Volcanoes of the North Island

The North Island of New Zealand is an area with a very high volcanic activity. In the largest city of the country – Auckland, you can find almost 50 extinct volcanoes. If you wish to visit the active ones and marvel at stunning landscapes which were used as a set for shooting Mordor in the Lord of the Rings, you need to go 350 km south. Here, in the very center of the island you can find the Tongariro National Park and three active volcanoes within it: Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe.

It is a great idea to break the drive South. We recommend to stop at hot spring and geyser region – Rotorua and idyllic rural land and an amazing movie set –  Hobbiton.

Panoramic view of Auckland

Tongariro National Park

Tongariro is the oldest National Park in NZ. The area was quickly recognized for its remarkable natural beauty. Today, it is double-listed on UNESCO World Herritage List for both: its unique environment and cultural values. The volcanoes have spiritual and cultural significance to indigenous local people.

Taranaki Fall

In winter time, Tongariro is also a busy ski area. We drove almost to the top of one of the volcanoes, where we found the bottom station of ski lift Whakapapa. It was closed due to off season. The surroundings looked spectacular tho. Rugged, black rocks were all around. No wonder why sir Peter Jackson chose this spot to set Mordor scenes. To warm up before the longer hikes, we did a loop trail to Taranaki Fall. The weather was very changable, so we hoped that it would improve for the next day….

Hidden in the clouds

Alpine Flowers

Taranaki Fall

One way trail?

In the National Park you can find two very popular trekking routes. The longer one called Tongariro Northern Ciruit takes 3 to 4 days. It runs around the volcanoes and takes you to the remote corners of the park.

Best one-day hike in New Zealand

Second trail is probably the most popular one in the whole New Zealand. Tongariro Alpine Crossing is a route running for almost 20 km across the northern parts of the National Park. We chose to hike it, because we were lured by the colourful view that we found on every postcard – the Emerald Lakes. The trail connencts 2 parking lots: Mangatepopo & Ketetahi. First is located on the higher elevation, so more people choose to start there. You can park at the end in the morning and buy a bus transfer to the trail head or look for the transport after finishing the hike. Better to book ahead, but you might end up waiting for it or rushing to finish on time. Your call. 30 NZD pp. We do not like being told what to do and where to go. Therefore, we figured out that we will hike the Red Creater and the Emerald Lakes and than decide if we want to finish and look for the ride or to come back the same way to our car at Mangatepopo lot.

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

We checked the latest volcanoe activity at the visitor center. You never know where the next eruption is due. We wanted to start the crossing early in the morning as there was almost 20km of walking ahead of us. We started at Mangatepopo Lot (1100 m). The problem was that everyone had the same idea and, in additon, the buses were scheduled to arrive at 7am. We were walking in endless queue of people. Felt almost like London Underground. This is not how we pictured the trail in our heads

3…2….1…Go!

We are marching in a tight cordon in the  morning mist. The crowd is impossible to avoid. After a while, we made it to the stream and small waterfall at Soda Springs. From now on the ascent to Southern Creater (1600m) starts and than the Red Creater (1886m). The trail becomes more challenging and we quickly pass the “conquerors” in sneakers who rushed in race tempo at the start. The sky is clearing up and we can see the Ngauruhoe volcanoe in its full glory. It is so simetrical that it resembles a pyramid. This peak was used as the “Mount Doom” in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Southern Creater

We got company

Ngauruhoe Volcanoe

Hikking is awsome

The Red Creater

On the top of the creater, we could bearly see the tip of our own noses due to the heavy fog. There was a cloud sitting on the top of the volcanoe and it seemed that it is not going anywhere. Luckly we did not miss the trail as it was leading right next to the edge of the creater. That would be a long way down!

The trail leads on and it changes to gravel slope. It is very slippery on the descent and we felt that it might be quite dangerous. The cold wind was blowing and it chased the clouds away. We could see the Emerald Lakes and their fantastic colours right before us. The more the sun shinned through clouds the greener the lakes bacame. It was the most amazing spot on the entire crossing. The water contrasts with black and red rocks of the surrounding. Here and there you can see some steam coming out from between the rocks. It is an active volcanoe, after all!

Low clouds all around

It is clearing up!

Sunny Emerald Lakes

A whole new day

We had a short picnic at the lakes. Eventually we headed to the Blue Lake. As we walked there we looked back and we could finally see the Red Creater. It looked incredible. Almost lika the Gate to Hell. We decided to turn around and go back to our starting point the same way.

Best decision

It turned out to be the best decision! Around 3pm there was bearly anyone on the trail. The clouds were chased away and the sun was shinning. We had the volcanoes exclusively to ourselves. Amazing! We could see the abyss inside the Red Creater as the view was no longer blocked by the fog. It was just the two of us walking down the South Creater. Way better experience than the morning crowds. It might be a good idea to start Tongariro Alpine Crossing a bit later after all. Our walk was a bit longer – over 25km but it was so worth it!

MT Doom

Almost there!

Tongariro National Park

Volcanic landscape

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

In addition, you can extend you walk and hike the summits of Tongariro 1967 m, or  Mt Ngauruhoe 2287 m. The second peak is far more challenging as it has a very steep and gravel ascent. We had enough of this after hikking the Red Creater twice.

