Tongariro Northern Circuit

23-27 December 2020. This year we gifted ourselves another wonder hike for Christmas. The gift wasn't only the breath-taking views, the satisfaction to be up there, and the impressive natural legacy left to us to enjoy. The biggest present, was to be even able to move from our house, go travel, live our life normally, enjoy our summer break as usual (although the absence of international tourists was very noticeable). And the biggest gift of them all? Not even think about it until you want to share your experience with friends and family, who are stuck at home.

MANGAHUIA CAMPSITE

Lovely small campsite, midway between National Park and Whakapapa Village. Sheltered, nice tent spots, cooking shelter. Fantails and silvereyes in the bushes. Only problem? It was pouring down the whole time we were there. The river on the morning after was way bigger than the night before, it should have been a warning for what had to come...

DAY 1 - WHAKAPAPA VILLAGE to MANGATEPOPO HUT

Left our lovely campsite still under the rain, and drove to Whakapapa. Went to the doc iSite, got the parking permit and last utilities, and took off for what we didn't know yet, was "the ditch". A lovely short hike on good weather, becomes a river crossing enterprise. Three streams up to our knees and above, water on most of the path. Just lovely! (This one is sarcastic..) Our feet were soaked from the start, but luckily the rain calmed down and gave us many breaks, and the temperature, well, it isn't Welly, so it was actually nice warm. Luck was with us at the end of the day, because of the weather some people didn't show up, and we got to upgrade from the tent to the hut for the night.

DAY 2 - MANGATEPOPO HUT to OTURERE HUT (via Alpine Crossing)

Towards morning the storm calmed down, the rain stopped, and the morning brought us an amazing blue sky. We got ready and left, this time facing the mountain. I had done the crossing twice before (from Mangatepopo to Ketetahi), but the only feeling I had was of aw and respect. It is simply stunning, and it is no easy feat to reach the top and walk down, which makes it even greater. Walking down to Oturere was a nice surprise as well, a fantasy like landascape, which ends at the hut and a relaxing waterfall. Best Christmas ever!

DAY 3 - OTURERE HUT to WHAKAPAPA VILLAGE (via Waihohonu Hut)

I'll be honest, the first half on the way to Waihohonu was a bit disappointing, grey flat landscape for an hour or two, very exposed to the wind. But the you enter in the birch woods, down and up. And then down again to the hut. From there, you're on a long valley that stretches between Tongariro and Ruapehu, all the way back to Whakapapa. You very slowly start climbing back up towards Taranaki, then down to the Falls and back to Whakapapa. Fantasy like too.

TAWHAI FALLS

Time to go home, but before, a quick visit to the Tawhai Falls is a must. Been there plenty of times (it's just ten minutes off the road), but even after the Great Walk just done, it's a peace giving location. By the way, a LOTR filming location as well.

Click here to see all pictures :)