Discover New Zealand’s dramatic landscapes, magnificent wilderness and stunning wildlife when you hike one of the country’s Great Walks.

Abel Tasman Coastal Track 

At the very top of the South Island, explore the beautiful beaches, impressive rock formations and cheeky wildlife of glittering Abel Tasman National Park. One of New Zealand’s Great Walks, this track is the perfect way to explore the unmatchable beauty of the Abel Tasman National Park. Because of its easy accessibility for boats, you have the option to walk a portion of the trail for a day or the entire length over 3-5 days. Or, if you would prefer paddle power, take a kayak tour. The walk is not a circuit track, so some form of transport needs to be organised at either end. Shuttles and water taxis are easy to book in advance. The walk begins near the beautiful beach town of Kaiteriteri, home to a number of accommodation options. There’s so much to do in the Abel Tasman National Park that it pays to stay a few days more either before or after your walk. The buzzing city of Nelson is only a short drive away and it’s home to a range of accommodation.

 Paparoa Track 

A journey through alpine tops, limestone karst landscapes and thriving rainforests, the Paparoa Track crosses the Paparoa Range and provides breath-taking views. The Paparoa Track takes you on a journey over New Zealand’s spectacular Paparoa Range. It passes through varied landscapes, from subtropical rainforest to alpine tops, to the dramatic limestone gorge of the Pororari River. Along the way, you walk in the footsteps of early gold miners and settlers. A short side-trip to Garden Gully leads to old gold mining equipment, including a historic stamping battery and a 1930s miners’ hut. The track is a shared-use Great Walk. You can hike or mountain bike the track. If you are mountain biking, plan to spend at least one night on the track. For walkers, you’ll need to spend at least two nights (at Moonlight Tops Hut and Pororari Hut) to complete the full track.

Heaphy Track 

This ancient Maori trail crosses over tussock downs to lush forests, through Nikau palms and onward to the roaring seas of the West Coast. Of all the Great Walks, the Heaphy Track delivers the strongest contrasts. Every section of the track is vastly different from the previous one. Choose to hike this track and you’ll get luxuriant rainforest; sub-alpine tussock grasslands; high, rugged mountains; and, finally, lowland forest and palm-fringed surf beaches. You’re in for 82 kilometres of hard walking, but the frequent scenery changes will certainly take your mind off sore feet. The track is staged within the Kahurangi National Park, the second largest national park in the country and home to many Great Spotted Kiwi Birds. Even to a non-geologist, Kahurangi’s rocks are deeply interesting. Parts of the region are limestone or marble; these areas are characterised by an abundance of caves, bluffs, natural arches, sinkholes and water-worn outcrops. The park also contains the largest cave system in New Zealand. The path followed by the Heaphy Track was first used by Maori pounamu hunters travelling from Golden Bay to the pounamu (jade) rivers of Westland. Pounamu was highly valued for tools, weapons and ornaments.

Routeburn Track

With soaring mountain peaks, huge valleys, waterfalls and jewel-like lakes, this track links the Mount Aspiring National Park with Fiordland National Park. While the Routeburn Track may be a shorter multi-day hike, it has some of the biggest scenery. With soaring mountain peaks, huge valleys, waterfalls and jewel-like lakes the track links the Mount Aspiring National Park with Fiordland National Park.The highest point of the track is 1,255 metres above sea level – so the views are simply spectacular. The part of New Zealand that the Routeburn Track winds through has been shaped by successive glaciations into fiords, rocky coasts, towering cliffs, lakes and waterfalls. Birdlife is prolific through forested sections of the track; native tomtits, robins, fantails, wood pigeons and bellbirds are commonly seen, as well as the cheeky Kea, the world’s only alpine parrot.

Milford Track 

New Zealand’s most famous walk, the Milford Track has been thrilling hikers for more than 150 years. The alpine and fiord scenery is as perfect as ever. Around 100 years ago, in an article that appeared in the London Spectator, the poet Blanche Baughan declared the Milford Track to be ‘the finest walk in the world’.  Arguably New Zealand’s most famous walk, the 53-kilometre journey begins at the head of Lake Te Anau, and leads you across suspension bridges, boardwalks and a mountain pass. The Milford Track will show you pristine lakes, sky-scraping mountain peaks and enormous valley views; and it will take you to feel the misty breath of Sutherland Falls, the tallest waterfall in New Zealand. On a sunny day it is postcard perfect but some walkers say that only when it rains, and torrents of water cascade down the steep mountainsides, have you truly experienced the magic of the Milford Track.

Kepler Track 

This awe-inspiring track was designed to show you all the best features of Fiordland – mountains, native forest, waterfalls and glacier-carved valleys. Unlike many other multi-day walks, which evolved from Māori greenstone trails or pioneer exploration routes, the Kepler Track was custom-made, built for pleasure, rather than necessity. Opened in 1988, the track was carefully planned to show walkers all the best features of Fiordland – moss-draped beech forest, prolific bird life, tussock high country, huge mountain ranges, cascading waterfalls, vast glacier-carved valleys, luxuriant river flats and limestone formations. The track’s construction makes for easier walking. Most streams are bridged, boardwalks cover boggy areas and the very steep sections have steps. Walk the Kepler and you’ll see everything that’s marvelous about this exquisite corner of the world. 

Rakiura Track 

On the Rakiura Track you’ll discover peace, birdsong and scenery that has barely changed in thousands of years. Stewart Island is the place to find peace and solitude, surrounded by a habitat that has changed little for thousands of years. During the day, your feet will find the rhythm of the trail; at night you’ll be lulled to sleep by the “morepork” call of owls and the occasional screech of a kiwi bird. Stewart Island has a huge bird population. While people number less than 400, the island’s rich, pure podocarp forest is a sanctuary for native birds. The track itself follows the open coast, climbs over forested ridges and traverses sheltered coastline. Most of the track is board-walked. Beautiful wilderness beaches are a special feature; Maori Beach was once the site of a Maori village and a sawmill.