Whakapapa reviews

Tena Koe Whakapapa

I haven't been up the maunga in some years so previous experiences have always been positive.
However the recent visit was disappointing to say the least.

I had to speak to one of your staff to mind her manners and her behavior towards a young child round the age of 6. This staff member was yelling from above to the child below playing in the small cordoned area but along the reaching for fresh snow through the plastic barrier. This staff member yelled continuously from above and as I walked past her I politely asked her to refrain from behaving unprofessionally and go down to the area and speak to the child's parents rather than screaming the way she was. Her response to me was absolutely horrific that several spectators also had to comment to her about her behavior. We had just arrived up top the sky waka when this happened. We moved on and left it at that.

I was especially unimpressed with the 2 small areas that spectators had to view and or experience the snow. There was ample space to the front of the building. Once upon a time there use to be more access. This was a total embarrassment for those paying sightseeing passes. This needs to change, it's absolutely unfair and a rip off.

Also, you cannot stop anyone from accessing the mountain from the top should they decide to hike. There were experience mountaineers from all over the world with us who weren't allowed access to the mountain, that's a no no. Absolutely embarrassing, you can not stop access for hikers. We use to be able to access the mountain that way.

The food there was ridiculously overpriced. $127 for 5 chips and nuggets - seriously, it wasn't that great either.

The only highlight of the trip was the bus driver. He was a delight, very supportive and helpful from the moment we got on the shuttle to the moment we got off. He was entertaining, friendly and made everyone feel welcomed. He deserves recognition.

Overall Whakapapa, very saddened to see how much the places reputation has dropped.

All in all, everyone we spoke to up there who were sight seeing all said the same thing and others who have commented about their kids not being able to experience the snow because the areas where there was access had hardened ice from all the foot traffic, there is of course a reason to not access other areas, but the front of the building is ample space and safe enough to utilize.

Hope this changes.
Nga mihi

Just an appalling bad managed business and facilities. Use to visit Whakapapa regularly in early 2000s. Wow has it changed for worst. Incredibly obnoxious and rude staff, filthy and dirty over crowed facilities. Endless ques for everything from toilets through to hiring, booking. Everything is booked online but they don't staff the facilities with enough staff to cope with the masses. Tiny eateries with huge ques to access food.

Happy Valley endless ques for ski gear hire the line never got shorter in 4 hours we were there. So we decided to take kids onto Happy Valley with the snow passes we had already pre purchased. An hour after being on area up side away from any skiers or snowboarders.....a very angry and rude staff member who aggressively and rudely ordered us and some others to get off the field and go play in the carpark area. She yelled at us, this area is only for skiing and snowboarding.... I complained that there was no signage saying we had to ski or snowboard only...
She got madder and threatened to trespass us if we didn't go immediately. So we packed up with kids and promptly left.....

The first day we tried to get up the mountain we drove and were turned away they had closed the road due to all carparks bring full, open at 9am.... We arrived at 9:20am. Day 1 pass wasted as no shuttle bookings left and three disappointed children. Insufficient carpark facilities and these fill up with freedom sightseers who don't enter the facilities. Or only go to ride the over priced gondola....as there is no parking management. Once carpark is full it's one down one up rule, creating huge vehicle ques three quarters the way down the Bruce Road. This also prevent the private shuttle buses from getting to drop off points in timely manner. On bad days they close road completely and turn back everyone except the shuttles.

As result legitimate customers whom have pre-purchased passes and gear are denied access to the mountain. Just a complete and utter fiasco.

So we booked a shuttle $160 for the following day and managed to get on the mountain.

Overall it's not hard to see why the business is in liquidation. Just a poorly run setup. No communication, no signage, rude arrogant narcissistic staff. Hoards of people, dirty rundown facilities, nowhere near enough toilet facilities, bad and grossly over priced fast finger food $12 50 for chips $18 for wedges, $9.50 for pies and $8 for sausage roles.

Insufficient dinning space small and very cramped, people are crammed in shoulder to shoulder and kids get stood on and knocked over.....so we ate outside fortunately a blue sky day with no wind.

Terrible snow I mean it's just groomed ice....Climate change has ruined the mountain. Only find good powder at 1900m or above. Most slopes are closed due to insufficient snow base. Best bring your ice skates as better suited to slopes than skis. My advice would be don't go. Save your money up and visit the South Island. Both Whakapapa and Turoa have been ruined by corporate greed, inept management and extreme over crowding a with gross under investment in infrastructure poor staff training and hiring of people who have no personality of people skills. As the mountain is many through multi government agencies Department of Conservation, Waka Kotahi and Ruapehu District Council in conjunction with local Iwi creates an environment of complete chaos where nothing changes nothing improves.

New Zealanders really can no longer access this mountain as rampant tourism and sightseeing has ruined it especially with introduction of the Gondola ride.

Honestly Ruapehu Ski deserved to go bankrupt good job too. Shame government has decided to bail them out to tune of 5 million...what a waste of tax payers money.

Perfect if you miss the snow hard in June. Worked the season 06 and will be back 07. If you like to hesitate, there is a lot of untouched terrain. The lifts only go to about 2300 meters so it's just climbing to the top and enjoying.

The weather is, at least, indefinable with many closed days. The snow is quite wet, but some pads can be found every now and then. It's really hard riding so one's technology is developing enormously.

The rental is a bit of a joke when it comes to the quality of the equipment. Hopefully better till 07. Come in to the ski shop and say hi.

The lifts are being upgraded and some new ones are being built to make it better and better. The park is better on the other side, Turoa, but is quite ok.

Largest in New Zealand. 5-6 hours from Auckland. Modern facility with 17 lifts, serious park and competitions. Cool also that it is on a volcano that had eruptions just 6 years ago ... There is a boiling hot water crater on top for those interested.

They usually have so much snow so they usually drive the lifts at Christmas (New Zealand's summer) and a month ahead. So jäääävla fun! Check out if you are in NZ in the summer. Possibility to hesitate.