The Tramping Life
Conversations with people who share a deep love for exploring Aotearoa New Zealand on foot. From the well-trodden Great Walks to the rugged solitude of remote backcountry routes, our guests share their favourite hikes, huts, and hard-earned lessons from the track.
Whether you’re an experienced tramper or just curious about what makes hiking in New Zealand so special. The Tramping Life offers inspiration, practical insights, and a deeper connection to the landscapes that shape us.
#tramping #hiking #interviews #newzealand #nzhiking #hike #tramp #travel #walking #travel
The Tramping Life
Tongariro Northern Circuit and Around the Mountain Track
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this episode of The Tramping Life, we head to Tongariro National Park for an extended circuit of one of New Zealand’s most iconic landscapes — combining the Tongariro Northern Circuit Great Walk with the Around the Mountain Track into a six-day, 82km loop from Whakapapa Village.
Established in 1887, Tongariro is New Zealand’s oldest national park and a dual UNESCO World Heritage site, recognised for both its natural and cultural significance. At its heart stand three volcanic giants: Mount Ruapehu, Mount Ngauruhoe, and Mount Tongariro. This is a landscape that is geologically young, spiritually significant, and constantly changing.
The Tongariro Northern Circuit is a 43km Great Walk looping around Mount Ngauruhoe and incorporating much of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The Around the Mountain Track is a tougher 66km circuit of Mount Ruapehu, crossing the stark Rangipo Desert and remote eastern flanks of the mountain. Linking the two creates a demanding but logistically straightforward full circuit of the park.
In this episode, I describe a six-day itinerary. Along the way I share reflections from multiple visits to the park — from the busy Alpine Crossing to near-empty backcountry huts, sunrise over Ruapehu, distant views of Mount Taranaki, and the constantly shifting volcanic terrain.
This is not technical mountaineering, but it is serious tramping. The terrain is often rocky and exposed, weather can change rapidly, and some sections involve long days between huts. In winter or shoulder seasons, alpine conditions demand appropriate gear and experience.