This time we absolutely spontaneously decided to fly over volcanoes - we discussed it over breakfast, and after 2 hours we plunged into a tiny Tsesna and rose above Tongariro National Park. Since ancient times, this place was considered sacred for the Maori, but in the century before last the aborigines gave it to New Zealand. The reserve is a volcanic desert where the main attractions are the Ngauruhoe, Ruapehu and Tongariro volcanoes. All three volcanoes are active.
I love small airplanes with a propeller on the nose. They always take off quickly and gain altitude slowly. True, there are also unpleasant sides: you feel like in a Cossack - it’s cramped and it shakes in every pit. Taking photographs is also very inconvenient. On such planes, you rest one shoulder against the window, and the other against your neighbor, so if you want to take photographs with a telephoto camera, you have to put pressure on your neighbor, take off the lens hood, turn on the screen and, curled up like wrung out laundry, try to see with one eye what’s in front of you. into the frame.
Nevertheless, photographs from aircraft are always pleasant to look at, since the shooting point is very unusual for a person - we are used to looking at mountains from the bottom up, but here everything is completely the opposite...
Tongariro “smoke” right in front of us, behind it is Ngauruhoe, on the slopes of which episodes of The Lord of the Rings were filmed, and in the distance rises Ruapehu:
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When you sit on an airplane and look forward, you can’t see the blades at all. It seems that we have clean air in front of us, but modern cameras with their super-short shutter speeds cannot be fooled, so even sitting in front you have to shoot out the side window:
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In the distance you can see the Taranaki volcano, which we went to the previous day. In a straight line it is 130 kilometers away, and along the winding New Zealand roads about three hundred:
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"Mount Doom" from Lord of the Rings. It was in its depths that the One Ring was forged, and Frodo threw it into it:
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It can be seen that at the top of Ngauruhoe there is a double crater:
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We fly towards Ruapehu:
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Our hotel from above:
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Ruapehu is the highest peak in the North Island. In addition to the train incident (more on that below), in 1995 the volcano covered nearby towns with a cloud of toxic ash. There were no human casualties, but the cloud killed thousands of animals living in the surrounding area:
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Volcanic lakes can be extremely dangerous. In December 1953, water from the lake in the Ruapehu crater burst, and a flow of mud destroyed the railway bridge on the Wellington - Auckland section. This happened 10 minutes before the passage of a passenger train, which caused the death of 150 passengers:
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Hot sulfur springs. You can smell them even on an airplane:
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On the way back, I finally saw a piece of land with green grass:
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This is how I imagined New Zealand. In fact, it “turns green” only in winter, and in summer all the green color is eaten up by the sun with its golden rays:
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100 kilometers from national park Tongariro is located in the small town of Taupo. Previously, it was not promoted, but in Lately became a popular resort. Several world-class golf courses played a significant role in this.
We stopped at a shrimp farm. These are like ponds with paid fishing here. Here you can catch the crustaceans yourself, and then they will cook them for you:
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True, the catch may not be enough. The five of us ate 3 kilograms of shrimp:
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Plus salads and appetizer plates made from differently prepared shrimp:
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Water activities such as jet boating are very popular in New Zealand. These are very nimble and maneuverable boats that can make a 360-degree turn at great speed. The photo shows just such a moment when the boat has already turned halfway:
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It’s a strange feeling - at first you’re rushing at a speed of about 80 kilometers per hour through the water, and then suddenly you start waltzing around your axis. In this case, practically no water gets into the boat:
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We saw such boats not only in Taupo, but also in other cities of New Zealand. It’s strange why this entertainment doesn’t take root in other countries?
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Parking sensor. It’s not very clear how it works and what will happen if you stand between the sensors (the distance allows):
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Our day ended at Huka Falls. These cascades are famous not for their height, but for their volume. Every second, more than 220 thousand liters of water falls from the cliff:
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In the next post we will talk about agriculture in New Zealand: let's see how carefully the land is used here and find out what results the agrarian reform in the country has led to:
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Founded back in 1894, Tongariro National Park today is not only a treasure. Just over twenty years ago, in 1993, it was the first of the world's cultural landscapes to be included in the World Heritage List.
