National park · New Zealand
Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga WairuaTe Rerenga Wairua
Go if you are already driving the Far North: 15 min walk from the car park to the lighthouse, no entry fee, best on a clear morning before 10:00; skip the 3-hour detour if you only have one day from Paihia.Go if you are already driving the Far North: 15 min walk from the car park to the lighthouse, no entry fee, best on a clear morning before 10:00 AM; skip the 3-hour detour if you only have one day from Paihia.
- Source checked
- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify
Map to the park
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Area
20 km² (8 sq mi)8 sq mi (20 km²)
approximate
Established
1972
Best months
Nov–Mar
UNESCO
None
Rules in force · 7
- Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
- Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
- Australia and New Zealand ↗Both countries drive on the left, with long distances between fuel stops in the outback and on New Zealand's back roads; fatigue causes more visitor crashes than speed.
- New Zealand ↗Visa-waiver visitors need an NZeTA (with the tourism levy) before travel, including many transit passengers; others need a visa. Apply only through Immigration New Zealand or its official app, and check the rules for your passport.
- New Zealand ↗Declare all food, plant and animal products, and used outdoor gear such as hiking boots and tents, on the New Zealand Traveller Declaration; undeclared risk items bring instant fines.
- New Zealand ↗Drive on the left; give way as signed at one-lane bridges; an English-language licence or one with an approved translation or International Driving Permit is required.
- New Zealand ↗Freedom camping is restricted: sleep in a vehicle only where signed as allowed, and in many places only in certified self-contained vehicles.
At a glance
- Country
- New Zealand
- Area
- 20 km² (8 sq mi)8 sq mi (20 km²)
- The cape sits inside Te Paki Recreation Reserve, a DOC-managed reserve around the headland; the exact reserve area is not confirmed here (check).
- Established
- 1972
- Best months
- Nov–Mar
- Permits
- For some areas
Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga Wairua is the end of State Highway 1 at the northwestern tip of the Aupouri Peninsula, inside Te Paki Recreation Reserve and managed by the Department of Conservation. There is no gate and no ticket: you park, walk 15 minutes down a sealed stepped path to the 1941 lighthouse, and look out at the tidal race where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific meet. For Māori it is Te Rerenga Wairua, the leaping-off place of spirits on Te Ara Wairua, so the headland is treated as sacred ground and visitors are asked not to eat or drink past the car park. It is not the northernmost point of the country — the Surville Cliffs at North Cape, about 30 km east, are slightly further north. Almost everyone reaches it on the same loop as Te Paki sand dunes and Ninety Mile Beach, either self-driving from Kaitaia or on a coach day tour from Paihia.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- No UNESCO listing; national park since 1972.
Size and age
20 km² (8 sq mi)8 sq mi (20 km²) · national park since 1972
The cape sits inside Te Paki Recreation Reserve, a DOC-managed reserve around the headland; the exact reserve area is not confirmed here (check).
Why go
- The lighthouse and the tidal race where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean meet, 15 minutes on foot from the car park.
- A place that carries real weight in Māori belief: Te Rerenga Wairua is the leaping-off point of spirits, and the headland is treated as sacred ground.
- It anchors a full Far North day: Te Paki sand dunes, Ninety Mile Beach and the Aupouri forest are all on the same road.
- No ticket, no gate, no booking — the only cost is fuel and time.
