Fees and bookings
Introduction
Learn about fees, bookings and conditions associated with booking the Rakiura Track.Bookings are open for the 2022/23 season. Opening dates for the 2023/24 season will be announced here in late March 2023.
Hut fees
In the Great Walks season (1 October – 30 April)
New Zealand citizens and those ordinarily resident in New Zealand*:
- Adult (18+ years): $37 per person, per night
- Child (17 years and under): free but booking still required
International visitors:
- Adult (18+ years): $56 per person, per night
- Child (17 years and under): $28 per person, per night
Proof of eligibility is required for the New Zealand rate.
1 May – 30 June
For all visitors:
- Adult (18+ years): $32 per person, per night
- Child (17 years and under): free
1 July – 30 September
For all visitors:
- Adult (18+ years): $26 per person, per night
- Child (17 years and under): free
Campsite fees
In the Great Walks season (1 October – 30 April)
New Zealand citizens and those ordinarily resident in New Zealand*:
- Adult (18+ years): $16 per person, per night
- Child (17 years and under): free but booking still required
International visitors:
- Adult (18+ years): $24 per person, per night
- Child (17 years and under): $12 per person, per night
Proof of eligibility is required for the New Zealand rate.
Outside the Great Walks season (1 May – 30 September)
For all visitors:
- Adult (18+ years): $5 per person, per night
- Child (17 years and under): free
Discounts
Discounts for Great Walks are not available online. If you belong to a group or organisation that is entitled to a discount we will need to see proof of your membership.
To receive your discount, you must email your organisation's membership card, showing your name, membership number and expiry date, to bookings@doc.govt.nz or go to a DOC visitor centre in person. Visitor centre staff will make your booking for you and apply your discount. No booking fee will be charged.
If you make your booking online yourself, you must contact bookings@doc.govt.nz or a DOC visitor centre within 48 hours of making the booking to receive your discount. Discounts cannot be retrospectively applied to bookings after this time.
What to book
Before you start walking the Rakiura Track:
- You need to book huts and/or campsites on the track. If you don’t have a valid booking for your stay, you may be charged a penalty, or turned away if the hut/campsite is full.
- You can choose to book a shuttle between Oban and the start/end of the track - otherwise it's a 1 hour walk - or a water taxi to huts/campsites on the track
How to book
- Decide whether you want to walk clockwise or anti-clockwise.
- Decide what huts or campsites you want to stay at. Consider:
- Decide the date you want to stay at each hut/campsite. Note the maximum stay at each hut/campsite is 2 nights.
- Check availability of huts and campsites on the dates you want to stay. If there is no space in one of the huts/campsites you want to stay at, consider:
- Starting your walk on a different date
- Changing the direction you walk in
- Book huts/campsites online or contact a DOC visitor centre for personal assistance. Note:
- Bookings are required for children and/or youth even though it's free for them to stay.
- If you're booking campsites, you'll need to know the number of people in your group as well as the number of tent sites required.
- Optional: Book transport services to/from the start/end of the track, or to huts/campsites on the track. This can be done upon arrival on Stewart Island.
Terms and conditions
Read the booking terms and conditions (scroll to the bottom to find the Terms and Conditions link) for general information, age ranges, prices, discounts, penalty rates and the alterations and cancellations policy. Bookings not meeting the terms and conditions will be treated as invalid and cancelled.
Booking on behalf of others
Guided groups: To operate a commercial activity in an area managed by DOC, you need to apply for a concession (an official permit), in addition to any bookings you would need to make. Read more about concessions
To make multiple bookings for facilities/services on behalf of customers, you must obtain permission or an agent agreement from DOC. To do this, email: agents@doc.govt.nz