Carlo Sarion

4.50 Philippines | New Zealand - 09-May-24 -

Tongariro National Park boasts a couple of records. First, it is the first national park in New Zealand and one of the oldest national parks in the world. Second, it is the first to be inscribed (in 1993) under the revised criteria that describe cultural landscapes and their intangible cultural values. There's nothing much to say about the OUV of this site: it is breathtakingly beautiful (criterion VII), geologically active (criterion VIII), and culturally significant to tangata whenua (Māori) (criterion VI). It's also great to note that its 2020 conservation outlook is rated “good”.

And so I'd focus my review on a few things. I have so far visited this site on two separate occasions--one that involved a lot of rain and panic attacks from driving on the left side of the road (Dec 2020), and an overall great visit with heaps of sun and blue skies (Mar 2024).

1. But where are the cultural monuments?

As mentioned, Tongariro National Park is one of those mixed sites whose inscription is based on the intangible cultural association of its natural sites. The local iwi (Māori tribes) of Ngati Tuwharetoa and Ngati Rangi consider the volcanoes in the area (Tongariro, Ruapehu, and Ngauruhoe) sacred spiritual and cultural entities. A tuku (an act of shared custodianship with the New Zealand government) made in 1887 enabled its eventual establishment as a national park in 1894. This shows that the establishment of the national park itself manifests its deep association with Māori culture.

2. Where can I stay?

While you can stay in any small town surrounding the national park, you may like to base yourself in the following:

• Whakapapa Village - this is where I stayed during both visits, and I believe it is the only village that is well within the National Park. Arriving here is a treat to the eyes, as you would see the pretty Chateau Tongariro with a view of Mt Ngauruhoe (aka Mount Doom) to the left. Unfortunately, the hotel was closed down in early 2023 due to seismic risks. Pros: its obvious location within the national park, the views of Mt Ruapehu and Mt Ngauruhoe, easy access to the trailheads of many walks, and the Tongariro National Park visitor centre is located here.
  Cons: limited accommodation (only 2 remained when I visited in Mar 2024), no independent restaurants, no dairies or convenience stores.
• National Park Village - this is located along State Highway 4 at the western boundary of the national park. I was told that foreigners who work in the hotels of Whakapapa village (on working holiday visas) stay here (not that is relevant).
  Pros: near Whakapapa village, more lodgings, has a petrol station with a convenience store, and the National Park train station is located here.
  Cons: you need to drive to Whakapapa village to get to the trailheads.
• Ohakune town - this town gives off ski resort vibes reminiscent of Banff town, though this place is flat and has no imposing mountains around. It is located on the southwestern edge of the national park, accessible via State Highway 49.
  Pros: it’s got everything a tourist needs: more choices of accommodation, restaurants, cafes, supplies shops, and grocery stores. It is also a convenient base for many trailheads in the southern part of the National Park, though it would involve a beautiful drive through Okahune Mountain Road. The terminus of this road takes you on the slopes of Mt Ruapehu. During my visit in Mar 2024, the road was closed past Mangawhero Falls, most likely because of the thick fog.
  Cons: none, really, but it won’t beat Whakapapa for the location.

3. How to get there and around?

There are different ways to get to and around the National Park:

• Car - this is the most convenient option. Hiring cars can be expensive, especially during the peak season (summer and school holidays), but we all know the flexibility that cars give you, especially when going to the trailheads. From Auckland (in Dec 2020), it took me around 5.50 hours to get to Whakapapa village, while from Wellington (in Mar 2024), it took us 6.5 hours due to heavy traffic in Otaki and a lunch stop at Levin. Normally, it would take 4.5 to 5 hours to drive (without stops) to the National Park from both cities.
• Train -  if you are coming from Auckland or Wellington, the Northern Explorer Train could be your choice. It stops at the National Park and Ohakune train stations, but the services are quite infrequent (3 times a week). It is a slow-moving train, but that makes sense since its main selling point is the ability to view the landscape leisurely. Once you get to the stations, you still need to find a way to get around.
• Bus and shuttles - at the time of writing this review, InterCity buses stop at the National Park village and Ohakune from Auckland or Wellington. Some shuttle companies offer quick transfers to the ski areas. You would also need to book a shuttle when you tramp the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

4. Walks 

What I love about Tongariro National Park is that it has trails for pretty much everyone: from an easy 15-minute wheelchair-accessible walk to the multi-day Tongariro Northern Circuit. I reckon the Department of Conservation is doing a great job taking care of the entire National Park and providing trampers with well-maintained trails and an online guide that summarises all the walks. I have not done the full-day Tongariro Alpine Crossing and the Tongariro Northern Circuit (a Great Walk) in the National Park, however. It was raining heavily on my first visit and I was travelling with someone with a gout on the second. But that's fine, as that would be a great excuse to visit the National Park again. :D

Anyway, here is a rundown of the walks from and around Whakapapa Village and Ohakune that I've done so far. My ratings are of course subjective, based primarily on my physical capacity and the weather at the time of visits.

