The Mangapohue Natural Bridge Walk is a must-do if you're passing near Te Kuiti in the Waitomo area of the North Island.

I would say this is a hidden gem, but it's absolutely got the means to support more tourism. I've travelled around a lot of the North Island and hadn't heard much about it until 2024. If you're visiting the famous Marokopa Falls, I would 10000% recommend factoring some time into your day to come here, as it's located along the same scenic drive.

Walking to Natural Bridge

To get to the Natural Bridge, you'll follow a 20-minute/700m loop track. The boardwalk takes you through an incredible limestone gorge and underneath a 17m high stone archway that was once part of a cave system.

The boardwalk is pushchair and wheelchair-friendly. On the way out, I recommend keeping an eye out for stalactite-like formations on the ceiling and fossils in the limestone, as some are over 25 million years old.

Personal note: While you're in the area, visit Marokopa Falls and Piripiri Cave, which are within 5 minutes of each other! It's a gorgeous stop on your road trip that can be done in no more than half a day.