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Tongariro National Park

Scenic-Flight-Crater-Lake

Tongariro is the oldest National Park in New Zealand and has the honor of holding a dual World Heritage area. This status recognises the park’s importance to Maori with their strong cultural and spiritual associations as well as its outstanding volcanic features. It is a place of extremes and surprises, a place to explore and remember. From herb fields to forests, from tranquil lakes to desert-like plateau and active volcanoes – This park has them all.

In 1886 in order to prevent exploitation of the mountains by European settlers, the local Ngati Tuwharetoa tribe had the mountains surveyed in the Native Land Court and then set aside as a reserve. This 26.4 km² area was generally considered to be too small to establish a national park so further areas were acquired. When the New Zealand Parliment passed the Tongariro National Park Act in October 1894, the park covered an area of about 252.13 km². When the Act was renewed in 1922, the park area was extended to 586.8 km². Further extensions, especially Pihanga Scenic Reserve in 1975, enlarged the park to its current size of 795.98 km².

Road construction into Whakapapa valley had already begun in the 1920s. The first ski hut was built in 1923 at an elevation of 1770 metres above sea level, thereafter a road, and, in 1938, a ski lift in the area. This early tourist development explains the rather uncommon existence of a permanently inhabited village and fully developed ski area within a national park. The hotel Chateau Tongariro, which is still the centre of Whakapapa today, was established in 1929.

Mount Ruapehu is one of the world’s most active volcanoes and the largest active volcano in New Zealand. Between major eruptions, a warm acidic crater lake forms, fed by melting snow. Major eruptions may completely expel the lake water. Where a major eruption has deposited a tephra dam across the lake’s outlet, the dam may collapse after the lake has refilled and risen above the level of its normal outlet, the outrush of water causing a large lahar.

New Zealand’s Best One-Day Walk

Fancy a walk on the moon? Well here’s a much cheaper option: The 12-mile Tongariro Crossing is considered the best hike in New Zealand. This untouched volcanic terrain offers a fascinating look at a very alien environment, complete with twisted lava formations, volcanic steam vents. vast craters, active volcanoes, boiling lakes, barren desert, lush forest, crystal-clear mountain streams, steaming geysers and emerald green lakes. Phew! The scenery is so otherworldly that Lord of the Rings was filmed there. Experience a diversity of landscapes unlikely to be found together anywhere else in the world.

Enjoy a longer walk in Tongariro National Park and experience the 3-day Tongariro Northern Circuit. During the three days, you will go through the Tama Lakes, the Otarere Desert, the Red Crater Emerald, the Blue Lakes, Ketetahi Hot Springs and so many more natural treasures.