Attraction
Auckland War Memorial Museum
Neoclassical museum and war memorial on Observatory Hill in the Auckland Domain, home to major Māori and Pacific collections, natural history galleries and the Halls of…
Maungawhau / Mount Eden
The highest natural point on the Auckland isthmus, a 196-metre volcanic cone with a deep crater, Māori pā terraces and free 360-degree views of the city.
At a glance
- Type
- Volcanic cone and viewpoint
- Area
- Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand
Good to know
- Free entry
- Boardwalks
- Visitor centre
- Café
Why we recommend it
Maungawhau / Mount Eden is the highest natural point on the Auckland isthmus at 196 metres, and the view from its summit is the best free panorama in the city. It is a dormant scoria cone in the Auckland volcanic field that erupted from three craters around 28,000 years ago. The main crater, Te Upu Kai a Mataaho, the bowl of Mataaho, is about 50 metres deep and is treated as sacred, so visitors should keep out of it.
The Māori name means mountain of the whau tree. Maungawhau was the principal pā of Huakaiwaka, ancestor of the Waiohua people, and its slopes were extensively terraced and protected by defensive ditches. Terraces and kūmara storage pits can still be made out on the upper slopes. Since the 2014 Treaty settlement the mountain has been owned by the Tāmaki Collective and is co-governed by the Tūpuna Maunga Authority, with Auckland Council managing it day to day.
To protect the site and make it safer for walkers, the summit road was closed to most vehicles in 2011, with an exception for people with limited mobility. Boardwalks opened around the crater rim in 2020 to protect the archaeological features, and visitors are asked to stay on them.
At the base of the summit road, the 1926 tearoom was converted in 2019 into Whau Café and Te Ipu Kōrero o Maungawhau, a small visitor centre that explains the mountain's geology and Māori history. Stopping there before the climb adds context to what you see at the top.
The walk up is short but steep in places, so wear sensible shoes and bring water on hot days. The summit is popular at sunrise and sunset, and on clear days the view takes in the whole city, the harbour and the other volcanic cones of the isthmus. Allow around an hour for the walk up, time at the top and the walk down.
The mountain suits almost everyone: families, photographers, runners and anyone wanting to understand the volcanic landscape the city is built on. It is also a sensible place to start before heading on to Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill, the next major cone to the south.
Maungawhau / Mount Eden FAQs
How high is Mount Eden?
196 metres above sea level, the highest natural point on the Auckland isthmus.
Is it free to visit?
Yes, the mountain is a public reserve with no entry charge.
Can you drive to the summit?
No. The summit road has been closed to most vehicles since 2011, with an exception for people with limited mobility.
Can you walk into the crater?
No. The crater, Te Upu Kai a Mataaho, is culturally significant and visitors are asked to stay out of it and on the boardwalks.
What does the name Maungawhau mean?
It means mountain of the whau tree.
Is there a café?
Yes. Whau Café and the Te Ipu Kōrero o Maungawhau visitor centre occupy the former 1926 tearoom.
How long should you allow?
About an hour for the walk up, the views and the walk down.
Who looks after the mountain?
It is co-governed by the Tūpuna Maunga Authority and managed by Auckland Council under its direction.