The Department of Conservation is encouraging people to prepare to grab their spot when bookings open for popular huts, campsites and Great Walks later this month.
“The most-loved experiences during peak times such as the holidays tend to book up quickly, but there’s plenty to choose from across the network,” DOC heritage and visitor director Catherine Wilson says.
DOC has upgraded its booking system ready for Great Walks 2025/26 bookings, which open from May 15, 2025. Catherine Wilson says people booking Great Walks will notice some changes this year.
“We’ve introduced a new industry-leading lobby system, similar to those used by concert-booking companies, so customers have a smoother experience, and we can better manage the very high demand when bookings first open.”
Catherine says the opening dates for all facilities are staggered between May 13 to June 4 to give people making multiple bookings a better chance of securing their preferred slot.
“We’ve re-shuffled the booking schedule* to balance demand across the weeks so the Kepler, Heaphy and Rakiura Great Walks open first on Wednesday, May 15, and the exceptionally popular Milford Track will open last on Wednesday, May 28.
“While the most popular Great Walks such as Milford and Routeburn book out very fast on the day, there are often cancellations so it’s worth keeping an eye on the booking website. Other experiences, such as Abel Tasman and Heaphy have more capacity and don’t generally book out on opening day.”
On opening morning, users logging into their DOC account will be redirected to the lobby and assigned a number. At 9.30am the queue will start to move steadily into the booking system.
“We continue to ask users to be patient when booking. New Zealand’s Great Walks face massive demand with close to 100,000 people booking a Great Walk annually, 35 per cent of whom are international visitors,” says Catherine.
“We’re lucky to have stunning mountains, forests, beaches, parks, lakes and rivers on our doorstep, and incredible tracks, huts and campsites for people to enjoy them.”
The Great Walks vary in their length, challenge, and the necessary skills and fitness required. Walkers are encouraged to read about the options on DOC’s website and pick the Great Walk best suited to their skills and experience. As part of regular price reviews, customers may notice price increases at some facilities next season.
Price increases range between 5-15 per cent for the Milford, Routeburn, Kepler, Abel Tasman Coast Track, and Paparoa Great Walks and several high-demand huts and cottages. Some of DOC’s standard and serviced campsites have increased by $3-$5 per person per night. User charges contribute to the running costs of DOC’s recreation network, Catherine says.
“User fees are an increasingly important tool for improving the financial sustainability of the visitor network.
“New Zealand has a huge variety of DOC facilities with price points for all budgets. Just make sure you book huts, campsites, and cottages early to secure popular dates and times,” says Catherine.
