New Zealand is know as a country with many great hikes and the Tongariro national park is no exception. There are several hikes to choose between, the most famous being the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. It is 19.4 km long and often described as New Zealand's best one day hike. Starting at an altitude of just over 1000 meters it climbs up to an altitude of 1866 where it crosses the mountain ridge between the two volcanoes Tongariro and Ngaruhoe before starting the descend.
We had to postpone our hike hike for one day when the weather forecast looked bad. With the alpine conditions along the crossing we did not want to risk getting stuck on the mountain in bad weather. As the forecast for the following day looked very good, the decision to postpone the hike was an easy one.
After a very cold night's sleep we got up early and started out hike at seven o'clock. The air was still misty and cold as we began the climb towards higher altitudes. As we continued hiking the mist cleared and the sun began to warm up the air, it was only the wind that did not want to be on our side.
The first part of the hike provided spectacular views of the mountain ridge that we were going to cross but the real wow feeling came once we reached the highest point of the trail. It was a landscape consisting of volcano craters, turquoise lakes and cone shaped mountains in the foreground and lakes, green fields and rivers in the background. With the view provided from the top on a clear day, the Tongariro Crossing is just not worth doing on a day with bad weather.
After a manageable but challenging seven hour hike we felt a sense of accomplishment. It was a great feeling to see our motorhome and know that there was well deserved beer in the fridge waiting for us.
No comments:
Post a Comment