From Whakapapa Village

• Whakapapa Nature Walk - SUPER EASY - ~15 minutes return - a sealed loop that is also wheelchair-accessible. This is a cool walk that people may want to try first. It introduces you to the native flora of the National Park, and it's got happy chirping birds to boot.
• Tawhai Falls Track - SUPER EASY - ~20 minutes return - This is an easy walk that culminates at the murky brown Tawhai Falls (aka Gollum's Pool).
• Ridge Track/Walk - EASY - ~35 to 40 minutes return - A leisurely walk involving a gradual ascent to the top of a small hill (more like a mound). The first half of the trail is covered under the canopy of beech forest, which eventually emerges into alpine shrubland. You’d see Chateau Tongariro and Whakapapa village once you reach the higher shrubland.
• Silica Rapids Walk - EASY - 1 hr and 15 minutes to 2 hours return - the trailhead was the one past the visitor centre along Bruce Road. This trail also allows you to get to the Whakapapaiti Hut. This is an overall enjoyable walk that takes you to Silica Rapids itself, a stream that forms a series of terraces covered in creamy white mineral deposits. Weirdly, it took us about 2 hours to walk this track for some reason (not because we were pausing a lot).
• Taranaki Falls Track - EASY - ~2 hours return - This is an easy loop track that takes you to Taranaki Falls and starts and ends at Whakapapa village. I took the counter-clockwise route of this track on both visits, only because the clockwise route would involve climbing up a flight of about 100 steps at the Falls. You'll see when you get there. What I like about this track is that you'd have a great view of Mt Ngauruhoe at the part of the track near the village (see photo). The falls itself is not too impressive, but surely one of the better ones you'd see in the National Park.
• Tama Lakes - INTERMEDIATE - the online guide says 5-6 hours return, but it took me a full 7 hours because of photo stops. This trail is an extension of the Taranaki Falls Track, so if you've got an entire day, continue walking as the views here are amazing! The track goes through fields of dry brown tussock as you ascend towards Lower Tama Lake. Viewing this lake southwards is very picturesque as you'd have Mt Ruapehu in the background! The track then steeply ascends towards the Upper Tama Lake, which this time, would give you a closer view of Mt Ngauruhoe. Just be prepared as you'd all be exposed to the elements and the wind could be ferocious. If Mt Ngauruhoe turns into Mt Doom real quick while you are up there...well, good luck!

From Ohakune

• Mangawhero Falls Walk - SUPER EASY - 5 minutes - you park, you get out of the car, you walk for a few minutes, and baaam, you're there, looking at the pretty Mangawhero Falls.
• Mangawhero Forest Walk - EASY - 1 to 1 hour and 30-minute walk return, depending on your level of enthusiasm towards New Zealand's native flora! I love mosses, lichens, and mushrooms, so I really enjoyed this walk. You'd think this is near the Mangawhero Falls Walk, but it is actually down the Ohakune Mountain Road, just before the town centre of Ohakune.
• Waitonga Falls Walk - EASY - 1 hour and 30 minutes - I like this one because of the imposing falls and the alpine bog with burnt brown tussock fields and small ponds that reflect Mt Ruapehu on a calm sunny day. The trail ends at a "platform" above the stream where you can view the falls. We saw a couple of guys walking along the stream to get closer to the falls. We were pretty much contended viewing the falls from the platform.

I will definitely update this list once I get to visit the National Park again, and hopefully, it'll include a quick review of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

Nan

3.50 Germany - 16-Mar-20 -

We were sitting in Wellington having (probably) another pricey NZ beer. It was Friday afternoon and we were planning to drive to Tongariro the next day (Saturday) with the Transalpine Crossing, New Zealand's most famous hike, planned for Sunday. It was then that we decided to check the national park website again to take a look at the trail. But instead we found a big info box stating that a Rahui had been put in place and all trails were closed. Rahui wtf?

You need to know that Tongariro is still a holy site for the local Maori. That's also why it's a mixed site. When someone dies in the National Park, they believe the spirits of the mountain need a time of peace. So they close down all trails along the mountain and that's a rahui. This happens repeatedly each year as hikers regularly die on the mountain. In an effort to make the risks associated to the crossing, the authorities in 2007 renamed the trail from "Tongariro Crossing" to "Tongariro Transalpine Crossing". 

To cope we rearranged our plans and hiked on Monday. And while Sunday was sunny, Monday was the opposite: rainy and windy. Views were really limited and when we came down the mountain I was fully soaked. Luckily, we also visited the Southern part of the National Park on Saturday, so I got some nice views.

In the end, it turns out that the rahui was put in place thanks to a German hiker. He was a terminal cancer patient and had the hike on his bucket list. His son is so proud his father died on the mountain and that his father was clearly in shape for the strenuous trail. Seeing he died, he clearly wasn't and I find this line of very egoistical and really irresponsible.

