Tongariro Alpine Crossing

31/10/10 - 02/11/10

We left Katikati on Sunday 31st October 2010, bound for the Tongariro National Park, via Taupo. 

 Johanna, Dad, me & Sarah, setting off on our roadtrip

We drove via the sulpher-ridden Rotorua, where we caught the stench, but decided that we didn't really fancy stopping. We stopped for a quick walk to see the Okura waterfall, and went down to Taupo. We went to the Huka falls, which were spectacular: 20,000 litres of water flowing over the rock-face every second. Wow.

Huka Falls, Taupo

Then we went to 'Craters of the Moon', which is an area of high geothermal activity, sending constant plumes of hot steam up into the sky.

Craters of the Moon, Taupo

Craters of the Moon

We arrived at our bach, had dinner, and went to bed, eagerly anticipating our early start and the day-long hike that we were about to embark on...

We drove to the end of the hike to park our car, and caught a shuttle bus back to the beginning. We chose one called Mountain Shuttle, and were very glad that we did, as the driver gave us a pass to the Ketetahi Hot Springs located on the crossing that are owned by the company. I'll come back to this later on, but needless to say, it proved to be a very good thing! It was the first beautiful day they's had in months. We were very lucky, it would seem! The previous day there's been wind speeds of 170 knots on the ridges of the Red Crator! But no, not today. We could see Mt. Taranaki 2,500km away, and the sun was blazing. A beautiful day for a hike through 'Mordor'!

Leaving our car, about to get the shuttle to the beginning of the hike

Mount Ruepehu (Mt. Doom in Lord of the Rings)

 We started off at about 8.30am, walking through some scrub on a very well laid out wooden path for about 3.5km. I began thinking 'this isn't a hike!'.

  

The path that was so unexpectedly well laid out...

The minerals in the water make the mud turn beautiful colours

Then we started the ascent up lots of steps - again, it was a very well structured path, but there were LOTS of steps!

 

Mt. Taranaki in the distance & the many, many steps! 

With Mt. Taranaki in the distance

Dad took this photo just after I sincerely felt that I was going to slip and fall to my death...

 

The Red Crater

   

Dad checking out some geothermal activity

Warming his bum on the steamy ground (from the geothermal activity)

The spectacular Emerald Lakes

:)

Eating lunch next to the emerald lakes

  

The landscape changed to snow a few minutes later

First signs of life since starting the ascent

The Blue Lake

Lake Taupo (the HUGE lake in the distance)

The vegitation at this point in the walk - so different yet again!

More geothermal activity in the distance...

We had been given permission by the owners of the land to go to the natural hotpools, so we went on our mission to find the pools. Instead we were greeted by a huge plume of stinky sulphur...

We met up with some guys who were on our shuttle in the morning (and so therefore also had permission to go to the pools), and found an alternate route...

Dad was the first to wallow in the warm water

Then the rest of us joined him! What a setting... truly amazing :)

At the end of the walk, we went past a beautiful waterfall

It was my first proper walk in New Zealand, and it was truly SPECTACULAR. I would recommend anyone and everyone to do it. In just one day, you see so many beautiful landscapes and vegitation. There are only two steep climbs in it, but you definitely need walking boots. The memories will stay with me forever, and I love the fact that I can also say that I survived walking through Mordor, and climbed on Mt. Doom!!

After the walk, we all went back to the bach, had some well deserved dinner and went to bed. The next day we dropped Johanna off at the bus stop to go down to Wellington, and took Sarah to her next WWOOF hosts. Dad and I made our way back up to Katikati, but not before going to some absolutely spectacular waterfalls...

We stopped at McLaran Falls - beautiful