- Plan Your Holiday
- Find Great Travel Deals
Te Mata Peak Information
Highlights of Hawkes Bay
The port city of Napier is a popular tourist destination with its sweeping views of Hawke’s Bay..
Hastings InformationFruit, wine and 1930s architecture give Hastings an appealing point of difference. The area was..
National Aquarium of New Zealand InfoThe National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier opened early in 2002. It is as close to the ocean as..
Lake Waikaremoana InformationLake Waikaremoana is part of the Te Urewara National Park, one of the most beautiful areas of..
Mission Estate Winery InformationEstablished in 1851 by the French Marist religious order, Mission Estate Winery is New Zealands..
Otane InformationOtane is home to a small community in Central Hawke’s Bay about 30 minutes drive from Hastings to..
Ongaonga InformationThe historic village of Ongaonga is a peaceful settlement within the Central Hawke’s Bay..
Cape Kidnappers InformationCape Kidnappers is an extraordinary sandstone headland to the east of Hastings in Hawke's Bay. It..
The longest place name in New Zealand InfoNear Porangahau in Hawke’s Bay is an unassuming hill known as "Taumata whakatangi hangakoauau o..
Waipukurau InformationWaipukurau is the main township in the Central Hawke’s Bay area and is located approximately 45..
Wairoa InformationWairoa is the closest town to the beautiful Te Urewera National Park. If you’re planning to hike..
See all locations in Hawkes BayTe Mata Peak Information
Te Mata Peak is at the western boundary of the wine-producing Heretaunga Plains and stands nearly 400 metres above sea level. From the summit of the peak you can enjoy panoramic views of the Ruahine, Kaweka and Maungaharuru Ranges and Cape Kidnappers. The volcano Ruapehu, in the centre of Tongariro National Park, is also visible on a clear day.
The nature trails on Te Mata Peak are great for hikers and mountain bikers. It's an excellent cardio workout going up, but the huge views make the exertion totally worthwhile. Other hiking and biking trails in the Te Mata Trust Park lead through forest and along limestone valleys.
Email a travel consultant
The Te Mata hillscape has an amazing story to tell: Many centuries ago the people living in pa (fortified villages) on the Heretaunga Plains were under constant threat of war from the coastal tribes of Waimarama. At a gathering in Pakipaki (near Hastings), a wise old woman (kuia) suggested that the leader of the Waimarama tribes, a giant named Te Mata, could be made to fall in love with Hinerakau - the daughter of a Pakipaki chief - and turn his thoughts from war to peace. This mission was quickly accomplished, and Te Mata fell under the spell of the beautifully Hinerakau.
However the people of Heretaunga had not forgotten the past and wanted revenge. They demanded that Hinerakau make Te Mata prove his devotion by accomplishing seemingly impossible tasks. His last task was to bite through the hills between the coast and the plains, so that people could come and go with greater ease.
Te Mata died while eating his way through the hills. His half-accomplished work can be seen in what is known as The Gap or Pari Karangaranga (echoing cliffs) and his prostrate body forms Te Mata Peak.
Visiting Te Mata Peak?
Highlights of North Island
The City of Sails is one of rare natural beauty. On an isthmus in the north island surrounded by..
Wellington Region InformationLocated in the extreme south of the North Island, Wellington is the capital and third largest city..
Rotorua InformationOne of New Zealand's most popular tourist destinations, Rotorua is a landscape of drifting steam..
Wellington InformationWellington is the capital city of New Zealand and a cultural, political, and artistic hub in the..
Bay of Plenty InformationLocated on the northern coast of New Zealand's North Island the Bay of Plenty certainly lives up to..
Bay of Islands InformationThe Bay of Islands comprises more than 140 different islands set in a beautiful sub-tropical..
Northlands InformationThe Northland region of New Zealand is located on the (you guessed it) northern end of the North..
Coromandel InformationSpring signals the opening of the Coromandel scallop season. Dive for scallops to barbeque yourself..
Lake Taupo InformationSituated in the volcanic heart of the North Island, the Lake Taupo region is home to New Zealand's..
See all locations in North IslandPopular Searches
