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.