One of the things Dustin and I really wanted to do in New Zealand was some hiking, or tramping as the kiwis call it. There are eight Great Walks and one Great Journey (goes down a river, so it’s not classed as a walk) that are the crowning jewels of the many beautiful walks and hikes in the country. To get us started, we decided to do the Tongariro Northern Circuit, a 40 km, 3 day hike around Tongariro National Park. This decision was largely based on the fact that Mt. Ngauruhoe was used by Peter Jackson for Mount Doom, and the lava fields below for Mordor.

Since neither of us had done any extended camping trips by ourselves, and there were many warnings about severe weather changes and potential volcanic activities, we opted to do try it the first time with a guide. (OK, really, I was a bit nervous, so I weenied out and asked for a guide). At the end of the day, we could have done it on our own, but it was nice to have a little peace of mind, excellent traveling companions, and someone to schlep the food (and wine :). With one Great Walk under our belts, we’re actually setting off tomorrow morning to do the Abel Tasman track on our own; we’ve got our Platypus of wine and sporks ready!

We did the hike with seven other Kiwis, and our two guides Rainier and Zeb. Day one we hiked up the Devils Staircase, past Mt. Ngauruhoe, the red crater, and Emerald Lakes on our way to the Outerere hut. New Zealand has an interesting DOC program where they offer campsites and huts on many of their trails. The huts are like summer camp bunks – cozy, big bunks with small mattresses and a bunch of people. It makes for easy hiking since you don’t need to carry a tent, and they provide gas for cooking in season. One of the other things I enjoyed was meeting folks the first night, and then meeting up again the following night at the next hut. It’s as if everyone was part of a friendly caravan.

Some quick highlights, then on to photos:

After dinner the first evening, we spent time playing a trivia game around a candle inside the hut with Murray, an older Aussie fellow, two German girls, a Swedish couple, and an Austrian girl. We played until we couldn’t with clean consciences continue keeping everyone else awake.

A glass of wine with dinner each evening (and gratitude that I didn’t have to carry it up and back down the side of a mountain).

Playing rummy with Vivienne, Denise, and Sue at the Waihohounu hut the second afternoon.

Walking through Mordor.

Mostly, the friendly companionship of our traveling group. Everyone was spectacularly friendly and made Dustie and I feel right at home, in particular Vivienne. She’s from Wellington and was doing the trip with her mother. Not only was it great to talk with her during the hike, but she invited Dustie and I to stay with her when we were in Wellington. We had a wonderful time in Windy Welly, with Vivienne giving us the highlights tour and showing us around. Her kindness and generosity are greatly appreciated, and I’m still a bit pleasantly surprised that you’d invite two crazy Americans over on the spur of the moment. That will definitely be a trip highlight.

View from the top of the devil’s staircase

Watching the sunrise

Lastly, a quick shot of our tramping group:

Yes, that’s right. Even when doing something very active, Dustin and I manage to find the more mature crowd. It just confirms that we will be so prepared for retirement. Holy smokes, could these folks hike! Many kudos to Vivienne’s mom, Adrianna, who is 80 years old and flew up and down the track!