The park covers a vast area of more than 75 thousand hectares and the main objects in it are three mountains sacred to the local Maori tribe.
Landscapes for films
Today, the landscapes of Tongariro are known in many parts of the Earth - and all thanks to director P. Jackson, who filmed the Lord of the Rings trilogy based on the books of J. Tolkien in these places. In particular, it was the local natural attractions that “played the roles” of the mysterious and dangerous Misty Mountains, wild plains and the monumental, power-filled Mount Orodruin, born in the imagination of the cult British writer.
Volcanoes and lakes
Tongariro National Park is best known for its three active volcanoes: Ngauruhoe, Ruapehu and Tongariro.
They are in close proximity to each other. The highest is Ruapehu - it soars to a height of 2797 meters. Translated from the Maori language, the name of this periodically erupting lava mountain means Rumbling Abyss.
Interestingly, when the activity of the volcano decreases, a lake forms in the crater, warm enough to swim in - tourists often take advantage of this opportunity. After all, where else can you get a chance to swim in a real volcano?
However, it is worth noting that in recent years the acidity of the water has increased significantly, and therefore such swimming is a dubious pleasure. Not to mention the fact that the water temperature can rise sharply at any moment.
Near the volcanoes there are beautiful, clear lakes, captivating with the unusual color of the water. By the way, it was she who gave the names to these water bodies - Emerald and Blue lakes.
Sacred Maori lands
The lands of the National Park are sacred to the Maori tribe. There has always been a strict ban on cutting down trees, hunting and fishing.
Entertainment and attractions
A variety of entertainment has been created for tourists. For example, there are special hiking trails. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing route deserves a special mention, but it is recommended only in good, clear weather.
There are many other trails along which tourists can enjoy beautiful views, clean lakes and other natural attractions.
Flora and fauna
The flora and fauna of the park is truly unique. If we talk about trees, these are not only pine species familiar to Europeans, but also kahikatea, pahautea, and kamahi.
The rarest birds that live here also deserve mention - the kea and tui parrots. Throughout the Earth they can only be found in Tongariro.
How to get there?
But it’s easier to get to it from Auckland - regular buses go there. You can also rent a car. You need to drive along State Highway 1. The journey will take up to 3.5-4 hours.
National Park Tongariro is located in the central part of North Island in New Zealand. It was in these parts that the famous film “The Lord of the Rings” was filmed. Tongariro Park was created in 1894, the park area is 76.5 thousand hectares.
See also Tongariro National Park video
Tongariro National Park is located in the center Volcano Islands" This place is also called the “three smoking mountains”, as there are three volcanoes: Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu.
The youngest and most active volcano is Ngauruhoe, it is 2.5 thousand years old; it often pleases seismologists with its activity. During eruptions, hot blocks the size of a one-story house fly out of the crater. Between Ngauruhoe and Tongariro there is a volcanic plateau on which there are lakes and craters; by the way, one of the famous tourist routes on foot, the places here amaze with their unusual beauty.
Tongariro This is the smallest and calmest volcano; its last eruption was in 1896. The park is named after this volcano.
Ruapehu rises 2897 meters above sea level; ski lovers frequent its slopes. Last eruption volcano Ruapehu it was in 1945. The eruption lasted for about six months!
In the western and northern parts of the park there are majestic coniferous forests, and the southern slopes of the Raupehu volcano are covered with beech forests that rise to a level of 1500 meters. Above is the kingdom of mountain meadows, where herbs and plants unfamiliar to us grow.
In summer the average temperature is Tongariro Park ranges from 13 to 25 C degrees plus, and in winter about 10. It happens that snow lies on the tops of volcanoes in the summer.
Nature in Tongariro Park amazing. In summer for tourists here interesting excursions, rock climbing and just walking around the park. In winter, skiing and snowboarding. Those who wish can engage in sport fishing and horse riding, and simply enjoy the amazing beauty Tongariro Park.
Menacing pairs of active volcanoes, furrowed mountain peaks and poisonous lakes. New Zealand not always replete with greenery and peaceful picturesqueness. Sometimes something else slips through. Today I invite you to take a walk through Tongariro Park.
