Tongariro National Park Travel Guide

 
by elpariente
 
  •   Things to Do
    by elpariente
  •   Things to Do
    by elpariente
  •   Things to Do
    by elpariente
  •   Things to Do
    by elpariente
  • Emerald Lake
      Emerald Lake
    by the1andtheonly1
 

Pro

allikat profile photo

  The incredible experience of hiking across an active volcanic range! 


Con

allikat profile photo

  Is the physical effort a con? I think not. Maybe the numbers of walkers on busy weekends... 


In a nutshell

kiwigal_1 profile photo

  Beautiful wilderness area. 

 

Explore Tongariro National Park

Things to Do  

See the Plains of Gorgoroth

See the Plains of Gorgoroth, Tongariro National Park

 ATXtraveler Says:  If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, then you will enjoy the drive from Lake Taupo to the heart of Tongariro National Park. Leaving from Turangi towards Whakapapa Village, take Highway 1 south to Highway 46 west!For those of you that are a little more adventurous, you can... 

Visit Mordor, I mean Whakapapa Village!

Visit Mordor, I mean Whakapapa Village!, Tongariro National Park

 ATXtraveler Says:  During our trip to the North Island, Sarah and I decided to take a day and visit all of the backdrops for the movie Lord of the Rings. Starting in the morning out at Hobbiton, we crossed the Plains of Gororoth and into Mordor!Mordor is actually Tongariro National Park, and... 

Visit Mount Doom... or the Model of it!

Visit Mount Doom... or the Model of it!, Tongariro National Park

 ATXtraveler Says:  Since it was cloudy, the best picture I could get of Mount Doom, better known as Mt. Ngauruhoe to the locals, or anyone not addicted to Lord of the Rings.Sarah and I ventured past the normal picture making locations for Mount Ngauruhoe and onto the Whakapapa Village and... 

Tongariro Crossing One day mountain trek.

Tongariro Crossing One day mountain trek., Tongariro National Park

 kiwi Says:  This one day mountain trek is very accessible to most able bodied people. A very popular walk, it's well worth the effort if the weather is somewhat "nice". I'm holding the flag tight because it was so windy I nearly lost it!Depending on your fitness, and the weather, oh and... 

Lago - Taupo- Lake

Lago - Taupo-  Lake, Tongariro National Park

 elpariente Says:  En la carretera que va desde Rotorua hacia Tongariro se pasa al lado del Lago Taupo y los paisajes por los que se va pasando son impresionantes On the road from Rotorua to Tongariro we passed to the side of Lake Taupo and the landscapes were awesome 

Tongariro

Tongariro, Tongariro National Park

 elpariente Says:  Decidimos hacer un recorrido de un día sólamente y elegimos hacer una ruta que nos recomendaron en el Visitors Centre , saliendo desde allí que duraba unas tres o cuatro horas Fue un paseo muy agradable , pues no era muy duro aunque en algún momento tenía pendientes no muy... 

Tongariro Northern Circuit, day3 and day4 of 4

Tongariro Northern Circuit, day3 and day4 of 4, Tongariro National Park

 the1andtheonly1 Says:  Day 3. Ketetahi Hut to Waihohonu Hut,6-7 hours, 16.5 km.I was glad that the weather was fantastic, so i got to see all the picturesque scenery that i missed on day 2, coz day 3, i hadanother chance to walk back to see the emerald lake and the blue lake that i missed on day... 

Tongariro Northern Circuit, day1 and day2 of 4

Tongariro Northern Circuit, day1 and day2  of 4, Tongariro National Park

 the1andtheonly1 Says:  The Tongariro Northern Circuit, one of the New Zealand Great Walks, is a three to four day tramp in Tongariro National Park, New Zealand. Day1. Whakapapa Village to Mangetopo hut ,3-5 hours, 8.5 km. The track crosses tussock and dozens of small streams, which have eroded the... 

Hotels  

Bayview Chateau Tongariro Hotel

 1 Review and 177 Opinions  The Grand Chateau sits on the outskirts of Whakapapa village with a backdrop of volcanos. It was... 

Restaurants  

The Station Café Restaurant: Good food at the train station

The Station Café Restaurant: Good food at the train station, Tongariro National Park

 MFAMILY Says:  Cosy interior with lovely decoration and good tasty food, within the historic NP Railway Station.A short drive from Discovery Lodge and Whakapapa. Fish, pastas, salads, all tasty, done at the moment.Nice people. 

Nightlife  

Ketetahi Hut: Stargazing and Nighttime Chats

Ketetahi Hut: Stargazing and Nighttime Chats, Tongariro National Park

 kiwigal_1 Says:  On the Tongariro Crossing there isn't really any nightlife per se but our little group of 6 had great fun sitting on the benches outside the hut in the 3 degree air "watching our TV" which was the landscape around us. The sunset was spectacular as you can see from the pics... 

Transportation  

You'll be glad of the ride at the end of the day!

You'll be glad of the ride at the end of the day!, Tongariro National Park

 allikat Says:  Remember, the Tongariro Crossing is a one way hike (as opposed to a round trip, or going up then coming down a mountain). This means that it is a REALLY good idea to have some form of transport to drop you off at the start of the walk and perhaps more importantly pick you up... 

