Great Walks 2026/27 Bookings Open This May, Including Milford and Routeburn
“DOC will open bookings for the 2026/27 Great Walks season across set dates in May, with Milford, Routeburn and Kepler among the tracks releasing spots for New Zealand's most in-demand multi-day hikes.”
The Department of Conservation will open bookings for the 2026/27 Great Walks season on set dates between 12 and 21 May, with each of the ten Great Walks releasing availability on its own day at 9:30am NZST. Bookings cover stays through 30 June 2027.
Three tracks, right on Queenstown's doorstep
Three of the ten Great Walks sit in the Fiordland/Queenstown region: the Milford Track opens for booking on Wednesday 13 May, the Routeburn Track on Friday 15 May, and the Kepler Track on Tuesday 19 May. The Hump Ridge Track is booked separately through the Hump Ridge Trust, and Tongariro Northern Circuit bookings remain on hold while DOC assesses hut replacements.
Bookings for the full multi-day Milford Track sell out fast - a guided day walk covering the same terrain is a real alternative for anyone who wants to experience it without securing one of the limited multi-night hut passes.
Getting ready for booking day
DOC recommends setting up a booking account in advance and running a test booking to get familiar with the system before the release date. Demand is intense: the NZ Herald reported most Great Walk huts ran at or near full capacity last peak season, and RNZ reported that Milford Track bookings sold out within 40 minutes of opening in a recent season.
