Raetihi
Raetihi township is a neighbour town of Ohakune in the Ruapehu district of the central North Island of New Zealand, adjacent to Tongariro National Park.
Understand
Raetihi is located on the edge of the beautiful Tongariro National Park and boasts amazing views of the three sacred volcanos Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe. Formerly a forestry milling town now regardless of the season tourists flock to the region to explore the outdoors. Because of this, booking accommodations in Raetihi in ski season will most often be a little cheaper than in the ski centres.
Different than the neighbouring towns Raetihi has many activities outside of the ski season including the infamous Raetihi Gutbuster.
Get in
By bus
- Intercity has a daily service from Auckland and from Palmerston North. You can also use this for the ten minute trip from Ohakune.
Get around
Raetihi is small enough that the entire town is walking distance of the main shopping street, Seddon Street.
Crossing over State Highway 4 from Seddon Street leads on to the Raetihi Ohakune Road and a 10 minute drive to Ohakune.
See
- Glow Worm Grotto. All year round.
- Mount Ruapehu.
- Whanganui River.
- 🌍 Waimarino Museum, 101 Seddon St. Sun 1PM – 4PM. Local museum in the old railway station, with an old jail and police stables.
Do
- Raetihi Gutbuster. April; Easter Sunday.. Mountain bike and run challenge
- Raetihi Royal Theatre. All year round.
- Makotuku River Track. All year round. Escape the village and take a serene walk along the river track
- Raetihi Country Market. Most months of the year.
- Waimarino A&P Show. February.
- Waimarino Rodeo. March. The oldest continuing running rodeo in New Zealand
- Waimarino Art Awards. July.
- Raetihi Ripper. November. 2 day trail bike ride through open farm land and forestry tracks
- Raetihi Christmas Carnival. December.
- Tongariro Crossing. See the Tongariro Alpine Crossing section of the Tongariro National Park article
Buy
- The Barbed Wire Gallery, 80 Seddon Street.
Eat
- 🌍 Angel Louise Cafe, 48 Seddon Street (turn off state highway 4 into the town along Seddon Street), ☎ +6463854976, e-mail: angellouisecafe@gmail.com. Breakfast served 7:00AM to 11:00AM and lunch 11:00 to 3:00PM. New Zealand café with excellent coffee, cabinet foods and a full menu for breakfast and then lunch. Various From $4.50.
Drink
Sleep
- 🌍 Heartlanz Motor Inn, 7 Seddon St. Motel with some cheaper hotel bedrooms. Cafe offering takeaways from $10. Motel from $145, hotel from $45.