The Tongariro Alpine Crossing

The Tongariro Crossers from Norman Zafra on Vimeo.

Before I left New Zealand to go back home to the Philippines I went on one last road trip with my friends. We went to Tongariro National Park to hike the world famous Tongariro Alpine Crossing--reputedly one of the best day hikes in the world. The 7 to 9 hour trek that traverses approximately 19.5 kilometers takes you to a mountain summit 1,800 above sea level, between Mounts Tongariro and Ngauruhoe, showcasing volcanic landscapes of craters, mountain springs and emerald lakes. It should be in every hiker's bucket list.

Location Map of the Track.

Anyway, my friends and I travelled more than 300 kilometers south of Auckland to Tongariro National Park on a Friday afternoon. It took us 5 hours to get to our accommodation in Raurimu--which was just around 20 minutes away from the park. There were other accommodations (hotels, hostels, backpackers, chalets, etc.) closer, but the place we found in Raurimu was the only one that could accommodate our large group of 10 exclusively.

Our accommodation at Wood Pigeon Lodge. We had the whole barn to ourselves. (Photo: Neeko Catalan)

We spent the night at The Barn of Wood Pigeon Lodge. The next day, Saturday, we were scheduled to do the hike. Now here's the thing: the weather at the park is unpredictable. Some days are bright and sunny, while others are wet and rainy. So you have to allot at least two days to do this activity--that is, prepare for one reserve day, just in case you can't do the hike on your desired date, which was what happened to us. Saturday was rainy, foggy and cloudy, and we were strongly discouraged by our host Tim from pushing through.

Having breakfast at the Barn. (Photo: Neeko Catalan)

We followed Tim's advice and postponed our hike for the following day.

Tongariro Crossing Transport

Thankfully, our group was blessed with beautiful weather on Sunday. The sun was out, the sky was blue, and the temperature was a crisp 18 degrees. We woke up early at 5am, got ready, and we were out of The Barn by 6:30. I drove our van to Ketetahi--at the end of the hike, and parked there. We got our things, left the van, and transferred to our Tongariro Crossing Transport, which was going to take us to the start of the hike. Now, this is important. You have to arrange for your Tongariro Crossing Transport. You have three main options:

Option A: You can book transport for direct pick up and drop off at your accommodation. It is the most expensive, setting you back at least NZ$45 or more per person, depending on distance

Option B: You can drive to the transport's headquarters/office, leave your car there and  ride their shuttle to the start and from the finish of the hike. Departure times are 6:45am, 7:45am, and 8:15am, while pick up times are 3pm, 4pm and 5:30pm. Option B will cost you NZ$35 per person.

Option C: You can drive all the way to the end of the hike, at Ketetahi Car Park, board the shuttle there, which will take you the start. You do the hike. When you reach the finish line, your car will be waiting for you. This option is the cheapest of the three at NZ$30 per person.

Of course, another option is to have a driver friend drop you off at the start, wait 8 hours, and then pick you up at the finish. Good luck with that.

Inside our Tongariro Crossing Transport shuttle to the Mangatepopo entrance. (Photo: Neeko Catalan)

Anyway, we chose Adventure Tours, and went with Option C. Aside from being the cheapest option, it was also the less stressful, unlike Option B, which had strict pick up times (I heard tour operators were ruthless with this, often times leaving tourists who were late at the pick up point). With Option C, our group could hike at our own pace and not worry about not getting to the finish line at a designated time. 

Things to Bring

So, we were dropped off by our transport at Mangatepopo Car Park. We rented hiking sticks from our driver Paul for NZ$5 each. This turned out to be a good investment as the sticks came in handy going up the mountain. Incidentally, here is a list of other things one should bring on this hike.

1. Water
Although this is just a day hike, and nothing compared to a U.P. Mountaineers hike, it's still a mountain. There are no sari-sari stores or convenience stores up at the summit or anywhere for that matter. There are springs, fountains and lakes, but the water is not fit to drink. So you have to bring water for the hike. Hiking guides recommend bringing at least 1.5L of water per person.

2. Food
Again, no sari-sari stores from Mangatepopo to Ketetahi. Bring energy food like bananas, nuts, sandwiches and nutri-bars to snack on.

3. Jacket and pants
Even if you hike on a clear, bright day, the temperature and weather changes as you climb up the mountain. So it's best to wear layers so you can add and remove them as need be. Start with thermals underneath, and then a shirt. Prepare a light sweater, and a rain jacket. For the bottom, you can wear those convertible hiking pants/shorts.

4. Walking or Hiking shoes with traction
There won't be any wall or rock climbing involved, but it'd be best if you leave your sneakers at home. You'll be hiking over rocks and loose soil, so best to wear hiking shoes with some kind of traction.

5. Hat and gloves
You need to protect yourself from the New Zealand sun with a good, sturdy hat, preferably one that covers your ears. If all you have is a baseball cap, it's best to wear a buff/bandana with it. Bring a pair of gloves as well as you never know how cold it can get at the summit.

6. Sunscreen
Need I remind you that there's a big Ozone hole over New Zealand? Better put on some sunscreen. After all, it is an 8 hour day hike.

7. Mobile phone
There are guide posts along the track, and it's possible to arrange for a guided tour. But you can still get lost, especially if you pick a day with very few hikers. So, for your safety, it's best to bring your fully-charged mobile phone to call authorities in case you lose your way or have an emergency.

