The park has two other volcanoes on the northern end that last erupted over 20,000 years ago.
These volcanoes have been together building the mountains of Tongariro National Park for over two million years.
Ruapehu is one of the world’s most active volcanoes and the largest active volcano in New Zealand.
Between major eruptions, a beautiful emerald crater lake forms, fed by melting snow.
Their brilliant colors are due to dissolved minerals leaching from the surrounding rocks.
Photo credit
Close to Rupehu is Mount Tongariro which consist of at least 12 volcanic cones.
Ngauruhoe, while often regarded as a separate mountain, is geologically a cone of Tongariro.
