The Tongariro Northern Circuit Huts – Where to Stay Along the Great Walk

The Tongariro Northern Circuit is one of the most iconic multi-day hikes in New Zealand and earlier this year, we decided to see for ourselves what’s so special about it. This 4-day trek is one of New Zealand’s so-called ‘Great Walks’ and it was actually our first-ever multi-day trek! It was absolutely incredible!

The scenery was out of this world and we pushed our boundaries (in the best way possible), and we came back from the trip with sore feet and big smiles. We couldn’t have asked for a better first multi-day hike!

In this post, we share everything you need to know specifically about the three different huts you can stay at overnight while doing this trek. You’ll find all the information you need from how to book the huts to what to bring – and we’ll also share our experience doing the circuit and staying at each of the huts.

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Tongariro Northern Circuit Hut Overview

There are three huts along the Tongariro Northern Circuit: Mangatepopo Hut, Oturere Hut, and Waihohonu Hut. All three of these huts are spread out along the hike with distances ranging between 8.1 to 12.5 km between them.

If you’re hiking the trek clockwise (which we highly recommend!), the longest day is your second day from when you leave Magatepopo until you reach Oturere. Some people decide to skip the second hut and go straight to Waihohonu Hut but we don’t recommend this…

First of all, because the second day is already the day with the longest stretch, and also because the views (and specifically the sunrise) from the second hut are incredible. The hut might not be the one we liked the least (more on this later), but it’s still worth spending the night.

Since we had the time and planned this hike with some friends we wanted to take full advantage of our time off and enjoy the hike and hanging out at each of the huts. What’s also cool about these huts is how different they all are – both in size, level of comfort, and the surrounding views.

We personally think the Tongariro Northern Circuit is one of the coolest hikes you can do in New Zealand – and the Great Walks here are a once-in-a-lifetime experience! By the time of writing this post, we’ve completed 2 of the Great Walks (and hiked sections of an additional 3 of them).

Fun fact: A section of the Tongariro Northern Circuit is also part of the iconic Tongariro Crossing day hike that over 100,000 travellers do every year! (Don’t worry, there are ways you can avoid the crowds).

This was our first ever time staying in a hut here in New Zealand and it was quite the experience. We got to Mangatepopo in the afternoon as we left Whakapapa Village around noon after a cheeky coffee.

Once we got to the hut, we introduced ourselves to the hut warden (Emma) and registered our arrival on a designated piece of paper. You have to do this so that the warden knows everyone’s arrived safely – and if someone’s missing, they can communicate with the other hut wardens + the visitors centre to confirm if that person is on the trail still.

The location of Mangatepopo is awesome because, on a clear day, you might be lucky and see Mount Taranaki in the distance. On the other side, you can also see the big climb you’re going to have on day 2 around Mount Ngauruhoe!

Make sure to ask your hut warden about the Māori legend about Mt Taranaki and Mount Ngauruhoe – and how this is connected to Taranaki Falls which you’ll see on your last day.

The hut itself is great and it has a bunch of picnic tables outside with beautiful views everywhere. It was nice being able to boil water, cook some food (freeze-dried meals), and sleep on an actual mattress. The only downside is that multiple people sleep in each room so it can get quite loud if people are snoring. This is the case for all three huts though!

Mangatepopo has two main rooms where everyone sleeps (the hut fits 20 people) so you can imagine the noise that can come from all the people (as well as the water pump). It was comfy though, we had an amazing view, and it’s a great place to stay the first night on the Northern Circuit hike. 

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The Oturere Hut is probably the hut we were the most surprised with because of the landscape. Out of the three huts, this is the one that we feel truly represents the desolate volcanic landscape which we found to be super cool.

We were completely exhausted by the time we got to Oturere Hut as it was quite the climb on day 2 hiking up past Mount Ngauruhoe (we did not go to the peak as we were respectfully asked not to by the hut warden out of respect for the Māori people), past the Red Crater, overlooking the Emerald Lakes, and then down toward Oturere Hut.

Coming down from Red Crater and passing by the lakes and through New Zealand’s only desert towards Oturere was absolutely magical!

As for the hut, Oturere is quite similar to the first hut except for the fact that most of the bunk beds are in the main room and then there are two small side rooms with a few bunk beds each. All of this stuff is first come first serve and you just pick your bed once you get there.

