One of the highlights of my 4-month stint in New Zealand back in 2019 was completing the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
The full-day hike covered a wide range of landscapes, including fluorescent green lakes and desert-y stretches that felt like we were walking around on Mars.
Casual lunch break in front of an active volcano
The 12-ish mile hike passes over volcanic terrain, through craters and around the Emerald and Blue Lakes.
Since the hike requires an early morning start, we stayed at the nearby Awhi Farm in the foothills of Mount Ruapehu and experienced 2 nights of camping at the rustic farm.
Manuka honey bees
Fresh veggies galore
Camp kitchen
We enjoyed cooking in the outdoor camp kitchen with fresh eggs, veggies and honey from the farm but my favorite part of our visit was hanging with the kune pig who acted like the family dog.