When to go
- JanBest
- FebBest
- MarBest
- AprGo
- MayGo
- JunCaution
- JulCaution
- AugCaution
- SepGo
- OctGo
- NovBest
- DecBest
- JanWarm, long days; busiest weeks of the year (check)
- FebWarm; usually a little quieter than January (check)
- MarMild and often settled; fewer coaches (check)
- AprCooler and more showery (check)
- MayQuiet; short days (check)
- JunWet and windy; rain most weeks (check)
- JulOften the wettest stretch; gales on the headland (check)
- AugCold and squally, with occasional clear days (check)
- SepImproving but still windy (check)
- OctMild and mixed; good light (check)
- NovWarm with dry spells, before the summer rush (check)
- DecWarm; holiday traffic builds (check)
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seabirds over the tidal race (gannets, shearwaters)Oct–Apr · Best on windy, clear days from the headland. | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes |
| Mosquitoes at the campsitesNov–Mar · Heavy at Spirits Bay and Tapotupotu; take repellent. | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes |
| Shorebirds and gulls on Te Werahi and Spirits BayAll year | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
Show 3 sectionsHideHow to get there, Zones and sectors, Sketch map
How to get there
From Kaitaia
Drive north on State Highway 1 for about 110 km (68 mi); the last stretch is sealed and signposted.Drive north on State Highway 1 for about 68 mi (110 km); the last stretch is sealed and signposted.
1.5–2 h
From Paihia and the Bay of Islands
Drive north via Kaitaia, or take a coach day tour that runs the beach and the cape in one loop.
3–3.5 h
Open the page →
From Auckland
Long drive north on SH1; most people break the trip at Paihia or Kaitaia.
5.5–6.5 h
Open the page →
From Ninety Mile Beach
Exit the beach at Te Paki stream or Hukatere and rejoin SH1; beach driving is 4WD only.
45 min–1 h
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Cape car park and visitor area | Parking, toilets, drinking water fountain and the start of the lighthouse path. | Open at all times; no fee. |
| Lighthouse headland | The 1941 lighthouse, the meeting of the two seas and the sacred ground around it. | Walk in only; no eating or drinking beyond the car park. |
| Te Paki Recreation Reserve | Sand dunes, the Te Paki stream and the campsites at Tapotupotu Bay and Spirits Bay. | Open; campsites need a DOC booking. |
| Spirits Bay (Kapowairua) | A long beach east of the cape, reached by a turn-off at Waitiki Landing. | Open; DOC campsite and walking access. |
Sketch map
- 1Cape Reinga car park · Gate≈-34.429, 172.680Map ↗
- 2Cape Reinga lighthouse · Viewpoint≈-34.433, 172.683Map ↗
- 3Tapotupotu Bay campsite · Sleep≈-34.438, 172.716Map ↗
- 4Kapowairua (Spirits Bay) campsite · Sleep≈-34.428, 172.863Map ↗
- 5Waitiki Landing · Town≈-34.518, 172.840Map ↗
- 6Te Paki sand dunes · Trail≈-34.470, 172.770Map ↗
Take the points offline
6 points as a GPX waypoint file, plus a plain-text list of coordinates. Save it while you have signal: maps apps show the points without a connection.
Approximate positions along State Highway 1 from the cape to Spirits Bay, for orientation only.
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Show Top experiencesHide
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Show 8 sectionsHideEntry fees and permits, Park rules, Where to stay, Safety, Accessibility, Visiting lightly, Questions people ask, Related
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry to the cape and lighthouse walk | Free | person | Free; no gate or ticket. Parking is free too. |
| Te Paki sand dune board hire (nearby, not the cape) | NZD 15–25 (≈ US$9–15) | board | 2026 estimate; rented from operators at the dune car park (check). |
| DOC campsite, Tapotupotu Bay or Kapowairua | NZD 13–21 (≈ US$8–13) | adult per night | 2026 estimate; book online with DOC before you drive up (check). |
| Coach day tour from Paihia or Kaitaia | NZD 130–190 (≈ US$80–120) | person | 2026 estimate; usually includes Ninety Mile Beach and the dunes (check). |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
None for the cape no permit
DOC campsite booking permit or guide
Driving on Ninety Mile Beach no permit
What would our group pay?
People
Nights or days
- NZ$15–25≈ US$9–15
- NZ$13–21≈ US$8–13
- NZ$130–190≈ US$80–120
Tick the fees that apply to your trip to see a total.
A guide, not a quote: the ranges are estimates (checked 2026-09) and each fee may have rules on who pays it. Confirm on Department of Conservation — Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga Wairua before you go.
