东加里诺国家公园是新西兰的第一座国家公园，也是世界第四座国家公园，它位于北岛中部，陶波以南。近来它又成为电影《魔戒》的拍摄场地，更展现其特殊的景观。境内遍布火山碎屑的荒原、冰河谷，更可同时经历无生机的荒漠以及充满生命力的森林及草原。东加里诺国家公园最值得珍惜之处，不只是因为有三座雄伟的火山，也是全世界第一座由原住民捐献出的公园。这个火山国家公园是毛利部落在19世纪献给全部新西兰人的神山，希望得到保护以便免于这块毛利圣地被移民的开发而玷污。
1887年，恩提图华雷图瓦族(Ngati Tuwharetoa)的酋长蒂修修图基诺四世(Te Heuheu Tukino IV，又名Horonuku)，将2630公顷的中部火山地区捐赠给了新西兰政府，其中包括东加里诺山、瑙鲁赫伊山和鲁瓦佩胡山。他将这些山永远地交给了新西兰全体人民。
在上个世纪中，附近土地一点一点地并入国家公园——如今全部面积近80 000公顷。公园的中心，鲁瓦佩胡山(高2797米)，高耸于一片草地高原与火山岩高原上。鲁瓦佩胡山旁边有另外两座较小的火山——瑙鲁赫伊山(活火山)和东加里诺山。站在白雪皑皑的东加里诺山峰顶，视野可横跨北岛，西至塔拉纳基山，东达长满原生树林的凯瓦纳玛山脉(Kaimanawa ranges)。鲁瓦佩胡山上有几座北岛最重要的滑雪场——华卡帕帕(Whakapapa)与图罗瓦(Turoa)。缆车冬夏都开放，为上山观景的游客提供方便。
Tongariro National Park - the heart of the Ruapehu District - is not only a special Park for the people of New Zealand， it is also unique in the world. It is recognised by UNESCO (United Nations Educational， Scientific and Cultural Organisation) as a World Heritage Site under two categories. It is listed because of its unique， active volcanic attributes and also its special cultural significance.
When Horonuku Te Heu Heu Tukino gifted Tongariro to the people of New Zealand， he was also gifting it to the people of the world. The volcanoes of the Park and their glaciers， plants and animals represent a set of landformslandform n.地形 and natural communities which have been recognised as outstanding heritage of international significance.
The volcanoes are unique because of the frequency of eruptions， their highly explosive nature， and the high densitydensity n.密度 of active vents. Ruapehu and Tongariro/Ngauruhoe (technically the same volcano) are two of the world，s most continuously active composite volcanoes.
The Park is considered a unique natural laboratory for scientific study and education on volcanoes.
Another outstanding natural feature is the unusual interplayinterplay v.相互影响 n.相互影响 of volcanic and glacial processes on Ruapehu. Its Crater Lake is one of only two of its type in the world where magma and glacial meltwater interact to gives rise to spectacular eruptions.
The Park was given World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1990， as a natural site of outstanding universal value. It joined the Grand Canyon， Sagarmatha (Mt Everest) National Park， Kilimanjaro and 350 other World Heritage sites.
The Park is now one of a handful of sites from around the world with dual natural and cultural World Heritage status. It was because of the special cultural significance to Te Heu Heu Tukino，s people， Ngati Tuwharetoa， that they gifted the peaks to the Crown， so that ownership of the land would not be broken up.
Natural， Cultural and Historic Features
This was the first national park to be established in New Zealand and the fourth in the world. In 1887 Te Heuheu Tukino IV (Horonuku)， then the paramountparamo n.［地］(南美洲北部尤指安第斯山脉的)高山稀疏草地 chief of Ngati Tuwharetoa， gifted the sacred peaks to the nation. To tangata whenua (people of the land) the mountains are a vital part of their history， their whakapapa (genealogy) and legends are venerated accordingly.
It is said that their ancestor， Ngatoroirangi (the navigator and tohunga of the waka Arawa) was close to death after exploring this mountainous region. He called out to his sisters from his pacific homeland， Hawaiiki， to send him fire. The fire came but its passage left a trail of volcanic vents， from Tongatapu， through Whakaari (White Island)， Rotorua and Tokaanu， before reaching Ngatoroirangi on the slopes of Tongariro.
The three andesitic volcanoes at the heart of the park - the mountains Tongariro， Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu form the southern limits of the Taupo Volcanic Zone. Volcanic activity in the zone started about 2 million years ago and is ongoing today. Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe are two of the most active composite volcanoes in the world. In 1995 and again in 1996 Ruapehu has erupted in spectacular fashion sending clouds of ash and steam skywardskyward adj.向天空的， 向上的 adv.向天空地 and mantling the surrounding snow fields and forest with a thick film of ash.
It is a land of strong contrasts. Chaotic， barren lava flows， winter snowfields， hot springs and active craters can be seen side by side. Its plants too vary considerably， from alpine herbs to thick swathes of tussocks and flax， from the hardy， lowgrowing shrubs of the Rangipo gravelfield to dense beech forests. It is a harsh environment for plants； poor pumice soils and volcanic activity slows the development of diverse forests yet some pockets of magnificent podocarp forest can be found. They survived the eruption of Lake Taupo (1800 years ago) because they were sheltered on southwest slopes of Ruapehu.
Tongariro is home to many amazing native creatures including New Zealand，s only native mammals， the short and long tailed bats. Birds you might see during daylight include North Island robins， fantailsfantail n.扇状尾， 扇尾鸽， parakeetsparakeet n.［鸟］长尾小鹦鹉 and even a kereru (native pigeon) or two. Smaller， but no less interesting are the numerous insects that live in the park.
Things to Do Walking
Backcountry huts， located throughout the park， are linked by excellent track systems.
One of the best one day walks in the country is the traverse of Mount Tongariro (known as the Tongariro Crossing). It can be done as part of the longer Northern Circuit， one of New Zealand，s Great Walks.
There are also many easy， short walks： to spectacular waterfall and fascinating volcanic features and through a variety of landscapes from open herbfields to magnificent podocarp forest.
The Rimu Track nature walk at Ohakune and the Alpine Walk at Whakapapa are both wheelchair accessible.
Walks brochures are available from the Whakapapa Visitor Centre and other local visitor centres.
Mountaineering and Climbing
Winter routes to the mountain summits are suitable for experienced trampers/climbers only. Rockclimbing is also an option.
Snow Sports
Two of New Zealand，s largest ski fields， Whakapapa and Turoa， are located within the park. Both fields are owned and managed by the same company， Ruapehu Alpine Lifts.