The oldest New Zealand’s national park, Tongariro National Park is located in the heart of New Zealand’s North Island and has been declared by UNESCO as one of the natural and cultural World Heritage Sites. The park has three active volcanoes: Ngauruhoe, Ruapehu, and Tongariro and is a location of numerous Maori religious sites. Some of the park’s peaks such as Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu are considered sacred.
There are several towns within the park’s boundary as well as one of the most famous day hikes in the world – the famous Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The trail runs by the Emerald Lakes, geysers, and boiling mud pools, ending at active Red Crater. Tongariro National Park is home to rich native wildlife such as the blue duck or whio and brown kiwi. Tongariro River is full of trout.
Manawatu-Wanganui 4691, New Zealand