Tongariro Northern Circuit: 1 of the 10 great walks of New Zealand

My wonderful partner Joslyn booked us on a 2day trek down in Southern NZ but we were not able to take that trek, so we did some quick research and found availability on one of the few great treks in the North Island. We planned a three day, two night backpack hike through the active volcanoes of the center of the North Island. 

[As a side note: Jos has never been on an overnight backpack, nor has she hiked 50 kilometers. She was wonderful to join me on such a great trek. Thanks, babe!]

Jos was able to book the first night in one of the remote outback huts and a tent site the next night. 

We went back and fourth on how we wanted to tackle this trek. We could not get into the outer hut the second night, so the plan was to stay the first night in the inner hut, climb to the high point the second day (upper lakes) and go back to stay at the same hut area (in a tent), then hike back out the same way. Me being the crazy hiker, I wanted to do the whole 50 km three day, 2 night trek. While we were picking up our pass the day before setting out, we were able to score a spot at the outer hut the second night. The full trek was on!!  🏔 🥾 The guy in the information center recommended that we skip the first 10 kms due to the poor condition of the trail, but we really wanted to do the full trek.

We took off on the first day a little later than intended. The trail was just as the guy had warned: a beat up trail with some difficult areas. Not great for Jos, but she hung in there, and finished in 4 hours (time listed on the map). It was also very hot, but fortunately for us not as hot as the previous day, which cracked 30 centigrade. We got settled into our bunks...not quite as expected. The hut was tiny for 20 dirty hikers. You basically all sleep in single file 3 or 4 across. Snoring, bad smells galore. 😀😂

But the star gazing was amazing! And the hut ranger gave a very entertaining talk and also pointed out what plants to eat for.. indigestion.

We woke up, had breakfast, and got prepared for Day 2: a thousand vertical feet, 12 km, technical hike laid in front of us... and a thousand additional day hikers heading to the upper lakes. 😒 We should have left a little earlier, because busloads of people are dropped off to do this very famous and overcrowded stretch of the trail. We still don’t know why they let so many walk up a trail that is very beat up, especially at the top of the mountain. We thought charging people $25 would help cut down on the crowds, and give the government funds to maintain the trails. [Side note: NZ has a hard time maintaining their trails, probably due to the large amount of hikers. They do however know how to build trail bridges. We learned later that Argentina knows how to maintain trails, but they could use some help from NZ on building their trail bridges.]

The first part of the trail was nice, wide, good bridges over streams, a waterfall and actual outhouses. Very proper. The next part of the trail was the long, arduous, steep climb to the top of a very high pointed peak. 🏔 It was tough and almost broke poor Jos. She managed to hang in there, slow and steady up the steeps. She did not say it, but I know she appreciated having the trekking poles. She claims she didn’t like them at first. In the middle of the steep climb, there was a kilometer or two of a red-colored caldera. It was like walking on Mars. Amazing pictures. Next was the really tough climb, on steep, broken, sliding rock and dodging way too many dayhikers, some of which had no business being up that high.  There were numerous signs warning people not to go up unless they were prepared and able. Maybe some people couldn’t read the sign. I’ll try to remember to post a picture of one of the funny, but serious signs. There were some amazing geological features on the trail, with deep cavernous fishers and beautiful red rock formations. There were steam vents releasing  sulphur and other gasses. A very active volcanic region. 

After getting over the peak, we started down the broken, shake rock trail. It was in horrible shape with people sliding and falling all over. No wonder they air lift two people a week off the mountain.  Once at the bottom, we were treated to amazing green and blue colored lakes. These are in a very hot, seismic zone so the pools are almost boiling and have a lot of sulfur. No swimming in these beautiful lakes...and, they are very sacred to the indigenous people, the Maori. After a brief stop by the lakes (too many people for a proper stay), we headed towards the outer hut, which was still 6 long kilometers away. The trail was steep downhill with some big and some broken rocks. Very tough after going over the peak earlier. 

Once we hit the bottom, the trail became wide and flat with nice dirt under our sore feet. We reached the hut after 7 hours. Exhausted, we had a snack, a nap, then made dinner. A beautiful sunset ended our long day. We awoke the next morning to sunshine and winds. After breakfast, we headed out on the final leg of our journey, 21 kms to the end of the trek. We went through spectacular landscape with giant boulders left from the last glacier, deep ravines carved out by rivers, high forests, and open volcanic fields of red, broken rock. 

All the time, Mt Ngauruhoe (aka Mt Doom from Lord of the Rings) was in our sights, along with several other peaks. My friend Larry would love this place (Larry and I have gone in many spectacular backpacks through the years). Not sure Jos felt the same after trudging 40+ kms. 😀We stopped for a late morning snack and water break at another hut, which would have been our first hut stop if we had gone the opposite direction in the trek. The trail was amazing, wide, mostly dirt, along with some mud pools and other volcanic type landscape. 

After 50 kms, we made it to the end, and an hour faster than the trekking map said it should take. 

I’m a crazy hiker (aka Mountain Goat), but my lovely girlfriend is not, and I must say she powered through the whole trek!! Even though she said she hated it (JL: specifically hated the slippery peak section of day 2), I think deep down she loved the beauty and challenge of the trek. (JL: no, i really hated day 2. The rest was fine.) Either way, I’m very grateful she went on this trek with me, and even more grateful that she went on this epic journey around the world. 🌎

We turned in our rental gear, and headed for hot showers and our little hotel by Lake Taupo.

pictures on in reverse order.