Maungawhau / Mount Eden 🇳🇿

Welcome to Maungawhau / Mount Eden, a dormant scoria cone volcano and ancestral mountain (Tūpuna Maunga) located in Auckland, New Zealand. Reaching 196 metres above sea level, its summit stands as the highest natural point on the Auckland isthmus, offering you spectacular views in all directions over the city. When you visit, you will see a majestic bowl-like crater measuring 50 metres deep, named Te Upu Kai a Mataaho after a deity said to live within it.

The volcano erupted 28,000 years ago from three craters. As a historic principal pā settled by Tāmaki Māori and Waiohua ancestors, the mountain features preserved pā tūāpapa (terraces) and rua kūmara (kūmara storage pits). You can explore these features safely along boardwalks installed around the crater rim.

Additionally, you can check out the Te Ipu Kōrero o Maungawhau / Mount Eden Visitor Experience Centre and Whau Cafe, housed in a converted 1926 Spanish Mission-style tearoom. The centre showcases the fascinating geological and Māori cultural history of the maunga. Today, the land is owned by the Tāmaki Collective and held in trust for the common benefit of Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau and all Aucklanders.

What to see at Maungawhau / Mount Eden

• The highest natural point on the Auckland isthmus at 196 metres above sea level
• A majestic 50-metre-deep bowl-like volcanic crater
• Boardwalks providing crater rim views while protecting historic terraces and kūmara storage pits
• The Visitor Experience Centre and Whau Cafe inside a 1926 Spanish Mission-style tearoom

Visiting tips

Note that the summit road is closed to most vehicles to preserve the maunga and ensure pedestrian safety, though exceptions remain for people with limited mobility.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Daytime

How to get there & what’s nearby

Maungawhau / Mount Eden is easy to reach on Auckland’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira and Auckland Zoo. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Auckland travel guide.