Treginka walk
We have two major events planned for this day. At the hotel we were given booklets with detailed routes. Each has its own level of difficulty. Among the proposed options were 6, 14, 30 and even 70-kilometer walks, designed to last several days. We chose the shorter one - 6 kilometers, in the middle of which a waterfall was waiting for us. We took a minimum of things, cameras, and at 7 am, without waiting for breakfast, we hit the road.
I expected to see difficult forest paths with driven marker pegs. However, the road was surprisingly comfortable. Thanks to the steps, sudden changes in height were virtually unnoticeable. There are bridges across streams and rivers. Most of the park's visitors are elderly people. Their comfort, like the comfort of other tourists, is a priority. After about a kilometer, the path led us to a river, on the bank of which there was a garden of stone pyramids.
Having rounded the next rock, we saw our waterfall. It did not reach Niagara, however, the place seemed extremely nice. Everyone sat around to rest and think about their own things.
There's still half the way ahead. And then we remember that a plane flight around the volcanoes is booked for 10 am. There was nothing left before the start, and I needed to collect the necessary equipment. It would be nice to have breakfast in time. And I arranged a three-kilometer cross-country race for myself. I took a shower, collected the necessary lenses and had a snack. At the same time, I was happy with my physical shape, which did not let me down during an unplanned run. By this time the guys had just arrived...
Before we realized that time was running out, I took a photo of Maxim. As usual, he sat down on the very edge of the rock, which made the others’ hearts skip a beat.
Sightseeing flight over Tangoriro Park
We boarded our rental car and quickly reached the small airfield. And again the weather is good! Visibility is good, the sky is clear. It is better to book such tours on the eve of departure (we did this half a day in advance). Cloudy weather may make the flight futile.
Our air crew is a small Cessna. This American aircraft is often used for similar excursions around the world. I liked the simplicity with which everything was organized. There was no convention of going through one window, buying tickets, entering the building, giving tickets to some guide, listening to instructions from a third person while the fourth person was pouring gas, and the fifth was warming up before the start. There was a small office at the airfield where the pilot was waiting for us. He took the money for the excursion, explained what was what, locked the office, put us on the plane, and we flew.
Let's take off. What do you think are these white dots in the frame? New Zealand's "everything" is the main subject of livestock production.
It smelled like rotten eggs. Geysers have varying degrees of activity. Sometimes you don't actually feel them. But on this day, judging by the aroma, they were working at full capacity.
From above, the park seems to be dotted with boils bleeding with white steam. Against the backdrop of the green expanses of New Zealand, these potholes, like the deep wrinkles of an old man, shrouded in strange smoke, seem like an inflamed place.
In The Lord of the Rings, Ngauruhoe became the fateful Mount Orodruin, the only active volcano in Middle Earth. Here the Ring of Omnipotence was created and destroyed.
In 1887, the Maori leader Te Heuheu Herekiki transferred the rights to the three “smoking mountains” and surrounding territories to the British. To protect the sacred land from the encroachments of settlers eager to extract minerals here, he entered into an agreement: all this will become a nature reserve. In 1897, Tongariro received the status of a National Park, and in 1993 - a UNESCO World Heritage Park. Somewhere in these parts lies the grave of a prudent leader.
Ngauruhoe is crowned by a double crater and sulfur-smelling vapors. It was this aroma that inspired our ancestors to create numerous legends, according to which geological formations are nothing more than the entrance to the underworld.
There are paths leading to the volcanoes, and many tourists walk here. And in these emerald lakes back in the 50s of the last century you could swim. Today they are too toxic for these purposes.
Pay attention to the lake on the right. I took a picture with a second camera with a telephoto lens and saw that there were people there. Can you find them? Hint: only four people.
The deepening of the crater is formed as a result of active volcanic activity. Apparently, here the lava flowed mainly in one direction.
Tongariro Park is located in the center of Volcano Island. Now it’s calm here, tourists walk along the craters, and ski on the slopes in winter.
