An In Depth Guide On Hiking The Tongariro Crossing – New Zealand

The Tongariro Crossing is THE one-day hike par excellence in New Zealand.

As a fan of the lord of the rings I absolutely had to do this hike. In this post I share all the important information and what you should bring with you in your backpack.

The hike is 19.4 km long and takes between 6-8 hours.

Tongariro Alpine Crossing New ZealandPin this image on Pinterest

How do I get to the Tongariro Crossing?

Since the parking lot at the start of the crossing can only be occupied for 4 hours - and the hike takes 6-8 hours, the most convenient solution is to book a shuttle. There are different providers who pick you up from different nearby areas and bring you back again. It was also important to me that I could leave my car on a "safe" camping site, as I have read about many broken cars in the area of the National Park.

In the end I decided to stay in Taupo because I really liked it there and the campsite was great, even though it meant that the shuttle ride took almost 2 hours. Via bookme I booked the earliest shuttle of my chosen provider and was picked up at 5:40am.

Tongariro Alpine Crossing Creek Water New ZealandPin this image on Pinterest

What should I pack in my backpack and what should I wear?

It is very important to pack enough water and a few snacks, because the hike is difficult and there is no possibility to buy anything at the start. I packed a 1.5 litre bottle of water and a 0.75 litre energy drink. For me the quantity was sufficient. Usually I drink a lot, but because I didn't want to run to the toilet all the time I didn't drink sooo much. On very hot summer days, of course, I absolutely do not recommended!

As snacks I packed two bananas, a pack of muesli bars and several small packs of a nut mix.

Since it was quite cold early when I was picked up in the morning, I put on a beanie and gloves. I wore  kind of a "down jacket" with a t-shirt and a fleece jacket underneath. As pants I put on a normal Nike Sport Tights and my Asics running shoes. Additionally I packed my thin functional/rain jacket, in case my thick jacket is too warm, but the fleece jacket alone is too cold. I didn't use it in the end.

I find it incredibly important to wear comfortable shoes and wear several layers. Then you can easily get dressed or undressed depending on the weather.

Tongariro Alpine Crossing Mountains Lake View New ZealandPin this image on Pinterest

The Tongariro Crossing

The hike is divided into several sections.

Mangatepopo Parking Lot - Soda Springs

 ∼ 1.5 hrs

Tongariro Alpine Crossing New ZealandPin this image on Pinterest

Soda Springs – South Crater – Red Crater

 ∼ 2 hrs

Tongariro Alpine Crossing Mount DoomPin this image on Pinterest

Red Crater – Emerald Lakes – Central Crater – Blue Lake

 ∼ 30 min 

Crater Lakes Tongariro Alpine Crossing New ZealandPin this image on Pinterest

Blue Lake – Ketetahi Hut – Ketetahi Car Park

 ∼ 3 hrs

View Tongariro Alpine Crossing New ZealandPin this image on Pinterest

With several short breaks it took me 6 hours for the hike. The shuttle only went back after around 1.5 hours of waiting, which didn't bother me at all, because I could already rest for a bit at the parking lot.


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The Tongariro Alpine Crossing on the North Island is one of the best hikes in New Zealand! But is it worth the 6-8 hour trek? Here’s a guide to everything you need to know. #newzealand #newzealandhiking #besthikesnewzealand #hikingguide | New Zealand Hikes, North Island New Zealand, Tongariro National Park, Hiking Guides, Best Places to Hike in New Zealand |

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to write them in the comment section below. ⇣

xx

Nina