Mt Ruapehu Summit Plateau Guided Group Hike

Looking for a challenge? Make sure you tick Mt Ruapehu Summit Plateau off your list.
Climb above the clouds to see sweeping views of Tongariro National Park and the entire volcanic zone. Have lunch on the summit plateau on New Zealand’s highest volcano from where you can gaze down at the crater lake.

We guide all year, summer and winter, with snow up until the end of December. This is a fantastic snow experience using crampons and ice axes. Explore our group tours if you’re traveling alone or looking to meet and make friends with people from all around the world, alternatively we have private tours where everybody you walk with will be somebody you know.

Emerald Lakes in Winter
Tongariro in Winter
Mt Ngauruhoe
Blue Lake

Choose your Mt Ruapehu
Group Tour Option

Book a Mt Ruapehu Summit Plateau BASIC if you have flexibility and require the tour only. If it’s the additional extras and security around cancellations you require, the Mt Ruapehu Summit Plateau PREMIUM is for you. We also offer exclusive Private Tours that can accommodate different fitness levels and avoid weather-exposed sections or crowded areas.

Tour Times

Summer 26 September – 31 March

Meet at the Adrift Tongariro Base: 8:00am
Return: 5.30pm

Winter 1 April – 25 September

Meet at the Adrift Tongariro Base: 7:00am
Return: 5.30pm

Tour starts and finishes at the Adrift Tongariro Base 53 Carroll St, National Park Village.

We endeavor to remove the risk of clients not having adequate clothing and equipment for the conditions. To achieve this we request clients to meet at the Adrift Tongariro base to improve both safety and service as this is outfitted with all equipment and clothing needs for the conditions of the day. Adrift Tongariro provides our vehicles to transport you and the guides from the Adrift Tongariro base in National Park village to the start of the walk, and at the end of the tour we transport you from the end of the walk back to the Adrift Tongariro base in National Park Village. Once you arrive back at our base you then return in your vehicle back to your accommodation. You can park your vehicle outside the Adrift Tongariro base safely, at no cost for the day.

Included

  • Guide/s
  • Transport. Between the start and end of the tour and the Adrift Tongariro base included.
  • All winter equipment. Crampons and ice axes if required for winter conditions.
  • $40 clothing and footwear hire allowance. Included in the PREMIUM tour option only. See the Fitness and Gear Requirements tab below for recommended gear and gear available to hire from Adrift Tongariro.

Not Included

Lunch is not included in this tour but is available as a separate booked item at an additional cost at the time of booking. We have two options: standard or vegetarian. Any other dietary requirements are not able to be catered for so clients must bring their own.

Accommodation Transfers

We recommend that clients with their own vehicles self drive to our shop. Clients can park their vehicle outside the Adrift Tongariro base safely, at no cost for the day. If this is not an option, accommodation transfers from Whakapapa Village, Turangi and Taupo CBD can be booked as an additional service and cost over and above the tour cost at the time of booking.

Fitness Requirements

Walking distance is 10 kms return or 7 kms return when the chairlift is utilised. Walking time is about 6-7 hours. This walk requires a good level of fitness. Please note this is not a track and is less stable walking than on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The terrain is uneven and steep in places. It is possible to take the walk as far as Knoll Ridge Cafe if you are concerned about your fitness.

During winter and times of snow, surface conditions will vary from day to day. Crampons and ice axes are required, and your guide will provide instruction on how to use them correctly. No alpine experience is required. See Terms and Conditions.

Gear Requirements

Summer

  • Water (1.5-2 litres)
  • Personal medications (e.g. Asthma Inhaler, blister protection etc)
  • Sun hat, sunscreen, sunglasses
  • Backpack per person
  • Hiking boots/shoes
  • Walking trousers
  • 1 light top and 2 warm top layers (wool, merino, thermals, fleece, soft shell etc. are good layers)
  • Waterproof raincoat
  • Own lunch if not ordered via Adrift at time of booking

Winter

  • Water (1-1.5 litres)
  • Personal medications (e.g. Asthma Inhaler, blister protection etc)
  • Sunscreen, sunglasses
  • Backpack per person
  • Hiking boots
  • Thermal longs and/or walking trousers & over-trousers
  • 3 warm top layers (wool, merino, thermals, fleece, soft shell etc. are good layers)
  • Waterproof raincoat
  • Warm hat and gloves
  • Own lunch if not ordered via Adrift at time of booking

Gear Hire

Adrift Tongariro has available for hire personal equipment, footwear and clothing to supplement that which you don’t have and need.

Pricing

  • Boots: $20
  • Clothing items: $10 each (thermal longs, fleece longs, waterproof pants, thermal tops, fleece tops, waterproof tops)
  • Clothing accessories: $5 each (socks, gloves, warm hats, sun hats and sunglasses)
  • Day backpacks: $10 each
  • Walking poles: $5 each

Safety regarding weather, avalanche, ice and hypothermia are taken into consideration when securing our exact route for the day. We take all individual and group bookings. If you are travelling alone please book as we generally always meet minimum numbers, especially on good weather days.

The Mt Ruapehu Summit Plateau BASIC tour option is greatly discounted off our PREMIUM product offer. We are happy to offer free postponement if trips cannot be completed for any reason, but not a refund. Postponement will not be offered if the client is late or does not show up for their scheduled tour. Please see our Mt Ruapehu Summit Plateau PREMIUM tour if you require a refundable tour option.