At the top of Ruapehu, surrounded by snow all year round, is an unfreezing sulfur lake. The pilot said that due to underwater geysers it could be warm. As you fly by, you can tell by the color whether the water is cold or vice versa. There is no practical benefit from this; as I already wrote, swimming in such places is dangerous.
Volcano Ruapehu is the most high point north island(2797 meters). Translated from Maori as “The Thundering Abyss”. Every now and then he causes some kind of trouble. In 1953, on the eve of Christmas, the water of the lake located in the crater broke through and collapsed down, traveling a distance of three kilometers, demolishing the railway bridge. An express train carrying tourists was just approaching this section of the route. The train crashed into the water. It became New Zealand's worst train disaster, claiming 151 lives.
Previously, I did not understand how a village could suffer due to a volcanic eruption, which is just a walk and a walk away. But the lava flows move for a long time and mercilessly, covering a path of 10, 15 kilometers, destroying everything in its path.
The territory of the park is approximately 795.98 square kilometers. We flew around it almost completely. Heading towards the airfield.
We fly over our hotel Bayview Chateau Tongariro. In the parking lot on the right, I launched my quadcopter for the first time. Posted the photo on Instagram. Among the bushes you can see the path along which we went trekking to the waterfalls in the morning.
After the flight, we got into the car and went to the shrimp farm. This place is located next to Huka Falls. Crustaceans are grown here; for money you can rent a fishing rod and go fishing. Most often, families with children have fun with this. But that is another story.
Tongariro National Park is surrounded by lush vegetation on one edge and overwhelming desert plateaus on the other. The waves of its crystal clear lake splash against the shores of solidified lava. Above them, on the tops of the volcanoes, eternal snow whitens. Tongariro is revered by the Maori as a sacred place. Three active volcano Tongariro (1968m), Ngauruhoe (2291m) and Ruapehu (2797m) are still central to Maori legends and myths.
- Location and size: Tongariro National Park is located on the North Island of New Zealand. It is New Zealand's oldest nature reserve, founded in 1894. total area about 796 sq. km.
- Altitude: Most of the highlands rise above sea level to an altitude of 500 to 2797 m. The three active volcanoes are Tongariro (1968 m), Ngauruhoe (2291 m) and Ruapehu (2797 m).
- UNESCO World Heritage List: Tongariro was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991.
- Maori: Tongariro is an important sacred site for the Maori tribe. Maori are the aboriginal people of New Zealand and are believed to have settled on the islands between the 8th and 14th centuries, having moved from Polynesia in several waves of migration.
- Mount Ngauruhoe is known as Mount Doom from the film version of The Lord of the Rings.
Legends tell of Ngatoroirangi, chief of the Tawharetoa tribe. To assert his power over this land, Ngatoroirangi had to climb Mount Tongariro and light a fire there. Taking with him only the servant girl Auruhoe, the leader went to the mountain, but it was so cold there that he almost froze to death. In desperation, he called out to his sisters, who were great priestesses in their homeland of Hawaii. They heard the desperate call of their brother and made the earth split open so that a hidden fire would blaze from there. To thank the volcano god, Ngatoroirangi sacrificed his faithful maid to him. And since then the Maori have called Mount Ngauruhoe, in memory of the unfortunate victim.
The descendants of Ngatoroirangi still live in the vicinity of Mount Tongariro, their great shrine. When in the 19th century The mass migration of whites began, the supreme leader of the Tauharetoa, Te Heuheu Tukino IV, tried to use diplomatic tricks to prevent them from seizing the lands of his tribe. In 1887, he presented three volcanoes to the British Crown in exchange for a promise to establish a protected zone around them. Thus, the holy places were in the center of the Tongariro National Park, founded in 1894.
In the center of the national park there are three famous volcano. And although in geological terms they are all active, only Ruapehu erupts quite often.
Volcanic and other tectonic activity has turned much of Tongariro National Park into barren highlands with a few patches of green scenery.
These areas have become a haven for abundant flora and fauna. Meadow grasses, lichens, alpine shrubs and coniferous trees grow on the border of eternal snow.
The forests on the slopes of volcanoes are home to more than 50 various types birds, including the famous kiwi, which has become a symbol of New Zealand.
