North Island
Tongariro National Park
Hike
Tongariro Alpine Crossing
Time
5 hr 30 mins
Distance
19.4 km
Difficulty
Intermediate
Overview
The 796 sq km park features the three mighty volcanoes Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro. New Zealand's oldest national park is one of the three UNESCO World Heritage sites in the country for both its a spectacular volcanic wonders including emerald lakes, old lava flows, steaming craters and colourful silica terraces as well as its cultural significance to the Māori people.
Around 275,000 years ago a volcanic eruption formed this plateau which is New Zealand's main area of volcanic activity
The colours of the Emerald Lakes are created when sunlight reflects off a layer of calcium carbonate settled on the lake bed
In 1990 Tongariro National Park was declared a World Heritage site
Ruapehu, Tongariro, and Ngauruhoe are the three active volcanoes in the park and their summits are considered sacred
