Premium Tongariro Crossing Guided Group Walk
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
Experience the majestic Tongariro National Park and feel the crisp mountain air as you follow your expert guide across the Tongariro Alpine Crossing for a view of the volcanic landscape during this 8-hour trek. Soak in the snowy white expanse in winter or the lush, blooming beauty during summer on your 19km hike. Learn about the secrets and history of the landscape around you. Travel through volcanic craters, mountain springs, and vivid emerald lakes - natural wonders that leave you inspired and breathless. Notice the gradual change in flora as you climb higher in altitude. Witness the grandeur of Mount Ngauruhoe, which lies between Mount Tongariro, Mount Ruapehu.
Your guides are well informed and keep you safe by constantly assessing the weather and track conditions, timing for your personalised pick-up, and other little details to maximise your enjoyment.
Additional Info
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
It is essential all clients phone the Adrift Tongariro base between 10:00am - 5:00pm the day prior to trip date to confirm tour departure time and discuss exact timings. +64 7892 2751. Each participant to fill out a waiver prior to arriving on site. Look out for your link or QR code in your inbox 3 days before your tour date.
A minimum of 2 people is required for this tour to operate. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
If you are traveling alone please book as the tour does generally meet minimum numbers, especially on good weather days
Tour starts and finishes at the Adrift Tongariro Base. Transport between the Adrift Tongariro base (53 Carroll St, National Park Village) and the activity are included in the price.
All transfers meet at the Adrift base the morning of the tour where our guides will check everyone in, go over the days trip conditions and assess and provide the required equipment, and additional clothing and boots if needed.
Transfers from Taupo CBD, Turangi and Whakapapa Village are available on request for an additional charge. All transfers require a minimum of 2 people.
Summer Gear List: Water (1.5-2 litres), Lunch, Personal medications (e.g. Asthma Inhaler, blister protection etc), sun hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, backpack per person, hiking boots/shoes, walking trousers, 1 light top and 2 warm top layers (wool, merino, thermals, fleece, soft shell etc. are good layers), Waterproof raincoat.
Winter Gear List: Water (1-1.5 litres), Lunch, Personal medications (e.g. Asthma Inhaler, blister protection etc), sunscreen, sunglasses, backpack per person, hiking boots, thermal longs and/or walking trousers & over-trousers, 3 warm top layers (wool, merino, thermals, fleece, soft shell etc. are good layers), Waterproof raincoat, Warm hat and gloves.
A reasonably good level of fitness is required. If you are concerned about your fitness please let your guide know before commencing the walk
Minimum age is 12 years.
Cancellation Policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
What‘s Included
Professional and qualified guide/s
All winter equipment. Crampons and ice axes if required for winter conditions.
Footwear and clothing to supplement up to a NZD60 free allowance.
Transport between the start & end of the tour and the Adrift Tongariro base (National Park Village)
Beverages, bottled water, or snacks
Available at a surcharge
Return accommodation transfers from Taupo CBD, Turangi & Whakapapa Villages available at a surcharge
What To Expect
Tongariro Alpine Crossing
A great one day walk
Mt Ruapehu
Stunning volcanic mountain
Options
Summer Full Day Guided Walk
Premium Tongariro Crossing Guided Group Walk: Summer 26 September – 31 March 8:00am - 5.30pm
Winter Full Day Guided Walk
Premium Tongariro Crossing Guided Group Walk: Winter 1 April – 25 September 7:00am - 5.30pm
Reviews
203 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Challenging 20km hike - Tongariro Alpine Crossing
L4312BXmaryw,
Nov 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very challenging hike, our guides made it the most memorable trip. Our guides, Ty and Kenny were highly qualified, very reassuring and personable. Made for a great day out.
