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Highway 10: Waipapa to Mangōnui, Far North, Northland
Photo: W. Bulach · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped

Drives Northland, New Zealand Northland

Highway 10: Waipapa to Mangōnui

SH 10 · Waipapa → Mangonui

Sweeping34 mi45 min1,900 ft climbHigh point ≈ 800 ftOne way
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The drive

State Highway 10 is the Far North's cross-country road, and this stretch of it runs from Waipapa, beside Kerikeri, to Mangōnui on Doubtless Bay. It is 55 km (34 mi) of rolling bush and farmland with steady bends rather than sharp ones, and it takes about 45 minutes without stops.

The route heads north-west across the hills to Kāeo, where Whangaroa Road branches off to Whangaroa Harbour, then carries on to the coast at Taipā and Mangōnui. The bridges that used to slow this road have been replaced: the Kāeo bridge is now a longer, higher two-lane crossing, and the Taipā bridge in Doubtless Bay has been two lanes since December 2019.

Kāeo and Mangōnui are the natural places to stop.

Along the way

  1. Waipapa
  2. Kāeo
  3. Mangonui
Elevation
1,900 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 800 ft
WaipapaMangonui
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
WaipapaMangonui
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • The highway is narrow in places, and parts of it near Kāeo can flood after heavy rain.
  • Check NZTA's journey planner after heavy rain, when flooding or slips can restrict the road.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check NZTA Journey Planner.

Questions about this drive

How long does Highway 10 from Waipapa to Mangōnui take?

State Highway 10 from Waipapa to Mangōnui is 55 km (34 mi) and takes about 45 minutes without stops.

Is Highway 10 in Northland still a one-lane bridge road?

Not at Kāeo or Taipā: the Kāeo bridge on State Highway 10 was replaced with a two-lane bridge, and the Taipā bridge has been two lanes since 2019.

Is Highway 10 twisty?

State Highway 10 from Waipapa to Mangōnui has mostly gentle curves, with steady bends through bush and farmland, and it is not a tight mountain road.

Does Highway 10 flood?

Parts of State Highway 10 near Kāeo can flood after heavy rain, so check NZTA's journey planner before setting out in bad weather.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
Preview it in 3DFly the whole drive over satellite and terrain before you go.
Drive it with no signalAPEXDownload the map and every turn before you go.
Live Group TrackingAPEXEveryone on the route, on the map, by name.
Road conditionsAPEXWet or dry, ice, fog and wind along the road before you go.
Record your drivesAPEXRecord a drive and turn it into a route to drive again or share.

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More drives near here

All 6 drives in Northland, New Zealand ›

Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Highway 10: Waipapa to Mangōnui, from Waipapa to Mangonui