Discover Tongariro Volcano Hike: North Island Adventure Day 4 🌋🇳🇿

After bidding farewell to New Plymouth, we made a beeline for our hotel in Tongariro, eager to rest up and gear up for the next day’s adventure.

We checked into Skotel, which offers a convenient shuttle service with two morning departures at 6:30 and 7:45. You can easily book your spot right at check-in. We opted for the later time and set off on our hike at 8:15 from the trailhead. The return shuttles are scheduled for 15:00, 16:30, and there’s even one at 18:00. Missing these will cost you extra, so it’s best to stay on schedule.

‼️Essential Hiking Gear:
– Sturdy hiking boots
– A windbreaker jacket
– A hat and sunglasses
– Trekking poles (available for rent at the hotel for 8 NZD per pair)
– At least 1 liter of water per person (hot water is recommended)
– Dry snacks (biscuits, bread, chocolate, etc., ideally prepared the night before)

[View] Route Difficulty
In my experience, the most challenging hike I’ve ever done wasn’t Tongariro, but Yading in China [Facepalm]. The main issue there was altitude sickness. Tongariro, on the other hand, has a few steep sections in the first half and some rocky paths. The downhill stretch just past the halfway point can be a bit tricky, but overall, the trail is more flat, especially in the second half.

To catch the 16:30 shuttle, I almost sprinted through the second half, pushing through the aches in my legs.

I have some hiking experience, but this was my first 20km trek, and it was quite a challenge. Personally, I found it manageable—long, but not overly difficult. I saw several groups of school-organized students and many children enjoying themselves, which made me realize my stamina couldn’t quite match theirs [Facepalm]. So, beginners can certainly give this a try (though having some prior hiking experience is advisable for safety [Frown]).

In the end, it took us 8 hours and 15 minutes, including numerous breaks. We paused often to capture the breathtaking scenery, spending more time in the first half. I was quite pleased to complete the hike in 8 hours ✅.

Throughout the journey, we were treated to a variety of stunning landscapes, from the majestic Mount Ngauruhoe to the Martian-like eroded terrain, the brilliantly colored summit lakes, the geothermal activity with billowing white smoke, the remnants of volcanic eruptions, and the distant snow-capped mountains. The most memorable, however, was the pungent smell of hydrogen sulfide in the air.

Standing at the crater, I was struck by the realization that the Earth is far from a flat surface; beneath it lies billions of years of history and the wildly pulsating lava. All the geographical knowledge I had learned seemed to come alive in that moment.

“The human eye cannot penetrate geological time; compared to the life of a volcano, human life is but a fleeting moment.”