Taranaki
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Egmont National Park/Mt Taranaki, western coastline, New Plymouth.
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New Plymouth is the major commercial centre for the Taranaki region. To the east of this city lies Mt Taranaki an iconic feature that can be viewed from almost anywhere in the region.
This mountain is a spectacular conical shaped volcano which dominates the landscape. The volcano rises ubruptly to 2518 metres out of the surrounding plain and is located as little as a 30 minute
drive from the coastline. Mt Taranaki actually doubled as Mt Fuji in the movie, The Last Samurai.
Mt
Taranaki lies in a protected wilderness area called Egmont National Park. The mountain is surrounded by dense temperate rain forest and the vegetation changes as head up the mountain. 
At higher altitudes the park is dominated by an alpine landscape containing little or no vegetation. The national park also encompasses the nearby Kaitake Ranges giving a total area today of 24,000 hectares. Mt Taranaki has a ski field called Manganui. It is the only skifield in the North Island outside of nearby Mt Ruapehu, a volcano situated in the Taupo Region.
Engmont National Park has many great walks from lowland treks through rainforest to alpine treks. One of the best is the steep 4 hour walk to Fantham's Peak. 
Another more challenging walk called 'The Mountain Circuit', circumnavigates the volcano and takes 3 to 4 days in Summer to complete. Three roads also exist that take you part the way up different sides of the mountain with walking tracks that take you further.
The Taranaki Region is also famous for its surf beaches and iron sand which are deposits from past eruptions of Mt Taranaki.
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Original versions of our photos can be purchased & web versions can be shared subject to conditions.