We fell in love with Mangorei Heights the moment we arrived at the little cabin, which was perfectly positioned between the mountain and the distant ocean. We quickly discovered that there were just as many things to be excited about inside as there were to experience right outside our front door.

Fluffy robes, a bath bomb, chilled wine, and the luxurious outdoor stone bath were just a few of the things we looked forward to enjoying during our stay, coupled with an incredible view that stretched as far as the eye could see. It was easy to imagine us spending our entire getaway without leaving the cabin – and we wouldn’t have felt like we'd missed a thing. Quite possibly the best part of staying here is the fact that there is so much more to see and experience close by, so we set our eyes on the prize – the Mount Taranaki summit.

We began our ascent hours before sunrise and placed our trust in the trail markers, venturing into the inky darkness of the night. Taranaki’s steep slope forced us to crane our necks to see where the next marker might be, leaving us wondering, at times, where the mountain ended and the night sky and twinkling stars began.

The sunrise from the summit was simply breathtaking; as golden light bathed the lands below, Taranaki’s awe-inspiring, perfectly triangular shadow suddenly appeared behind us. Feeling accomplished, we made our way back to Mangorei Heights ready to reward ourselves for a successful climb.

After tucking into the delicious brunch that was waiting at home for us, we relaxed our tired muscles with a hot bath and with that, the afternoon hours melted away. The sun began to set and from our vantage point on the deck, we could see the whole valley glowing in the fading light. We already know that we will be back to explore more of Taranaki; and when we do, we know exactly where we will be staying!