Things to do in Tongariro National Park

Tongariro became New Zealand's first national park in 1887, gifted to the Crown by Ngāti Tūwharetoa so its sacred mountains would never be sold piece by piece to settlers, and it now holds dual World Heritage status for both nature and Māori culture.

The park's three volcanoes, Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu (2,797 metres, with skiing in winter), sit roughly 2 hours 20 minutes south of Rotorua by car via the Mangatepopo access road. 4-kilometre track taking 6 to 8 hours, weather-dependent and closed by snow or wind on some winter days.

Ngauruhoe remains tapu to Ngāti Tūwharetoa; check current track and shuttle conditions with the Department of Conservation before committing.