Driving through Pembroke Road in NZ

Pembroke Road is a very scenic drive in the Taranaki region, on the western coast of New Zealand's North Island. The road is pretty steep, with an average gradient of 5.75%.

The road, located within the Egmont National Park, is 13.2 km long, leading part-way up the Mount Taranaki (or Mount Egmont) stratovolcano. The road takes you up the eastern side of the volcano and has a number of scenic walks onroute. The surface of the road is paved. It's a very scenic drive with stunning views. It winds its way to the road end car park at The Plateau at 1.172m (38,45ft) above the sea level where there are superb views of the surrounding countryside, with a viewing platform and parking facilities. The ascent is pretty straight with 6 hairpin turns at the end.

The road is pretty steep. Starting from Pembroke, the ascent is 13.2km long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 760 meters and the average gradient is 5.75%. Do not travel this road in severe weather conditions. Mt Taranaki has changeable and unpredictable weather. Temperatures in the park can drop very rapidly and soft snow can turn into ice in a matter of minutes.

 

• Waikawau Tunnel Beach, cut with picks and shovels
• The road through the Waipu Gorge is not for the sissies