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Tongariro 31.12. 2019 - 1.1. 2020

The day for the Tongariro hike has come. It is one of the most popular New Zealand hikes and this car is checking visitors.

Original parking lot where they limited parking to 4 hours to avoid unbearable parking conditions.

And they introduced shuttle bus system that brings hikers to the starting point. We are again defying their expensive tourism industry ideas and going to the Red Crater from the finish of the hike where it was possible to park.

Start of the hike through forest.

Vegetation changes to bushes and grasslands above 1000 m elevation. Clouds are forming because of moisture coming from fumaroles.

Long and winding trail.

Different bushes of which names I don't know.

New Zealand Daisy (Celmisia semicordata), novozelandska marjetica in Slovenian.

They closed the straight trail going through the geothermal area. They were apparently only able to do that by privatising the land.

There used to be a small hut here. Only toilets are left.

It is due to eruption from the geothermal area from the closed trail that occurred in August 2012.

Impact crater created by a flying rock.

The slope gets slowly steeper but not the trail.

One more impact crater on the way.

Rather few people below us. Some of them started their hike as early as 4 in the morning.

A first larger group is coming towards us on the winding path.

The zig-zag path was simply killing the spirit too much so we went straight up the slope trying to walk only on stones.

The steepest part of the trail ...

Apparently still too steep for some.

Toilets just behind the corner from the Blue Lake.

Information signs in the toilet. We are not the half way! Our Half way will be on the Red Crater.

A view on caldera around Tongariro opens up.

Red crater and Ngauruhoe (2291 m) behind it. There is lava field on the right.

Going against the flow of a larger group on the slope of the Red Crater.

Some people not used to walk on steep slopes with loose material just slid down.

The Red Crater (1868 m) was formed about 3000 years ago and last erupted in 1850.

Tongariro peak (1967 m) in the front and Blue Lake on the left.

And panorama back towards the walked path.

Jaroš har en snusboks :)

Emerald lakes - New Zealand's version of Besseggen. Not only because of different lake colours but also because of tourist crowds.

Ajaj and hojoj, two happy tourists.

Time for the photographer's and his better half's afternoon snack.

Thai Chicken Curry: White rice, sauce (sugar, thickener (1442), rice flour, brown sugar, maltodextrin, herbs & spices, coconut milk (coconut milk, maltodextrin, milk protein), starch, vegetables, salt, hydrolysed vegetable protein, colour (150a), flavours, acidity regulator (330), yeast extract), chicken dices (20%) (chicken, soy protein concentrate, salt, mineral salt (451, 450), rosemary extract), cashew nuts, onion, green pepper, green beans (contains acidity regulator (331, 500)) and Mushroom bolognaise: Noodles (44%) (flour, colour (102)), sauce (thickener (1442), vegetables, maltodextrin, herbs & spices, hydrolysed vegetable protein, sugar, acidity regulator (296), yeast extract), onion, red pepper, carrot (carrot, sugar, acidity regulator (500)), mushroom (4.5%), tomato (tomato, firming agent (509), food acid (330))

Fumaroles all around.

It was a good idea to have a long rest so that almost all the crowd left to catch their shuttle busses.

Smoke on the surface, fire in the ground.

Matted Ourisia (Ourisia vulcanica) is native and one of the rare plants that withstands such acidic and alpine conditions here.

And these lichen-like plants.

The lowest of the Emerald lakes.

It seems like some plants on the shore of the lake are coated in sulphur.

Small patches of vegetation in the volcanic desert.

Lake Rotoaira and Lake Taupo behind it, as seen during the ascent.

Our progress is fine. Thank you.

Back in the forest with cabbage tree in the middle of photo.

Rangiora or bushman's friend (Brachyglottis repanda), "bušmanov prijatelj" in Slovenian.

The trail is also crossing some lahars.

Overflown path.

Our Toyota Caryola is waiting for us on almost empty parking lot. It looked completely different in the morning.

We spent the New Year's eve here on free Ruatiti Domain camping site. Instead of having a long morning sleep after a 25 km hike with 1200 m elevation difference, we woke up pretty early. An idiot in the red tent started to play loud music already at 7:30.

Nevermind ... there was a nice beach by the river where we relaxed for few hours.

The river cut quite deep into volcanic plateau creating diverse landscape.

They seem to have left behind some of the fern trees when they cut the forest.

Edge of the plateau with Mount Ruapehu from the other side.

Attention: devil's tail number 55 on the way back south.