Route: V3 - Tongariro, Ngauruhoe, Ruapehu

Connecting the Tongariro Northern Circuit with Ruapheu Round The Mountain the V3 route takes the runner on an epic adventure through the Tonogariro National Park. Featuring some runnable flowy tracks of the Northern Circuit, but equally highly technical ascents and descents throughout the Rangipo desert and the lahar valleys of the Western slopes of Tongariro. The route can be run in either direction and consideration should be taken for snow, ice and adverse weather.Starting and ending in Whakapapa Village (although as a loop could equally be started from the Ohakune Mountain Road. 

1. V3 is for Volcano 3. The route circumnavigates the 3 prominent volcanoes in the Tongariro National Park. (Tongariro, Ngauruhoe, and Ruapehu).

2. It connects two established tracks one of which is a New Zealand Great Walk. The two tracks are 

the Tongariro Northern Circuit https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/central-north-island/places/tongariro-national-park/things-to-do/tracks/tongariro-northern-circuit/

and the Ruapehu Round The Mountain https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/central-north-island/places/tongariro-national-park/things-to-do/tracks/round-the-mountain-track/

3. Start-stop location is Whakapapa village at the Trail head for the Northern Circuit. (Touch the sign) (which has accommodation within 100m of the trail head),