we had the energy for … we took a different path down from the summit and came across some abandoned military buildings and bunkers constructed during World War II.** Heading to the west of the island, we came to McKenzie Bay and a beautiful lighthouse beacon. Had a lovely picnic on the western beach with the place entirely to ourselves — a couple pulled their boat up to the shore and headed inland, which just made the whole thing maybe a hair more picturesque.
A 90 minute walk around the perimeter of the island and we were back to the dock. Make it an all-​day thing, bring plenty of food/​water (absolutely no facilities on the island save bathrooms), and enjoy. But I can’t emphasize this enough: If someone wants you to go skydiving in the vicinity of the island, do NOT do it.
* For the record, I’m guessing they might have missed a ferry or two. The last ferry to leave each day is the last one, so I would not recommend missing it.
^ Or something. Hopefully you know not to use Unilocal for your geology final.
** Again with the Far Cry thing … I went ahead and got a tattoo on my forearm just to be safe.

Um… Not sure where those opening hours came from. Keep an eye on the ferry schedule if you come here ;)
Rangitoto was recommended to me by a friend to visit, and i’m so glad she did! It was a great place for a relatively easy hike and great views of the area and the city. There are a bunch of places to explore other than the main hike to the summit — the lava caves were cool but maybe a little creepy too since they’re so dark and quiet. The baches (beach houses) of old are well maintained and have nice shore views as well.
Definitely a must-​do if you’re visiting auckland and have the time. There are also driving tours that go around the island if you’re not much of a hiker

The largest and oddly enough, the youngest volcanic cone in Auckland city and worth the short ferry ride across for the pohutukawa forest, black lava caves and panoramic view from top. A great hike to the summit as well as fun exploration inside the caves/​tunnels– though be warned, you can’t completely see what you exactly you’re walking into or what creatures are lurking about. Perfect place for a day trip– whether it be a leisurely walk around on the many different tracks, an additional visit to the neighbouring Motutapu Island, swimming or picnic somewhere on the island.

I would highly recommend checking out the little volcanic island of Rangitoto while visiting Auckland. A return trip ferry ride is about $ 30NZD and the ferry leaves two times a day. Just be sure you make it back to the ferry station in time for the last departure from the island — or else you’ll have to spend the night there on the island.
Pretty easy hike overall. Approximately 2 miles up to the rim of the crater from the Islington Bay ferry station. Flat most of the way until you reach the volcano — quite a bit of stairs to climb, but it meanders around the volcano with several long switchbacks. The view on the rim of the crater is breathtaking. 360 degree view of Auckland and surrounding areas. As soon as I saw Rangitoto from the Sky Tower, I knew I needed to climb to the top of it.
There were a lot of people hiking on the gorgeous, sunny, winter day, but if you make your own pace, it’s easy to avoid the crowds. Also very family-​friendly. Definitely a must do.

This is a quick day trip for sure. The ferry out there isn’t too long and it’s very beautiful — especially if you catch it on a day where there are a lot of sailors out and about. Great views. The hike itself is a little bit steep, so brace yourself for that… but the view from the top is worth every step. I’m in my 20s, so the hike wasn’t really bad at all… but when my friend and I decided to try and race up one of the steepest parts of the climb, I died out pretty quick. It still took us about 45−60min though. Coming back down, there is another pathway that leads to some caves and stuff like that. Definitely go check those out! Very cool to see, and you can squeeze through little cracks and crevices if you’re feeling adventurous. Interesting place as people aren’t allowed to live there anymore and the only houses that remain are a few near the dock. There is lots of volcanic rock too and that is an awesome experience to see and walk on. Do it!

I lived in Auckland for four years before I managed to get out to Rangitoto Island. My man and I got a discount ferry ticket on Grabone and packed a picnic and headed out there for the day. The climb to the top is as easy or as hard as you want it to be. The first time I went I took the little bus half way and climbed the stairs at the top. The second time I took the generic walking trail. The third time we wanted to challenge ourselves a bit and explore more of the island. We went a slightly obscure way up and down, but it was worth it. Got a great work out, getting to the top felt more rewarding and we saw more of the island. Some of the bays around the base of the volcano are really lovely! Remember there are no shops on the island so hit up the supermarket before you come to bring some picnic food with you, and don’t leave any litter or anything there!

