We’re thrilled the Tussock Traverse will be return for 2026 - mark your calendar now!
Saturday, 28 March 2026
Project Tongariro provides volunteer course marshals to cover all positions from Tukino Road right through to the Chateau Tongariro (which includes the Waihohonu Track marshals) and a BBQ team who look after participants when they cross the finish line. It’s a fun day out and an important fundraising opportunity. Project Tongariro is the sole benefactor of the Tussock Traverse, and this event is our major annual fundraiser, raising around $5K each year to support our conservation, restoration and environmental efforts.
We need 30+ volunteers to cover the course marshal locations, along with another 15+ to help with the BBQ team. We're always looking for keen helpers on the day – if you'd like to be part of the team, email us at info@tongariro.org.nz
As part of event organisers Ohakune Events Charitable Trust’s ongoing support of Project Tongariro, at the time of entering, participants can opt-out of receiving a medal and a native tree will be planted in the region instead. Entrants can also choose to make specific one off donations to Project Tongariro during the online entry process to assist with planting a tree or multiple trees.
About the course
The course cuts across the heart of the World Heritage Tongariro National Park, starting off at the Desert Road on the eastern side of Tongariro Nation Park and taking in the Rangipo Desert and Waihohonu traverse track before finishing at the Chateau Tongariro in Whakapapa to the west.
32km Tussock Traverse Experience
You begin near the beginning of Tukino Access Road. On your journey you’ll see true desert landscape features, wind sculptured sands and volcanic rock to Waihohonu stream. The Waihohonu Hut is the only hut on this section. Highlights include passing between Mount Ruapehu on your left and Mount Ngāuruhoe and Tongariro on your right. You’ll climb to the Tama Saddle before descending homeward on well formed tracks. The final 10km or so are a gentle downhill past the impressive Taranaki Falls and onto the finish line. Overall, the track surface is excellent and the elevation is quite gentle.
21km Tussock Traverse Experience
The first 5.5km is a wonderful mix of some sandy and some hard packed 4WD trail with small sections of boardwalk, beech forests and a bridged stream crossing. After passing the Hut, highlights include passing between Mount Ruapehu on your left and Mount Ngāuruhoe and Tongariro on your right. You’ll climb to the Tama Saddle before descending homeward on well formed tracks. The final 10km or so are a gentle downhill past the impressive Taranaki Falls and onto the finish line. Overall, the track surface is excellent and the elevation is quite gentle and would make a stunning choice for your first off road Half Marathon.
12km and/or 6km Tussock Traverse Experience
This fantastic loop featuring the Taranaki Falls is recommended for families and those new to the excitement of off-road adventures. This course gives you the challenge of navigating undulating terrain while remaining an achievable distance to bring you through to a strong finish at the Chateau Tongariro. The 12km course complete 2x laps of the Upper and Lower Taranaki Falls Loop.
Project Tongariro has been involved with the Tussock Traverse since its conception in 2006.
Over the years it has become an iconic event for both its spectacular setting in World Heritage Tongariro National Park and for its ongoing contribution to conservation and restoration projects in the park.
The sand dunes around the Tukino mountain road, the start of the Tussock Traverse, have been the site of a successful, ongoing restoration project. The Tussock Traverse through Project Tongariro has been a major contributor.
Decades ago, the Ministry of Works planted marram grass to stabilise the sand dunes. However, the negative impact of this plan became apparent in more recent years as the vigorous and invasive marram grass seriously threatened the native plants in this area. A plan to eradicate the marram grass through spraying was implemented and was successful. Despite this, the original problem of erosion still existed. 4WD activity off the formed road has furthered the degradation of this area.
Together, DOC and Project Tongariro instigated and continue to support the community restoration programme to plant tussocks in the area to help stabalise the landscape. The partnership of Plateau Events, organisers of the Tussock Traverse, and Project Tongariro together with event participants help to make the restoration work possible.
Each competitor in the Tussock Traverse is given a tussock plant on the day and they have the choice to donate it back to Project Tongariro to be planted as part of the community tussock re-vegetation programme. In addition, for every competitor, Project Tongariro and Plateau Events provide an additional tussock for the cause. Then, in October of every year, Project Tongariro organises a volunteer group to go forth and plant the tussocks. Every year since 2006 around 400 tussocks, over 2000 in total, have been donated and planted in the area and you can now really see the difference in the landscape.
So by participating in the Tussock Traverse, each entrant knows that they are directly making a difference to the local landscape and contributing to the ongoing conservation of Tongariro National Park. And for those participants that are keen to follow the conservation effort full circle, competitors and families are invited to join the volunteer effort in October to help plant the tussocks.