Tongariro Alpine Crossing

The travel guide describes it as one of the most scenic day hikes in New Zealand. It is a very easy trail that is 19km long and initially passes over volcanic rock and past the Ngauruhoe volcano.

Over the next hill, you can already smell a strong odor from a distance. It seemed familiar to us right away: sulfur! When we were in Indonesia and watched the sulfur mining in the Ijen mountains, this smell burned into our brain.

You can see beautiful emerald green lakes and smoking rocks in the distance. It's really a great view. We even passed by the Mount Doom from Lord of the Rings. :)

Of course, such highly praised hikes always have their downside: too many people! We simply love to be alone in the mountains or only with a few people. We felt a bit like in an ant trail. Dominik made the best comparison: It's like going to Schöckl on a sunny Sunday and hiking with crowds of people around you for 6 hours.