Well worth the walk as in my opinion this place offers the best views of the city of any point we visited. You clearly see the downtown area in context of the suburbs and all the water around. You can see the green spaces, Eden park neighbouring islands and so much more, as well the volcano's crater itself.

I had been told that Mt Eden was just a crater and one could walk around it and view the skyline of Auckland. I surprisingly enjoyed and felt more connected to the Maori culture reading the fascinating billboard display in the Friend and Whau Cafe than the Auckland. Maybe because it was more succinct and precise and gave a history of the life of a Māori in Auckland. I loved the city vista views of Auckland despite it being a bit misty and just walking around the majestic crater was enjoyable for one that likes walking.

First thing to say is that the walk to the summit was much shorter than I had imagined. Getting off the 27H bus at Tahaki Reserve at 10:30 and going up the ‘steeper’ route, with a stop at visitor centre, we were at the summit by 11:00. Second, the ‘steep’ route is not that arduous, even for 72 year old like myself, just some uphill walking and well-maintained steps. Certainly the views from the summit are worth the effort required and it is great to get away from the city centre without having to travel too far. We came down via the longer, more circuitous route and this provided an alternative perspective on the surroundings. Although less steep, if we had chosen to ascend by this route I think this would have proved more of a slog.

I was awake early (jet lag) so decided to walk from the port area to Mt Eden. It’s an easy route and took about an hour (and didn’t cost anything). I arrived c8am and there were a few folk there but not too busy. There is an amount of free car parking at the bottom of the mountain. The climb up was quite short and easy enough (take a break when you need to though). The views from the top were great - the downtown area and all around. Well worth the effort.

After a very long flight, this was an excellent place to go to get the lay of the land and appreciate the beauty of Auckland from its highest point. The crater is beautiful and the boardwalks are very well done. A quick and spectacular walk.

We got off the bus on Mt Eden Road and entered probably the least used entrance to Mount Eden. It wound around the base of the Mount and up a long stretch of stairs. We definitely got our steps in that day! All the effort was worth it when we reached the top and took in the 360 degree views of Auckland. Due to this being a sacred site, visitors were requested to walk on the designated path/boardwalk.