4D3N Tongariro Northern Circuit: Merry Christmas 2013!
December 22, 2013
We still have a few trips left on our nakedbus pass so we used them up for the year end holidays. After a long bus ride, we arrived at Whakapapa Village Holiday Park where we stayed for the night as it was near the start of the track. The first day was a short 3 hours walk so we started late at 11am. Whakapapa Village to Mangatepopo Hut was uninteresting and more tiring than expected through uneven terrain. Strong gale blew sand into our tent!
D1 Whakapapa Village to Mangatepopo
The first half of the second day joins with the popular Tongariro Alpine Crossing. It was crowded up there with many day walkers. Day 2 was the highlight and also the hardest as it involves a steep climb up to Red Crater then a sharp descent on volcanic rock scree and a long descent to the next hut.
D2 Mangatepopo to Oturere
饭盒?!
Mangatepopo to Oturere was supposed to be 5 hours but we took 9 hours. My shoes had no grip which slowed me down tremendously. The volcanic landscape was beautiful but I was more busy fighting against gravity on loose sand with nothing to hold on to. The sky started to clear up in the afternoon and we were lucky to have some sun on and off.
Emerald Lakes
Knock it out
Dropped our packs behind a big rock and walked 30 mins return to Blue Lake
Blue Lake
Shortly after the turn off to Ketetahi Road carpark is another pool that is more blue than the Blue Lake
Steam vents
It was a gruesome slippery downhill again towards Oturere Hut. There was nothing in sight for miles and miles. Only rocks and rocks and more rocks. My back was breaking and feet sore. I stopped to have something to eat and he exploded at me when I told him not to move his feet around because sand is flying onto my cookie. It was windy when we reached Oturere so we waited till it's less windy before setting up the tent as we learnt from the first camp site.
Oturere Valley
Cheering and leaping with joy at the sight of the next hut after 9 gruelling hours
There was no water at the hut. Followed the hut warden to a waterfall to fill up our bottles.
It was refreshing washing my feet and face at the waterfall especially after a long day. Cleaned up with wet tissue and it felt so good to be able to lie down flat. Went to sleep at 8.30pm.
Woke up at 5.30am and left Oturere at 7am without breakfast. Since it was only 3 hours to the next hut, we decided to have breakfast when we get to Waihohonu. It was windy and cold in the open valleys. Stopped for a munch to boost energy level. Passed through the forests twice and reached Waihohonu Hut at 10am - on time.
D3 Outerere to Waihohonu
Mostly downhill again
Waihohonu Hut feels like a big mansion. Feels good to have water to wash face and make museli. Slacked in the hut waiting for dinner time. Wrote in the visitors book and broke the ice with two young German lads. They will be stopping in Singapore for a week and asked for recommendations. Guy from Singapore overheard our conversation and came over to say hi. It was damn awkward talking to him; he doesn't seem interested to know about us at all and we had to keep asking him questions to keep the conversation going.
Inside Waihohonu Hut on Christmas eve
Woke up in the middle of the night to find the bottom of our tent wet! He was frustrated trying to find out what went wrong. Since there was nothing I could do about it I went back to sleep lol. We got up at around 5.45am and only managed to leave Waihohonu at 9am. It was cold, windy and wet walking in exposed areas for hours.
German boys caught up with us despite leaving half an hour later. He shared ginger cookies with them and they sang a Christmas tree song for us. Dropped our packs to go for a short detour to Lower Tama Lakes (20 mins return). Didn't go for Upper Tama as it was 1.5 hours return.
Lower Tama Lake
Lucky to have rain only on our last day
Merry Christmas in Tongariro! Nearly there!
D4 Waihohonu to Whakapapa Village
Can't get a full view of Taranaki Falls from here
The fog started to clear towards the end. The rest of the track back to Whakapapa Village was easy enough for a race against each other to the finish line. Charged electronics and had a hot shower, hot dinner before the kitchen got crowded and smelly. Slipped into our sleeping bags before 6pm. So good to be clean and lying flat on our backs!
D1 Whakapapa Village to Mangatepopo
The first half of the second day joins with the popular Tongariro Alpine Crossing. It was crowded up there with many day walkers. Day 2 was the highlight and also the hardest as it involves a steep climb up to Red Crater then a sharp descent on volcanic rock scree and a long descent to the next hut.
D2 Mangatepopo to Oturere
饭盒?!
Mangatepopo to Oturere was supposed to be 5 hours but we took 9 hours. My shoes had no grip which slowed me down tremendously. The volcanic landscape was beautiful but I was more busy fighting against gravity on loose sand with nothing to hold on to. The sky started to clear up in the afternoon and we were lucky to have some sun on and off.
Emerald Lakes
Knock it out
Dropped our packs behind a big rock and walked 30 mins return to Blue Lake
Blue Lake
Shortly after the turn off to Ketetahi Road carpark is another pool that is more blue than the Blue Lake
Steam vents
It was a gruesome slippery downhill again towards Oturere Hut. There was nothing in sight for miles and miles. Only rocks and rocks and more rocks. My back was breaking and feet sore. I stopped to have something to eat and he exploded at me when I told him not to move his feet around because sand is flying onto my cookie. It was windy when we reached Oturere so we waited till it's less windy before setting up the tent as we learnt from the first camp site.
Oturere Valley
Cheering and leaping with joy at the sight of the next hut after 9 gruelling hours
There was no water at the hut. Followed the hut warden to a waterfall to fill up our bottles.
It was refreshing washing my feet and face at the waterfall especially after a long day. Cleaned up with wet tissue and it felt so good to be able to lie down flat. Went to sleep at 8.30pm.
Woke up at 5.30am and left Oturere at 7am without breakfast. Since it was only 3 hours to the next hut, we decided to have breakfast when we get to Waihohonu. It was windy and cold in the open valleys. Stopped for a munch to boost energy level. Passed through the forests twice and reached Waihohonu Hut at 10am - on time.
D3 Outerere to Waihohonu
Mostly downhill again
Waihohonu Hut feels like a big mansion. Feels good to have water to wash face and make museli. Slacked in the hut waiting for dinner time. Wrote in the visitors book and broke the ice with two young German lads. They will be stopping in Singapore for a week and asked for recommendations. Guy from Singapore overheard our conversation and came over to say hi. It was damn awkward talking to him; he doesn't seem interested to know about us at all and we had to keep asking him questions to keep the conversation going.
Inside Waihohonu Hut on Christmas eve
Woke up in the middle of the night to find the bottom of our tent wet! He was frustrated trying to find out what went wrong. Since there was nothing I could do about it I went back to sleep lol. We got up at around 5.45am and only managed to leave Waihohonu at 9am. It was cold, windy and wet walking in exposed areas for hours.
German boys caught up with us despite leaving half an hour later. He shared ginger cookies with them and they sang a Christmas tree song for us. Dropped our packs to go for a short detour to Lower Tama Lakes (20 mins return). Didn't go for Upper Tama as it was 1.5 hours return.
Lower Tama Lake
Lucky to have rain only on our last day
Merry Christmas in Tongariro! Nearly there!
D4 Waihohonu to Whakapapa Village
Can't get a full view of Taranaki Falls from here
The fog started to clear towards the end. The rest of the track back to Whakapapa Village was easy enough for a race against each other to the finish line. Charged electronics and had a hot shower, hot dinner before the kitchen got crowded and smelly. Slipped into our sleeping bags before 6pm. So good to be clean and lying flat on our backs!
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