This was definitely our least favourite hut just because of the layout of it (we had to sleep in the communal area) and since our hut warden didn’t show up. The toilets were also quite smelly here. That being said, it wasn’t so bad that we wouldn’t stay here again.

The camping area is also beautiful. The friends we were with camped throughout this trip and they said it was awesome too. So camping here is definitely a good option if you have the gear for it (it’s also cheaper than staying in the huts).

I think our favourite part of the Oturere Hut is that you have an awesome view of both Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Ruapehu and if you get a good sunset or sunrise it looks incredible. 

Pro tip: The sunrise from this hut was absolutely incredible! Head up past the toilets shortly before sunrise and take in the views as the first rays of light hit Mount Ngauruhoe!

The Waihohonu Hut feels like absolute luxury and is by far the most modern out of the three huts on the Northern Circuit! (Which is one of the reasons why we suggest you do the trail clockwise). We had actually done no research on the huts but when we walked up to Waihohonu we were actually stunned to see such a cool hut!

The scenery and surroundings near the hut are quite different from the first two with more trees and greenery in this area. There’s also a nice stream nearby if you’re feeling adventurous and want to go for a “fresh dip”.

This hut is by far the largest of the three huts and has all the modern facilities, there’s even solar-powered electricity which is awesome – especially in the evening if you want to play some games or read a book in the common area.

It’s the most beautiful hut of the three and it’s the perfect place to spend your last night.

And in case you’re curious about the campsite at this hut, it’s located slightly further away from the hut than the other campsites on this Great Walk – but it is in a beautiful spot further down and next to the running stream where you can “shower”.

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How to book the huts

If you are planning to do the Great Walk during the Great Walk Season (November through April), you will have to book the Great Walk and the huts in advance online. There is only one place to book these huts in New Zealand and it’s directly through the Department of Conservation (DOC).

Please note that the Great Walks are extremely popular (this doesn’t mean they’re busy though) – and have limited availability due to the size of the huts.

So if you know you want to go, we highly recommend booking your walk the day they open for reservations for the upcoming season. This is usually in April. (So yes, +6 months in advance)!

Our suggestion is to check DOC’s website to confirm when they open up for bookings and then set a reminder on your phone to alert you beforehand so that you can be online when they become available. We also suggest creating an account on DOC beforehand to minimize friction on the website.

It wasn’t as crazy when we booked the Tongariro Northern Circuit, but when we tried booking the Milford Track, the site crashed on us – and we, sadly, didn’t manage to get a spot.

You can find all the information you need about booking the huts or campsites directly on the DOC website. The system DOC has in place for booking these huts and great walks is genius and easy to follow, and it makes it simple to book these awesome walks around the country!

Once you arrive in the Whakapapa Village – which is where the walk starts – you’ll have to go to the Tongariro National Park Visitor Centre where you have to register for the walk, get a parking pass, check for important weather updates, and ask about current volcanic activities (as there are multiple active volcanoes on this trek).

Fun fact: If you’re hiking outside of the Great Walk Season (so from May to late October) you do not have to book the huts in advance – and it’s just a first come first serve kind of deal. You still have to pay the fees (which are slightly lower during this time) but you don’t have to book in advance which is cool. 

Additional Information about the Tongariro Northern Circuit Huts

Packing list for Tongariro Northern Circuit

Below we’ve mapped out a packing list for the huts! This isn’t a complete packing list for everything you need to bring on the hike but recommendations specifically for the huts. This will give you a good idea of which gear to bring based on what the three huts on this Great Walk have available (and more importantly, what they don’t have).

Sleeping bag: You’ll definitely need a lightweight sleeping bag if you don’t want to carry too much weight while still staying warm during the night. No matter what time of year you come, the huts get cold and you’ll need a sleeping bag if you want a comfy sleep.

Headlamp: This is one thing we didn’t bring and absolutely regretted! If you need to do something during the night or have to go to the bathroom when it’s pitch black, a headlamp will really come in handy.

Cooking gear: Sometimes the huts have a pot or boiler, but when we went, there was only one available in the first hut, and none in the rest. So you’ll need to bring your own if you can so you can boil water for your freeze-dried meals and water for the following day.

