Trekking the Tongariro

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We had heard much about the Tongariro crossing walk before coming here. “The best full day walk in NZ!”, “Amazing!” So we had to do it. That was why we drove the four and a half hours from Wellington to Whakapapa village through what could only be described as some of the dullest scenery in NZ (“It just looks like England..” was Loz's remark) and some dreary backwater towns where they hadn't even heard of latte let alone make it (and to think we got some on a deserted beach in Abel Tasman...) We were hoping the scenery in the Tongariro National Park was going to be worth it. And it was. Once the sun came out and we had climbed for hours and hours...

The day itself started at eight with a short coach ride to the start (it cost us ~£35 for both of us to be ferried to the start and picked up from the end) from our camp. The first bit of the walk was so-so and we were starting to get annoyed with the non-stop stream of people doing the same walk. Used to deserted tourist attractions this one was far from. We saw easily two to three hundred people in the day (overtaking many of them!!) but there was a reason that many people were there.

Once we climbed a little we began to see the peaks of the three volcanoes that dominate the area: Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngaurohoe and then walked through the huge desolate craters. The crossing goes between the peaks but you can do offshoots to Ngaurohoe (very steep but beautiful) and Tongariro. We weren't going to do any 'side hikes' thinking the steep 19.4km would be plenty but when we got to the turn-off for Mount Tongariro in good time we decided to go for it. The added benefit of Tongariro (apart from there being few people on the route) was that it gave stunning views of Ngaurohoe and the crater in front. There were a few quite hairy and slippy bits though. From there we skid walked through the deep ash to some beautiful emerald sulphur lakes and then down the other side for the seemingly unending descent to the car park. Only seven hours and twenty two kms after we started. Tiring to say the least. Our Jucy cruiser bed never felt so comfortable...

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