Tongariro Crossing Park & Ride (Ketetahi)
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
We are an experienced shuttle service providing transport for visitors to and from the Tongariro National Park since the 90's.
Tongariro Expeditions operates out of the Tongariro Crossing Park & Ride, a safe off road parking area near the track end at Ketetahi. We offer a complimentary afternoon shuttle back to your car between 1-5pm.
With more than 25 years’ experience living and breathing the Tongariro lifestyle, the team at Tongariro Expeditions understand this unique alpine environment better than most. Alongside our Tongariro Alpine Crossing shuttle services, we also offer information, maps and comprehensive weather advice.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
Not recommended for participants with back problems, heart complaints or other serious medical conditions, or pregnant women
Weather conditions can change, please dress appropriately
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is a 20km alpine hike that takes 6-8 hours to complete. The hike journeys over active volcanoes through dramatic landscapes including the Emerald and Blue Lakes, Red Crater and Te Maari Crater.
What‘s Included
GST (Goods and Services Tax)
Driver
Complementary afternoon shuttle back to your car.
Map and information sheet
Options
Taupo Return Shuttle
Pick up from your central Taupo accommodation or Taupo isite. Pick up time is 5:15am.
Turangi Return Shuttle
Turangi Return 6:10am or7:10am: Pick up from your central Turangi accommodation or Turangi isite. Pick up time either 6:10am or 7:10am, to be confirmed when you call the day before. Leave the end of the track between 2:30-4:30pm.
Ketetahi Park N Ride
This service takes you from the end of the track to the start. Check in time in 30 mins prior to departure time.
Tongariro Holiday Park Shuttle
Tongariro Holiday Park: This service picks up from the car park in front of the Tongariro Holiday Park called Base Camp at 6:40am.
Reviews
100 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Easy
danielwS9898CS,,Feb 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Easy to find and park, fun driver who drove us to the start. It was easy and affordable if you do not have your own pick-up. The return bus ran every 10mi.
Excellent! Great with...
Molly C,,Jan 31, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Excellent! Great with communication (please read what they send you!) and lovely people. Made the day so easy.
AMAAAAAZING DAY!!!!
sandrinemU1431ID,,Jan 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A truly incredible day from A to Z! We took the 7:30 shuttle because we slept in Taupo (1 hour drive), the parking is very large, the GPS point perfectly placed. We are greeted by a happy man with a smile. Shuttle at the time that brings us to the beginning of the hike. Extraordinary hike under a radiant sun, it's quite physical but we saw 8 year old children in it!! The view of the red crater, the lakes was splendid. Seeing the fumaroles come out of the ground moved me a lot too. The descent is varied among the vegetation sometimes clean, sometimes in forest.... Great! End of hike 15h30, the shuttle by chance was already there to bring us back to the parking in 10min! Great, I say! Thank you to heaven for a wonderful day and thank you to TongariroExpedition for your service and smile! Real pros! Thank you all! 1 Word in english: PERFECT 😊😍
Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Secure car park, transfer to the track start plus end of track shuttle bus back to your car.
Ian R,,Jan 17, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The communications were excellent keeping as up to date on weather related conditions. The drivers were good and we didn't have to wait very long for our pick up at the finish. Tongariro Expeditions becomes highly recommended.
Everyone is super...
Sereena C,,Jan 6, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Everyone is super friendly- easy pick up from car park spot indicated. Lots of communication and easy pick up at the end.
Somewhat shady
trevorcX8375TD,,Dec 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00Had an interesting experience where the bus driver said the weather was very manageable. When in fact, it was unfortunately very dangerous. Nearly everybody in our bus turned back instead of completing the hike and at first, Tongariro expeditions were very hesitant to bring us back to our cars without paying extra. Eventually, a ride came back to pick us up, but they didn’t tell us and I almost paid to go back with someone else. The company itself seems like it’s run by someone who would rather make money than anything else.
Easy to book, easy to...
Suraj P,,Dec 10, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Easy to book, easy to park, pick up at time provided. gave us a handy guide of the trail along with weather update
Incorrectly cancelled our tickets, and parking information in confirmation email is wrong
uniqueusername765432,,Nov 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00Booked for a family of five on the 6.30am shuttle. One of our group was injured prior, so his ticket was cancelled/refunded. When we arrived we found that ALL our tickets had been cancelled, AND we were parked in the wrong place, because Tongariro Expeditions sends different parking instructions out two days before your trek (the parking instructions you receive in your confirmation email are wrong). The morning shuttle driver was really awesome, reassuring us that it would be sorted, and getting us on the shuttle so we didn't miss the trek. Afternoon shuttle driver also let us on the shuttle but tried to give me a hard time about 'not following instructions' because of where we were parked. I emailed to tell them they'd cancelled our tickets incorrectly. They were completely unapologetic, blamed 'the system' - phrased it as a question, as though I was supposed to work it out for them. So five stars for the morning shuttle driver, three stars for the afternoon shuttle driver, and zero stars for the admin. I wouldn't book with them again.
Efficient way to access the Tongariro Alpine Crossing
old-jogger,,Nov 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00We booked online to park at the end of the trail and have the shuttle take us to the start of the trail. Everything went smoothly. Instructions emailed to us the day before were accurate. Staff very friendly. The pickup at the end of the trail is great because they run a bus back to your car every ten minutes. I gave 4 stars instead of 5 because some of the info is inaccurate and this caused me some confusion and caused other people to miss their shuttle in the morning. The confirmation email provides a “pickup” location. This is not the location where you are picked up in the morning - this is place you will be picked up at the end of the hike. A second email the day before the hike tells you where to park in the morning - so make sure you check that email and don’t rely on the confirmation email.
Easy exoerience
Jared S,,Nov 8, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Made doing the tongariro crossing very easy, simple park, get on the shuttle, and your adventure begins
From NZ$65.00
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