Northern Circuit in a Day

Location: Tongariro Northern Circuit

Dates: 9th–11th May 2025

People: Tom(author), Sean (organiser), Harris, Scarlett, Matteo, Danyon, Satyam, Max

Spondonical, sprains, and 43ks — trampers turned ultra-marathoners.

We met at the clock tower at 1 PM on a lugubrious Friday afternoon. Rain pattered down — not ideal tramping conditions. But this wasn’t a typical tramp. We swapped our boots for trail shoes, packs for running vests, and began the transformation from trampers to trail runners.

After a smooth drive to the bustling metropolis of Taupō, we made a mandatory Pak’nSave stop before searching for sustenance. Sean had hyped up a legendary spot called Double Happy Takeaways — only to realise, upon arrival, that this was not the place he remembered. Nevertheless, we filled our bellies with a glorious mix of Chinese takeaways, burgers, and fries, and prepared mentally for a damp walk into Waihohonu Hut.

As we turned off onto the Desert Road, the rain remained relentless, only easing as we reached the carpark — which was entirely flooded. But the mighty Subaru and humble Toyota Aqua persevered. We trudged through knee-deep water and reached the hut around 9:15 PM. Thankfully, it was nearly empty and the fire was roaring. Out of respect for the few others already asleep, we laid out our mats in the communal area, marae-style.

We awoke on Saturday to a cold but clear morning. After Danyon spent 20 minutes wrestling his contact lenses in, and Scarlett debuted her iconic creeper toe socks, we fuelled up and set off.

Hut-goers were baffled to hear we planned to run the circuit in a day. We’d heard stories of queues atop the Tongariro Crossing during peak season, but we were pleasantly surprised by the clear trails and perfect weather. A true bluebird day — Mt Taranaki gleamed in the distance.

We split into two groups but regularly regrouped for snacks, banter, and morale boosts. I (Tom) twisted my ankle descending from the crossing, but with the help of our future doctors, Danyon and Matteo, and the motivational words of David Goggins (“stay hard!”), I sucked it up and pushed through the remaining 26 kilometres.

The final stretch back to Waihohonu was filled with laughter, sore legs, and collective euphoria. When we arrived, we were a little dismayed to find the hut now packed to the rafters with families and children. Thankfully, we’d saved spots, and the early bedtime of the toddlers worked in our favour. One child’s 6 AM crying fit became our Sunday wake-up call.

After a relaxed pack-up and sunny walk out, we stopped in Tokoroa at a modest kebab shop — Sean’s final food pick of the trip. Once again, we were well-fed and deeply content.

Final thoughts:

An excellent trip with great company, unbeatable weather, and a new way to experience the Tongariro Circuit. Trading heavy boots and packs for running shoes and banter was a win. Off-season is the way to go!