Tama Lakes Track
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It can be a great option during bad weather. Tongariro North Circuit is a spectacular alpine trail that circles Mount Ngauruhoe in Tongariro National Park. Park your car at Discovery and Catch a shuttle to the start. Trek down the mountain to Mangahuia Camp Site, then walk the 1.7km along SH 47 to Discovery.
How many mountains are in Tongariro National Park?
This World Heritage site is breathtaking with stunning crater lakes and panoramic views. You can also go rafting, biking, and hiking within the park’s boundaries. Mayor Island is a popular spot to dive because of the beautiful sub-tropical fish that live around it. There are many charters that will take you there. You can also book a cabin on the Island. You can take a variety of walks to these two crater lakes, as well as other places.
Whakapapaiti Valley Loop Tongariro National Park
The Tongariro National Park is so much more than the Tongariro Crossing. So if you’re not doing the Crossing you can still have an amazing day amongst a unique volcanic wonderland. It is a beautiful day with unforgettable scenery along the river. Pipiriki has two operators who specialize in this trip. Map Get the layof the landMapExplore a map that shows huts, tracks and more. Follow the Tama Lakes / Northern Circuit track from the village towards Taranaki Falls to where it forks off to the right.
The track crosses with Taranaki Falls Loop Walk after the first hour. Follow the track to the bottom of the waterfall to reach the village. The walk begins with red tussock grass and patches https://tongarirocrossing.com/not-quite-ready-for-the-tongariro-crossing-challenge-try-the-tama-lakes-track-instead/ of manuka, followed by alpine shrub. It is a pleasant uphill walk to the falls, with four small gullies to traverse.
It is enclosed by steep cliffs formed from lava flows between 180,000 to 250,000 years old. The older lavas were likely erupted as domes and the younger lavas were probably fed from vents to the north, now buried by the much younger Mt Ngauruhoe. The lava flows were already heavily eroded by the time the explosive eruptions occurred in the saddle area.
During the off-peak season DOC hut tickets or annual hut passes are required and the huts do not have a ranger on site and have limited facilities. At the hot pools you have the choice of the public pool or private pools. The private pool is cheaper but is treated with chemicals. The private pools have a covered area to get unchanged and a place to keep your clothes dry. Taranaki Falls, Silica Rapids, and Whakapapa village are both located at Whakapapa Village. Lake Rotopounamu can be found off State Highway 47 towards Turangi, about a 20-minute drive from Whakapapa.
The whole track is well marked and gravelled which is a bonus after bad weather. All waterways including the lakes on Tongariro and his peaks Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu are sacred to local iwi, Ngati Hikairo ki Tongariro. Kaumatua Te Ngaehe Wanikau asks visitors to the area to respect the sanctity of the maunga tapu by not touching or entering any of the waterways including the alpine lakes.
Ruapehu is most well-known for its outstanding ski areas, including Whakapapa or Turoa. The ski season sees people from all over the country queue up to hit the slopes. There are many outdoor activities that you can enjoy, including walking, cycling, and other outdoor activities, outside of the ski season.
Tongariro Walks & Whakapapa
Ngati Hikairo Ki Tongariro attaches great importance to their guardian role in protecting Tongariro’s peaks. Taupo is home to the site of the largest volcanic eruption in the world of the last 5,000 years. It was so large that it is believed that the eruption caused the red skies that Romans wrote about at the same time.
