Canoeing the Whanganui River.
If you can tear your eyes away from those mesmerising mountains, there’s a lot of fun to be had getting hands-on with that magnificent scenery.
Walking The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is deservedly famous, but there are many other rewarding hikes you can take. The Tama Lakes track offers spectacular views, especially of Taranaki Falls and the upper lake, and is less challenging. Or you could turn your back on those peaks and explore the rich podocarp rainforest of Pureora, where there is a variety of tracks including a short one to the geographical centre of the North Island. Go to see the highest waterfall in the Tongariro National Park, at 39 metres: the Waitonga Falls Track is accessible to everyone.
Established in 1887 due to the foresight of Ngāti Tūwharetoa chief, Te Heuheu Tūkino Horonuku, Tongariro is also one of the world s oldest national parks, and was actually mandated three years before iconic Yosemite National Park in the United States. Winter sports are the focus through the middle of the year, but once spring arrives with the blooming of mountain daisies and buttercups, tramping and mountain biking emerge as the best ways to experience Tongariro s alpine and tussock-tinged environment. One of the planet s best one-day walks packs in shimmering alpine lakes, volcanic surprises and rust-red Martian landscapes, while it s possible to pedal through a cinematic scroll of history and natural spectacle.