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Published: February 3rd 2007
Today we got up early and caught a shuttle bus to the start of the Tongariro Crossing.
The Tongariro Crossing is one of the most famous 1 day walks in the world. It is the centrepiece of the stunning Tongariro National Park - an active Volcanic area which stretches from here out up through the Northern ridges and out to White Island in the Pacific. New Zealand is a country borne out of a mad amount of tectonic action.
http://www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz/
The Tongariro National Park is another of New Zealands ubiquitous Lord of the Rings sites. It was the destination for both Mount Doom and Mordor.
We got to the Mangatepopo Valley start point for just after 9am, and we headed off as quickly as we could to avoid a large American college tour party!
We were kitted up big style with thermals, axes and chainsaws, but thankfully the weather front that had impeded us the previous day had passed through, and we had glorious weather all day, the view therefore was utterly stunning.
We've only been able to upload 3 photo's so far, but we'll put some more on when we have time.
The
walk was pretty tiring - it took us just under 7 hours to do, which is slightly better than par - the average is about 7.5 hrs. We could have probably shaved even more time off - but decided to relax at a couple of spots to have a drink and take in the views.
Some sections were either pretty hairy steep uphill climbs or scrambles down shingle and rock hill sides at considerable altitude! The scarmble down from the peak of the Red Crater down to the Emerald Lakes in particular was pretty mad! The view across the South Crater was also amazing - a pure flat bed shadowed by the perfect volcanic cone of Mt Ngauruhoe.
We also met an American couple from New Jersey - and spent the second half of the route with them which was good company and a refreshing change from the cabin fever of one another!
On the website link you can kind of follow our route - we were so chuffed to have completed the walk - it is not every day that it can be done due to the unpredictable weather here.
After the Crossing we got
the Mountain Shuttle buses back to Turangi to pick up the Bitch, and headed North to Taupo where we found a good pub to get replenished on steak and chips!
The evening was also perfect - we sat beside the lake side having dinner with the most amazing sunset over the Tongariro park 60km to the south of us at the bottom end of the lake.
Knackered we hunted for a campervan site with a Natural Thermal Spa and sat and sorted out our aching muscles!
PS - Kiwi's call hiking tramping hence the title!
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Sir Steven Bonjour-Maison McGully-Traventably XVII
non-member comment
Ah Bonjour
Hi you wonderful people, seem to have missed several installments of your 'APAC odyssey' however caught up tonite after beaucoup vin rouge avec clients en France a Paris. Sounds like you are having a wonderful and life changing time, keep up the fantastic stories of your adventures and do not come back to this grotty little snotsville of a country. Well its OK I guess. PS I am going bald - rubbish! Please approve this comment or else. x