Tongariro Alpine Crossing

Tongariro Alpine Crossing is a 6-8 hour day hike that takes you through Mount Tongariro and Mount Ngauruhoe. Despite being 19.4 kilometers and 1900 meters in elevation, it is a popular destination for many tourists, including my friend and me. That's why on December 21, 2019, at 6:00 AM, we set off to Tongariro National Park to park our car at the end point and take the shuttle to the starting point.

The real challenge began at 7:40 AM. Since we didn't have the best weather conditions, the visibility in the first few meters was not great and it was very foggy. However, as we continued hiking, the visibility improved and it got warmer.

The first few kilometers were the easiest part of the entire hike as there was minimal incline except for a few sets of stairs.

But one of the toughest parts of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing came soon after, which was the hike up to the Red Crater from 1400 meters to 1868 meters in elevation. The challenge in this section of the hike was the steep incline, the uneven terrain, and the extreme weather fluctuations. One moment the sun was shining and warming us up, and a few minutes later, the Red Crater disappeared in the fog and it got very windy.

But despite all these challenges, we had a beautiful view of the Red Crater, and all the efforts and struggles were worth it.

And gradually, the fog started to clear, which made the descent from the Red Crater much easier. Plus, going downhill is more enjoyable for me than going uphill, although it was still challenging because the trail was not paved. It felt more like skiing than hiking.

But the descent was worth it because after the Red Crater, we reached the Blue Lakes, which are the most famous part of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. We had a momentary high and thought we had completed the majority of the hike. However, that was not the case, as we had only completed 10 kilometers of the hike, with 9.4 kilometers still ahead of us.

The last 2 and a half hours were the most challenging because we descended from 1725 meters to 750 meters in elevation, which involved a significant number of stairs. But the toughest part of the last 2 and a half hours was the constant hope that the end was just around the corner, only to find out that it took much longer to reach our final destination.

But when we finally reached the parking lot and I saw our car, I felt incredibly relieved and proud of ourselves.

However, a terrible muscle soreness quickly caught up with us, resulting in cursing with every movement.

But I must say, I am incredibly proud that my friend and I were able to conquer this huge challenge. And I am grateful that despite having limited time in New Zealand, he was willing to join me in mastering the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

In total, we covered 23 kilometers, took 38,000 steps, and climbed 178 flights of stairs, which is why we more than deserved our pizza in the evening.

Furthermore, all the effort and the exhausting hike were worth it for the incredible views and beautiful pictures.