In the middle of a true wilderness wonderland, National Park Village borders Tongariro National Park to the East and Whanganui National Park to the West.
The Village itself is a 25-minute drive from Ohakune and 30-minutes from Taumarunui. The Village is also a short drive from the base of Mount Ruapehu, at the intersection of SH4 & SH47 on the volcanic plateau, approximately halfway between New Zealand's biggest cities, Auckland and Wellington. With the Whakapapa ski area and the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in such close range, National Park Village is an obvious stopping point for both winter and summer activities.
A broad range of accommodation can be found in National Park Village, from quaint and quirky, to more luxury offerings. Various food and beverage options are also available from the restaurants, bars and eateries in the village.
Further north, the small settlement of Raurimu is most famous for the Raurimu Spiral, an engineering masterpiece that made it possible to access the steep slopes between the Volcanic Plateau and the gorges of the Whanganui River. Completed in 1908, the spiral enabled the Main Trunk Railway to be completed thereby opening up the Central North Island to valuable trading and employment opportunities.
