#18: Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand
The "world's greatest day hike" lives up to its name
The Lord of the Rings is unavoidable in New Zealand. You’re driving along, perhaps through a stunning view zone, or perhaps down a winding agricultural road with no particular view to speak of, and you come around the bend…and swear you’ve seen that bend in the river before, or that particular stand of boulders. It’s a better feeling than spotting a celebrity in LA!
I should acknowledge that “unavoidable” may be a stretch. Most of the filming locations are concentrated in the far south of each island, and many are either not easily accessible or are not particularly recognizable anymore (check out this community created map) Regardless, for millions of visitors annually, their love of LotR is a primary draw to NZ, and for those planning their itineraries around imagining their favorite scenes play out before their eyes, the drive to view Mount Doom—that gas-spewing volcano hulking over Mordor, and the one ring’s final resting place—is a must.
Mt. Ngāuruhoe—as the mountain is known off-screen—stands in the heart of Tongariro National Park, about half way between Auckland and Wellington on the North Island. It’s iconic pyramid spire and sheer sides rise ominously, gloriously from the low alpine scrub—its dark scree and reddish cone set off by the often snowy slopes of the neighboring Mount Ruapehu. The mountain is sacred to local Maori and you only need one look to understand why, especially if that look comes as the clouds and steam obscure its peak behind an ever-shifting curtain (which is, like, 95% of the time). Are the spirits up there dancing, fighting, watching us with eternal eyes?
The mountain is closed to hikers, but that’s no problem to the over 150,000 hikers who make the pilgrimage to walk the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, which has been called “the greatest day hike in the world.” I’m not sure I’d go that far, but I do understand the moniker. It’s rare to find a trail that mixes adventure, challenge, fear, exhilaration, and pure eye-rubbing wonder.
Though it’s “only” 12-ish miles, the track covers an incredible amount of ground—through dark, silent valleys (where you might watch your back for goblins and orcs and giant spiders), up sheer, sharp climbs (no wonder Sam and Frodo struggled), across narrow traverses that skirt the rim of deep craters, around lakes that glow in colors you have to see to believe, and finally down switchbacks through alpine meadows and beech forests, with views overlooking the massive Lake Taupo.
It’s a Dr. Seuss world up there—or the surface of a distant planet: dark reds, uncanny whites, neon greens, flowing rivers with water that looks like silver mercury, vents blasting volcanic steam into the wind. Look north and you see vast stretches of managed timber forests; look east, and you see an endless stretch of lava flows, their twisted shapes and shadows beckoning the intrepid hiker.
The day we hiked the crossing was fair if chilly, with the ever present whipping winds pushing hard against our progress once we reached the ridgeline. If you ever go, you should be aware that the track now has a daily visitor cap and you’ll need to book ahead…but also face the risk of weather-related closure, which happens often. The first time I visited, in 2017, I slept in my car in a rainy campsite, and ended up not getting to do the crossing, so I was particularly excited this time around, especially because I wouldn’t be doing it alone, but with Kira!
Of course, if the weather doesn’t cooperate, you aren’t out of luck, because Tongariro is filled with other trails that, while they may not match up to The Crossing, treat a much smaller stream of visitors to sites and sounds equally as marvelous. The day before our crossing, we hiked to the Silica Rapids with my family…how does this place exist on earth?! We also strolled a short part of the Round the Mountain Track, the multi-day, loop version of the (one-way) Crossing that sits firmly on the Great Walks list. Tiny birds sang their hearts out as the sun set and turned the volcanic slopes a glowing rust orange.
The morning of our hike, we bid farewell to my parents in the parking lot, a happy goodbye, because how could it not be after nearly three weeks road tripping together on a once-in-a-lifetime itinerary. They did us a huge solid and drove our car to the end of the track, so we were able to skip the shuttle most hikers take to return to the trailhead parking. We offered a ride down the looong driveway to a few other hikers—Kira’s first (but not last!) hitchhiker experience. Baby steps!
You can imagine our exhaustion as we arrived at Tony’s Lodge, a comfortable if bare bones B&B on the shores of the lake. We cooked salmon and whipped up a salad while chatting with the other guests, some of whom had just finished a day of rainbow trout fishing, and who called the proprietor “uncle”—though we eventually learned they were just frequent guests who’d come to know Tony well. This place was so quintessentially New Zealand—truly “country” in vibe and persona, a bit scattered and rough around the edges, but imbued with an authentic welcoming nature and situated beside stunning nature.
Since I know you’re already figuring out how to visit NZ after reading our last few posts, remember this about visiting Tongariro: If you aren’t an experienced hiker, don’t be put off! It’s smart to know your limits, and though The Crossing is definitely a strenuous undertaking (that requires annoying logistics), it’s worth giving it a go. The fallback options too—where you’ll likely be completely alone and just as close to the alpine spirits—will stick with you forever.
Next week → Waiotapu Valley and Hobbiton, Rotorua, New Zealand
Bonus: on the way from Wellington to Tongariro, we stopped at a roadside honey shop that I remembered from my first visit and y’all, it’s a must. We loaded up! On honey to take home, and on ice cream.
