Tongariro National Park

When I arrive at the campsite in Tongariro National Park, the first thing I am told is what I have to do in the event of a volcanic eruption 😳. If an announcement comes, I have to leave the area and go to an evacuation point. But that has never happened before, says the friendly woman at reception. Well, then please not in the next 4 days! I've often been asked if I'm doing the Tongariro Crossing, which is a 20km hiking trail over a volcano. - No, I won't do that! The path is just too long and too steep for me, and I don't want to do it alone anyway...

I will use the days for very simple things like relaxing, processing things and doing laundry. But I will definitely do a hike to a waterfall.

The hike goes to Taranaki Falls. I really notice the altitude of over 1000m while running. I've already seen a few waterfalls on this trip, but each one was different and unique. Sometimes slowly, sometimes with a lot of power. Most of the waterfalls were located in the forest.

The path leads past countless manuka bushes and Mt. Ngauruhoe, the cone volcano, is always in view. The Taranaki Waterfall is not located in the forest, it is surrounded by quite barren, rocky area and falls 20m over volcanic rocks.