Welcome to this post about Tongariro National Park. Over the course of the past years, I’ve been asked quite some times by New Zealand bound travelers what my favorite national park in New Zealand is. It’s a difficult choice as all of them have something special, however one of the most amazing national parks in New Zealand that you can visit is Tongariro National Park. I’ve been there three times (and have been to New Zealand six times) and it never fails to impress me. In this post I’ll share all you want to know about Tongariro National Park in New Zealand.
Note that this post was first published in 2014 and updated in 2025 after my most recent visit to New Zealand.
Tongariro National Park facts
Established in 1887, Tongariro National Park was New Zealand’s first National Park. It’s also one of the world’s 28 mixed cultural and natural Unesco Heritage Sites because of its outstanding natural features and cultural association with the Maori. You will definitely understand this when you are visiting.
Tongariro National Park (Tongariro means something as “being born in the bitter south wind”) is located in the center of the North Island. When you come driving from the north, which will be the case for most travelers, you have already passed plenty of green Hobbit-like hills. Then all of a sudden, Tongariro National Park will access your horizon far in the distance. The dark, snowcapped volcanoes will give you a great first impression of its grandeur that awaits you upon arrival.
Tongariro National Park was actually used as inspiration for the Lord of the Rings movies, where Mount Ngauruhoe featured as Mount Doom and several scenes were shot in the Rangipo Desert, which is part of the park. Three volcanoes dominate the park: Mount Ruapehu, Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Tongariro, which are pictured from right to left on the picture below. Especially from up close, they look dangerous and they are! In 2012 Mount Tongariro erupted and caused the area to close for a while.
Hiking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing
The first time I was in New Zealand, back in 2002, I didn’t visit Tongariro National Park. I wasn’t much into hiking yet, otherwise I would never have skipped this as it’s a true hikers paradise. New Zealand’s most famous day hike is the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and although you will not be the only one on this famous tramp, it’s very much worth it. Trust me!
The hike is between 7-8 hours and will leave you with almost 800 meters in altitude gain. The natural features are amongst the best I have seen and the variety is amazing. Just imagine rocks in all kinds of red and orange colors, alpine lakes that are emerald, blue and green and of course the volcanoes that will give you a feeling of being in a dead land. Tongariro National Park definitely did not leave me disappointed.
Once you’ve decided to do this hike, make sure you realize that it’s an alpine hike, meaning you will need to have at least some hiking experience. What’s really important to remember, is that the crossing is subject to weather. Many days each year Department of Conservation will advice not to set off because of the poor weather conditions. Those weather conditions may not always look bad from far away, but as I experienced, even on a sunny day the winds can be killing. So therefore, always check with DOC before setting off, their office is at the Whakapapa Visitor Center, the park’s main place for resources.
I unfortunately have to say that during my last visit, I didn’t find the employees here to be very helpful, maybe it was an off day or they just got tired of being asked the same question twice. I heard the same from fellow hikers on the Tongariro Northern Circuit that week who were simply disappointed by their behavior.
Other hikes in Tongariro National Park
If you are not planning on doing the Tongariro Alpine Crossing or the Northern Circuit, there are plenty of other short walks around the park that will give you a great feeling of its unique natural features. You can see waterfalls, explosion craters and of course the volcanoes. You can find an online brochure of all walks on the Department of Conservation website.
If you have a few hours or less, make sure to do the Taranaki Falls hike. This will take you about 2 hours and to the base of the beautiful Taranaki Falls. Other hikes that you can do are Lake Rotokura Walk (30 min return), the Rotopounamu Track (2 hour) and theSoda Springs Walk (2 hours). Other short walks that are well worth it are:
- Whakapapa Nature Walk (15 min)
- Mounds Walk (20 min)
- Tawhai Falls Walk (20 min)
- Ridge Walk (30-40 min)
Where to stay in Tongariro National Park
Whakapapa is the main village but I didn’t find it very attracting, especially now that Chateau Tongariro is closed. Instead, I stayed in National Park Village, at the National Park Backpackers and the Alpine Lodge. There were no real facilities here other than a few restaurants and a gas station, but the views from the village are just stunning. When the skies were clear, I had perfect views of all three volcanoes in the distance. When you have finished hiking, make sure you will go and have dinner at The Station. Groceries and gas are best bought in Turangi, about 50 kilometers away from Whakapapa, or in Taumarunui, just before National Park Village.
Booking your trip
If you’ve found this article useful, I hope you make use of the following links to book your trip to New Zealand:
Conclusion and disclaimer
And when you are finally ready to leave this dark yet inspiring land behind and you are traveling further south, make sure you will drive the Desert Road. It’s an unforgiving and lonely ride that will make you feel like you are actually in Mordor, a place where nothing lives and a lot is dark, just like in the movies.
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