North Taranaki Visitor Centre — Attraction in North Island

If you're planning to go over the holiday period, make sure you arrive early and have a plan before you arrive. Upon arrival we were "greeted" by a parking assistant who immediately questioned what walk we would be doing and how long we would be without explanation. They put us in a three hour max park so it all felt a little rushed, we stopped for a (very quick) breakfast on a nearby bench but felt as though we were being watched by the attendant.

The walk itself was great, the views once you head above the tree line are amazing! But we did feel the pressure throughout the walk to make sure we made it back in time. The DOC website did mention some traffic control on the mountain over the holiday period but I didn't expect something fun and recreational to end up being a rushed experience.

Looking forward to revisiting at a quieter time of year, and once the cafe is open again - not that we would've had time to go as we also didn't get to check out the...

Quite a small car park considering what's on offer for visitors. We arrived and it was a 'one in one out' operation. The chap manning the traffic informed us to check out Stratford Plateau to park, which we did later that day- much bigger car park can easily get hundreds of cars there and has links to many of the walking trails, you're even higher up the mount. Once we got to mount egmont visitor centre there was no one there to direct us to a space, so we were driving around wondering where to park for some time. Organisation wasn't great. The information centre itself was pretty interesting, a cool little gift shop as well and lots of maps for sale and information about the trails. The chap behind the counter had clearly given the same talk and information over and over which was evident...

Great stop in Taranaki. Easy to find. Very informative for walkers or tourists who just want to get closer to the mighty mountain. Toilets and cafe. Only had coffee which was ok. Great views on a clear day. Helpful staff who will advise which walking routes are best suited to your experience or a choice of 2 lookouts. First one being easily accessed within 4 mins. Some walking equipment can be hired like walking sticks and a place to stay for walkers can be booked. There is a shuttle bus, but not sure on the timetabling as didnt require it. It's a new service from New Plymouth. Go prepared for walking with weather changes in mind and take supplies on your walk. Take your rubbish away and NO DOGS for conservation reasons which you will learn about...