Sunrise on Mount Ngauruhoe

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On the summit of Ngauruhoe for sunrise over the North Island, Tongariro National Park, New Zealand

After an early start under a full moon from the Mangatepopo Hut, I approach the wide crater rim of Ngauruhoe on steep, loose and yielding scree slopes – two steps forward, one step back. What makes for leaps of joy on the descent has to be dearly paid for on the way up. On the eastern side of the crater rim, sulphurous vapours rise; signs of activity. As dawn breaks, the contours of the North Island slowly emerge: the Kaimanawa Mountains to the east, Lake Taupo and Mt. Tarawera to the north, and to the west, the brother volcano Taranaki by the Tasman Sea.

Tongariro Visitor Centre, Whakapapa

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At the Tongariro National Park Visitor Centre, Whakapapa, North Island, New Zealand

The core of Tongariro National Park was established in 1887 through a gift, making it the first national park in New Zealand and the fourth in the world. This far-sighted move was formally recognised a few years ago when it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, both as a culturally significant monument and a unique area of natural beauty. Today, the Department of Conservation successfully continues the tradition of preserving nature and culture. At the visitor centre in Whakapapa, visitors can find out everything they need to know about the park. Above all, up-to-date and practical information about weather, climate, trails, and huts is essential for anyone staying in the park.

Evening Sky above Tongariro Summit

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Tongariro at sunset, seen from Mangahuia Campsite, Tongariro National Park, New Zealand

After a strenuous but exciting day of hiking at the Ruapehu crater, I pitched my tent at Mangahuia Campsite, a simple conservation campground with fresh water and a toilet in the west of the park, between Whakapapa and National Park. From the campsite, a narrow path leads east along the Mangahuia Stream through grasslands and forests. After a short while, I was treated to a view of the dramatic evening sky above Tongariro Summit.

Oturere and Waihohonu

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Chapter 4: Desolation and Abundance of Life

In the Oturere Valley, Tongariro National Park, North Island, New Zealand

The new day first takes me back along the Tongariro Crossing route to the crater plateau. Today, the magnificent theatre of nature presents a play of Shakespearean proportions on the stage of grand emotions. After the mountain so generously and proudly displayed its treasures yesterday, today it shrouds itself in thick clouds. Everything appears colourless and grey, and on such days, a depressive veil settles over my mood. The vast desolation, veiled in mist, awakens in me a desperate feeling of loneliness and being lost. Stripped of its meaning, the signpost for the Blue Lake stands by the wayside, surrounded by boundless grey. Thoughts and reality merge. The jagged boulders in the Oturere Valley suddenly transform into grotesque ghostly figures trying to lead me astray. Read more

Tongariro – Useful Tips and Maori Place Names

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Chapter 7: General Information

Silver Fern, New Zealand emblem, Tongariro National Park, North Island, New Zealand

Thanks to its central location and good transport links, situated halfway between Auckland and Wellington, the park is easy to reach. The main north-south roads run along the park’s borders: Highways 1 and 4, as well as the main railway line. Read more

The Sleeping Giant or the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

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Chapter 5: Ruapehu

Ruapehu at sunrise from Waihohonu Hut, Tongariro National Park, North Island, New ZealandThe imposing Ruapehu presents itself as peaceful and alluring. Proud of its strength and size, it cloaks itself in the pristine white of the snow, lulls our ears with the gentle gurgling and splashing of streams, and enchants us with its soft glow in the evening sun. And people flock to it, climbing its rock faces, in winter skiing and snowboarding down its snow-covered slopes, and hiking through forests, scree fields, and even over glaciers right up to its peaks. Yet, it is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Not only do the steep slopes have their dangers, with several mountaineers having fallen, or a bad weather front creating life-threatening conditions within minutes; lahars, avalanches of rock, water, and ice, have killed the most people to date. Read more

Spectacular Tongariro

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Chapter 3: The Crossing and the Northern Circuit

Rainbow in front of Lake Rotoaira, Ketetahi Hut, Tongariro National Park, North Island, New Zealand

There are places where, upon returning, I realise just how much their atmosphere enchants me. One of these is Ketetahi Hut, which sits high on the sunny northern slopes of Tongariro and marks the start of the final stage of the Tongariro Crossing—the descent to the car park. I love lying on the terrace in front of the hut, enjoying the view over the wind-rippled surface of Lake Rotoaira, the lush green, forest-clad Kakaramea mountain range, and the silver mirror of Lake Taupo. The electrifying moods at sunrise or sunset are incomparable; those nights where the lights of Taupo merge with the twinkling stars into a single universe! Roaring hot sulphur steam rises from the nearby Ketetahi Springs, which doesn’t dampen the hut’s popularity for a rest, a spot of sunbathing, or an overnight stay. Consequently, it can get a bit crowded there on some days. Read more