Tongariro National Park
In the heart of New Zealand's first National Park (created in 1887) are the mountains of Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro. These volcanoes give Tongariro National Park it's unique and eerie landscape.
These three mountains are made up of layers of lava, ash and mud, and all have all erupted in the last 100 years, with Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu currently the most active.
A massive eruption about 1800 years ago created what is now lake Taupo and wiped out vast areas of forest and covered the park in pumice, there are still patches of forest around Ruapehu but continuing volcanic eruptions are still effecting the vegetation.
Tongariro is home to many amazing native creatures including New Zealand's only native mammals, the short and long tailed bats. Birds you might see during daylight include north island robins, fantails, parakeets and kereru's (native pigeon).