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing was truly a great hike and we recommend it to every traveler heading to the New Zealand! Just be mindful of the changing weather condintions and be prepared for slippery surfaces. Have fun!

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Hobbiton, New Zealand

Other than photography and travelling, fantasy is one of the biggest passions of Mike. Once he gets into a book, there is no break until he knows the fate of all the heroes. Apart from the complex characters, the most important part of good fantasy is the world. It is a stage of all the action and everything depends on its complexity and mechanisms ruling it are often crucial to the plot. The Father of modern fantasy – J.R.R. Tolkien created a truly amazing world which inspires generation after generation. Nowadays, anyone can pay a visit to the charming town of Hobbiton. The movie based on the great trillogy was directed by Peter Jackson. He chose his homeland to be a movie set and now, New Zealand is known world wide as a place as beautiful as Middle-Earth itself. It is a curious question to ask: “What is Lord of the Rings about?”Is it about power? Maybe about friendship? For us, it is definitely about an adventure!

A doorway to Middle-earth

Idyllic movie set – The Shire!

In 1998 the film crew responsible for The Lord of the Rings was looking for an idyllic, rural location which would resemble a hobbit country description from the book. Finally, they found a perfect spot. Away from power lines and modern highways. After 9 months of construction work the village came to live! First set was demolished after shooting, but the crew returned to the spot for the new trillogy – The Hobbit. After that, the movie set was turned into a tourist attraction. We just had to see it!

How to get to Middle-Earth?

A journey to fairytale land did not take so long. Hobbiton is locateted next to the town of Matamata, 2 hours drive from New Zeland’s biggest city – Auckland. Matamata is very influenced by tourism. You can visit a tourist information which looks just like an inn from the story of The One Ring. In addition, not far away, you can find thermal wonderland of Rotorua and the spectacular caves of Waitomo. Therefore, you should not miss this region while planning your roadtrip. A few kilometers outside of the town you will find “Shire’s Rest”.

Visiting the Shire

We have to leave our car on the parking lot because only the guided groups are allowed in the Shire. Besiclly you have 2 options to choose from. You can either go with a group in a day time or for an evening sightseeing which includes a themed feast in the Green Dragon Inn. Sadly, no individual sightseeing allowed. We still had some time to our departure so we enjoyed a cup o coffee. All the attractions are located outside, therefore it is the best idea to come on a nice, sunny day.

Stylish tourist info

shire rest

Matamata welcomes you

It is worth stopping for a minute

Hills from above

Hills of shire

We are going on an adventure

Hobbiton – sightseeing

At our departure time we boarded the bus with a group of 30 people and here our road to Middle-Earth began.

In the bus, on a tv screen, Peter Jackson was inviting us to the sightseeing. You could see some parts of the movies with the music was coming out of the speakers. The soundtrack was well known to the fans. We felt  so excited and moved that we almost wanted to cry. We trully made it all the way across the globe to experience that!

There are a few dozens of hobbit holes. Many of them are themed. You can find a home of a baker, cheesemaker, fisherman and so on. Details are so carefully prepared, wonderfully made and in such a neat  way, that it almost seemed that hobbits had left 5 minutes ago.

Gumtree, shire

Neat hobbit's loundry

Say cheeeeseee

A hole of a baker

So green

Would you like to play a game?

Little hobbits mailboxes

Movie-making secrets

Hobbit holes are saddly only fasades. There is nothing inside. All the scenes from the inside were shot in the studio. Bag End has a tiny interior so the scenes at the door look realistic. Other than that, you can find a small umbrella storage in one of them. The doors vary in size. Some of them were build twice, once in full size and the second time in 40%  size. The reason for it is to show the difference of hight between Gandalf and the hobbits. When Ian MacKellen was in the shot he stood next to the 40% sized doors so he seemed a lot taller than Eliah Wood standing next to the full-sized doors. This is one of many fun facts that we heard from our well informed and passionate guide. We were worried that the number of people in the group will make it impossible to take nice pictures without strangers in them. Fortunatelly it wasn’t so bad, after all.

Baby on board

Enjoying the scenery

Knock knock mr Hobbit

Full size door

Butterflys at the doorstep

The One Ring!

The hobbit holes

Bag End

Finally we made it to the top of the hill, on the doorstep of mr Bilbo Baggins. There is an artiffical tree growing over Bag End which was build for the movie to match the description from the book. Views around are nspoiled and picturesque. Cheerful, rural, peaceful life is something what every hobbit wants isn’t it?

Visiting Mr Bilbo

Party bussines only!

Green hills of the Shire

“The Green Dragon Inn”

We walked past a meadow where Bilbo’s 111th birthday party was held and straight to the “Green Dragon Inn“. There is a drink included in the price of the tour and a cold, cold beer brewed only for this place was exaclly what we needed. There is a fireplace in every corner and the atmosphere is really cosy and friendly. We did feel really sad that it was the end of our adventure in the Middle-Earth. On the way back, we were watching some cuts from the movies as well and everybody could recignize the places that we had just visited.

We recommend visiting Hobbiton to everybody. It is a trully  magical place. You do not have to be the biggest fan of the Lord of the Rings to appreciate the beauty, atmosphere and the spirit of this place.

Mill at hobbiton

Hobbit holes

Green Dragon Inn

Green Dragon Inn, Beer time!

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