8. Walking or Hiking stick
If you're a hard-core mountain climber or hiker, then you'd probably say hiking sticks are for sissies. And you're probably right. But I found the hiking stick to be very useful going up and down track. So if you're like me, a recreational hiker, and it's available, why not just rent a hiking stick. I rented mine for NZ$5/day.

Arla and Norman ready to hike. (Photo: Neeko Catalan)

The Tongariro Alpine Track

Let's get to the hike itself. We left the Mangatepopo entrance at around 8:45am. That's pretty late already. When we got there we joined the tail end of the day's hikers. The temperature was pretty warm, so we took off our jackets and stored them in our backpacks.The first part of the hike was pretty flat. It provided good views of Mount Ngauruhoe--Mount Doom for Lord of the Rings fans. After an hour and a half we reached the Soda Springs area. There's a cute waterfall. But more importantly, Soda Springs has the last toilets for the next 4 hours. So if you think you need to pee, then the Soda Springs toilets are your last chance to relieve yourself before climbing up the mountain.

At the start of the track. (Photo: Neeko Catalan)

Soda Springs (Photo: Neeko Catalan)

From Soda Springs, the hike started to get steep as we climbed from 1,200 meters up to 1,500 meters to the South Crater. The climb is known as the Devil's Staircase. This is where the hiking stick became handy as it eased some pressure from the legs. The park is a volcanic area and it started to show. Less grass and shrubs, and the soil and rocks turned dark and blackish. Anyway, we felt a bit tired midway up and we rested on some of the boulders. From our viewpoint you could appreciate the natural beauty of the Mangatepopo Valley.

Devil's Staircase (Photo: Neeko Catalan)

After 2 1/2 hours, we reached the plateau known as the South Crater. There we took another rest with other tourists and waited for the other members of our party. We had our lunch--sandwiches and banana. Drank water. Took pictures. At 1,500 meters above sea level, the winds were stronger at the South Crater. It got colder so we wore our jackets. 

Enjoying the view of the Mangatepopo Valley

We crossed the South Crater. Mouth Tongariro was on the left and Mount Ngauruhoe on the right. We still saw some snow (even if it was technically summer in the southern hemisphere). Anyway, akala ko tapos na yung pag akyat. Hindi pa pala. At the end of the South Crater we had to hike up again. Unlike in the Devil's Staircase, there were no steps to help us. Instead, the incline was composed of loose soil and rocks. The hiking sticks come up handy again. This time, for balance.

Arla overlooking the south crater, with Mt. Ngauruhoe on the left and Mt. Tongariro on the right.

I think we climbed up to 1,800 meters to reach the Red Crater. It's called red because, well, the soil is color red. We rested. Waited for the others. Rehydrated. Enjoyed the view. The wind was definitely stronger and chillier.

That's me planting the Philippine flag!

Thankfully, that was the highest altitude for our planned hike. It was mostly downhill after that. However, if you wish to climb up the summit of Mount Tongariro, you could, but it will set you back another 1 hour.

The Red Crater

From the Red Crater, we hiked down to Emerald Lakes. Medyo mahirap yung pababa kasi malambot yung lupa. It also doesn't help that the view coming down was beautiful with the three emerald colored lakes popping out of the grey and brown landscape. For me, it was the highlight of the hike. I loved the view.

The hike going down from the Red Crater.

The Emerald Lakes (Photo: Neeko Catalan)

Group photo at one of the lakes. (Photo: Neeko Catalan)

We rested between the lakes, named Ngarotopoum Namu by the native Maori. I read that the bright green color of the water is caused by minerals from the volcano. Anyway, we waited for our friends. We ate pistachios. Posed for group photos. We took our sweet time that we didn't realize we were the last hikers already.

From the Emerald Lakes to the Blue Lake (Photo: Neeko Catalan)

There was still snow in some parts of the hike. (Photo: Neeko Catalan)

From the lakes, we continued walking until we reached a larger lake called Blue Lake. We rested again and took more photos. (Tourists, right?) There was still some snow along the way and the hiking boots were helpful to traverse them. After about an hour and a half, our party reached Ketetahi Hut. We had bathroom break there.

With the boys at Ketetahi Hut. (Photo: Neeko Catalan)

Hiking down to the Ketetahi exit. (Photo: Neeko Catalan)

From vegetation to volcanic rocks then back to vegetation (Photo: Giulia Soria)

We walked further down the winding path that seemed would not end. It started to get warm again. Vegetation started to reappear. It was a 2 hour walk down, we passed through a light forest, and then we reached Ketetahi car park at around 6pm. What was supposed to be an 8 hour day hike turned into 10 because of all of our breaks, rests and photo ops. But the hike was well worth it. I really enjoyed it because although it was warm at some parts, it wasn't excruciatingly hot and humid. Tama lang yung temperature. I imagine if I did a similar hike in the Philippines, I'd probably collapse due to heat stroke or dehydration within hours. 

Tired! (Photo: Neeko Catalan)

If you like hiking and the great outdoors, and have a weekend to spare while in New Zealand, I highly recommend doing the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. It's doable. It's enjoyable. It's worth it. For more information, visit the park's website at www.nationalpark.co.nz.

Happy hiking!



Thank you to Norman Zafra for the video, and to Neeko Catalan and Giulia Soria for the photos!