Best of Turangi-Tongariro Ward

Turangi-Tongariro Ward Essentials

The Turangi-Tongariro Ward encompasses the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Tongariro National Park and the southern shores of Lake Taupō. This volcanic landscape features the active peaks of Mount Ngāuruhoe and Mount Tongariro, alongside the mineral-tinted Emerald Lakes and the sacred Blue Lake. Cultural highlights include the contemporary Mine Bay Māori Rock Carvings, accessible by boat, and the repurposed 1943 Douglas DC-3 aircraft in Taupō, which serves as a unique local landmark.

QFSE Media / CC BY-SA 3.0 nz

Mine Bay Māori Rock Carvings

Sculpted by Matahi Brightwell in 1980, this giant carving is recognized as one of the most impressive contemporary Māori artworks.

Pseudopanax / Public domain

Lake Taupō

Lake Taupō is a large crater lake in New Zealand's North Island, located in the caldera of Taupō Volcano.

Blueromulan / CC BY-SA 3.0

Tongariro National Park

Tongariro National Park is the oldest national park in New Zealand, located in the central North Island.

Travel & Shit / CC BY-SA 2.0

Mount Ngāuruhoe

Mount Ngauruhoe is a volcanic cone in New Zealand. It is the youngest vent in the Tongariro stratovolcano complex on the Central Plateau of…

Jeffrey Pang / CC BY 2.0

Emerald Lakes

Three water-filled explosion craters located along the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Their brilliant green color is caused by dissolved minerals leaching from the surrounding thermal area and the nearby Red Crater.

Eusebius / CC BY 3.0

Mount Tongariro

A complex volcano comprising at least 12 composite cones and craters. This sacred peak is the centerpiece of New Zealand's oldest national park and is a significant site in Māori mythology.

BayofPlentyA2002296.jpg / Public domain

Taupo Volcano

Lake Taupō, in the centre of New Zealand's North Island, fills the caldera of the Taupō Volcano, a large rhyolitic supervolcano.

Blueromulan / CC BY-SA 3.0

Red Crater

An active scoria cone that marks the highest point of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The crater’s vivid red coloration results from the high-temperature oxidation of iron within the volcanic rock.

ogwen / CC BY-SA 3.0

Blue Lake

A cold, acidic lake filling an ancient volcanic vent. Known to Māori as Te Wai-whakaata-o-te-Rangihiroa, the lake is considered tapu (sacred), and visitors are requested to respect the site by not eating or drinking nearby.

sven f. / CC-BY-SA

Douglas DC-3

A decommissioned 1943 passenger plane parked in Taupō. Formerly part of the South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand, it has been repurposed as a unique dining area for a local restaurant.