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Sandboarding Down the Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes in New Zealand With Kids

Te Paki Sand Dunes With Kids: Our Family Sandboarding Days

Our family sandboarding and walking across the dunes · Scene from our film (20 sec)

▶Watch scene from our film 20 sec

We rented boards, climbed the dunes and found out which of us wanted to try a run—and which children preferred playing in the sand below. These are our memories from Te Paki in New Zealand’s Far North, with current access and DOC safety guidance kept separate from the footage of our past visit.

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Imagine yourself zipping on a boogie board down a mountain made of sand, laughing, trying not to crash at the end.  Sandboarding?  Is this a thing?  Yes, absolutely! Sand dune surfing in New Zealand is one of the most well-known and popular activities on the North Island of New Zealand. In Northland, near the far northern end of New Zealand’s North Island, you will find the Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes. Trust me, this is a must for your next trip!

Our Te Paki sandboarding family film · Full film (4 min 36 sec)

▶Watch full film 4 min 36 sec

The full film follows our Te Paki outing, including the approach, family runs and a lunch break. It records our past experience, not a demonstration of current safety advice. Check the DOC guidance and site conditions below; keep away from the vehicle stream route and start with a small, short slope.

How To Get To The Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes

We drove to the dunes. For a road approach, DOC directs visitors from SH1 along Te Paki Stream Road to the car park. Check current access notices before setting out; beach driving is not required to reach the dunes.  

New Zealand may look skinny and small on the world map, but it’s about six hours of driving from Auckland to get to the sand dunes.  

We took a long weekend to explore north of Auckland and stayed in Russell in the Bay of Islands.  This is a good mid-way stop if you don’t want to drive all six hours at once.

Reception was spotty on our trip. Download your route and essential information before heading north; a mobile wifi hotspot still depends on network coverage, so do not rely on it as a backup connection.

Where To Stay Near the Giant Sand Dunes

We had a hard time finding any accommodation close to the dunes and opted for the only Airbnb available that fit our family.  It was still about 40 minutes south.  There were not many options close by to the dunes, so plan accordingly!

Click here for a list of rental homes and hotels near the dunes.

What To Wear To The Giant Sand Dunes

Picking the right outfit can be a bit tricky when visiting the Sand Dunes, but the safest answer is layers. There are a few things to consider.

There is a stream near the dunes. Keep children close and away from vehicle routes; do not treat the streambed as a safe play area.

It can be hot, depending on the time of year and the weather. Layers offer options.

Boarding down in shorts can leave you with some nasty and uncomfortable sand burns. I would recommend long pants and long sleeves when boarding down.

Shoes are also an important consideration. My favorite shoe is water-friendly, active sandals like this for adults and this for kids.

What To Pack When Visiting The Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes

We packed lunch and plenty of snacks, and our children lasted about four hours before they were worn out. This little break in the sand is a quieter part of the outing that I am glad we captured.

Our lunch break on the dunes · Scene from our film (4 sec)

▶Watch scene from our film 4 sec

• Layers of clothing like jackets, light pants or sweats, clothes that can get wet. Consider a change of clothes to leave in the car in case clothes get wet and sandy. Check out this wet bag to store wet, sandy clothing without a mess.

• Towel for the car to dry off with our rub sand off.

• Bring drinking water for everyone, with enough for the heat, time outside, and strenuous climb; do not treat one fixed quantity as sufficient for every visit.

• Snacks or a picnic meal

• Confirm board availability and payment arrangements before the trip. Bring your own water and food rather than relying on a rental vendor or card connection being available.

• Sunscreen

• A sand blanket like this would be awesome!

• Camera and suitable protective storage for sand; check permissions before bringing a drone to fly.

What To Do At The Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes

We rented boards near the entrance on our visit. For a trip now, confirm where suitable sandboards can be hired and ask for operating instructions; do not assume a vendor will be at the car park or that any beach boogie board is suitable.

Our family film adds the part that is hard to picture from a map: we rented the boards at the entrance, climbed the dunes, then took turns sliding down. We used boogie-board-style boards, and this was a whole-family outing—even though we did not all want to tackle the same climbs or runs. I was nervous before my first descent, but the rush of coming down reminded me of sledding on snow. The climb through loose sand takes effort. Before choosing a slope, follow DOC’s current safety guidance below.

