The track is beautiful but beware: some parts need appropriate footware (read hiking boots!

we did meet people in tennis shoes but they were visibly struggling), fitness (steep!) and especially good sense of balance (going up and down gravel tracks or lahar fields, walking sticks won't hurt either). Don't forget sunscreen as almost all of the track is in full exposure.

We took the wrong track after the hut (the one signed Horopito - there are three tracks departing from the hut, the middle one is correct) but even with the half hour detour we just barely took longer than the expected 5 hours.

Would highly recommend as views are beautiful but it is not very crowded. We wanted to escape the crowds at Tongariro crossing and were satisfied.

Reviewed almost 6 years ago