steve spoor
Google
You absolutely have to do this – it was incredible! It had been on our bucket list for ages after seeing so much about it on TikTok and YouTube, and it did not disappoint.
Just a heads-up – the system has changed a bit since some of the older videos were posted, especially regarding parking and camping. It’s now booked in 12-hour slots and it’s very popular, so you’ll need to pre-book through the official website. I believe you can book multiple 12-hour slots depending on availability, but it’s best to check what’s free when you’re planning.
We booked the 9pm–9am slot and it worked perfectly. We got up super early at 4am and were out walking by 4:30am to catch the sunrise and enjoy a peaceful walk through the mountains. By the time we got back at 8:30am, it was already getting really busy – coach loads of people were arriving!
Doing it this way meant we had the trails pretty much to ourselves, the temperature was lovely and cool, and we even saw (and heard) marmots! If you don’t go early, be prepared for crowds – it gets very busy.
We absolutely loved it – worth every penny. We’ll definitely be going back… maybe even again during this trip!