When I first visited New Zealand, walking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing was on my list of things to do, but with just 10 days on the North Island I couldn't fit everything in and so I didn't make it to National park. Ten months later and I have somehow persuaded Michael that a 8 hour 19.4km walk is a good way to celebrate his birthday. It was well worth it, it is probably the best thing I have done in New Zealand. It was like walking into a different world. Simply stunning.
8am and barely 1km in. Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Tongariro lay intimidating, in front of us. The clouds are burning off as they roll between the mountains and we are assured that by the time we make it up there the sky will be clear. Our starting point is the Mangatepopo Car Park at 1100m
Looking South, to snow covered, Mount Ruapehu
Looking back west over the first few kilometers across the Mangatepepo Valley. You can just about make out Mount Taranaki in the distance.
Our first close up cue of Mount Ngauruhoe, also know as Mount Doom.
Looking back at the gentle assent before the big climb begins
Mount Ngauruhoe
We have now walked round to the North Eastern side of Mt Ngauruhoe
The view back across the South Crater, we have climbed to 1650m by this point.
The View East towards The Oturere Valley, The Rangipo Desert and The Kalimanawa Ranges.
Climbing higher towards the Red Crater
And higher still to 1886m
The Red Crater, the colors is caused by the oxidation of the iron in the rock.
Red Crater was formed about 3000 years ago. It lies within a scoria cone which rests on top of the older Tongariro lava flows.
The view of the Blue Lake from the Red Crater.
The decent begins and we get our first view of the Emerald Lakes.
The it is not far from the Red Crater to the Emerald lakes but the decent is slow as we are walking and sliding down soft sand.
Down to 1760m
Minerals leached from the surrounding rock cause the colour of the Lakes.
The flat walk across the Central Crater was a welcome break from the climbs and decent and once at the blue lake we are able to look back and see the path from the Red Crater, with Mount Ruapehu just peaking out from behind Mount Ngaurhoe
Thankfully it is another flat walk as we go round the blue lake.
And another view of the decent from the Red Crater past the Emerald Lakes and across the Central Crater.
We are now talking round the North Eastern side of Mount Tongariro and we are treated to views of Lake Rotoaira, which we visited yesterday and Lake Taupo in the distance.
The Steaming vents on the north side of Mount Tongariro.
And at this point, 5 hours in, I seem to have stopped taking pictures. We still have a 2-3 hour walk, including 500 stairs, which take their toll on Michaels knees, to Keletahi car park where we are getting picked up. And even though we are going down hill it is still a really long, hard walk to the finish post.