A Tramp through Tongariro
Stars in the Sky
By Judy Armstrong
Too soon to stop! We wander on, gobbling in full frontal views of Mount Ruapehu, looking over our shoulders at Ngauruhoe poking its snow-crowned head into the bluest sky. That night is spent at the smart New Waihohonu Hut, watching stars ping into life over the mountains and listening to birds in the native bush.
We have company — Andrew and Donna from England, who, like us, have rejected the popular trails of the South Island, the well-known Milford, Routeburn, and Heaphy tracks, and focused on the North Island during their New Zealand holiday.
"It's great, it's so quiet and so beautiful and there is so little traffic," we tell each other.
Taranaki Falls
But all good things must end and the next day we walk back toward the national park headquarters, via the Ohinepango Springs, Tama Lakes, and the Old Waihohonu Hut. This is a brilliant piece of make-do on the part of the early New Zealanders: the oldest building in the park, it has red-painted double walls filled with pumice and chunks of light, porous lava, as primitive insulation against the winter snows.
Homeward bound, the track climbs in and out of streams, up and over lumpy grassland, descending to the Taranaki Falls and smooth-edged walkways. "Why, look!" marvels a tourist, pointing at Duncan and me as we descend by the foaming fall. We look behind, unsure if we are the attraction or if the stream hurling itself off the 25-meter lava cliff is the butt of her wonder. We give the waterfall the benefit of the doubt and squeeze past her, hurrying through the beech trees, heading for the village.
This final part of the walk is an exercise in surrealism: As we duck through beech woodland and spidery tussock, the realization dawns that the magical world of hot rock, steaming craters, and crystal lakes is behind us.
Tonight hot water will come from a tap . . . the good news is that cold Kiwi lager comes the same way.
More North Island Outdoors
New Zealand's North Island has a lot more to it than just the Tongariro Track. Here's a few more things to do while you're here:
There are two ski fields on Mount Ruapehu — Turoa and Whakapapa, both with good beginner's areas. Turoa is good for out-of-area skiing, and Whakapapa lifts are open in summer for sightseeing.
Golf courses
Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake — actually a volcano that erupted in A.D. 186
Tongariro River is New Zealand's best known trout fishery. Trout fishing trips can be arranged on the rivers, and on Lake Taupo.
Huka Falls on the Waikato River are impressive and easily viewed. More than 350,000 people visit the falls each year.
Jet boating to Huka Falls, kayaking and canoeing on the rivers, Lake Taupo, and in the nearby Whanganui National Park
Mountain-bike rentals and organized trips
Scenic flights
Bungee jumping, from the world's first bungee cantilever platform, 150 feet over the Waikato River
Horse trekking
Guided mountaineering
Details on all these activities are available at Whakapapa Visitor Centre (details in Expedition Planner: local information, or from New Zealand Outside, http://www.outside.nz.com, a directory to the country's outdoor adventure operators)
from Away.com
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