Tongariro field notes
Tongariro & Mangatepōpō

Tongariro Northern Circuit

Intermediate Multi-day

A Great Walk looping around Ngāuruhoe: the Crossing’s craters and lakes, the lava pinnacles of Oturere, beech forest at Waihohonu and the Tama Lakes.

43 kmloop
3–4 dayswalking time
↑ 1517 mclimb
1,849 mhigh point
DOC page ↗
Tongariro Northern Circuit Tongariro Northern Circuit © Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 4.0
Oturere Panorama (52348829998) © Geoff McKay · CC BY 2.0
Tongariro Northern Circuit, New Zealand (24) © Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 4.0

Elevation profile

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DOC distance 43 km; the mapped line measures 47.8 km.

What you’ll see

  1. 1
    Sun Set on Mangatepopo Valley (52332388384)
    Lava landscape· 1,200 m Mangatepōpō Valley
  2. 2
    Soda Springs at Tongariro Alpine Crossing
    Springs· 1,400 m Soda Springs
  3. 3
    Mt Ngauruhoe from South Crater
    Crater· 1,660 m South Crater
  4. 4
    Red Crater in Tongariro volcanic area
    Crater· 1,886 m Red Crater
  5. 5
    Emerald lakes on Tongariro Alpine Crossing
    Lake· 1,730 m Emerald Lakes
  6. 6
    Oturere Panorama (52348829998)
    Lava landscape· 1,360 m Oturere Valley
  7. 7
    Tongariro Waihohonu old
    Hut· 1,150 m Waihohonu Hut (historic & new)
  8. 8
    Tongariro Northern Circuit, New Zealand (42)
    Springs· 1,130 m Ohinepango Springs
  9. 9
    Lower Tama Lake - Tongariro N.P. - panoramio
    Lake· 1,240 m Lower Tama Lake
  10. 10
    Taranaki Falls 12
    Waterfall· 1,200 m Taranaki Falls
Lava flowsCraters & ventsMineral lakesLava pinnaclesGravel plainsBeech forestCrater lakesWaterfall

The walk

Day 1 crosses the Mangatepōpō valley to Mangatepōpō Hut. Day 2 climbs over Red Crater to the Emerald Lakes and drops through the Oturere Valley to its hut. Day 3 crosses gravel plains and beech forest to Waihohonu Hut, with side trips to Ohinepango Springs and the historic hut. Day 4 returns over the Tama Saddle past the Tama Lakes and Taranaki Falls to the village.

Start. Whakapapa Village (Great Walk; huts must be booked)

Snow & season

Alpine in winter

A summer Great Walk (October to April). Outside the season huts are unserviced and the Red Crater section is alpine.

Best season: Great Walk season late October to April

Live forecast →

More photos

Tongariro Northern Circuit, New Zealand (4) © Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tongariro Northern Circuit, New Zealand (8) © Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 4.0
Nearby

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