Take the boat from downtown, enjoy the wonders of the volcanic lava covered landscape. Take plenty of water, wear a hat during hot summer days. No shops here. Great views of Auckland from summit

A casual hike full of character, only a short boat ride away from the CBD. Yes it is an island, but do not expect a beautiful island paradise, it is not pretty, but it has a different appeal, a stark barren quality which helps to tell the story of Auckland’s natural history. One hour to the summit, a tramp is always more satisfying when there is something rewarding at the destination, and the view at the top of Rangitoto is breathtaking. The very pleasant boat ride and the not to physically demanding walk, make Rangitoto an easy, extremely worthwhile afternoon trip.

Rangitoto Island serves as the backdrop for many a beach in Auckland. It’s pretty stunning really, just a volcano casually hanging out. I think it’s one of thsoe things i;ve gotten so used to that it takes a foreigner to get excited about it for me to be like ‚‘oh yehhh’.
I went here on a few school trips and the sound of kids’ running shoes walking on scoria has made me nostalgic ever since. most recently my friends took me here as a surprise for my birthday. I was blindfolded while still in bed and then only saw again when I set foot on the jetti on the island.
We spent the day doing a Survivor type competition, exploring the island, reaching the summit and wharf jumping. And of coruse eating and drinking. It was such a great day.
The island is so peacful and beautiful, you forget how close you are to the city. It has that feel of ‘real’ New Zealand. Like the foliage, rocks, and animals just seem so… untouched.
The few houses or shacks on Rangitoto canlt be bought, only passed down through families, so it will never get over crowded and people that do come here really value it.
A really great way to spend the day.

Rangitoto Island is a dormant volcano located in the Hauraki Gulf. Only 15 minutes from Auckland’s CBD by ferry, Rangitoto is a great place to go to for a day trip. It only roughly takes 30 – 40 minutes to walk from the wharf to the top of the volcano. On the island there is a lot of native life and trees to observe on the way up and down from the summit. It is perfect to come to Rangitoto with a packed lunch, perhaps your togs and a lot of sunblock! It’s certainly a day trip worth making.

Rangitoto Island is a mysterious place. It looks beautiful and lush from afar, peering across the Auckland Harbour at us. On postcards, usually framed by a Pohutakawa, it’s an icon of kiwi summer. But when the ferry pulls over to it, it begins to look… menacing. A dormant volcano, it has a rocky moon-​like surface and boy does it emit some heat. Even on an overcast day it feels at least a few degrees hotter. The climb up to the crater is awesome; much of it is board walk as you pass through the scoria rocks. You can stop off on the way to look at caves formed by lava which is pretty cool. It becomes steeper near the top, but once you reach the crater it’s worth it. Don’t expect a lake of lava (like I did) but the sheer size of the crater is impressive, as are the views back over the city. It’s definitely worth the trip over; it’s so close on the ferry but nearly like another planet

Isolated and looming out of the water of the Hauraki Gulf, this volcano can be seen from many locations around Auckland, the Eastern Suburbs and the North Shore. It’s so beautiful to look at from a distance, but the island itself can seem a little boring for those expecting more adventure.
Hiking up to the summit of Rangitoto is not a particularly arduous walk, taking about an hour, and the view from the summit is spectacular. You really want to set aside a whole day if you’re planning on making the trip, and it is quite enjoyable if you pick a nice day and plan ahead with appropriate footwear, food and drink. The scenery on the hike is rather repetitive (lots of volcanic rocks and shit), but perfect for all you geologists and rock lovers out there. There is a little side track too that leads to the lava caves which are not far away from the main path and worth a look.

Rangitoto is an active (!) volcano in the Hauraki Gulf, and it is the closest thing to an isolated, rugged wilderness you will find to the CBD. 30ish minutes by ferry, will get you here.
When I worked at the ferry company, I used to have a lot of people come up to me in high heels, asking for tickets to Rangitoto. They also asked me if there were restaurants or shops there. I had to let them down gently, and many of them were greatly disappointed. But, why would you want shops there, when you can get shops in the city? City is for shopping, Rangitoto is for hiking and appreciating the beauty of nature. Make sure you pack your tramping boots, raincoat and plenty of food and water.
The island is full of this dried lava known as a’a lava. I strongly advise not to walk on this, and to stick to the paths instead. A’a lava is treacherous and very sharp, and a fall on it *really* hurts (I know this from experience as I had to walk over it during a uni field trip). It is a great day out and the view up top is amazing.