Tongariro National Park Travel Guide

  Hiking in Tongariro
by kiwigal_1
 
  • Hiking in Tongariro
      Hiking in Tongariro
    by kiwigal_1
  • Emerald Lakes, Tongariro
      Emerald Lakes, Tongariro
    by kiwigal_1
  • The Emerald Lakes
      The Emerald Lakes
    by allikat
  •   Things to Do
    by elpariente
  • Emerald Lake
      Emerald Lake
    by the1andtheonly1
 

Pro

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 The incredible experience of hiking across an active volcanic range! 


Con

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


In a nutshell

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 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 Alpine Crossing 1-day mountain trek.

Tongariro Alpine Crossing 1-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 334 Opinions  The Grand Chateau sits on the outskirts of Whakapapa village with a backdrop of volcanos. It was... 

Skotel Hotel

 118 Opinions

Restaurants  

The Station Café Restaurant: Good food at the train station
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MFAMILY 40 reviews

Cosy interior with lovely decoration and good tasty food, within the historic NP Railway Station.
A short drive from Discovery Lodge and Whakapapa.

Favorite Dish: Fish, pastas, salads, all tasty, done at the moment.
Nice people.

Updated Apr 18, 2008

Address: Findlay Str, National Park Village

Phone: +64 892 2881

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Nightlife  

Ketetahi Hut: Stargazing and Nighttime Chats
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kiwigal_1 1092 reviews
Ketetahi Hot Springs at Sunset
4 more images

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 attached. We were making all sorts of weird and wonderful stories up about the landscape around us. The human mind / imagination is a wonderful thing when technology is completely removed!!

Dress Code: Dress warm outside!!!

Written May 3, 2006

Related to:
 Adventure Travel
 Hiking and Walking
 Budget Travel

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Transportation  

You'll be glad of the ride at the end of the day!
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4.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

allikat 269 reviews
Buses at the end of the Crossing.

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 at the other end.

There are lots of tour operators running buses from as far as Taupo, and many of the more local accommodation places do likewise.

The Discovery Lodge, where we stayed offers the earliest drop off time ~ 6am ~ and begins collecting its walkers from 2pm. Their last pick up is at 4pm but they make it very clear that for that bus they WILL NOT LEAVE until the last Discovery Lodge guest is accounted for, and that as a consequence you may need to be patient. They weren't wrong there ~ the last walker joined the bus at 5.30pm but I think everyone was too tired and pleased with their own efforts to mind.

Updated Apr 10, 2008

Related to:
 National/State Park
 Mountain Climbing
 Hiking and Walking

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Warnings and 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!
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2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

kiwi 759 reviews
1000 people per day midsummer.

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 per day. That is phenomenal and for me it was a big surprise. This was a perfect weather day and also a Saturday making it busier than normal. Weekdays during peak summer, would be less busy.

Unique Suggestions: Get going early to beat the rush!

Fun Alternatives: The Tongariro Crossing is the walk most people like to do, however Tongariro National Park has many walks, so pick up a Doc pamphlet (NZD$2) from one of the Visitor Information Centres around the country, and see if another walk would interest you. Naturally the Crossing is popular because it is spectacular. However if you want to get away from people, midsummer, you won't here.

Updated Jun 23, 2007

Related to:
 Hiking and Walking
 National/State Park
 Mountain Climbing

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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
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Ketetahi Side of the Crossing
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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 on the other side (Lake Taupo for example).
It is a really amazing hike and quite challenging however I think anyone can do it!

See the travelogue and the rest of this page for more pictures!

Equipment: Please check out the Department of Conservation website for advise on equipment for the crossing.

The weather can be changeable at certain times of the year so make sure you are prepared for anything. Take plenty of energy foods and water.

Updated May 3, 2006

Address: Tongariro National Park

Related to:
 National/State Park
 Adventure Travel
 Hiking and Walking

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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... 

Comments (2)

  • giampiero6's Profile Photo
    May 15, 2013 at 10:04 AM

    I gotta get over here!

    • kiwi's Profile Photo
      May 15, 2013 at 12:59 PM

      Someone was heli-rescued yestereday not one week after it opening fully. It's a big one! But worth doing on a nice day. Busy in summer though, too busy at times!

  • kiwi's Profile Photo
    May 15, 2013 at 12:07 AM

    May 2013 - After months of volcanic activity, the entire alpine track has reopened now. Be sure to wear strong ankle protecting hiking boots, as the track still has some places where it can be rough.

Map of Tongariro National Park