Tongariro Alpine Crossing with Shuttle Transfers

About This Experience

This listing sells two products under one title. The $37 option is a park-and-ride: you drive to the Ketetahi end, leave your car, ride to Mangatepopo and walk the track back to it. The $74 option is a shuttle from Taupō: a driver collects you in Taupō, takes you to Mangatepopo and brings you back after the walk. GetYourGuide shows 4.7 from 415 reviews for the listing, and it displays 8 to 10 hours for the day.

For the Taupō option, the listing says it takes about an hour to drive to the mountain in the morning and an hour back, which makes the 10 hour day. The listing does not name the Taupō pickup spots; the options appear when you check availability, and the listing gives no start time, so confirm yours on your voucher. The park-and-ride option has no town pickup at all, only the car park at the finish.

The walk is about 19.4 km according to DOC (the listing says 20 km), from Mangatepopo at 1,120 m to Red Crater at 1,886 m and down to Ketetahi Road at 760 m. DOC suggests 7 to 8 hours in summer. The listing says your driver gives weather information, a map and an information sheet before you set off. On clear days the climb up Devil's Staircase can give views toward Mt Taranaki.

Reviewers raise two cautions. One said the meeting point was unclear because the instructions did not match the real spot, so use the listed location (WMP5+3F, Otukou) and email the operator if unsure. Another missed the last return shuttle and had to walk partly along the highway to the car park. The listing mentions a free afternoon shuttle between 1 and 5 pm, so find out the last run before you start walking.

Highlights

• Walk past Soda Springs, Red Crater (1,886 m), Emerald Lakes and Blue Lake.
• Choose at booking between the $37 park-and-ride and the $74 Taupō pickup.
• Climb Devil's Staircase, with views toward Mt Taranaki on clear days.
• Start with your driver's weather update before you set off.
• Set your own pace on the track, with the afternoon shuttle window in mind.
• Day length is 8 to 10 hours, depending on the option.

What's Included

• ✓ Pickup and drop-off as set by the option you choose
• ✓ Park-and-ride option: transfer between the Ketetahi end and Mangatepopo
• ✓ Taupō option: pickup in Taupō and return there after the walk
• ✓ Weather information from your driver before the walk
• ✓ Map and information sheet
• ✓ A free afternoon shuttle between 1 and 5 pm, according to the listing

Not Included

• Food and drink
• Your own transport to the car park (park-and-ride option)
• Your free DOC track booking, which you complete yourself online

What to Bring

• Hiking shoes
• Comfortable clothes for the weather
• Water (DOC advises 2 to 3 liters)
• Sunscreen
• Comfortable shoes for the drive and car park
• Food

Good to Know & Caveats

• The listing says the activity may be cancelled for bad weather, and you can then take a full refund or move to another day.
• GetYourGuide shows free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead and lets you reserve now and pay later.
• Several car parks sit near the end of the track, so use the location on the listing and email the operator if you are unsure.
• Learn the last shuttle time before you start walking; one reviewer missed it and walked to the car park along the highway.
• DOC's online booking is free, recommended for everyone and required if you use a shuttle.

Meeting Point

Park-and-ride: the Tongariro Crossing Park & Ride off State Highway 46 near the end of the track (WMP5+3F, Otukou on the listing). Taupō option: the pickup point shown when you book.