VOLCANOES!!!!! Our next stop~volcano, volcano, and more volcano... Tongariro National Park is right in the middle of the North Island. The landscape is so drastically different from the sub-tropical greenery mixed with deciduous forest that we have experienced thus far. It's as if you traveled through a wormhole to the moon (with oxygen and gravity). We just finished the Tongariro Alpine Crossing today--18.5 km distance, 1150 meters climbed, and 7 hours later and I am really questioning my level of fitness... This particular hike is known as being the best one-day hike in NZ, allowing one to experience the most scenic and active volcanic areas of the park. We climbed the saddle between Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Tongariro, appropriately named 'The Devil's Staircase.' Mount Ngauruhoe is one of NZ's most active volcano, although relatively quiet since 1975. We then made it to the Red Crater and Emerald Lakes.
We got some amazing photos today. Whenever I needed to stop and catch my breath, I took a photo or three, so there are many!!! I will leave it to the photos to express the amazing landscape we experienced today... On one of our next trips, I plan to hike up to the crater of a volcano--might have to train for that hike though...
When we came down from the volcano, it was amazing to head right back down into rain forest--amazing!!!
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