Warnings Or Dangers  

Mount Doom on a cloudy day...

Mount Doom on a cloudy day..., Tongariro National Park

 ATXtraveler Says:  If you are thinking about travelling down to see Mt. Doom in Tongariro National Park during the winter, or when it looks cloudy, I would definitely choose an alternate activity. The day we went, we were really unable to get a good view of the mountain, which was the main... 

Follow the Orange Markers

Follow the Orange Markers, Tongariro National Park

 kiwigal_1 Says:  The Tongariro Crossing is known as New Zealand's Great Walk because it is the most popular one day hike in the country. It is generally a very safe walk, however every year there are people who are unprepared who get into trouble on the mountain. Trampers are encouraged to... 

Tourist Traps  

You are not alone!

You are not alone!, Tongariro National Park

 kiwi Says:  This region gives the impression that you can escape and be alone. However it is very popular and you often find there are many other people with the same idea, hence "you are NOT alone"! During the summer months for example, the Tongariro Crossing has 1000 people walking it... 

What to Pack  

Tramping Equipment

Tramping Equipment, Tongariro National Park

 kiwigal_1 Says:  You will need a comfortable backpack for the tramp. Probably about 30 Litres maximum for any overnight trips and a daypack should be fine if you plan to do the one day hike. It might be good to consider getting the drinking bladder's installed in your backpack so that you... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Tongariro Crossing : Cental North Island

Tongariro  Crossing  : Cental North Island, Tongariro National Park

 scrooge1947 Says:  The Tongariro Crossing runs between Mt. Ngauruhoe and Mt. Tongariro, There are threee mountains basically in a row, Mt. Ruapheu is the first, then Ngauruhoe finally Tongariro. Ruapheu is the mountain with all the facilities for skiing etc.The crossing can be done from either... 

Winter crossing is WOW

Winter crossing is WOW, Tongariro National Park

 yozza2005 Says:  Challenging the Tongariro Crossing after a dump of snow is a great way to experience hiking in extreme conditions.I went with a guided group. We were supplied with crampons after we had negotiated the 'Devil's Staircase'. This was the most difficult time for the less fit of... 

Sports & Outdoors  

The Tongariro Crossing

The Tongariro Crossing, Tongariro National Park

 kiwigal_1 Says:  The Tongariro Crossing is THE main activity that tourists will do in the region (besides in winter). The Crossing is a hike from Mangatepopo to Katetahi. The hike takes around 8 hours to complete and crosses over Mt Tongariro, past Mt Ngauruhoe and offers views of the lakes... 

Favorites  

And finally....

And finally...., Tongariro National Park

 allikat Says:   From the Ketetahi hut you still have approximately two hours to go before you reach the end of the Crossing and the pick up point. For a while you are on a track which zig zags down the mountainside through tall grasses, then the last part of the track takes you through an... 

How convenient....

How convenient...., Tongariro National Park

 allikat Says:   One thing I definitely hadn't expected to find on the Tongariro Crossing was public toilet facilities! But I guess with so many people now doing the crossing it is important the environment is properly protected. There are basic and environmentally friendly toilet... 

The Place

Plan a Tongariro National Park vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Tongariro National Park locals

Experience Tongariro National Park
  •   110 Tips and Reviews
  •  213 Photos
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The People

 
Our Members Say
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 This is a cmpground in a really pretty environment. It's close to the Visitors Centre and near Mt Ruapehu. We where shocked by the lahar alarm, but fortunately... 

 

Questions and Answers

cherry3736 profile photo

Q:  Hi, My husband and I will bring our daughter to visit NZ in mid April. We will stay in Whakapapa Village for one night... 

Kakapo2 profile photo

A: I have already written in your other post that it is risky to start at 11am only, in particular when you stay at Whakapapa Village. The chairlift itself is amazing as... 

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Top Tongariro National Park Writers

1

Tongariro!

allikat profile photo

 I had wanted to do the Tongariro Crossing for a long time, but I hadn't really known what to expect. Well at last, I have done it - twice! The first time back in 2005 (my tip photos are mostly from...... 

2

Tongariro Crossing

scrooge1947 profile photo

 First Trip, March 2003. Second time december 2010. The Tongariro Crossing,runs between the sadle of Mt. Ngauruhoe and Mt. Tongariro, entry is from Mangatepopo Road although it can be done in reverse.... 

3

Tongariro National Park

kiwigal_1 profile photo

 I've got some interesting experiences in Tongariro National Park. I'd love to share with you the 18 tips I've written, the 52 photos uploaded, and 1 travelogue I've created. 

4

Welcome to Mordor! I mean Tongariro National Park

ATXtraveler profile photo

 Thanks to our handy HEMA map, which had little golden rings next to all of the sites for the filming of the Lord of the Rings we ended up in Tongariro National Park to see the Plains of Gogoroth and... 

5

Tongariro National Park

kiwi profile photo

 There are three mountains here, Mt Ruapehu, Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe. Mt Ruapehu is the location of the main skifields for the North Island. The crater lake on Ruapehu is filling after the 95/96... 

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