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Travelogue New Zealand
previousNov 03
Fri
Shining volcanoes in Tongariro National Park
On the way to Tongariro National Park I phone up the Discovery Lodge to find out if there are sites left and if they have a dump station. The guy tells me they'd have enough place but no dump station. But no worries anyway, that'd be no problem and they'll care for.
In Tongariro National Park · more Tongariro NP pictures 
We drive across wide lowlands in yellow, green and brown tones, always the volcano peaks within sight. At first we head for the DOC office in the Tongariro National Park Visitor Centre in Whakapapa. There you can see a miniature of the National Park with all the tracks, summits and valleys on a relief map, which allows a pretty vivid impression of the track. Nevertheless we need a hiking map and ask for the current weather situation:
Tongariro Forecast
Friday: Fine, with some cloudy areas. Isolated showers possible in the afternoon. Light northerlies. Freezing level rising to 2600 metres.
Saturday: Fine and cloudy periods. Northwest winds. Freezing level rising to 3000 metres.
Sunday: Fine and cloudy periods. Northwesterlies, becoming moderate about the tops. Freezing level about 3000 metres.
Monday: Cloud increasing, and poor visibility in rain developing. Northwesterlies, briefly rising to gale. Freezing level above 3000 metres.
So Saturday seems to be the right day for the desiderated Tongariro Crossing. I want to know if it might be foggy because I think that could turn nasty when you're up there. I'm told that there's of course no guarantee because the weather can change from one minute to the next, but we had a good chance of clear sight tomorrow.
The Discovery Lodge makes a super good impression. Coming from Taupo it's situated at SH 47, about 1 km behind Whakapapa, on the right side. They charge $14 per person per night on a powered camper site. We like to stay for 2 nights and book the shuttle to the start of the Tongariro Crossing for tomorrow morning ($25 p.p.). We can empty the grey water into a drain and may dispose the black water on the campsite at the visitor centre at no charge (!).
Mt Ngauruhoe viewed from Discovery Lodge · more Tongariro NP pictures
From the campground you can see the three volcanoes. They seem to be very near, Mt Ngauruhoe (2287 m) ahead. Sometimes you see the summit, then it hides in the clouds again. The view from the sun deck of the lodge is even better. We play pool in the guest lounge, later we cook curry chicken for dinner.
The sunset blows us away then. The almost cloud-free volcanoes shine pinky red in the evening light.
Sunset on the volcanoes · more Tongariro NP pictures
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