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Friday, 17 April 2009 - Tongariro Alpine Crossing in Tongariro National Park
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Over the Easter Holidays we finally got around to doing the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is rated as the best one day trek in New Zealand and widely regarded in the top 10 day treks in the world! It certainly deserves these accolades as the scenery is truly amazing and world unique it’s like walking through the Lord of the Rings set! Every corner you turn is a picture perfect opportunity. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is located within the Tongariro National park which is a world heritage site. The Tongariro National Park itself is located in the central North Island of New Zealand near the town of Ohakune.
The trek took us around about 7 hours to complete. Essentials for the trip are lots of drinking water food (there is no guaranteed drinking water on the track), warm clothing (the weather can be highly unpredictable at 9am at the beginning it was freezing cold vs midday where it was warm and sunny) and good shoes (preferably hiking boots) since almost all of the track is on volcanic terrain thus can be very uneven and slippery. More information on gear and preparation is on the official website www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz
Below are a few photos taken on the track with a few the highlights Red Crater, Mt Ngauruhoe (AKA Mt doom in Lord of the Rings) and The Blue Lake. 
If you’re looking for a proper organised tour Walking Legends provides excellent personalised and professional walking tours across the North Island. For the Tongariro Alpine Crossing they have a special 4 day packaged Tongariro hiking tour. In addition to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing you’ll experience additional trips to Lake Rotopounamu (the greenstone lake), Mt Ruapehu (North Island’s tallest mountain), and the beautiful Taranaki Falls. Included is 3 night’s accommodation staying at a “private lodge accommodation overlooking the dramatic volcanic landscapes of Tongariro National Park”
For more information and tour dates visit the walking legends website. They also have a range of other fantastic walking tours across the North Island so if you’re into tramping and looking to do the best walks in New Zealand check out Walking Legends.
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