Tongariro National Park History
In 1887 Te Heuheu Tukino IV (Horonuku), then the paramount chief of Ngati Tuwharetoa, gifted 2,630ha of the central volcano area including the sacred peaks of Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu to the New Zealand Government . 
Tongariro National Park was designated a National Park in 1987. In 1993, Tongariro National Park became the first place in the world to be listed as a World Heritage Site for the spiritual and cultural values that the landscape holds for local Maori.
Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu have all erupted in recent times with the region noted for the frequency of eruptions, their highly explosive nature and the high density of volcanic events. Originally 2,630 ha, the Tongariro National Park now covers 79,598 ha.
To tangata whenua (people of the land), the mountains are a vital part of their history and their whakapapa (genealogy), and legends are venerated accordingly.
Ko Tongariro te maunga Tongariro is the mountain
Ko Taupō te moana Taupō is the lake
Ko Ngati Tuwharetoa te tangata Ngati Tuwharetoa are the people
Ko Te Heuheu te tangata Te Heuheu is the man
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 erupted in spectacular fashion, sending clouds of ash and steam skyward and mantling the surrounding snow fields and forest with a thick film of ash.
This is a land of strong contrasts. Chaotic, barren lava flows, winter snowfields, hot springs and active craters can be seen side by side. Plants, too, vary considerably, from alpine herbs to thick swathes of tussocks and flax; from the hardy, low-growing shrubs of the Rangipo gravel-field to dense beech forests. It is a harsh environment for plants. Poor pumice soils and volcanic activity slow the development of diverse forests, yet some pockets of magnificent podocarp forest can be found. They survived the eruption of Lake Taupō (1800 years ago) because they were sheltered on the 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, fantails, parakeets and even a kereru (native pigeon) or two. Smaller, but no less interesting, are the numerous insects that live in the park.
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