Are you a fan of "The Lord of the Rings»? Well, then the place that we are going to show you will sound like! We are talking about Tongariro National Park, in New Zealand, which in the film version of Peter Jackson is the setting for Mordor.
This spectacular natural park occupies some 80,000 hectares of land that can be found from colored lakes emerald, up to alpine meadows, passing through hot springs surrounding the Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu volcanoes. Without a doubt, it is one of the most beautiful landscapes in the entire country. Do you want to know this national park more thoroughly? Well join us!
The first World Heritage park
Interestingly, the Tongariro National Park was the first park in New Zealand and the fourth in the world to become a World Heritage Site by the Unesco. That yes, of mixed character, since it mixes culture and nature. The truth is that it does not surprise us at all that this place was declared a World Heritage Site, since it is a really impressive place. Located on the North Island of New Zealand, this immense and beautiful area surprises with its 3 active volcanoes that are almost 3,000 meters high. As you can see for yourself in the images, the three volcanoes are aligned and very close to each other. We are talking about Tongariro, Ngauruhoe, who represented the Mount of Destiny in the "Lord of the Rings" movies; and Ruapehu, who in the trilogy became Mordor and Emyn Muil.
Great cultural importance
On the other hand, it should be borne in mind that the Tongariro National Park not only became a World Heritage Site for its evident beauty, but also for the cultural and historical importance of the area, since this place was the residence of the Maori, that they built different religious places, besides baptizing some summits as sacred. In fact, many are called "tapu”, A word that indicates that a place is highly sacred. And it is that these peaks represent the spiritual links of the community with the environment.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing
Undoubtedly, the first thing we recommend you to do in this place is its “Tongariro Alpine Crossing” route, considered the best trekking a day from New Zealand and among one of the best in the world. It consists of a journey of about 8 hours that runs along the slopes of the mountains, being able to contemplate surprising landscapes. And it is that in addition to forests with alpine herbs, flax, scrubs and grasslands, you can find impressive landscapes volcanic of craters, rivers of lava and thermal lakes; waterfalls and spectacular views of Lake Taupo and Mount Taranaks. Of course, it is important to keep in mind that during the route you will notice drastic changes in temperature and climate, so you must be prepared with warm clothes and a raincoat. In addition, you will have the possibility to make other circuits of 4 or 6 days.
What else to do in the Tongarito National Park
Beyond the routes, the Tongariro National Park is the perfect place for skiing and snowboarding, since here you will find very good slopes, such as Whakapapa and Turoa, both located in Ruapehu. In addition, you can ride on a ski lift, go down rapids, fish, go mountain biking, rafting, horseback riding… Then we leave you with our Gallery, where you will discover more images of this spectacular New Zealand national park. Do not miss it!
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing: Alpine Tramping (Hiking) Series | New Zealand (April 2024)
- National Parks, World Heritage
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