North Island Tour with Cait: Part 7

You might recognize this volcano as Mt. Doom...

After spending most of the last 6 months in the rainforests and farmlands of the northland, we couldn't believe what we saw here. Tongariro National Park sits in the center of the North Island, south of Lake Taupo and is made up of three major volcanic mountains, Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe. The land here is so diverse, with rolling hills cut by rivers and waterfalls, beech forests, alpine bogs and grasslands.

Grasslands with Ruapehu hidden in the distance by storm clouds

Alpine Bog


Beech Forest


Ruapehu


Ngauruhoe

Many of the plants here look as though they have been shaped by the volcanoes; the flax has tinges of oranges and yellows, many of the grasses are reddish orange, the moss range from neon yellow to blood red and even the water changes from its normal aquamarine to shades of gold and white.

Colorful mosses


Silica Rapids -- the rock is coated with yellow-white mineral deposits

We camped near the base of the largest mountain, Ruapehu, at Whakapapa Village. From our base we did several of the short but beautiful hikes around the area.

Taranaki Falls

Us with Ruapehu in the background

Admiring a different type of Cabbage Tree


On the hike to Silica Rapids


One of many river crossings


The view from our campsite!