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DOC has announced that bookings for the 2025/26 season for New Zealand’s Great Walks and other huts and campsites will open in May.
Opening dates are staggered between May 13-28 to give people making multiple bookings a better chance of securing their preferred slot.
DOC has upgraded the booking system, so it is easier for people to use. This includes implementing a queue system on opening days, to smooth the experience for customers and to better manage very high demand at peak times.
“New Zealand’s Great Walks are hugely popular both here and internationally – it’s our biggest draw card for international tourists,” says DOC director of heritage and visitors Cat Wilson.
“Great Walks offer diverse multi-day experiences across spectacular landscapes, on well-formed and maintained tracks.
“Our newest Great Walk – Hump Ridge Track – was recently named on a list of ‘Top 25 trails to explore around the globe in 2025’; the only walk to feature from Oceania.
“Around 50 per cent of international visitors come here to experience our national landscapes and environment, and around 50 per cent of international tourists visit New Zealand’s national parks.”
The Heaphy, Kepler and Rakiura tracks are the first Great Walks to open on May 15, and the Hump Ridge Track will open at the same time. The ever-popular Milford Track will open last on May 28. DOC recommends people wanting to book a Great Walk have a profile set up before opening day.
The Great Walks mythbuster post explains why some Great Walks book out faster than others.
Bookings for other DOC accommodation will also open in this period, from May 13-21. Bookings go live at 9.30am on the opening day.
“It’s been a busy summer to date and it’s great seeing more people are enjoying Great Walks, with bookings up five per cent on the previous year,” says Cat.
“So far, 67 per cent of all Great Walk bednights booked were by New Zealanders, up from 60 per cent pre-pandemic and 65 per cent last summer. In all, New Zealanders booked more than 45,000 bednights on the Great Walks between December 15, 2024, and January 26, 2025.
“We’re lucky to have mountains, forests, beaches, parks, lakes and rivers on our doorstep,” says Cat.
“With demand for spots on some of our Great Walks still very high, people should consider some of the less well-known walks which are just as spectacular.
“We are focused on ensuring these iconic national places continue to thrive so we can continue offering outstanding experiences.”