Dave and Rose, with Ahikaa Adventures, rented boards to us on that trip. Their current opening days, location, stock, and refreshments need confirming before a new visit.  We showed up at the end of the day, near sunset, for our first day.  They were very kind and let us rent the boards for both days at the price of one day.

After you grab your boards and hit up the restrooms at the entrance, it’s time to hike!

Hiking Up The Giant Sand Dunes

This may be the best workout of your vacation!  Walking in sand is already difficult.  Hiking up a sand mountain will test you.  Littles will struggle and may need to be carried.

The streambed connects towards Ninety Mile Beach and is used by vehicles. Keep children and play away from that route. DOC currently limits vehicles in Te Paki Stream to 4WD; that access rule does not override a rental agreement or establish that conditions are safe.

Ninety Mile Beach is also used as a vehicle route. Do not take a rental vehicle onto it unless your specific agreement expressly permits it; Budget, for example, prohibits it. Tides, weather, and access conditions matter, and having a 4WD does not cancel those restrictions. If considering a guided beach tour, confirm the operator’s current route and conditions rather than assuming the beach segment will run.

Before choosing a slope, read DOC’s Te Paki safety advice. Sandboarding here has caused serious injuries and a death, and emergency help is far away. Start on a short, small slope, inspect the run-out for obstacles and people, and stay in control. Do not slide down a dune that leads into the stream where vehicles drive.

The second time we came, we hiked up to the top of the sand dunes. We loved the views, but reaching the top is not necessary for every family; choose a manageable walk for your group and the conditions.

We went near sunset on the first day, and Dave and Rose at Ahikaa Adventures kindly let us keep the boards for both days for the price of one day. We returned and hiked higher on our second visit, which gave us a different view of the dunes. Our then-three- and five-year-olds spent more time playing at the bottom while the older kids were more comfortable with the climb and slides. That contrast is why I would leave room for everyone to enjoy the dunes in their own way instead of making the summit or the longest ride the goal.

Sandboarding Down the Sand Dunes

Our older children were more comfortable with the climb and slides, but age alone does not make the activity safe or suitable.  Littles, such as our (then) 3 and 5-year-olds have a harder time and spent most of their time playing in the sand at the bottom.

Watch our original related film on the original source

A few tips:

• You can go really fast on the boogie boards!  Wiping out can be painful and you need to be careful not to run into someone.

• Sand does get in your eyes.  Sunglasses or goggles would be ideal (until you wipe out!)

• Weather and the time of day make a huge difference as to your experience. It can be scalding hot in the sun and get freezing cold as soon as the sun goes down. The temperature drops rapidly at night. Again, bring layers!

A few details made the outing easier for us: we arrived with clothes that could get wet or sandy, brought a change of clothes for the car, and planned around the weather and time of day. Sand can sting when you fall, and it gets into your eyes, which is worth remembering when choosing what to bring. Keep children away from the stream route used by vehicles, and check current local access, water, weather, and vehicle guidance before setting out; the conditions and rules can change.

• Our kids lasted about four hours before they were worn out.  We packed a lunch and lots of water.

• If you bring a drone, check DOC’s current drone-permission requirements for the exact location and purpose. Do not launch without the required permission and compliance with aviation rules.

• Start heading into the parking lot before it is totally dark.  It gets very dark out there and you don’t want to be trying to navigate the terrain in the dark.

• Bring plenty of food and water.  Dehydration is a real risk out here as you do so much activity in the sun. We love these convenient hydro-jugs.

• Sunscreen is a must!

Watch our full family video ↗

Other Thing To Do In The Northland of New Zealand

See my post here about all the fun things to do with kids in Auckland. While up at the sand dunes, I definitely recommend seeing Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga Wairua, another stop in the Far North.

Enjoy!

Leslie

Additional Reading

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VISITING HOT WATER BEACH IN NEW ZEALAND WITH KIDS

HIKING THE TONGARIRO CROSSING WITH KIDS IN NEW ZEALAND

30 FAMILY TRAVEL ITEMS YOU NEED BEFORE YOUR NEXT TRIP!