The Tongariro Alpine Crossing - NZ's most popular day hike - has also been the site of many search and rescue operations. Photo / 123RF
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing - NZ's most popular day hike - has also been the site of many search and rescue operations. Photo / 123RF
Walkers are being warned not to misjudge the difficulty of the Tongariro Crossing as thousands of people are anticipated to take on the day hike over Easter.
The 20.2km trek runs through the volcanic landscape of Tongariro National Park.
For many walkers, it’s their last chance to complete the hike before the wintry conditions make it overly harsh.
Stunning views of Mount Ngauruhoe and the luminous Emerald Lakes have made it an unmissable walk for many visitors to New Zealand, and anyone keen to snap an Instagram pic.
Views of the Emerald Lakes on the Tongariro Crossing are unmatched. Photo / Greg Bowker
Despite the glossy and untroubled scenes popping up on social media, the day hike is notoriously underestimated by walkers.
Turangi LandSAR chairman Steve Signal said they had previously rescued people two or three times a night during Easter, and the large number of walkers took its toll on search and rescue teams.
“Some seasons we’ve had over 4000 people cross on one of those days over Easter, especially if there’s a short window,” Signal said.
Greenlea Rescue Helicopter air crew officer Annika on the Tongariro Crossing - there were 17 missions carried out by helicopters in 2024. Photo/ Supplied
Now, LandSAR organises teams to sweep the crossing during Easter, staying on the mountain until late at night with torches and first-aid gear to treat walkers.
Because Easter is later this year, the chances of walkers getting caught out by fading light will be higher.
“You can get five seasons in a day on that crossing, so you need to pack enough warm clothes,” Signal said.
NZ Mountain Safety Council CEO Mike Daisley said the Tongariro Alpine Crossing has had more search and rescues than any other track in New Zealand.
He said it was due to the extreme weather and terrain, and the length of the track and, in some situations, a lack of preparation by some hikers.
“If people are becoming fatigued or the weather deteriorates along the track, it’s important to stop and discuss the change in conditions with your group, and turn back if that’s safest,” Daisley said.
In 2024, there were 30 police-led search and rescue operations on Mt Tongariro, which was similar to the previous year’s results; in 2023, there were 29 operations.
In 2025 to date, there have been two police-led search and rescue operations on the Tongariro Crossing.
In winter, conditions on the crossing become inhospitable. Adrift Tongariro / Zhi Yuen Yap
The Philips Search and Rescue Trust rescue helicopters, serving the Central North Island, are also often dispatched to assist in the Tongariro area with rescues from the walking tracks.
In 2023, the rescue helicopters collectively performed 20 missions within the Tongariro walking tracks. In 2024, the rescue helicopters performed 17.
In 2025, there have been two helicopter rescues so far.
Last December, a female with a leg injury after slipping on the crossing had to be hover-loaded into a helicopter.
“The onboard critical care flight paramedic tended to the patient’s injuries on scene; however, due to the location, the helicopter was unable to land on the steep terrain,” a Phillips Search and Rescue Trust spokeswoman said.
The patient was flown to Taupō Hospital for further medical treatment.
The Tongariro Crossing is expected to get busy over Easter with queues often forming on the Devil's Staircase of the walk. Photo / Mike Scott
Department of Conservation (DoC) senior ranger Jenny Hayward said from May to October the walk was only suitable for people with alpine skills, equipment and a very high level of fitness.
“This is due to the challenging winter alpine conditions including snow, ice, avalanche-prone terrain, and sub-zero temperatures.
“In winter conditions you need to know how to confidently use crampons and ice axe and be able to manage risk from icy terrain and avalanches.”
Daisley said it was vital that people prepare thoroughly for the track including having a good level of fitness.
Hayward said if the weather was good this Easter they were expecting more than 1000 people per day.
Signal said the scree slope from the Red Crater to the Emerald Lakes of the crossing was very prone to injuries for walkers: “That’s where we have most of our problems if anyone’s going to do a slip, trip or a fall.”
Wearing jandals or Crocs, taking no warm clothing, and not packing enough water to last the seven-to-eight-hour walk, were common mistakes that could lead to emergencies.
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing winds through mountains sacred to Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro of Ngāti Tūwharetoa. DoC asks all walkers to honour the requests of Ngāti Hikairo by staying safe, using the toilets, removing all rubbish and respecting their home.
Group of hypothermic tourists rescued from the Red Crater
Signal said a past rescue that stuck out to him was when a group of tourists became stranded on the Red Crater.
“It was getting towards the end of the day and the weather turned pretty rubbish.
“One of them dislocated their knee coming down the scree slope, and the group all stopped.
“Even though we [the search and rescue teams] were already in the area, by the time we got up to them they were all hypothermic.
“It just really reinforces that you need enough clothes in that altitude to stay warm enough.”
He said people assumed they could wear enough to keep them warm whilst walking but they needed to be prepared for if they were forced to stop for a long period.
What not to do
DoC said it was common for people to seriously underestimate the hike.
We often see people either without the skills and fitness required or just not having planned and prepared well enough.
Common mistakes include wearing the wrong footwear, not packing enough water, not having a sufficient level of fitness, and not packing the right clothing for the conditions.
Slips, trips and falls are common, particularly on the rocky scree slope descent from Red Crater to Central Crater. The Mountain Safety Council’s website has a planning video for tips on safely descending the slope.
How to prepare
Book your spot using DoC’s booking system.
Check Niwa’s Tongariro Alpine Crossing weather forecast before heading to the start of the track. The crossing is in an extremely exposed alpine environment with no shelter. There are great alternative tracks in the area if the weather isn’t favourable. Go to the Whakapapa Visitor Centre for advice if you need to change your plans.
Give yourself flexibility and extra time to move your dates depending on the conditions.
Parking restrictions (4-hour maximum) are in place at the road-ends from Labour Weekend to April 30. The best way to get to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is by shuttle.
With the shift to autumn approaching, be prepared for shorter days and cold temperatures in the lead-up to winter.
What to take
We recommend an early start and packing a torch as back-up.
Warm and waterproof clothing is essential as the weather can change quickly.
Take two to three litres of water.
Take nutritious food and snacks - pack extra.
Take toilet paper.
More information about planning and preparing for the track can be found on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing page on DoC’s website.
Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.
