New Zealand’s 10 Great Walks

The 26-mile (43-kilometer), 4-day Tongariro Northern Circuit passes through New Zealand’s oldest national park, Tongariro, a UNESCO World Heritage Site home to three active volcanoes: Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro. Here, you can enjoy rugged, exposed alpine terrain dotted with volcanic craters, blue lakes, glacial valleys, and close-up views of Ngauruhoe and Tongariro. Accommodation is in huts with attached campsites.

Insider tip: If you don’t have the time or ability to complete the full Northern Circuit, the 1-day Tongariro Alpine Crossing is a faster way to experience a more condensed hike through the unique volcanic landscape.

Hiking the Lake Waikaremoana Track—a rugged, challenging trail which follows Lake Waikaremoana—gives you the opportunity to learn more about New Zealand’s indigenous Māori people. The 29-mile (47-kilometer), 4-day, one-way walk in the forested mountains of Te Urewera passes through what was formerly national parkland, but has since been returned to the local Tūhoe people. Accommodation is in huts or designated campsites.

Insider tip: The best views are from the bluffs high above the lake.

One of the Great Walks isn’t actually a walk; it’s a canoe or kayak adventure. The Whanganui Journey along the central North Island’s Whanganui River is administered by DOC in the same way as the multi-day Great Walks. The track requires a 5-day (90-mile, or 145-kilometer) paddle down New Zealand’s third-longest river, through the Whanganui National Park.

The Whanganui Journey is best suited to experienced paddlers because there are limited places to get out of the river. If you’re not an experienced kayaker or canoer, there are guided tour options, but you’ll still need to be a strong swimmer that’s capable of paddling for about six hours per day. Accommodation is mostly in campsites, but there are some hut options, too.

Hiking in New Zealand might not immediately conjure images of trekking along sparkling turquoise waters and camping on pristine beaches. But the Abel Tasman National Park features postcard-perfect sands, inviting waters, and lush, tropical greenery.

The Coast Track is a 32-mile (51-kilometer), 5-day, one-way hike that follows the coast. Camping is the only form of accommodation. Since it’s at a low altitude, you can attempt this fairly easy trek year-round, though it’s best in the warmer months if you want to swim. Travelers with young kids or mobility issues don’t have to walk the whole track; there are day hike options through the park, as well as regular cruises and water taxis from Kaiteriteri.

The 51-mile (82-kilometer), 6-day, one-way Heaphy Track trek starts from the isolated West Coast town of Karamea and traverses forests and mountains, emerging at Golden Bay.

The Kahurangi National Park features immense geological and biological diversity across a wide range of landscapes. From the rugged beaches of the West Coast, the trail passes through native lowland forests, limestone rock formations, and high alpine landscapes. Although the terrain isn’t especially challenging for fit hikers, Heaphy is one of the more challenging Great Walks because of its length.

Insider tip: The Heaphy Track is open to mountain bikers that can share the trail with walkers from May to November.

New Zealand’s newest Great Walk, the 34-mile (56-kilometer), 3-day, one-way Paparoa Track in the West Coast’s Paparoa Range intersects with an especially meaningful second track still under development: the Pike29 Memorial Track.

This second trail will follow much of the same trail as the main Paparoa Track but then diverge toward a memorial and interpretation center at the Pike River Mine, where 29 men were killed in an underground accident in 2010. In the meantime, hikers on the Paparoa Track can enjoy dramatic river gorges, cliffs, and the remnants of old gold mines, as well as amazing West Coast sunsets by bike or on foot—it’s a shared-use track.

Insider tip: Don’t miss the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki on the coast before or after embarking on the trek.

One of three Great Walks within Fiordland National Park (New Zealand’s largest), the Milford Track is one of the most popular hikes in the country. The 32-mile (53-kilometer), 4-day, one-way walk passes through glacial valleys, ancient forests, and many spectacular waterfalls that are at their best when there’s rain (there usually is!). Accommodation is in huts or at campsites, and given the high chance of rain, it’s worth booking a bunk in a hut.

Insider tip: Don’t have time for this trek? Day cruises on Milford Sound often include a short walk, too.

You can tick off two national parks (Fiordland National Park and Mount Aspiring National Park) with one Great Walk on the 20-mile (32-kilometer), 3-day, one-way Routeburn Track. In the warmer months (October to April), the Routeburn is a comfortable intermediate-level trek through mountains and meadows carpeted in wildflowers, past waterfalls, and along tarns (small mountain lakes).

If you have plenty of time and energy, the Routeburn Great Walk can be combined with a couple of other mountain trails, the Greenstone and Caples Tracks. These aren’t Great Walks—although they’re certainly great walks!—so they’re likely to be much quieter than the Routeburn.

A major advantage that the 37-mile (60-kilometer), 4-day Kepler Track has over others in the area is that it’s a loop rather than a one-way walk, making the logistics of getting to and from the start and end point quite straightforward. The trail follows Lake Te Anau and the more isolated Lake Manapouri.

Track highlights include waterfalls (especially after rain, which is a regular occurrence in Fiordland), the hidden Luxmore Caves, and the chance to see olive-green kea, the world’s only type of alpine parrot. The campsites are especially basic on the Kepler, so opt for hut accommodation.

Insider tip: Be careful with your belongings at huts or camps because kea are notoriously cheeky and may steal small items left lying around.

More than 85 percent of Rakiura Stewart Island—New Zealand’s tiny third island—is part of the Rakiura National Park. The 20-mile (32-kilometer), 3-day Rakiura Track is a loop that follows the coast and cuts inland through the forested interior. The coastal landscape is similar to the golden-sand beaches, turquoise waters, and lush forests of the Abel Tasman Coast Track. However, the sea and air are colder year-round due to the island’s southern latitude.

Rakiura National Park is also one of the best places in New Zealand to find the iconic national bird, the flightless kiwi, in the wild. They’re nocturnal, so you’re more likely to hear them after you set up camp (or stay in a hut, as these are also available on the Rakiura Track).