If there's a person to tell the story about Tongariro experience, it could be last for 2,3 hours non-stop.
Too many things to tell you! How expressive it is! What I saw? I fell down! I took a night there.... bla bla... bla.... (most Ex-whver knows)
Everyone must put their first priority to cross Tongariro as this is the most "sweet-as" a day Alpine-crossing than other Trekking tracks. If you just do a quick search on Wiki's ad google, it tells you a simple information of the destination, climate, history (Maori story), how long it takes to do the track, bio-geological information.
With my previous experience, I did this during April (cheapest season). We booked through a hostel/backpacker, include 2 nights stay, a bus that pick us from hostel and drop us at Point A (starting), and wait us at Point B (finish at the forest). If you have no clue about how does a Volcano's-look-alike ? (You did not study well in geography during school) This is a great experience that recall what you have studied on book.
picture source from:http://www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz/
In my opinion, it has approximately 20km with up and down, rocky, sandy, misty, foggy and it is cooling during winter, chilling and slippery. It takes 8-9 hours with a slow-slow and non-stop walk and hike from the start to the end. We started at 8.30am and ended exhausted at 4.30pm (we went half way to the summit track in the middle around 1pm)
We got no point to stop half-way for our meal. We just grabbed our toast running (in the forest) while chewing pieces of it, rushed to the very end point as everyone already waited there. We were the last and it is quite embarrassed.
Blue Lake - Alpine lake.. (After this stage, take a Steep hike, then the walking becomes smoother) 11km more after here.
Sandwich. (Food/lunch packed ourself)
Important: Take note! Beware on any notice! Some advises and notices come out as ad-hoc or last minute. (You might got a shock or receive a call from your booked hostel and tell you bad news about the track is closed due to weather condition). It is really upsetting but not to risk any human life.
Expectation: it is a stunning long long way.
The Crossing Backpacker. Well, we do not have any bad experience through this host, and we had a good one overall except the lady reception service was not that good at that time. However, some of my friends complaint about their service attitude and the last-minute inform on the cancellation trip.
Some of others stayers from Germany and Holland also dislike the service attitude during that time Apr 2014. Eg. They asked about the weather condition for tomorrow tracking purpose, but the lady there replied badly to them :"you should check the weather yourself, not me.!" < that is bad>
It is not always that good, still remember news that a Malay Lady seek help from Helicopter rescue.?
Press Release: MALAYSIAN STUDENT STRANDED AT MOUNT TONGARIRO RESCUED
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