Getting There

Tongariro is roughly half way between Auckland and Wellington (at a bit more than 4h each). The next big town is Taupo. Closer is Turangi, a sleepy tourist town for tourists visiting. From both, you can arrange a shuttle to the national park and back.

There are several parts of the national park you can visit with a car on your own. The best trip is along Ohakune Mountain Road which takes you up Mount Ruapehu and offers several viewpoints and small hikes along the way. It's also a good road, unlike the dust road to the Mangatepopo parking lot.

Doing the Transalpine Crossing

The trail runs from the Mangatepopo parking lot to the Ketetahi parking lot. You can hike both ways, but starting Mangatepopo is the less strenuous option as it lies higher than Ketetahi.

The only option to park your car is in any case at Ketehahi. All other parking lots cannot be used for a full day and NZ is serious about enforcing these rules. If you plan a multi day hike, you need to arrange transport and separate parking with a tour operator as no overnight parking is available. There also plenty of warning signs regarding break ins.

The parking lot at Ketehahi is well signposted. It says "mountain shuttle" and we were initially left wondering if it applied to our shuttle company. But it's a generic parking lot for all operators. The guards will ask you what operator you are with when you pull up and nod. If you forgot to make a reservation, you can get a parking spot and bus ticket on site.

From the parking lot, the shuttles pick you up and drop you off at Mangatepopo where the trail starts. In the car and at the trail head, they will talk a little history, how this is still a religious sight for the local Maori population and wish you good luck.

Initially, the hike is quite relaxed. When you reach the final warning sign, the trail kicks in. The sign actually tells you that you should return if you had a hard time reaching it, because it's only to get way worse. And, yes, it does, and you will notice pretty much immediately. This is serious hiking and requires serious hiking equipment. Along the paths are sufficient toilet facilities, but nothing else, so bring sufficient food and drinks. The next shops are in Turangi.

While You Are There

A visit of the Maori settlements and sites around Rotorua is am ust. Most visitors will probably stop at Wai-O-Tapu, but the site was too touristy and fell short of similar sites I had seen in Bolivia. I preferred the lake in Rotorua and Whakarewarewa, a tribal village on the outskirts of town with it's own geyser.

Another stop for many is in Mata, on the road to Auckland. It's here that the Shire from LotR was filmed. It's quite pricey and the visiting experience underwhelming. And I nearly forgot: Tongariro was used for the Morder scenes.

Gary Arndt

3.50 USA - 14-Mar-17 -

I visited Tongariro National Park in 2007.

It is a lovely park situated in the center of the North Island of New Zealand.

Tongariro is best known in popular culture as the real life location of Mount Doom from the Lord of the Rings Movies.

Getting here is easy to do by car and there are many tours and trekking options inside the park.

Read more about Tongariro National Park on my website.

Jay T

4.00 USA - 25-Oct-15 -

From the moment you walk along the rise and see the volcanic plain stretching across to the mountains it becomes clear: this is Mordor. It's not surprising, then, that Peter Jackson filmed scenes from The Lord of the Rings in Tongariro National Park. I hiked the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in 2010, and it was the best hike I did in New Zealand and was a fantastic way to see the park. From the eastern side of the trail, the lower stretches follow a stream through woodlands, but the vegetation soon disappears giving great views of the forests below and fumaroles steaming off the side of the mountain. Upon reaching the summit, hikers cross a volcanic plain dominated by Mount Tongariro and Mount Ngauruhoe, which are still active. The climb up the saddle of Mount Tongariro, the highest point of the trail, rewarded me with an incredible vista across the North Island. The Tongariro Crossing is a one day hike I highly recommend if you want to get a good feel for the park. Just be sure to bring plenty of water!

Logistics: The hike is best done with either a car at each end of the trail or by arranging a taxi or shuttle to drop and/or pick you up.

John booth

New Zealand - 01-May-05 -

There are three snow capped peaks within the national park, all of which are active volcanoes. I have witnessed on several occasions smoke, ash and lava spewing from various vents on the mountains, particularly Mt.Ngauruhoe. The crater lake on the summit of Mount Ruapehu periodically overflows, tipping its contents of hot water down its slopes.

Despite these hazards, in the summer the mountains are used by trampers following the various trails marked out on the landscape. In the winter it is a mecca for ski fanatics, with chair lifts and rope tows heading off in all directions.

There is a plethora of lodges on Mount Ruapehu, as well as at its foot. The area can be reached by rail services from Auckland and Wellington

Gatis

Latvia - 01-May-05 -

The most magnificent sight was an early morning - snow covered Ngauruhoe volcanoe on pink sky. I will never forget it.

In general - incredible mix of fierce wilderness, unusual beauty and hospitality of local people. If you are lucky enough to visit the site - try at least the track named Tongariro Crossing (consult tourism bureau before - often weather up there is too dangerous). It takes rather weary day, but it is incredible to walk so quickly from forests through tussock above snow line and back.