Roy’s Peak has become exceptionally famous and is probably one of the most photographed views in New Zealand. I have to admit myself that ever since seeing photos from the peak, I really wanted to do the climb myself. One thing that I didn’t realize however (and I think this is a common misconception) is that the view in this picture isn’t actually taken from Roy’s Peak.

This one is actually a peak further down the ridge called Coromandel Peak. There isn’t exactly a trail to this place, but there are several ridges that you can follow to get here. There are also a few helicopter services that you can hire to get here, but that takes all of the fun out of it I think.

For this particular trip, I hiked up to the peak one evening and caught the sunset from the peak. I then set my tent up and stayed the night just to the right of where I took this photo. I then woke up bright and early to catch the sunrise. It wasn’t an exceptional sunrise and there were hardly any clouds in the sky so there wasn’t much drama. But, for a few moments a pale pink and yellow glow appeared in the sky just before the sun crested over the hills to the east. I guess it’s these type of moments that make hiking a mountain and staying overnight in a cold tent to wake up in the darkness totally worth it.