Tongariro National Park, New Zealand

Upper Tama Lake, Tongariro National Park
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NgauruhoeUpperTama.JPG
Author: Arne Hückelheim


Tongariro National Park is a mixed-property World Heritage Site in New Zealand, celebrating the cultural landscape of the Maori people. The core zone covers 795.98 sq km, on the North Island of New Zealand. The site, which is managed by the New Zealand Department of Conservation, has in recent years been receiving a million visitors annually. It is just one of the twenty five sites in the world to hold the mixed-property designation.

Tongariro National Park has fabulous landscape of volcanic mountains. Some of these are still active, among them Mount Ruapehu, Mount Ngauruhoe and the namesake Mount Tongariro. The area has been considered tapu, or sacred, by the Maori since prehistoric times.

Ohakune Mountain Road, Mount Ruapehu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ohakune_Mountain_Road,_Mount_Ruapehu.jpg
Author: Pseudopanax

Visiting Tongariro National Park

The most practical way to reach this World Heritage Site, apart from joining a package tour, is to drive. You can park your car at the Whakapapa Village car park and take a shuttle to the start of the track, and at the end of it, take the shuttle back to your car. The fare for the shuttle trip is NZ$15.

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Tongariro National Park was inscribed as a World Heritage Site during the 14th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Banff, Canada on 7 - 12 December, 1990.

Location: S39 17 27 E175 33 44
Inscription Year: 1990
Type: Mixed
Inscription Criteria: VI, VII, VIII

Mount Tongariro
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mount_Tongariro.jpg
Author: Mirko Thiessen

List of World Heritage Sites in New Zealand and World Heritage Sites in the World

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