I’ll be honest.
If you’d asked me a few months ago whether I’d spend a weekend driving from Auckland to Ohakune, I probably would have said no.
Not because I didn’t want to go. More because it always felt a little too far away. A little too much effort. One of those places I’d get around to visiting “one day”.
The funny thing is, the last time I’d actually been was when I was about eight years old, and if I’m being truthful, remember almost nothing about it.
So when a couple of us decided to head south for a weekend on the snow, I wasn’t expecting much beyond a road trip and a few days away.
As it turns out, I was completely wrong.
The Road Trip Was Half the Fun
The excitement kicked in as soon as we packed the car and hit the road.
There’s something about setting off on a road trip that instantly switches your brain into holiday mode, and before long we were making our first stop in Tīrau.
For me, Tīrau has always been one of New Zealand’s great road trip pit stops. The corrugated iron buildings never fail to make me smile, and the little cafés and shops are perfect for stretching your legs, grabbing a coffee, and having a wander.
From there, we decided to bypass Taupō, mainly because we’d visited recently, and head straight towards Tūrangi instead.
That ended up being one of the surprises of the trip.
We wandered down to the Tongariro River and watched a few people trout fishing, and it suddenly clicked why so many people use Tūrangi as a base for exploring the Central Plateau. It felt peaceful, scenic and completely different from Auckland.
Then came the Desert Road
And wow.
I’d heard people talk about it before, but nothing quite prepared me for seeing it in person. The mountains seemed to appear out of nowhere. The closer we got, the more dramatic the scenery became, with snow peeking through the clouds and every corner revealing another incredible view.
I genuinely wasn’t prepared for how mesmerising it would be.
And then suddenly, there you are.
Ohakune.
The Cosiest Welcome
We were staying at Bachcare’s Mangawhero Chalet, and it was exactly the kind if welcome you want after a day in the car.
Cosy. Warm. Relaxing.
The first thing we did was get the fire going. Before long we were in our pyjamas, curled up under blankets and settling in for a movie night ahead if our big ski day.
No alarms, no rushing around, just that feeling that you’ve properly escaped.
Confession: I Was Terrified
Now, I need to set the scene here. I am not an adrenaline person.
And I hadn’t skied since I was so young that I barely remembered it, so as far as I was concerned, I was a complete beginner.
We started the morning at SLR, a local rental company, where we needed absolutely everything.
And I mean everything.
Skis. Boots. Poles. Helmets. Gloves.
The works.
Thankfully, the team there couldn’t have been more helpful. We didn’t really know what we needed, but they did. The whole process was fast, easy and surprisingly stress-free. Before long we were fully kitted out and heading up Mt Ruapehu.
One of the things I’ll remember most about the trip is that drive up the mountain.
The views were incredible.
The closer we got, the more snow appeared, and suddenly the mountain felt very real.
Nobody Tells You What To Do With Ski Boots
One of my favourite memories happened before we’d even made it onto the snow.
As complete beginners, we genuinely had no idea whether we were supposed to wear our ski boots from the car park or carry them and change later.
The result?
Us awkwardly hobbling around in full ski gear trying to look like we knew what we were doing.
We absolutely did not.
Looking back now, it’s hilarious. But in a funny way, that became one of the themes of the trip.
Nobody starts as an expert. Sometimes you’ve just got to accept you’re going to look a bit silly while you’re learning something new.
The Lesson That Changed Everything
As our beginner lesson at Pure Tūroa approached, my nerves definitely started creeping in.
I was worried about falling. I was worried about not being able to stop.
And yes, I was irrationally worried about somehow sliding off the side of the mountain.
Then we met our instructor, Tom.
Within minutes, every bit of that anxiety started to disappear. He was welcome, patient, encouraging and incredibly good at helping beginners feel capable.
The thing that surprised me most? How quickly we were actually skiing.
Within about ten minutes we were moving.
Not elegantly.
Not gracefully.
But moving.
I laughed pretty much the whole way down.
I couldn’t stop falling over. At one point I even managed to ski directly over Tom’s skis. But I never once felt embarrassed or out of place.
Not because I was good.
Because everyone around us was so welcoming.
From Tom to the staff operating the magic carpet and lifts, everyone seemed genuinely invested in helping people have a great time. There was no judgement. No pressure. Just encouragement.
It reminded me of something I think we forget as adults.
Being a beginner is actually pretty good for us.
We spend so much of our lives doing things we’re comfortable with that we forget what it’s like to learn something completely new. To be terrible at it. To laugh at ourselves.
And honestly, that’s half the fun.
More Confidence Than Skill
By the end of the lesson, our confidence had grown much faster than our skill level.
Which naturally led to us asking Tom if we could try the next area up the mountain.
With about fifteen minutes left, he took us further up.
Cue the panic about getting off a chairlift for the first time.
For anyone who’s nervous about that, let me reassure you: it’s nowhere near as scary as it looks. And if they can tell you’re little unsure, they’ll happily slow the lift down for you.
Where we ready for the next run?
Probably not.
Did we give it a go anyway?
Absolutely.
And we had an absolute blast.
The Perfect End To A Snow Day
By the time our legs gave up, we’d definitely earned lunch. Pizza, warm drinks and mountain views somehow taste even better after a morning on the snow.
Back at the chalet, the evening was exactly what a winter getaway should be.
S’mores, a a glass of wine, a roaring fore, blankets, pyjamas and another movie. I don’t think I’ve felt that relaxed in a long time.
Ohakune Is More Than Just The Mountain
One thing that genuinely surprised me was how much there is to do beyond skiing.
I arrived expecting a ski trip.
I left having fallen for the town itself.
We spent time exploring local cafés, visited Carrotland, checked out the Dinosaur Museum, enjoyed dinner at local favourite The Powderkeg and, of course, ended up at the Ohakune Hot Tubs.
And honestly?
That might have been one of the highlights of the whole trip.
There is something pretty magical about soaking in a hot tub beneath Mt Ruapehu after spending the day on the slopes.
It’s exactly what you imagine a classic New Zealand snow holiday should feel like.
So, Was It Worth The Drive?
The biggest surprise of the trip wasn’t the skiing.
It wasn’t the scenery.
It wasn’t even the snow.
It was how quickly I started planning my next visit.
The whole drive home I kept saying the same thing: “We need to come back with another group of friends.”
For someone who started this trip convinced Ohakune was a little too far away and a little too much effort, that’s saying something.
So if you’ve been thinking about going but haven’t quite convinced yourself yet, take this as your sign.
Pack the car.
Hit the road.
Embrace being a beginner.
Because trust me, once you’ve experienced Ohakune for yourself, you’ll already be planning your next trip before you’ve even made it home.
You’ve just got to get down there. You’ve just got to be there.
