Mount Ngauruhoe (aka "Mount Doom" from the Lord of the Rings movies) looms ahead on our fourth day as we start out on the Tongariro Crossing. The nearby snow-covered volcano is Mt. Ruapehu and Mt. Taranaki (on the coast) is visible in the far distance. Others in the group managed to squeeze in a climb all the way up Ngauruhoe before coming back down to rejoin the trail up and over Tongariro. Afterwards we all thoroughly enjoyed a swim in a geothermal pool before returning to our lodge in Turangi.

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