Te Tuarā o te ika, refers to the backbone of the fish of Māui, so it is not so much a single location, but describes the ridgeline of the mountains extending from the Tararua ranges near Wellington to the Ruahine and Kaweka ranges, all the way to Te Urewera where the Tūhoe people refer to Ruatāhuna as Te Manawa o te Ika a Māui, the heart of the fish of Māui, while others refer to Lake Taupō as the heart, both are in part extensions of Te Tuarā o te-ika-a-Māui, the backbone of the fish.
Te Tuarā o te ika
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Visiting Info
Te Tuarā o te Ika a Māui’ describes a whole central mountain divide extending from Wellington to the central north island. There are many roads, tracks and trails that can be used to ascend the many ridges along the backbone, providing stunning views of the fish, east and west.
Check with local i-sites, tramping groups or guides to discover the many trails. Be prepared for extremes of weather than can change from hot sunshine to freezing snow in a day.
