Tongariro Region

For the next stop we decided to go to the Tongariro National Park, the so called Big Brother of Taranaki. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is named as the best day hike in the world. So it was a must-do for us despite the weather forecast wasn't that great. And it turned out that the lady in the information center was right after all.
After a smooth start in the morning the high winds made the crossing pretty tough. Additionally the view wasn't clear. So we were lucky that we got a glimpse at the beautiful colored Blue Lake in the craters. One does not simply walk into Mordor aka Mt Ngauruhoe, which was the Lord of the Rings setting for Mordor. On the way up I lost my beloved hat :( And on the way down the sun came out and it turned clear but we didn't want to go back :D

After the 6 hour hike we stayed in Taupo for the night and enjoyed a swim there in the refreshing lake. Just a short drive north the famous Huka Falls were a great spot to visit.Read more