© Geoff McKay · CC BY 2.0 
© Du Hugin Skulblaka · CC BY-SA 4.0 Tongariro & Mangatepōpō
Mangatepōpō Valley & Soda Springs
Easy 6.0 kmreturn 2 hr return ↑ 390 m
Lava landscape · Tongariro & Mangatepōpō
Mangatepōpō Valley
1,200 m VolcanicAlpine
A glacial valley floored with young lava flows beneath the cone of Ngāuruhoe.
The first hour of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing climbs gently up the Mangatepōpō Stream past lava flows from Ngāuruhoe’s eruptions of 1949 and 1954, the fresh black rock contrasting with older, lichen-covered flows. Ngāuruhoe dominates the head of the valley.
Mangatepōpō Valley © Geoff McKay · CC BY 2.0 
© Porcinno Rondus · CC BY 3.0 
© Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 4.0 Tracks that reach Mangatepōpō Valley
© Geoff McKay · CC BY 2.0 © Du Hugin Skulblaka · CC BY-SA 4.0 
© Geoff McKay · CC BY 2.0 
© Markrosenrosen · CC BY-SA 3.0 
Tongariro & Mangatepōpō
Tongariro Alpine Crossing
Advanced 19 kmone way 7–8 hr one way ↑ 1111 m
© Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 4.0 
© Geoff McKay · CC BY 2.0 
Tongariro & Mangatepōpō
Tongariro Northern Circuit
Intermediate 43 kmloop 3–4 days ↑ 1517 m
Also nearby
Springs· 1,400 m · Tongariro & Mangatepōpō
Soda Springs
A cold spring seeping from the base of a lava flow, surrounded by alpine wildflowers in summer.
Crater· 1,660 m · Tongariro & Mangatepōpō
South Crater
A flat, silent moonscape between Ngāuruhoe and Tongariro.
#6
Crater· 1,886 m · Tongariro & Mangatepōpō
Red Crater
The highest point of the Crossing: a steaming red crater with a dramatic lava dike.