Fans of LOTR – we climbed Mount Doom!
Besides the fact that a lot of the battle scenes for LOTR were filmed in this national park, the Tongariro Crossing was described as the “finest one-day walk in New Zealand.” Honestly, we had low expectations (especially given the hype) – how could anything beat the beauty of the South Island?
Well, there’s a reason why LOTR was filmed here – lots of volcanic activity has made climbing certain parts of the mountain extremely dangerous. But it was this same activity – hot steam coming out from beneath our feet – that made the entire journey so surreal. Add to that snow-covered mountains and emerald pools — it was truly a great hike.
