Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach: getting there and tours

At the top of the North Island, the land runs out in a green headland, a white lighthouse and a line of churning water where two oceans meet. Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua is one of the most memorable places in New Zealand, and one of the most significant for Māori. It is a long way from anywhere, so it pays to plan the day.

This guide covers how to get there, the rules for Ninety Mile Beach, tours, the Te Paki dunes and where to stay. Details are as at November 2026 and come from DOC, the Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe Beach Board, Northland’s tourism organisation and the tour operator.

Cape Reinga at a glance

Why the cape matters

DOC describes Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua as a highly significant place for Māori, with tikanga (cultural protocols) for visitors. The protocols are simple:

• Do not eat food at the cape. Drinking water is fine.
• Do not bury or scatter ashes. DOC explains that this is not culturally appropriate at a sacred site, though it is a fine place to remember people.
• No camping at the cape itself.

DOC also notes that there are no rubbish bins, so take everything with you.

From the lighthouse you look west to Cape Maria van Diemen and Motuopao Island, and east to Piwhane/Spirits Bay and the Hikurua/de Surville Cliffs, the North Island’s most northern point. Offshore, DOC says, the currents of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet over the Columbia Bank, sometimes throwing up spray.

Getting there

Driving. DOC’s directions are simple: follow State Highway 1 north to Waitiki Landing, then continue about 20 km to the cape. The road is sealed, but the last stretch north of Kaitaia has long gaps between services, so fill up and buy lunch in Kaitaia or earlier.

Paihia to the cape and back is a long day, about six hours of driving before stops. Breaking the trip with a night in Ahipara, Kaitaia or at Tapotupotu makes it much more enjoyable. Our Twin Coast Discovery road trip does exactly that, returning down the west coast through the Hokianga and the kauri forest.

The lighthouse walk. DOC’s Lighthouse Walk is a 10-minute stroll from the car park, suitable for children and buggies, with some steep sections that may not suit all wheelchair users. It is also part of Te Araroa, the trail that runs the length of New Zealand.

Insider tip: pack a picnic and eat it at Tapotupotu Bay, 5 to 10 minutes from the cape on a gravel road. It has toilets (DOC) and none of the rules about food that apply at the cape itself.

Ninety Mile Beach rules

Te Oneroa-a-Tōhē, Ninety Mile Beach, runs down the west coast from near the cape to Ahipara. It is legally a highway, but that does not mean you should drive it.

Rental cars and campervans: stay off. Northland’s tourism organisation says the beach is only suitable for 4WD vehicles and confident off-road drivers, and that rental contracts do not generally allow beach driving. Read your own rental agreement before you go, and assume the answer is no.

If you do drive it in your own 4WD, the Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe Beach Board’s summer safety rules are:

Tours

A tour lets you see the beach without the risk. Fullers GreatSights runs a full-day Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach tour, as at November 2026:

• $225 adult, $112.50 child, about 11 hours.
• Departs from Paihia, Kerikeri, Mangōnui/Taipa or Awanui.
• Includes a picnic lunch and a chance to sandboard, conditions permitting.
• The route runs up or down the beach depending on the day’s tides, and timings can vary.

This suits you if you are based in the Bay of Islands and do not want a six-hour return drive. Our Bay of Islands guide covers the rest of what to do from Paihia.

Te Paki sand dunes

On the way back from the cape, the Te Paki sand dunes are a huge sweep of golden sand that DOC says reaches about 150 m high. To get there, turn off SH1 onto Te Paki Stream Road, about 5 minutes from Waitiki Landing, then drive about 3 km to the car park.

DOC’s rules and warnings:

• Park in the car park. Te Paki Stream beyond it is for 4WD vehicles only, and you must not drive on the dunes.
• Sandboarding is risky. DOC says people have been seriously injured and one person has died. Choose a slope you can control and keep clear of the stream at the bottom.
• Bring water and sun protection. There is little shade on the sand.

Check the weather before you go: wind makes the sand sting and cuts visibility.

Weather and when to go

The Far North is mild all year. NIWA’s 1981 to 2010 averages for Kaitaia, the nearest climate station with published tables, give these figures:

Summer is the driest and busiest time, and the long evenings make a late visit to the cape easy. Winter is wetter but still mild, and you will share the lighthouse with far fewer people. Whatever the season, the headland is exposed, so bring a windproof layer.

Where to stay

Tapotupotu Campsite. The nearest campsite to the cape, 5 to 10 minutes away on a gravel road, is managed by local iwi Ngāti Kuri. Bookings are required, and it has toilets. Staying here lets you see the cape at sunrise or sunset without the crowds.

Ahipara. At the southern end of Ninety Mile Beach, Ahipara has the Ahipara TOP 10 Holiday Park, with cabins, motel units, powered sites and tent areas. It is a good place for sunset and an easy start for the drive south through the Hokianga.

Kaitaia and Doubtless Bay. Kaitaia is the Far North’s supply town, and Doubtless Bay on the east coast has beach accommodation and Mangōnui is a popular lunch stop on the way north.

If you are camping, check our campsites guide and remember that freedom camping is for self-contained vehicles only; read our freedom camping rules before you park up anywhere that is not a campsite.