Whakapapa ski resort · slopes, lifts & elevation

Whakapapa is a ski area in Tongariro National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui Region, New Zealand. Its 48 mapped downhill runs add up to 27 km, which ranks it #3 of 28 ski areas in New Zealand and gives it 10.4% of all the country's slopes. The average run is about 566 m long.

Slopes at Whakapapa

About 19% of the slopes are beginner or easy runs, 54% intermediate and 27% advanced or expert, which makes Whakapapa a balanced resort for intermediate skiers.

Lifts and elevation

The resort has 12 lifts: 4 t-bars, 4 chairlifts, 3 magic carpets, 1 gondola. Most uphill transport is by surface lifts (T-bars, button lifts and tows). Skiing runs from 1,573 m up to 2,298 m, a vertical drop of 725 m. The high top station usually means reliable snow well into spring.

Getting to Whakapapa

The nearest airport is Taupo Airport (TUO), about 72 km away in a straight line — roughly 1 h 34 min by car; Wanganui Airport (WAG) is 92 km away. Nearby ski areas include Tukino Skifield, Tūroa (18.7 km) and Manganui (6.7 km), which together add 25 km of slopes for a multi-resort trip.