Park rules
- No eating or drinking past the car park
- The headland is on the spirits' pathway and is sacred to Māori; visitors are asked to have food and drink at the car park or at Tapotupotu Bay.
- Stay on the formed track
- Do not walk off the path onto the headland or into the scrub; it is both culturally sensitive and erosion-prone.
- Drones
- Do not fly drones over the cape or the reserve without DOC permission (check).check
- No camping outside DOC sites
- Freedom camping is not allowed at the cape; use Tapotupotu or Kapowairua with a booking.
- Take your rubbish out
- There are bins at the car park, but the reserve is remote; carry out what you bring.
Where to stay
Near the park
Tapotupotu Bay campsite
Basic DOC site 5 km (3.1 mi) from the cape, with a sheltered beach; book ahead.Basic DOC site 3.1 mi (5 km) from the cape, with a sheltered beach; book ahead.
Near the park
Kapowairua (Spirits Bay) campsite
DOC site at Spirits Bay; popular, and mosquitoes are worse here than at Tapotupotu.
Near the park
Waitiki Landing
Last food and fuel before the cape, about 20 km (12 mi) south; simple cabins and a shop.Last food and fuel before the cape, about 12 mi (20 km) south; simple cabins and a shop.
Near the park
Kaitaia
The nearest town with a full range of motels, supermarkets and fuel, 110 km (68 mi) south.The nearest town with a full range of motels, supermarkets and fuel, 68 mi (110 km) south.
Safety
Wind and exposed clifftop medium
Long drive with limited fuel medium
Driving on Ninety Mile Beach high
No phone signal in places low
How much daylight do you have?
Time out
Finding the local time zone…
Times are local to the spot (zone loading). The half-hour margin is our rule of thumb, not an official figure; light fades earlier in forest or under cloud. Carry a headlamp on any route that could run late.
Accessibility
- The lighthouse path is sealed and stepped, with a gradient; it is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers beyond the first section.
- The car park, toilets and water fountain are step-free and reachable by any vehicle.
- Tapotupotu Bay has a short walk to the beach but no formed accessible path.
Visiting lightly
- Respect the request not to eat or drink on the headland; it is a living cultural site, not just a viewpoint.
- Do not remove stones, sand or plants from the reserve.
- Book DOC campsites and pay the fee; the money goes back into the reserve.
- If you drive the beach, stay in the tracked lanes and keep off the dunes.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga Wairua?
Nothing. There is no gate, ticket or booking for the cape or the lighthouse walk, and parking is free. Your costs are fuel, and a DOC campsite fee (about NZ$13–21 per adult per night, 2026 estimate) if you stay nearby.
What are the best hikes in Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga Wairua?
The lighthouse walk is the short one: 15 minutes each way on a sealed stepped path. The Te Werahi Beach and Cape Maria van Diemen track is the real hike, 3–4 hours return through scrub and sand, exposed to wind with no shade. The Te Paki dunes and Tapotupotu Bay are short walks rather than hikes.
When is the best time to visit Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga Wairua?
November to March for the best chance of clear, dry weather, with March and November the sweet spot before and after the summer crowds. Winter (June–August) is wet and gale-prone. Whatever the month, go in the morning: coach tours arrive from late morning and the car park fills.
Can I drive to Cape Reinga on Ninety Mile Beach?
Part of the way, yes, but only in a suitable 4WD and only on a falling tide. The beach is a legal road and rental car insurance usually does not cover it. Most visitors take a coach tour or stay on State Highway 1.
Is Cape Reinga the northernmost point of New Zealand?
No. The Surville Cliffs at North Cape, about 30 km east, are slightly further north. Cape Reinga is the northwesternmost tip of the Aupouri Peninsula and the end of State Highway 1.
Why can't I eat at the lighthouse?
The headland is on Te Ara Wairua, the spirits' pathway, and is sacred to Māori. Visitors are asked to eat and drink at the car park or at Tapotupotu Bay instead.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go