Tongariro National Park - Things to Do in New Zealand

Tongariro National Park is located in the middle of New Zealand’s North Island, south of Lake Taupo.The region is home to the country’s highest township, Whakapapa, which is a paradise for outdoor lovers. You can explore the area from Whakapapa, which has a variety of accommodations from the Department of Conservation campsite to the opulent Chateau Tongariro Hotel. Winter and spring, there’s New Zealand’s largest ski field - Whakapapa Ski Area - just up the road with runs for everyone, including a decent sized nursery area for beginners.

Whakapapa has a golf course next to the Chateau Hotel, but many people come for the walking and hiking. A short drive from the start of the Tongariro Crossing, the village sits on the route of the multi-day Tongariro Northern Circuit. From Whakapapa, you can do a lot of shorter day hikes, including going to Mt Ruapehu’s crater - a route I did on a winter day when the view from the snowy summit seemed endless - and local viewpoints like Taranaki Falls and Tama Lakes. Here, the terrain is still under construction, so it’s fascinating volcanic terrain.

Mountain biking is only allowed on the marked roads in the park itself, but there are lots of trails in the National Forest areas from National Park Village. There’s also the 21km Fishers Track, just outside the village, and the 42 Traverse, a 46km loop along Highway 4 in Tongariro Forest Conservation Area. Ohakune to the south of Tongariro is a market gardening center and hosts the annual Ohakune Carrot Carnival to celebrate the town’s agricultural history. It’s at the bottom of the road to the Turoa Ski Area on Mt Ruapehu’s southern flanks. You can book jetboat trips along the mysterious Whanganui River and rent mountain bikes, canoes, and hire mountain bikes and canoes from the town.

Tongariro National Park is easy to get to from anywhere in North Island. From Turangi in the North, highway 1 (the Wellington road) crosses the eastern part of the region - this section to Waiouru being known as the Desert Road - and Highway 47 crosses the western part of the park from Turangi to National Park Village, with a turn off for Whakapapa by the airstrip. A main railway line crosses the southern half of the area heading north west from Waiouru, with stations at Ohakune and National Park Village that are also connected to Turangi by bus. Whether you’re into hiking or just relaxing, Tongariro National Park is a must-see on any trip to New Zealand. After a long day in the mountains, I sat in a Whakapapa bar with a cool beer and looked out at snow covered volcanoes lit by the setting sun.