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selenak...however, if one is a German used to a lot of hiking in the Alps, one does the Torangiro Alpine Crossing. As you do.
No, really. We went to Torangiro National Park mainly for the Alpine Crossing, which takes roughly eight hours and means you hike between volcanoes, and they did shoot some of the Mordor scenes here, but they also used a certain silhuette which greeted me upon waking for the Lonely Mountain. I mean:
Mind you, it took a while to see it. Also the neighbouring volcano & mountain, Ruapehu. That one hid itself in fog when we showed up in the afternoon.
However, come sunrise of the big day of the 19,4 km hiking, Ruapehu was there in all its splendor:
Though this was not the volcano we were looking for, and wandering by. Those were Torangiro itself, and neighbouring Ngauruhoe. Here's Torangiro, aka that silhouette, at a closer look across the South Crater.
But nobody cares much about the poor old South Crater. This is because the Red Crater gets all the glory. I mean:
You've got to admit, that's truly something. It also takes hours to reach, and because some of the paths are very narrow, they'd rather you all walk in the same direction across the old lava. And the undisputed highlight is this sight:
These are called the Emerald Lakes. Check out the biggest one:
Though the three smaller ones entranced me more:
Most people walk down on one particular side of the Red Crater to reach those lakes. The other side is a bit harder in the last bit, but far less populated, and thus:
Have one last look:
Now that was one glorious walking party. :)
Next, we visited the thermal glories of the Rotorua area, and no, this wasn't because we direly needed a hot bath to relax our muscles in. More walking (the day after) was to follow as we visited the volcanic valley of Waimangu. This is what it looks like from the highest hiking point:
That pool is the biggest hot water pool of the world, I was told. It's also known as Frying Pan Lake.
Have some details. This rock was nicknamed Gibraltar but officially is called Cathedral.
And another complete photo:
The most beautiful of the thermal places, the Inferno Crater:
Though the others aren't any slouches, either.
These reminded me of Yellowstone Park.
Waimangu has an Emerald Lake as well:
Last look back:
Were we done with volcanic regions? We were not. Next, we visited Wai-O-Tapu. This one's highlight is called the "Artist's Palette":
It has its own Frying Pan:
And a Bridal Veil Fall:
And a Devil's Bath:
Which you'd think would be the Mud Lake, but no. The Mudlake is oddly cute, though:
To conclude the walk through Wai-O-Tapu with Lake Ngaroko:
Now truly, that was a bit like visiting the beginning of the world. Next: Hobbiton!
No, really. We went to Torangiro National Park mainly for the Alpine Crossing, which takes roughly eight hours and means you hike between volcanoes, and they did shoot some of the Mordor scenes here, but they also used a certain silhuette which greeted me upon waking for the Lonely Mountain. I mean:
Mind you, it took a while to see it. Also the neighbouring volcano & mountain, Ruapehu. That one hid itself in fog when we showed up in the afternoon.
However, come sunrise of the big day of the 19,4 km hiking, Ruapehu was there in all its splendor:
Though this was not the volcano we were looking for, and wandering by. Those were Torangiro itself, and neighbouring Ngauruhoe. Here's Torangiro, aka that silhouette, at a closer look across the South Crater.
But nobody cares much about the poor old South Crater. This is because the Red Crater gets all the glory. I mean:
You've got to admit, that's truly something. It also takes hours to reach, and because some of the paths are very narrow, they'd rather you all walk in the same direction across the old lava. And the undisputed highlight is this sight:
These are called the Emerald Lakes. Check out the biggest one:
Though the three smaller ones entranced me more:
Most people walk down on one particular side of the Red Crater to reach those lakes. The other side is a bit harder in the last bit, but far less populated, and thus:
Have one last look:
Now that was one glorious walking party. :)
Next, we visited the thermal glories of the Rotorua area, and no, this wasn't because we direly needed a hot bath to relax our muscles in. More walking (the day after) was to follow as we visited the volcanic valley of Waimangu. This is what it looks like from the highest hiking point:
That pool is the biggest hot water pool of the world, I was told. It's also known as Frying Pan Lake.
Have some details. This rock was nicknamed Gibraltar but officially is called Cathedral.
And another complete photo:
The most beautiful of the thermal places, the Inferno Crater:
Though the others aren't any slouches, either.
These reminded me of Yellowstone Park.
Waimangu has an Emerald Lake as well:
Last look back:
Were we done with volcanic regions? We were not. Next, we visited Wai-O-Tapu. This one's highlight is called the "Artist's Palette":
It has its own Frying Pan:
And a Bridal Veil Fall:
And a Devil's Bath:
Which you'd think would be the Mud Lake, but no. The Mudlake is oddly cute, though:
To conclude the walk through Wai-O-Tapu with Lake Ngaroko:
Now truly, that was a bit like visiting the beginning of the world. Next: Hobbiton!
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Date: 2017-04-02 08:59 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2017-04-02 10:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-02 06:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-02 05:32 pm (UTC)And I do love the three little lakes together, too. Something about the arrangement and the colors...
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Date: 2017-04-02 06:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-03 01:26 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2017-04-03 06:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-03 11:52 pm (UTC)