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2023-08-04T00:00:00.000Z • Tongariro National Park, New Zealand

Tongariro Northern Circuit in Winter

In August 2023 I hiked the Tongariro Northern Circuit, in Tongariro National Park, New Zealand. In total it was 44km over 2.5 days. As this was during winter, extra gear had to be taken with me like crampons and an ice axe.

Michael Beckmann

Hike

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Film about the hike

Length

I did this 45km hike in 2.5 days, spending two nights out on the trail. On average I would say this takes 3 to 4 days.
I did the hike in August 2023.

Start / Finish

The start / finish is Whakapapa Village.
In Whakapapa Village you can park your car for free. Just head into the Tongariro Visitor Centre and they will give you a ticket to display behind the window of your vehicle.

Season

During the summer, this hike is a ‘Great Walk’, meaning it’s busy (especially on the Tongariro Crossing section) and you must prebook all huts.

Campsites / Huts

During winter the huts are first come, first serve. Plus, you can enjoy the quietness and serenity of being out there (almost) all alone!

You are allowed to wild camp in Tongariro National Park, you just have to be 500m away from the track.
Alternatively you can choose to pitch your tent next to huts (which need to be booked too during summer).

Maps / Info

Please see the DOC website for detailed information on this hike and the special ‘summer requirements’.
Pay a visit to the Tongariro Visitor centre to get the latest info on track conditions and weather.

Food / Water

All huts have rainwater you can drink. Just mind that in winter the pipes could get frozen leaving you without running water.
Out on the trail there is no option to get water. Even though you do walk past some lakes / streams, these are either not accessible or contain sulphur from the volcanic activity. I found you could easily fill up at each hut.

Route / Conditions

The track is well maintained and marked, as it’s a Great Walk hike during the summer. So are the huts, while some hut facilities are reduced during winter.
Bad weather can greatly decreases your visibility, especially if you are in a white-out and basically the whole track is very exposed.
In winter you should bring crampons and an ice axe to get up to Red Crater.

Optional: summiting Mount Ngauruhoe, adds a nice 2 to 3 hours to your day. You 100% need crampons and an ice axe for this during winter.
Optional: summit Mount Tongariro, by following the Mt Tongariro Summit Route.
Optional: side track to the Tama Lakes (I just did the Lower Tama Lake).

Links

Hike

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Day 1

On the first day I drove early out of Auckland towards Whakapapa village. This is about a 4 hour drive and made me arrive after lunch time. I dropped by the Visitor Centre, bought two hut tickets and got a free car park ticket.

The section I had planned for this half day was a short and simple one, Whakapapa Village to Mangatepopo Hut. It is just under 10km and took me about three hours to complete. The section is mostly flat with amazing views of Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Ruapehu.

When I arrived there was one older lady at the hut, she had come down from summiting Mount Ngauruhoe that day. She told me it was definitely worth it but you need to be careful. People have slipped and slid all the way down the mount, which they didn’t survive. As this was my first winter hike, where I would make use of crampons and an ice axe, I decided to just stay on the Northern Circuit track.

We lit the fire in the hut, to make it nice and warm. I had my dinner and went to bed early as the next day would be a long one.

Hike

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Day 2

My idea was to reach Red Crater just before sunrise, unfortunately I had underestimated the time it would take me to walk from Mangatepopo Hut to Red Crater. If I could go again, I would leave at least 2.5 hours before sunrise!

While I missed the sunrise from Red Crater, I did see the sky light up while I was walking towards it. Eventually I made it to the top of Red Crater and I had some amazing 360º views. In hindsight I should have done the Mount Tongariro Summit side track, for which I’ll have to come back one day.

Red Crater is the highest point of the whole track. So after I got here it was only going to be downhill (ok not completely as some sections are still undulating).

As I had started early, I was already at Oturere Hut around lunch time, which gave for a perfect spot to have some lunch.

With a full stomach and water bottle, I made my way towards Waihohonu Hut where I spent the night. Being there, with just one other person, it felt like we had our own private hotel!

+12

Hike

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Day 3

Compared to the long day before, this final day was going to be a walk in the park. This section of Waihohonu Hut back to Whakapapa Village is definitely the flattest and makes you cruise along the track. I decided to make a small detour to Lower Lake Tama and enjoy the clear blue water with snow capped volcanoes in the background.

Before I knew it, I was back at my car and had the whole afternoon to drive back to Auckland. A perfect three day trip that gave me some insane winter views.