← PreviousEncounters and discoveries in New Zealand: from Wellington to Cape PalliserThis park was the very first created in New Zealand and the fourth in the world, so it had naturally become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its most famous hiking trail, the Tongariro Crossing, is twenty kilometres long and takes you across the mountain to discover the Blue Lake and the Emerald Lakes. Naturally, it was used in filming the Lord of the Rings trilogy, notably for Mount Doom. However, the weather there is often very fickle, and the walk is impossible if it rains. So we arrived at the hotel to be told no shuttle would leave the next morning. It was annoying, but the weather was against us. We enjoyed the spa included in the price of the room, then ate a steak at the bar next door, the Schnapps, where the TV and sound system played kitsch 90s tunes. The next day, despite the gloomy weather, we still made the most of it by walking the lower trails on the mountain. They weren't exceptional, but at least they existed and let us burn off some energy. At noon we headed north on Route 39, and since the weather was rainy, we agreed on an indoor activity.