Why go: On a clear day, the soaring highlight of Egmont National Park is the key reason you should always ask for a window seat on the right-hand side of the plane when flying from Auckland to Wellington. Punctuated by the smaller Fanthams Peak, Mt Taranaki's perfect volcanic cone is surrounded by an equally symmetrical forested circle prescribing the rugged and protected limits of New Zealand's second-oldest national park. Soon to be officially named Taranaki Maunga, after three centuries of being called Mt Egmont and 34 years of Taranaki/Mt Egmont, the peak visible across the region marks the location of one of New Zealand's best one-day walks.