Tongariro National Park
Tongariro National Park is the oldest national park in New Zealand and the fourth to be established in the world. The active volcanic mountains Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro are located in the centre of the park and forms the nucleus of this World Heritage area. It is listed as a dual heritage site because of its unique, active volcanic attributes and also its special cultural significance to local Maori.
Tongariro National Park featured highly in The Lord of the Rings trilogy with Mt Ngauruhoe appearing as Mt Doom. The volcanic rock formations and barren landscapes of the area formed the ideal setting for Mordor’s hissing wasteland, and much of Frodo and Sam’s journey into the land of Souron was filmed on and around the Tongariro National Park.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is heralded as the best one-day trek in New Zealand, while 
it ranks among the top ten single-day treks in the world.
The 19.4-kilometre journey spans the length of Mount Tongariro and will take you across spectacular and unique volcanic terrain, where you can see a cold mountain spring, old lava flows, active craters and thermal steam vents, not to mention the brilliant emerald and blue lakes. The climbs can be steep and the weather unpredictable, therefore it is very important to be fully prepared for this trek.
The track starts at the Mangatepopo Valley and finishes at Ketatahi Road. Following the track in this direction means the least amount of climbing is involved, though first timers should be aware that the track is considered steep in parts.
To view map of Tongariro Alpine Crossing and for more info, click here.
Transport needs to be arranged to drop you at the beginning of the track and to provide pick up from the end of the track after your trek. A number of operators in Tongariro National Park and Taupo provide transport to and from the track.
Other Walks in and around Tongariro National Park
A visit to the Whakapapa Visitor Centre at the base of Mount Ruapehu will also provide you with information on many shorter walks in varying landscapes throughout the park, from an easy 20 minutes to 2 hours to see waterfalls and views of the volcanoes, to more challenging whole day or several days with overnight stays.
Other walks in and around Tongariro National Park brochure (PDF)
There are two wheelchair accessible tracks: the Rimu Track nature walk at Ohakune and the Whakapapa nature walk at Whakapapa Village
Whakapapa Ski Area
The Whakapapa Ski Area on the northern slopes of Mount Ruapehu and the Turoa Ski Area on its southern slopes combine to provide 1800 hectares of adventure playground; the largest lift accessed terrain in New Zealand with the highest lift and the longest vertical descent. The skiing and snowboarding facilities on Mount Ruapehu cater for everyone from beginners through to experts. Local facilities include equipment hire, a kids’ centre for professional childcare services with on-snow activities included, Snow Schools on both ski areas which offer a variety of learners’ facilities, medical centres, and cafes. A wonderful day out for the family.
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