Travel Blog #1: Tongariro in the Summer

The Tongariro Crossing is a hike in the central North Island, New Zealand. It is one of the most famous hiking routes in New Zealand. With its rocky terrain, steep descent and emerald-coloured lakes, it’s a medium-difficulty hike that is sure worth the visit. It is the only long-distance hike that I’ve done in New Zealand, but after completing this one, I will be sure to explore some more trails in the future.

In this travel blog post, you will find information and recommendations based on my personal experience. I have added links to some gear I used and other activities to do in the National Park region. If you do get the chance to travel around New Zealand, make sure this hike is on your to-do list!

Getting there

We left Auckland by car at about 2pm and arrived at National Park at about 6:30pm. The easiest way to get there is by car, but if you’re travelling from the South Island or overseas, its best to fly first and then drive. We had a pit stop along the way at Bombay Hills just outside of Auckland for a pie and a petrol top up. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by the friendly receptionist at The Crossing Backpackers then had dinner at the local tavern, Schnapps Bar.

The following morning, the 30 minute shuttle bus ride took us right to the base of the mountain. It was a super easy process and I would highly recommend finding accommodation that has a bus shuttle ticket included in the booking!

The Tongariro Crossing

We did the crossing on 22nd December 2019. There’s not a lot of preparation or training required as it is only a medium-difficulty hike. There were some parts that were difficult, but it’s all worth it when you get to see the emerald-coloured lakes (pictured below). The hike starts by walking along boardwalks, next to streams and looking upwards at the mountain you will soon have to climb. It starts off fairly terrain-friendly for the first 1.5hrs, then comes to a rocky ascent. The ascent lasts about 3 hours then the rest is downhill from there. Keep reading this travel blog post to find out more details.

What I brought with me

The summer hiking essentials I brought with me were: 

• Hiking boots; here is a link to a similar pair that I have
• Backpack
• Layered clothing
• Singlet
• Long sleeve
• Thermal
• Puffer jacket
• Sunglasses
• Gatorade & water bottle
• Hat
• Camera
• Snacks
• Energy balls
• Nuts
• Chocolate
• Crisps
• Protein bar

I would also recommend to bring a rain jacket, a waterproof cover for your hiking bag and a spare pair of socks. Weather is New Zealand is highly unpredictable so it’s best to be prepared! It can be quite windy on the mountain too, so a beanie or a thermal ear band is nice to have with you.

How long did it take?

If you’re fit and healthy it can take roughly 7-8 hours. Because we were in a group of 5 that included my Menuka's parents, we had a range of abilities. If you're willing to run the track, it might only take you 6-6.5 hours. It depends on how many breaks you take also. I think in total it took us 8.5 hours.

What else is there to do in National Park?

This part of the North Island, New Zealand is known for the mountains, rivers and lakes. A recent travel blog I found mentioned that you can go mountain biking along a 46km trail, white water rafting and in the winter you can even go skiing on Mt. Ruapehu.

Want to see more?

I hope you enjoyed reading my first blog post!

Please head over to my Instagram where I post photos from all my travels. Recently, I have been to New York and now I am living in Ottawa, ON, Canada for 4 months. I will be posting more often on this travel blog so stay tuned for my next adventure in April - Hawai'i!