Proposed Schedule

9:00am Morning in Wellington

12:00pm Leave Wellington

5:00pm Arrive Tongariro, driving tours and sightseeing

8:00pm Arrive Skotel

Websites

National Park Village

Tongariro Crossing Lodge

Extreme Backpackers (EB also has inexpensive "accommodation")

Tongariro National Park

NZ Department of Conservation (DOC)

Tongariro National Park (DOC website)

Tongariro National Park Tracks and Walks

Tongariro Crossing

Tongariro Natural History Society (Friends of Tongariro)

GeoNet NZ (includes web cams of the central volcanoes and White Island)

National Park Village Hotel Info

Skotel Alpine Resort
Ngauruhoe Place
PO Box 30
Mt Ruapehu
Phone: +64 7 892 3719
Fax: +64 7 892 3777
FREEPHONE RESERVATIONS: 0800 756 835
Email: info@skotel.co.nz
Mainstay Go Kiwi Hotel Pass
http://www.skotel.com/

Driving Directions:
The Skotel sits in the tussock on the edge of the Whakapapa Village. It is conveniently accessible by road for anyone traveling between Auckland and Wellington. From state highway 1, turn off at Turangi or from State Highway 4, turn off at National Park.

• Internet access: “Internet booths area available on a system of tickets purchased from the reception.”
• DIY Laundry: The laundry is in the 200 block right opposite room 213. The charge for the washing machines or the dryer is $2. Change for the machines and soap power at $0.50 per bag is available from reception. An iron and an ironing board are supplied to all superior rooms and there is an iron and ironing board in the laundry for other guests.
• Parking: There are several parking areas around the SKOTEL. When you are staying in the '200' or '100' rooms, the easiest access to your room is to park in the back car park and use the side entrance. The '300' rooms have car parking in the back of the hotel. The front rooms can be entered through the balcony door. The chalets have their own carport.
• Packed lunches are available if ordered the night before.
• Breakfast is served in the restaurant from 7.00am to 9.00am with continental and ooked breakfasts available.

Tongariro National Park Activities Info

Tongariro National Park Tracks and Walks

Mt. Ruapehu & Mt. Ngauruhoe

Ketatahi Springs Track

 

Huka Falls
http://www.hukafalls.com/
The Huka Falls are the largest falls on the Waikato River, one of New Zealand's longest rivers. The Waikato drains Lake Taupo - the largest freshwater lake in all of Australasia. At the Huka Falls, the Waikato River which is normally 100m wide, is squeezed through a 20 metre wide gorge and over a 20m drop. Every second up to 250,000 cubic metres of water gushes through the gorge and shoots out over 8 metres beyond to create a beautiful blue/green pool.

Ketetahi Hut Track
http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/trackandwalk.aspx?id=36047
High on the slopes of Mt Tongariro, Ketetahi Hut is part of the Northern Circuit Great Walk. The Ketetahi Track is also a section of the Tongariro Crossing.

Waitonga Falls Track
http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/trackandwalk.aspx?id=36050
The Waitonga Falls is a 1 hour 30 minutes walk on a well-formed track through mountain beech and kaikawaka forest. The 39 m falls are Tongariro National Park’s highest falls.

Tongariro Crossing
http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/trackandwalk.aspx?id=36028
The Tongariro Crossing track passes over varied and spectacular volcanic terrain and takes around 7 - 8 hours to complete.

Tawhai Falls
Time is 20 min each way. Begins 4 km below Whakapapa Visitor Centre on SH 48. The falls, which tumble over the edge of an ancient lava flow, are reached after a short stroll through mountain toatoa and beech forest.

Tokaanu Thermal Walk
http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/trackandwalk.aspx?id=36018
Just a 20 minute walk gives visitors the chance to see steaming hot mineral pools and spluttering mud pools. Thermal areas are changeable by nature so please keep to the track.

New Zealand Rugby Museum
(Palmerston North is a brief detour on the way up from Wellington)
87 Cuba Street
PO Box 36
Palmerston North
TELEPHONE +64 (6) 358 6947
E-MAIL info@rugbymuseum.co.nz

The 2007 Excursion