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Whakapapa resort snow
Lat Long: 39.23° S 175.55° E
Ski New Zealand

Whakapapa Ski Resort Guide

Weather Forecast for Whakapapa at 1962 m altitude

Issued: 11 pm 21 Apr 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Next snow in Whakapapa: 2.0 cm on Tue 21st  (after 9 PM)

Whakapapa Resort Guide

Whakapapa has 15 lifts within its 445 Hectares of terrain that is suitable for all levels, including terrain park enthusiasts. Find location, trail maps and piste maps covering the mountains 675m of vertical range and surrounding area. There are 30 trails at Whakapapa.

Whakapapa Resort Guide

Whakapapa has 15 lifts within its 445 Hectares of terrain that is suitable for all levels, including terrain park enthusiasts. Find location, trail maps and piste maps covering the mountains 675m of vertical range and surrounding area. There are 30 trails at Whakapapa.

Vertical:

Top: 2300m
Arrow
675m
Bot: 1625m

Best for:

Beginners level skier
Beginners/
Intermediates

Pistes:

30
30%
45%
25%

Hectares of Ski:

445
Snowmaking: 10%

Whakapapa Lifts:

  • drag lift icon7
  • ski lift icon7
  • cablecar icon1
Total lifts = 15
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Whakapapa Resort GuidePhoto credit: Sarah Milicich

Visiting Whakapapa

Helpful resort information to assist planning your trip.

  • Opens
    13 Jun 2026
  • Closes
    25 Oct 2026
  • Accommodation
    —
  • Restaurants | Bars
    4 | —
  • Nearest Airport
    Taupo
  • Nearest Train Station
    National Park Village
  • Tourist Office Website
    https://www.mtruapehu.com/whakapapa
  • Tourist Office Phone
    +6478924000

Whakapapa Features

The terrain at Whakapapa includes:

  • Halfpipes
    1
  • Terrain Parks
    2
  • X-Country
    —
  • Ski Hire
    —

What's it like at Whakapapa resort?

Whakapapa (New Zealand's largest ski area since joining with Turoa Ski Resort) is part of Tongariro National Park, New Zealand's oldest National Park and a World Heritage area. Whakapapa is operated under a license issued by the Department of Conservation and is owned and run by Ruapehu Alpine Lifts Ltd. There are 43 trails at Whakapapa with terrain for all ability levels, including off-piste expert terrain. The ski area can be broken into three: Happy Valley (a self contained beginners area), the east side (where the majority of lifts and services are located) and the west side (highlighted by the lift accessed back-country terrain). The nearest airport to Whakapapa is in Wellington.

Piste Map

Latest photos from Whakapapa. View all photos at the Whakapapa gallery page.

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    Explore Whakapapa Location Map

    Interactive Whakapapa trail map and piste map. View the piste and trails as well as the surrounding terrain and mountain contours for backcountry action. Find and compare nearby resorts by clicking on the resort markers.

    Map placeholder

    When's the snowiest month to visit Whakapapa?

    AugustAverage: 3.6 snow days per week
    The snowiest week in Whakapapa is week 1 of August. There are typically 3.6 snowy days during this week with 30 cm of snowfall. Check out the Whakapapa Snow History graphs below.

    What's the snow currently like in Whakapapa?

    A summary of the current snow conditions in Whakapapa. View more information on the Whakapapa detailed snow report page.

    Last 7 Days Snow Accumulation
    • Piste Condition
      —
    • Off-piste Condition
      —
    Whakapapa snow depths: updated 21 April 2026
    Upper snow depth:
    		0 cm
    Lower snow depth:
    		0 cm

    Visitor Reviews of Whakapapa

    Overall: 3.3 Based on 52 votes and 59 reviews

    • Snowsure 3.2
    • Variety of pistes 4.2
    • Off-piste 4.1
    • Scenery 4.2
    • Apres-Ski 2.6

    Geoff Powdrell from Australia writes:

    I love this mountain and always will. I may have a different perspective to many because I always stay in one of the ski lodges on Whakapapa. Staying on the mountain is a beautiful experience. I took a party of 10 to stay at our lodge in August 2023 and we all had an amazing time, it was a great snow season. We tried the same again in August 2024 but the snow gods were not forthcoming. However, we improvised and did bush walks, hot pools and other activities to make up for the lack of snow and conditions. I have been coming here since I was a tiny tot in the late seventies so my views are the same, always a great experience at Whakapapa.

    Read 58 more reviews of Whakapapa or submit your own

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