One Tree Hill Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience One Tree Hill. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Half-Day Volcano Tour From Auckland

• Auckland Highlight Full-Day City Tour

• Shore Excursion: Half-Day Auckland Volcanoes Tour

• Full-Day Grand Auckland Volcanoes Tour

• Private Auckland Sightseeing - Full-Day/Half-Day Hidden Gems Tour

There’s no cost to visit One Tree Hill independently, but joining a guided tour is a good way to learn more about the volcanic hill, along with other Auckland attractions. Expect to pay between US$110 and US$170 for a half-day tour of Auckland volcanoes, including One Tree Hill, and upwards of US$170 for a similar full-day tour. Private tours are typically more expensive than group tours.

One Tree Hill is in southern–central Auckland, between the larger suburbs of Epsom and Onehunga. You can get there by car, on a tour, or by public bus. Various bus options are available from central Auckland: One of the most direct is to take bus number 30 from The Civic in the direction of Onehunga via Newmarket, getting off at Maungakiekie/One Tree Hill Domain. The trip takes about 30 minutes.

Generally, the automatic gates at One Tree Hill open at 7am and stay open until 7pm in the winter and 8:30pm in the summer. Cornwall Park, at the foot of One Tree Hill, is typically open from 7am to 9pm. Make sure to leave well before closing time to avoid getting locked in.

You can walk to the summit of One Tree Hill, but you can’t drive there—instead, park in the lot at the bottom of the hill. There is still a road to the top, but this was closed to the public in 2018, out of respect for One Tree Hill’s cultural and historic significance as a fortified pā (Māori settlement).

The walk to the summit of One Tree Hill is best suited for moderately fit, mobile travelers. Some areas are steep, and while the trail is generally smooth, there are some uneven places; visitors who are used to walking in nature, or up hills, shouldn’t find it too challenging. The path is around 1.8 miles (3 kilometers) round-trip, and takes about 50 minutes to walk.