Skip to primary navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
  • Best hikes in New Zealand

TONGARIRO CROSSING SHUTTLE

Quick Details

Adult Ages 18+
NZ$55
Child Ages 17 & under
NZ$30

TONGARIRO CROSSING SHUTTLE BOOKING & TRANSPORT DETAILS

Wanting to book a shuttle to Tongariro Crossing? Summit Shuttles provides transport from the National Park – Park and Ride Transport Hub. This is located south of the Station Café, corner of Findlay St. and Station Road, National Park Village., where you can securely park your car for free all day while you hike.

You drive to the carpark, and our shuttle will transport you to the start of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing (Mangatepopo carpark). You walk over the Crossing, which Lonely Planet has called “New Zealand’s finest one-day walk and one of the best in the world.” Then we pick you up at the end (Ketetahi carpark) and return you back to your vehicle.

This challenging trip begins at 1120 m, climbs the Mangatepopo Valley to the saddle between Mount Tongariro and Mount Ngauruhoe, and goes through South Crater before climbing again to Red Crater, the highest point on the crossing at 1886 m.

You then descend on a volcanic rock scree track to the vivid Emerald Lakes, known as Ngarotopounamu (greenstone-hued lakes). After passing Blue Lake, also known as Te Wai-whakaata-o-te-Rangihiroa (Rangihiroa’s mirror), the track sidles around the northern slope of Tongariro, then descends in a zigzag track past Ketetahi Shelter and down to the road’s end at 760 m.

No need to pre book a return time as you can jump on any of our return Shuttle runs. Your driver will explain in more detail when they drop you off at the start of the track all the info you will need to know. Please let them know if you have any questions and please listen carefully to what they have to say.

Return Times are: 2.30pm and 4.30pm. (Just for May)

TONGARIRO CROSSING INFORMATION