Taupo – Jan. 22nd – Jan. 23rd

I went to Taupo hoping to do a day trip to Tongariro National Park home of Mt. Ngauruhoe which is more commonly known as Mt. Doom for all the Lord of the Rings fans.  Unfortunately the national park is too far to do a day trip unless you’re doing the Tangariro Crossing which is a 12+ mile walk.  I still had a great time in Taupo though.  I did the hike to Huka Falls where New Zealand’s longest river, the Waikato, goes into a narrow chasm forcing a 30 foot drop.  Europeans first came to Taupo during the East Coast Land War in 1868-72 when it was a strategic military base.  After the invention of the car, Taupo became a popular tourist destination since it was easily accessible from most points on the North Island.