A Photographer’s Guide to Tongariro National Park

Dramatic snow-crowned volcanoes, cascading waterfalls and varied environments from wetland to windswept tussocks, are all that make Tongariro National Park a photographer’s dream spot.

There is a lot to explore in New Zealand’s oldest national park and during the winter it becomes a magical wonderland. This guide will have you exploring and photographing the most picturesque spots in the Tongariro National Park during the winter months.

Mt Ngauruhoe

Perhaps best known as Mt Doom by Lord of the Rings fans, Mt Ngauruhoe is perhaps one of the most dramatic sights in the Tongariro Park. This is an active stratovolcano volcano that rises from the horizon line in a glorious cone shape.

In winter, it has a heavy snow crown that adds to the beauty of the scene. There are many spots in the park where you can have a great view of the volcano. Drive up Bruce Road and stop at the Scoria Fields and you will have a dramatic view of the volcano on a clear day. Come up here at sunrise and sunset for an even more dramatic view of Mt Ngauruhoe, where the skies can range from soft pinks to fiery oranges and if you are lucky, you may even see a cloud inversion. Where a carpet of clouds creates a dreamy and whimsical picture for you to frame with your camera. A night shoot will make for a beautiful scene, thousands of stars twinkling above Ngauruhoe. But don’t forget to pack your tripod for this venture.

Tama Lakes

This one’s for the enthusiastic hikers out there. The walk to the Tama Lakes takes around 6-8 hours, but offers amazing views of the Tongariro Park, so the trek is worth the sweat. You traverse through an alpine environment of tussocks, with glorious grand mountains in the background on a clear day.

Views from when you reach the lower Tama lake are spectacular with a lake nestled in the Tama Saddle between Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe. For those who still have some energy left, you can scramble up to the Upper Tama Lake view point, which involves a gruelling incline and skee rather than a path. But again, the views are worth the sweat and burning calf muscles, with the upper Tama Lake having Ngauruhoe rising in the background.

In winter, snow can be seen sprinkled over the mountains and around the lakes.

Use a wide-angle lens to get the whole scene in and bring your tripod or a friend to get a snap with you in this amazing scene.

Waitonga Waterfalls and Rotokawa Pools

The Waitonga Falls gets its fame from being the tallest waterfall in Tongariro National Park at 39m tall. The walk to the falls is an hour one way and at the halfway point is another amazing photo location, the Rotokawa Pools. These pools offer amazing reflections of Mount Ruapehu on a clear day.

At sunrise, the clouds can be dramatic pink and the light spectacular, as the mountains slowly light up with the rising sun.

In winter, the pools can also ice over during the freezing temperatures, which offer a cool mosaic like texture over the water.

Continue on, and after descending many flights of stairs you finally arrive at the Waitonga Falls. Use a wide angle lens to get the falls in all their glory, all 39m of them, and bring a tripod if you want to try some long exposures of the waterfall.

Mangawhero Falls

This waterfall is famous for being the filming location of Smeagol from the Lord of the Rings feasting on a dead raw fish, but it is also famous for being a really beautiful waterfall. This walk is a lot shorter than the Waitonga falls, a very easy five minute walk to the viewpoint. On a cloudy grey day, the waterfalls look even more spectacular with a moody vista. In winter, icicles can form around the waterfall making for a dramatic photo.

From the carpark, you have great views of Mt Ruapehu on a clear day as well, so make sure to snap a few photos before you set off for the falls. Bring a wide lens to get the whole scene in, move around to get different views of the waterfall, perhaps try and frame it with nearby foliage to add some creative flair.

The Chateau Hotel

The historical Chateau hotel looks like something from a Stephen King novel. Eerie and stately, it sits regally on the ridge as you drive up to Whakapapa Village. It is one of the first things you see as you come up SH48 and it definitely makes an impression. As the sun sets, the lights turn on in the Chateau. This offers a beautiful photo opportunity, where the Chateau is illuminated in the darkening sky. Walk up the ridge track, which is a short but steep hike and you will have views of the Chateau below along with Mt Ruapehu in front.

If you have the cash, check yourself into the hotel to grab some cool photos of their pre-depression deco interior (the hotel was built in 1929).

Use a wide angle lens to get the whole impressive structure in the frame, or use a telephoto if you are shooting from the nearby Ridge Track to zoom in on the hotel from above.

Mt Ruapehu

Sprawling and impressive. Mt Ruapehu is a volcano that always awes, no matter how many times your eyes fall upon it. It is the mountain that many flock to during the snow season to ski and snowboard down its slopes, but it is also a mountain great for photos for those who are not into that sporty scene. Drive up Bruce Road and park up at the ski field car parks, Mt Ruapehu will be standing tall behind you. A shot of the SH48 road leading up to Mt Ruapehu can make for a great scene, this can be achieved from Whakapapa Village.

You can see Mt Ruapehu from a number of walks and vantage points, with it being a huge volcano. Use a wide angle to get the whole volcano in the scene along with some interesting foreground, or use a tele to zoom in on the ridges and details of the volcano.

Silica Rapids

Creamy white rapids rushing over terraces of rocks, the Silica Rapids is an interesting volcanic phenomenon. This phenomenon occurs because the water is aerated and the aluminum and silicate minerals that are in the water are deposited onto the stream bed floor. The walk to the silica rapids goes through many different types of environments, from beech forests where you can take photos of forest birds such as the miromiro (Tomtit) and lush green ferns, to walking over an alpine bog where sundew plants and mātātā (fernbirds) lurk, and there are amazing views of the surrounding volcanoes on clear days.

And then we reach the Silica Rapids, where you can take photos of this cool natural phenomenon.
Use a wide angle lens to get alot of the rapids in the frame, or use a telephoto if you wish to get some cool bird photos in the forest. A macro lens would also be great in the forest, to capture some interesting perspectives and textures.