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Under the Ice at Tongariro National Park: Exploring Mt Ruapehu’s Glaciers and Ice Caves
Inside the Ice: Exploring Mt Ruapehu’s Glaciers and Caves A day hike to a spectacular ice cave in the Summit Plateau Glacier The Milky Way above the WTMC Lodge, Tongariro National Park As one of my stories on the Tongariro National Park, this post focuses on the ethereal ice formations found in the Mt Ruapehu…
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Beyond Ruapehu: Discovering Te Roro o Taiteariki, The Rangipo Desert and Tongariro’s Smallest Volcano
While thousands of travelers speed along the Desert Road, maybe glancing at the snow-capped majesty of Mount Ruapehu, a smaller story sits quietly in the shadows. Most visitors can name the “Big Three” peaks of the Tongariro National Park, but few stop to acknowledge the tiny, pylon-crowned warrior standing guard on the edge of the…
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Mt Tongariro – and the lava lake
Mt Tongariro and the ancient molten lava lake at North Crater A 2 day hiking loop trip over Mt Tongariro and past the once molten lava lake that occupied the North Crater before cooling and solidifying. When the warrior gods Tongariro and Taranaki fought over the lovely Pihanga flames lit up the sky,…