If you wish to upgrade from a BASIC tour to our PREMIUM product this must be done outside our 14 day cancellation policy. See Terms and Conditions.

Mt Ruapehu

BASIC

Group Hike

$ 325 per person

NON REFUNDABLE*

  • No refund for ANY reason including if Adrift cancels due to poor weather forecasts.
  • Postponable for up to 12 months.

*Subject to Terms and Conditions

Winter equipment included
Crampons, ice axe and helmet if needed

Additional boot and clothing hire
Available as an optional extra

Transport
Between the start and end of the walk and the Adrift Tongariro base included

Accommodation transfers not an option
Consider our Premium Group Tour option instead

Lunch an optional extra

Interested in a private tour?
Find out more

Mt Ruapehu

PREMIUM

Group Hike

$ 450 per person

FULLY REFUNDABLE*

  • Refundable if Adrift cancels due to poor weather forecasts.
  • Refundable if clients cancels 14 days prior to trip date.

*Subject to Terms and Conditions

Winter equipment included
Crampons, ice axe and helmet if needed

Additional boot and clothing hire
Included to the value of $40

Transport
Between the start and end of the walk and the Adrift Tongariro base included

Accommodation transfers an optional extra
Taupo CBD, Turangi, Whakapapa Village

Lunch an optional extra

Interested in a private tour?
Find out more

Reconfirmation

It is essential all clients phone the Adrift Tongariro base between 10:00am – 5:00pm the day prior to the trip date to confirm the tour departure time and discuss exact timings. We highly recommend that single person bookings phone 3 days prior to the trip date to establish if minimum numbers have been met. +64 7892 2751.

What to expect on the day

After calling to reconfirm the day before your tour, meet the team at the Adrift Tongariro base the morning of the tour at 8:00am in Summer (26 September – 31 March) and 7:00am in winter (1 April – 25 September). Clients can park their vehicle outside the Adrift Tongariro base safely, at no cost for the day. When you arrive, our guides will check everyone in, go over the day’s trip conditions and assess and provide the required equipment, and additional clothing and boots if needed. Once we meet you, you are under our guidance so you can then relax and enjoy the journey with Adrift.

We will then transport you and the guides from the Adrift Tongariro base in National Park Village to the start of the walk at the Whakapapa Ski area at the top of the Bruce Road. If the chairlifts are operating there may be an option of taking a chairlift up to Knoll Ridge cafe. At the end of the tour we transport you from the end of the walk back to the Adrift Tongariro base in National Park Village. Once you arrive back at our base you then return in your vehicle back to your accommodation.

Adrift Tongariro Base
53 Carroll Street
National Park 3948

Track information

Total distance: 10 kms return or 7 kms return when the chairlift is utilised
Elevation gain: 1,010m (3,313 feet)
Walking time: 6 – 7 Hours
Track conditions: Unformed route and the track is not marked. Less stable walking than on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The terrain is uneven and steep in places.

The walk begins and ends at the Whakapapa Ski area at the top of the Bruce Road (1640m) on Mt. Ruapehu. We like to break down the climb into 3 stages.

Stage 1: Starting at the Carpark (1640m) we follow the gongola line up through the ski field passing through “The Rock Garden” up to “Hut Flat”, then on and up “ the Waterfall” section before heading into the entrance of Te Heu Heu Valley, finishing this stage at “The knoll Cafe” (2000m). This takes approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.

Stage 2: We then head up, aiming slightly south towards the top of the “Far West“ T Bar until we reach the ski field boundary (2300m). The time for this stage 2 is approx 1 hour

Stage 3: Walk up “Restful Ridge” to the “Notch” (approx 2650m), the entrance to the Summit Plateau and our first view of Mt. Ruapehu Summit. If conditions allow, we hike 15 minutes to the Summit Dome overlooking Crater Lake, spending just enough time at the lookout to take photos before returning to the notch for lunch. Time for stage 3 is approx 1 hour 30 minutes.

Finally we retrace our steps back to the Carpark, finishing approximately 6 hours after we start. There may be an option of taking a chairlift up to Knoll Ridge cafe. This option will depend on the group on the day and if the chairlifts are operating. Payment for the chairlift is about $40 pp and is made to Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (situated at the start of the walk). The lifts close at 4.00 pm daily, should conditions deteriorate during the day the lifts may have to be closed earlier.

Sacred Mountains
The alpine lakes and peaks of the mountains are sacred to the local Māori tribe Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro. Respectfully, they ask that peaks are not climbed and waterways are not to be touched. Additionally we like to show our respect by ensuring we leave no trace, and even helping the environment by retrieving wrappers from those who have gone before us.

More Guided Tours from Adrift

Tongariro Crossing
Guided Walk

New Zealand’s best one-day walk, located in the Tongariro National Park, a UNESCO Dual World Heritage site. Walk between Mt. Ngauruhoe and Mt. Tongariro, past craters and the Blue and Emerald Lakes.

Half Day Tongariro Alpine
Guided Walk

Ideal if time is limited or you are unable to spend the whole day walking the Tongariro Crossing. Start on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing track and walk amongst the volcanoes up to the Soda Springs.

Private 1 Day Whanganui River Guided Canoe

Paddle one of New Zealand’s Great Walks by canoe. Experience the NZ wilderness as you paddle through a mix of farmland and native bush, wondering if you have taken a step back in time.