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New Zealand guide

Tongariro Alpine Crossing Booking: Free, Recommended and Who Needs One

DOC recommends that everyone walking any part of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing books in advance, and the booking is free. It is only required if you use a shuttle or a guided walk. DOC says nobody is penalised for arriving without one and there is no cap on bookings, so a date cannot sell out. The crossing is 20.2 km (12.6 mi) one way, a 7 to 8 hour day from November to April and about 9 hours from May to October.

Booking
Free, recommended for every walker
Required for
A shuttle or a guided walk
Cap on bookings
None, DOC says
Length
20.2 km (12.6 mi) one way
Walking time
7 to 8 hours November to April, 9 hours May to October
Highest point
Red Crater, 1886 m (6,188 ft)
Booking system started
October 2023

Who should book

DOC recommends a booking for anyone using any part of the track. That includes people who walk only a section, and it names these groups:

  • Walkers doing the whole crossing or part of it
  • Te Araroa walkers
  • Soda Springs track users
  • Tongariro Northern Circuit day visitors
  • Mangatepōpō Hut day visitors
  • School groups, tramping clubs and climbers

How to book

You make one booking per group. DOC asks for a contact phone number, an email address and the name of your group leader, and the group leader gets the booking receipt. Save it: DOC says your group needs to show a digital or paper copy to rangers at the car park.

You can book online, ask any visitor centre, local information centre or isite to book for you, or let your walking guide or shuttle operator do it. If you lose the receipt, fill in the online form again. To change the date, fill it in again and choose the option for a rebooked trip. DOC says you do not need to cancel.

If you hold a Northern Circuit booking

A Tongariro Northern Circuit hut or campsite booking exempts you from booking the crossing separately. Those hut and campsite nights do sell out and open on DOC's Great Walks schedule. The Tongariro Northern Circuit page on this site has the hut fees and the booking dates.

The walk

The track starts at 1120 m (3,675 ft) on a boardwalk through the Mangatepōpō Valley. The first 5.4 km (3.4 mi) are shared with the Soda Springs Walk, which DOC calls an easy 2 hour return. After that the track climbs about 350 m up a staircase to South Crater, then up to Red Crater at 1886 m (6,188 ft), the high point. A steep scree descent leads to the Emerald Lakes, past Blue Lake, and down the northern slopes to Ketetahi Road at 760 m (2,493 ft).

From Labour weekend in late October to 30 April DOC grades it an intermediate tramping track. From May to October it grades it an expert route: snow, ice, avalanche risk and sub-zero temperatures are possible, alpine skills are essential, and DOC says it is best to go with a guide.

Parking and shuttles

From Labour weekend to 30 April, DOC puts a 4 hour maximum on parking at the road ends and suggests you book a shuttle. A shuttle needs a crossing booking, so book the crossing first or let the operator do it.

After the 2025 fires

Two fires in late 2025 burned large areas of Tongariro National Park, including the area around the start of the crossing. Expect blackened ground and burnt vegetation, and some regrowth. Hapū Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro have placed a 10 year restorative rāhui over the affected area, and DOC asks you to stay on the track, stay out of the fire-affected areas, clean your shoes and gear before you visit, and take your rubbish home. No dogs are allowed.

What PermitSnag does here

The Tongariro Northern Circuit page says whether you can set a PermitSnag alert for its huts, and links to the agency that sells them.

Questions

Do you need to book the Tongariro Alpine Crossing?

DOC recommends it for everyone but does not require it, unless you use a shuttle or a guided walk. Visitors who arrive at the start without a booking are not penalised.

How much does the Tongariro Alpine Crossing booking cost?

Nothing. DOC says there is no cost to book.

Can the Tongariro Alpine Crossing sell out?

DOC says there is no cap on the number of bookings, so a date cannot sell out through the booking system.

How long is the Tongariro Alpine Crossing?

20.2 km (12.6 mi) one way. DOC gives 7 to 8 hours from November to April and 9 hours from May to October.

Does a Tongariro Northern Circuit booking cover the Tongariro Alpine Crossing?

Yes. DOC says visitors with a Northern Circuit hut or campsite booking are exempt from booking the crossing.

Who do you call in an emergency on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing?

Call 111. For booking questions, the Tongariro National Park Visitor Centre is on +64 7 892 3729.

Sources

Facts checked against the pages above on 6 November 2026. Fees, dates and rules change; confirm them on the agency's page before you pay.

In an emergency in New Zealand, call 111.