Tongariro National Park II (Day 8)

We went back to Tongariro National Park (TNP) the next day, after the previous day's failed attempted to do any sort of hiking at the famous park.


The weather was cloudy but at least it wasn't raining, so we decided to do the 1-hr Taranaki Falls trail.


I think what they mean by a "1-hr" walk is provided you walk VERY briskly, without stopping and just kind of zoom your way through the trail, but how boring is that?


With our dilly-dallying to take photos, side-tracking, and stopping to snack on chocolates (we ate lots of chocolates on this trip), we probably took about 3 hours to do the trail.


Interesting terrain


The bushes look brown and as if they've wilted...but it's normal (most of them look like that)


Undulating terrain


Unusual vegetation


Stream-crossing


Gorgeous scenery...


...with colours of Fall (it's Spring actually)


Probably Mt Ngauruhoe


Water from the mountains


Taranaki Falls


Flowing rivers


Leaving the 80-year old Whakapapa or was it Tongariro Chateau...?


A nice, clear shot of the moutain just as we were leaving

This park was definitely one of the highlights of our trip...more to come in the later part of the trip.