Tongariro Crossing

Wow! That's all I can say after finishing what is known as the best one day walk in New Zealand. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is a world-renowned trek that takes hikers 18.5 kilometres through cold mountain springs, lava flows, an active crater, steam vents, emerald-coloured lakes and magnificent views of the Tongariro National Park. I started my trip in a sunny desert land, hiked though frosty mountain peaks and ended in a shady green rain forest, truly a unique experience. Enough writing, here are some of my pictures from the trip.

The trail starts at the Mangatepopo car park and you immediately make a steep hike up to the base of Mount Ngauruhoe (Mount Doom from the Lord of the Rings).

The trail continues to climb through spectacular views of the Tongariro National Park.

The summit of Mount Tongariro was heavily frosted and cloudy but still worth every step.

From the summit of Red Crater (1886 metres), the highest point on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, the track takes you to three water filled explosion craters called the Emerald Lakes. Their brilliant greenish colour is caused by minerals which have leached from the adjoining thermal area.

The track's final descent takes you out of the mountain peaks through tussock slopes and rain forest bushline down to the Ketetahi car park.

At two points the track passes over the tongue of a lava flow from Te Maari Crater and for a distance, travels alongside a stream polluted with minerals from Ketetahi Springs.

It was a definite highlight for me on a trip that has already had so many. I will recommend it to anyone that makes to New Zealand as a must-see trek of a lifetime.

To learn more about the Tongariro Crossing: Click Here

A special thanks to my hiking partner Becky Boettcher, also a teacher from AK, for making the trip with me. To visit her NZ blog: Click Here