Travel Dates: November 17th – November 18th, 2025
Locations: Taupo, Tongariro National Park, Orakei Korako, Rotorua (Okere Falls)
After defying gravity in Taupo, I thought the hard part was over. I was wrong. The next 48 hours would involve freezing while standing still, sprinting through a geothermal park, and throwing myself off a waterfall in a rubber boat.
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing: A Test of Patience
Date: 17.11.2025
Activity: Tongariro Alpine Crossing Hike (19.4 km) | Cost: 130 NZD (Shuttle)
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is often rated as the best one-day hike in the world. I wanted to drive myself to the start, but the hostel recommended a shuttle (130 NZD), so I booked it to save myself the logistical headache.
The Shuttle Confusion
The pickup was scheduled for 5:10 AM. I stood outside in the dark with a German couple, half-asleep and shivering. 5:15 came. Then 5:30. No bus.
At 5:50 AM, a bus finally pulled up.
“Didn’t you get the email?” the driver asked.
Apparently, they had pushed the time back by 30 minutes, but since none of us had checked our inboxes at 4:00 AM, we just stood there like lemons.
The Ceremony (and the Freeze)
We arrived at the start of the track (Mangatepopo) around 7:30 AM.
Context: The crossing passes through sacred Maori land. It had recently been closed due to a forest fire (“Waldbrand”), and today was the grand reopening.
I thought, “Great timing!”
I was wrong.
Before anyone could hike, the local Iwi (tribe) held a blessing ceremony to lift the Rahui (a spiritual restriction). This wasn’t a quick “good luck” wave. It was a full two-hour ceremony with speeches, chanting, and protocols in Te Reo Maori.
There were about 200 hikers waiting. I was lucky enough to have warm layers, but I watched tourists in shorts and t-shirts literally turning blue, freezing their asses off while the elders spoke. It was culturally fascinating, but physically painful for the crowd.
The Hike: 19.4km of “Hello!”
When the track finally opened, I made a strategic pit stop at the toilets. This meant I started dead last.
The result? I spent the first hour overtaking 200 people. Since I passed everyone, I ended up chatting with half the people on the track. By the end of the day, I felt like the mayor of Tongariro.
Funny Coincidence: Later in my trip, I kept bumping into people on the South Island who would point and say, “Hey! You’re the guy from the Crossing!”
The Red Crater & The Fog
When I reached the Red Crater (the highest point at 1,886m), I was back at the front of the pack.
Geology Fact: The Red Crater gets its color from high-temperature oxidation of iron in the rock. It smells strongly of sulphur (rotten eggs) because it’s still an active vent.
The problem? Visibility was 5 meters. We were inside a cloud.
Most hikers just walked past, disappointed. I decided to wait. The forecast was good, so I sat on a rock in the freezing wind for an hour.
The Payoff: Suddenly, the clouds ripped apart. The sun hit the Emerald Lakes below, lighting them up in brilliant turquoise (caused by dissolved minerals washing down from the thermal area).
I looked around and realized all the people who had rushed past me saw absolutely nothing. Patience 1, Rushers 0.
The Steak Defeat
I timed the descent perfectly, arriving at the Ketetahi car park at 4:00 PM exactly. The first shuttle back was waiting, and I hopped on 4 minutes later.
Back at the hostel, I felt invincible. I went to the supermarket and bought a 700g steak (100g less than yesterday). I threw it on the grill, ready to feast.
The Result: I couldn’t finish it.
I stared at the plate in disbelief. Yesterday, I ate 800g after skydiving. Today, after hiking 20km, I failed at 700g. My theory? The adrenaline of falling from a plane burns more calories than hiking up a volcano.
The Geothermal Speed Run
Date: 18.11.2025
Location: Orakei Korako (The Hidden Valley)
Drive Time: ~35 mins from Taupo
I left Taupo early the next morning. My destination: Orakei Korako.
Fact: This is considered one of the most active geothermal fields in NZ, sitting on the Waikato River. To get to the thermal area, you have to take a short boat ride across Lake Ohakuri.
I arrived at 8:00 AM sharp. I was the only human being there.
The ferryman took me across in a private boat. I had a rafting appointment in Rotorua at 10:30 AM, so I didn’t have time to dawdle.
The boardwalk is 2.5km long. I power-walked the entire thing, marveling at the silica terraces and bubbling mud pools, but moving like I was in a race. I finished the whole park in 40 minutes.
When I hit the button for the return boat, the ferryman looked at me in shock.
“I’ve never seen anyone do the track that fast,” he said.
It was a beautiful spot, but honestly? Being completely alone in a place usually packed with tourists was the real highlight.
The “Bro” Rafting Experience
Location: Okere Falls, Rotorua
Drive Time: ~1 hour from Orakei Korako
Activity: Rotorua Rafting | Cost: 140.11 NZD
I raced to Rotorua to make my 10:30 AM booking with Rotorua Rafting.
We were tackling the Kaituna River, home to Tutea Falls.
Fact: At 7 meters (23 feet), Tutea Falls is the highest commercially raftable waterfall in the world.
The Crew
The guides were… intense. They were the definition of “Kiwi Bros.” Every sentence ended in “Bro.”
“Paddle hard, Bro.”
“You good, Bro?”
“Hold on, Bro.”
I was “Bro.” The German girl was “Bro.” The raft was “Bro.” It was a little weird, but their energy was infectious. There were 6 tourists and 1 guide in our boat.
The Drop
We did some practice drills, and then we hit the big one. The boat nosed over the edge of the waterfall, and we plummeted into the white water below. The raft submerged, we got thrashed around, and popped back up—everyone still inside.
Photo Tip: They tried to sell me a photo of the drop for 40 NZD. I looked at it: all you could see were helmets and splashing water. I decided to save my money. You couldn’t even tell it was me!
The Aftermath
As soon as we got off the river, the weather turned. The sky opened up, and it started pouring rain. It felt like the North Island was weeping. I got in my car, wet (again), and prepared for the long drive to the Coromandel Peninsula.
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Next Up: I accidentally sleep at a gas station, pay $65 for a steak that wasn’t worth it, and nearly run out of fuel in the middle of nowhere on a road trip to the tip of New Zealand!
