Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TONGARIRO ALPINE CROSSING
This legendary crossing is often lauded as NZ's finest one-day walk. It's certainly the
most popular, with 60,000 to 70,000 trampers completing it every year.
It's no wonder. Very few day walks can offer such thrilling scenery. Among its high-
lights are steaming vents and springs, crazy rock formations and peculiar moonscape
basins, impossible scree slopes and vast views in almost every direction.
This is a fair-weather tramp. In poor conditions it is little more than an arduous up-
and-down, with only orange-tipped poles to mark the passing of the day. Should
strong winds be blowing on top, you'll be practically crawling along the ridge of Red
Crater, the high point of the trek.
Thisisan alpine crossing, and it needs to be treated with respect. You need not only
a reasonable level of fitness, you should be prepared for all types of weather. Shock-
ingly ill-equipped trampers are legendary on this route - stupid shoes, wafer-thin rain-
jackets, blue jeans soaked to the skin - we've seen it all.
As well as proper gear, you'll need plenty of water, as there is none available
between Mangatepopo and Ketetahi.
The most crowded times on the track are the first nice days after Christmas and
Easter, when there can easily be more than 1000 people strung out between the two
road-ends. Your average Kiwi tramper will complain that it's far too busy, but in reality
it's hardly Piccadilly Circus. It pays to remember that most of these people have come
here for the same reason you have: to experience nature at its most primal and spec-
tacular. Be patient, pick your gap, and rejoice in a journey shared with like-minded
people.
Starting at the Mangatepopo Rd carpark, it takes seven to eight hours to make the
19.4km journey through to Ketetahi Rd, although this will vary significantly if you de-
cide to take side trips up to the summits of Ngauruhoe or Tongariro.
Day 2: Mangatepopo Hut to Oturere Hut
5-6 HOURS, 12.8KM, 706M ASCENT, 536M DESCENT
This is the day you complete the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, one of the most spectacular
tracks in NZ. It's not unusual in foul weather for trampers to walk from one hut to the next
in three hours, but if the weather is clear plan on spending the whole day on and around the
track to marvel at the amazing volcanic scenery.
Brace yourself for encounters with hordes of day hikers, who will start stampeding past
the hut soon after daybreak. They will almost certainly want to maintain a faster pace than
you do, so take your time and let them steam on ahead.