Brilliant and tiring day out
anitagL4777JE,
Nov 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Well organised. Good leader, aware of the abilities of the group. Walk at a manageable pace. Good packed lunch. Well planned as it needed the whole day
AWFUL
P1567IPmeganm,
Oct 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00We signed up for this guided hike as we were going in shoulder season and the weather could have been bad. We got lucky and it was a gorgeous day weather-wise. Our guide was Kenny. It's promised in the booking that your guide will check over your equipment before leaving, that didn't happen. Our guide immediately set off on a fast pace and began leaving people behind. When this was pointed out to him, he said that it was fine because he could still see them, however they were not visible from where we were. The majority of the group was unable to keep up with his pace and yet he didn't alter it. We continuously passed other hiking groups because of our pace and our guide's rule about not taking breaks. We were allowed only two minutes at the top, which was not sufficient time to catch your breath and take pictures. This was a common issue throughout the hike. Even the "lunch break" wasn't long enough to eat a whole sandwich, let alone take photos of the lake. We finished the trek in 6 hours, when it's advertised to take 7-8 hours. Kenny kept telling everyone to hurry up, which made it seem like he just wanted to be done. Kenny was also heard talking to two of the faster hikers and complaining about the slower ones, saying that they're ruining the hike for everyone. I'm in my 20's and go to the gym every day, and his pace was not sustainable to me. If you want a guided hike, then this isn't the one for you. It was only guided if you could keep to his exact pace and even then, he didn't talk about anything besides his own past achievements (rugby and races). If you don't keep to his pace, you are left behind and openly talked badly about.
Amazing Guided Tour
laracorreiaesilva,
Oct 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I loved it! The guides were super well prepared to guide us on the best possible route, as they explained the geography of the area. They were very knowledgeable and experienced, and shared with us stories of their local families. Thank you Kenny and Sam, it was amazing!
Amazing and challenging day out
JamesTracy2018,
Oct 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We managed 8km of the hike as the guides advised us that the wind speed was too strong and it wasn’t sensible to continue Our guides Kai and Matt were knowledgeable, patient and considerate for the whole group and very informative. Thanks for a great day out. Legs a bit achy at the end of the day
A wonderful day
mav335,
Oct 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A grand day out from start to finish. The team at adrift are incredibly helpful, calming last minute jitters and explaining exactly what was involved beforehand with great reassurance. The weather on the day we went was not perfect, but before we left base the team made sure that everybody had the right kit and talked through what to expect. Our guides Kenny and Stu did a great job. Kenny led us up the mountain at a steady pace that kept us warm and comfortable, as a local Maori he was able to tell us so much about the history of the mountain and of his people. He constantly watched both the group and the sky adjusting the pace so that we arrived at the summit just as the clouds cleared for a few minutes allowing magical glimpses of the volcano. An experience to remember forever I can't recommend highly enough.
An amazing experience
Coastal01149139364,
Oct 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was a great activity. Although the weather was mainly cloudy, our guide Kenny used his amazing knowledge of the weather and the mountain to get us to the top to see great views coming and going through the cloud. He shared a lot of information about the mountain and the Maori traditions while at all times keeping us safe. Great memories! I would definitely recommend this trip!
Spectacular Tongariro Alpine Crossing – 10/10 Experience
316callumm,
Aug 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My wife and I completed the Tongariro Alpine Crossing this August with Adrift, and it was nothing short of spectacular. We met bright and early at Adrift HQ, where the team made sure everyone had the correct gear, with the option to borrow or rent anything we were missing. They also provided us with ice axes and crampons, which initially made us a little apprehensive but turned out to be absolutely essential. After a short minibus ride, we began the 20km trek across the ridge between the volcanoes of Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe. Doing the crossing in winter meant deep snow on the ridge, so the technical equipment provided was vital for both safety and confidence. Our group consisted of eleven hikers plus two fantastic guides, Phil and Ty. Both were extremely experienced, knowledgeable about the mountains and environment, and also shared fascinating stories about the local Māori history and lore surrounding the volcanoes. The walk itself was tough on the legs—even for fit individuals like us in our 30s—but the views and sense of achievement made it more than worth it. It was truly a fabulous day and one of the highlights of our trip. We would highly recommend Adrift and this guided crossing: 10/10. A couple of tips—pack sunscreen and bring a few extra chocolate bars to keep the energy levels up!
Amazing time
Dreamer57514497866,
Aug 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had an amazing time doing the tongariro crossing with adrift and Phil. He was an amazing tour guide with great knowledge about the area and just in general! Everything went super smoothly and they were well organized. The hike itself was amazing and we had plenty of breaks along the way to break up the length. We would absolutely recommend using adrift to do the tongariro crossing!
Great experience!
C7653QMchantalg,
Jul 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a good and friendly guide which explained a lot and was helpul. We got fully equipped with everything we needed. On the tour it was cold, windy and in certain parts of the trail we didn‘t see much. In the end there is a lovely part where you are walking through the forest where you can relax after the adventure. It was great and a challenging and wonderful experience for us with our 16 year old son. Chantal from Switzerland
From NZ$436.00
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