This Iconic New Zealand National Park Is As Mesmerizing As It Is Dangerous

In the epic "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, Sam and Frodo struggled with obstacles and unexpected dangers in order to cross the land of Mordor on their epic quest, and you might find yourself in similar predicaments should you choose to visit New Zealand's Tongariro National Park, where those scenes were filmed. Although New Zealand's South Island can be the vacation experience of a lifetime, visitors are flocking to the North Island's Tongariro to get that Mordor experience.

Because of New Zealand's proximity to Antarctica, and the steepness of the mountains, the weather at Tongariro is unpredictable. Winds whip around the tall, steep flanks of the volcanoes. Snow, rain, and frost are possible on any given day of the year, even in the height of summer — which, being in the Southern Hemisphere, is the opposite of summer in North America, falling between December and May. And the volcanoes here are active, coughing up plumes of smoke and ash from time to time, with the possibility of an eruption always on the horizon. The last one was in 2012, sending steam, ash, and rocks flying.

The colors of this landscape are intense: black scoria, blood red lichens, yellow ochre geothermal pools, and the sulforous, glowing Emerald Lakes. As volcanoes go, the scenery here is equal to the bucket list hike up Mt. Etna in Sicily. But the price for these views is some very difficult terrain for hiking. Fortunately, you can see many of the sights by taking the Sky Waka gondola ride. Two of the 10 gondola cars are equipped with transparent floors, so request one of those. Once you arrive, there's a civilized surprise waiting to calm your adrenaline rush: an unexpectedly lavish high tea service.

The spectacular Skyline Track on the flanks of Mt. Ruapehu takes visitors on a difficult yet short hike across this otherworldly landscape to a view of Mount Ngauruhoe (pictured above), menacingly belching puffs of steam. Ngauruhoe played the role of Mount Doom in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy: That's the mountain Frodo scales to cast the Ring of Power into its glowing volcanic maw. Take the gondola ride to the trailhead, with sweeping views of the volcanic region's ravishing desolation along the way. The black scoria you'll be walking over — which lends the region its dramatic, sinister appearance — can be slippery, so wear lug-soled shoes and bring your trekking poles.

Many of the routes in Tongariro consist of markers rather than trails, because you'll be scrambling over slippery volcanic ash. And if you do decide on an extended, multi-day hike — which New Zealanders charmingly call tramping — be prepared to wait days for a suitable weather window or have your backpacking trip canceled.

While a small number of tourists have actually died on the Hike of Death near Peru's Macchu Pichu, a whopping 57 hikers have died over the past decade on the popular Tongariro Alpine Circuit, with 30 to 40 rescues on the trail every year. For this reason, day hikers are urged to travel prepared to spend an unexpected night in the wilderness.

Fancy hitting the slopes in August? Here you can. But do take the safety and weather warnings seriously. There are trained avalanche dogs standing by for a very good reason. And if you hear a loud siren while skiing or snowboarding, that's the Eruption Detection System warning you to get out of the valleys quickly and seek safety on the higher ridge lines.