Rakiura Track Huts and Campsites on Stewart Island

Huts: Port William, North Arm
Campsites: Maori Beach, Port William, North Arm
Bookings: Every hut and campsite, all year, 2 nights at most each
Hut fee, 1 October to 30 April: NZ$44 NZ adult, NZ$66 international adult, per night
Campsite fee, 1 October to 30 April: NZ$19 NZ adult, NZ$28 international adult, per night
Track: 32 km (19.9 mi) loop, 3 days, either direction
2027/28 bookings: Not announced. Usually opens around 5 to 30 May (2026 opening: Thursday 21 May 2026, 9:30 am)

Where you sleep

The campsites are not beside the huts, and you may camp only at these three. Each campsite has a cooking shelter, water and a toilet, and campers cannot use the huts. The huts have no gas cooking, lighting or toilet paper, so bring a stove, fuel and candles.

From Oban, DOC describes the loop like this:

Oban to Lee Bay, the park entrance: 5 km (3.1 mi), 1 hr 30 min
Lee Bay to Port William Hut, past Maori Beach Campsite: 8 km (5.0 mi), 3 to 4 hr
Port William Hut to North Arm Hut: 13 km (8.1 mi), about 6 hr, deep mud after long rain
North Arm Hut to Fern Gully car park: 11 km (6.8 mi), 4 to 4 hr 30 min, then 2 km (1.2 mi) to Oban

Fees through the year

The Rakiura Track is booked all year. International adults pay more only from 1 October to 30 April.

Huts, 1 October to 30 April: NZ$44 NZ adult, NZ$66 international adult
Huts, 1 May to 30 June: NZ$38 any adult
Huts, 1 July to 30 September: NZ$31 any adult
Campsites, 1 October to 30 April: NZ$19 NZ adult, NZ$28 international adult
Campsites, 1 May to 30 September: NZ$6 any adult

Booking and getting there

In 2026 Great Walk bookings opened at 9:30 am NZ time on DOC's booking service, bookings.doc.govt.nz, with a virtual queue. DOC's 2026 tips: make an account and test your login before the day, and be online by about 9:15 am. Our guide on how to book a Great Walk covers the rest of the system.

DOC has not announced the 2027/28 opening day. Going by past seasons, booking for the Rakiura Track usually opens around 5 to 30 May. Last year's opening, for stays from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, was Thursday 21 May 2026 at 9:30 am NZ time.

Oban is the island's only town: a 20-minute flight from Invercargill or a 1-hour ferry from Bluff. Shuttles drop off at Lee Bay, and water taxis can reach the huts, though boat access to North Arm depends on the tides. Bring your DOC confirmation, or call in at the Rakiura National Park Visitor Centre in Oban before you start.

Changing or cancelling

Date changes stay inside the 1 July to 30 June booking season, and DOC does not move a booking to a different hut or campsite. Cancelling costs nothing on the day you book or the day after (if your first night is more than 2 days away). After that DOC keeps 10% of a Great Walk booking from 15 or more days out, 50% from 14 to 4 days out, 75% from 3 days out, and all of it on the day you arrive.

Parts of the track cross Māori land, and DOC says access is by courtesy of the owners.

What PermitSnag does here

Each permit page says whether you can set a PermitSnag alert for it, and links to the agency that sells it.

Questions

How many huts are on the Rakiura Track?

Two, Port William Hut and North Arm Hut, plus three campsites at Maori Beach, Port William and North Arm.

Do you need to book the Rakiura Track in winter?

Yes. DOC says every hut and campsite on the Rakiura Track must be booked in advance all year round, for two nights at most at each.

How do you get to the Rakiura Track on Stewart Island?

Fly 20 minutes from Invercargill or take the 1-hour ferry from Bluff to Oban, then walk or take a shuttle to Lee Bay, 5 km away.

When do Rakiura Track bookings open for 2027/28?

Sources

Facts checked against the pages above on 1 November 2026. Fees, dates and rules change; confirm them on the agency's page before you pay.

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