Tongariro National Park

Tongariro is the oldest national park in New Zealand, it was declared a national park in 1887 and is therefore the 4th oldest in the world. It is located in the central North Island and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List twice; once for its outstanding Maori culture and heritage sites and also for its volcanoes. The three volcanic mountains, still active to this very day, are Ruapehu (2,797 m), Ngauruhoe (2,291 m) and Tongariro (1,968 m). Ruapehu had the honor of being Mount Doom in “The Lord of The Rings Trilogy”. Around the mountain the lower slopes are covered with forest in which many bird have their homes. It is also the home for New Zealand’s only native mammals, the short and long tailed bats. A popular activity during summer is The Tongariro Alpine Crossing; this track passes over varied and spectacular volcanic terrain and takes around six to eight hours to complete. In winter many skiers come here to enjoy thrilling rides on the snow covered slopes or go white water rafting.