Great Walks booking system upgraded

Bookings for the popular Milford Track in Fiordland National Park open on May 28.

Bookings for the Great Walks season open in May with an online queue system set up to ease the pressure.

The Department of Conservation said its booking system has been upgraded so it was easier to use and could better manage very high demand at peak times.

The booking system has been plagued with issues in recent years with system crashes, false starts and booking dates pushed back following high demand and technical glitches.

The opening dates will be staggered from May 13.

The popular Milford Track in the South Island's Fiordland National Park opens on May 28.

Director of Heritage and Visitors Cat Wilson said the walks were hugely popular and people should have a profile set up before bookings open.

"Around 50 percent of international visitors come here to experience our national landscapes and environment, and around 50 percent of international tourists visit New Zealand's national parks."

Bookings go live at 9.30am on opening days, beginning with back country huts and lodges.

The first Great Walks on offer, the Heaphy Track, Kepler Track, Rakiura Track and Hump Ridge Track, open for bookings on May 15.

"It's been a busy summer to date and it's great seeing more people are enjoying Great Walks, with bookings up five percent on the previous year," Wilson said.

"So far, 67 percent of all Great Walk bed nights booked were by New Zealanders, up from 60 percent pre-pandemic and 65 percent last summer. In all, New Zealanders booked over 45,000 bed nights on the Great Walks between 15 December 2024 and 26 January 2025.

"We're lucky to have mountains, forests, beaches, parks, lakes and rivers on our doorstep. With demand for spots on some of our Great Walks still very high, people should consider some of the less well-known walks which are just as spectacular."