Staying at Mt. Ruapehu Forest & Bird Lodge

Mt. Ruapehu Forest & Bird Lodge- A spectacular place to stay while exploring our beautiful Tongariro National Park.

Over Summer I was lucky enough to stay in the Mt Ruapehu Forest and Bird Lodge with my mum. We had a wonderful time out and about despite the weather showing us almost every different condition we could possibly imagine.

Equipped with our cameras, a tripod and warm clothes (luckily), we headed off up the mountain, stopping at geocache sights for our dose of treasure hunting along the way.

Mum and I have enjoyed participating in geocaching since the end of 2015 when we discovered it through the Department of Conservation ‘Conservation Week’ activities. You download an app which shows you all the geocache sights near you, you get a clue and you then go out to find the little treasures in the form of hidden containers with log books and various trinkets. It is a great way to get out in nature, a fun way to exercise and a wonderful little hobby that can lead you to many new places. We did 9 while we explored the wonderful short walks around the chateau and Mt. Ruapehu.

Our first trip was up Mt Ruapehu on the chairlifts where we enjoyed taking many photos of the beautiful unique landscape of the mountain. I had never seen the ski fields in Summer and it really showed a different side to the geology which would normally be covered in thick snow. As the fog settled in we enjoyed a quick snack at Knoll Ridge Café (the highest café in New Zealand) before heading back down to the Forest and Bird Lodge for lunch.

We then headed along the Ridge Track in the rain and were greeted by a little Robin and several Wax-eye. We also came across what looked like a Pipit but we are still unsure as we had never seen one!

After that it was time to head back for dinner and enjoy the massive lodge. 

The next day was our day of walks. We went on the Lahar Mounds Track, The Tawhai Falls Track and the Nature Walk along with the Ridge Track again. These were all great walks, short and beautiful. My favourite had to be the Tawhai Falls track with a stunning view of the waterfall straight on from the bottom river. I have been learning how to capture flowing water on my camera and this was my test run so I was extremely pleased with how everything turned out.

Despite the weather our trip was absolutely stunning and I would highly recommend staying at the Forest and Bird Lodge if you want to explore the Tongariro National Park. Everything was very close and the views around the lodge were amazing!