Lighter: It’s nice to have a lighter in case there isn’t one at the hut. Most of the stove tops are gas burners and they need a spark to get going. So the lighter will really come in handy.

Water filter: If you have one, bring a water filter – especially if you don’t want to boil the water from the huts before filling up. The water filters are super light and make it really easy to filter the water.

(Emergency) toilet paper: You don’t actually need to bring TP for the hut toilets because they do supply 1-layer biodegradable toilet paper which you should be using. However, we wouldn’t want to go on a 3-day trek without TP (just in case, you know).

Earplugs & sleep mask: This one is probably pretty self-explanatory. You’re sleeping in dorms. People go to bed and wake up at different times – and some snore. So earplugs and a sleep mask will definitely improve the quality of your sleep.

Kindle (optional): It was really nice having my Kindle at night when it was dark and people started going to bed. I didn’t need any light to read so I was able to stay up and read without disturbing any of the other people in the room.

Weather Conditions

One of the best parts of these great walks is that there are hut wardens at each hut and they give a full breakdown of the current and future weather conditions. This helps you prepare for the day both in terms of what to wear and when to go.

Overall, if you are looking to hike the Tongariro Northern Circuit it’s best to go during the summer months between November and March where, in general, you’ve got a better chance at having good weather.

We went in early January and got really lucky with the weather and viewability. We had sun with light clouds on most days and got a perfect view of Mount Ngauruhoe on the day we crossed.

This isn’t guaranteed though. We did the Tongariro Crossing (1-day trek) in June back in 2017 and ended up in a snow storm. This definitely wasn’t 100% safe and wouldn’t have been fun with our big backpacks and without the possibility of showering after…

All we can say is, since it’s in an alpine area, expect there to potentially be some wild weather and plan accordingly – and you will have an awesome trip. It’s one of the best hikes in New Zealand and we’re sure you’ll have the most amazing time on this circuit! 

Where to stay before and after the hike

Since the hike starts and finishes in Whakapapa Village, we decided to stay there both the night before (and hiked to Tawhai Falls aka Gollum’s Pool) and the night after the hike so that we didn’t have to drive after the trek.

There are only a few places of accommodation nearby and we decided to stay at the Whakapapa Holiday Park. It was fine but if we were to do this again we would stay at Skotel Alpine Resort instead.

It seems to be the nicer option of the two with an incredible view of the area, a hot tub, as well as an on-site restaurant that had great burgers and craft beers – it was the perfect way to finish our trek!

Both places can store your luggage for a small fee while you’re on the trek (we paid $5 NZD per day per bag). You can check out Skotel Alpine Resort here and Whakapapa Holiday Park here.

Leave no Trace

When you go hiking (and do other outdoor adventure activities), always remember to follow the 7 principles of leaving no trace.

This means:

• Plan ahead and prepare
• Travel and camp on durable surfaces
• Dispose of waste properly
• Leave what you find
• Minimize campfire impacts
• Respect wildlife
• Be considerate of others

Recap of the different huts on the Tongariro Northern Circuit

We hope you now have a better idea of what to expect at the different huts along the Tongariro Northern Circuit!

As we mentioned earlier, we ended up staying in all three huts because we had the time and really wanted to make the most of this trek. It also made for very relaxed hiking and time to take photos and enjoy the whole thing to the fullest.

Remember to book the huts in advance on DOC’s site if you plan to hike and stay in the huts during the busy season. This is one of the more popular Great Walks in New Zealand so it does fill out and it can be quite hard to get a spot if you wait until the last minute. The alternative is to camp and stay in a tent if the huts book out (which you’ll also need to pre-book on DOC’s website).

Anyway, we’re sure you’ll have the most amazing time on this hike! It really is an amazing experience and unlike anywhere else in the World.

If you have questions about the hike or anything else related to New Zealand feel free to DM us on Instagram or leave a comment below. You can also join our Facebook Group, New Zealand Adventure Travels where you can ask questions and connect with other travellers who are going to New Zealand!

We’re more than happy to answer any questions you may have about the huts, what to pack, or anything else. Definitely let us know once you complete it! We love to hear from people who have done the same hikes as us!

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