This is a walk I've wanted to do since I first came to NZ in 2002. Its billed as 'The best one day walk in the world' and I can't argue with that. Its a 17km tramp between two of the North Island's three active volcanic peaks of the Tongariro National Park. With about 800m ascent and over 1000m descent its 7 hours of tough walking, but the views more than make up for it. The panoramic views of the higest point is (at 1,886 meters) the summit of Mount Tongariro's Red Crater, which incidentally last erupted in 1926, are simply stunning. There are still patches of snow on the ground all around - nearby Mount Ruapehu is a winter ski resort - which add to the unearthly quality of the landscape. Include a few emerald lakes full of minerals and noxious sulphur vents everywhere, plus towering view of Mount Ngauruhoe with its and you've got a simply amazing walk.
This is a video Gretchen took looking back at Mount Ngauruhoe, the 2nd peak on the left is the summit of the Red Crater, and where we'd been an hour before.
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