New Zealand

Description

Mount Cook - by Chris New Zealand is paradise for hikers. Tramping, as hiking or walking is called here, is very popular and well organised. Most tramps are inside one of New Zealand’s 14 NPs and 19 National Forests.
From the northern tip to Stewart Island in the south, New Zealand stretches out for 1.600 km, and the country has a 10% larger area than Great Britain. Thanks to high rainfall, its elongated north-south position, geology, mountains and winds, the country offers an enormous variety in landscapes. You will find countless rivers and lakes filled with fish, lush rainforests, alpine ridges and active volcanoes. The coastline is seemingly endless and varied, and dotted with small beaches. In all these landscapes hiking trails have been laid out. Ideal if you are looking for wilderness and isolation.
Trails, or tracks as they are called locally, and so-called backcountry huts are mostly maintained by the Department of Conservation (DOC). Tramping is possible on all levels of difficulty. The DOC distinguishes 6 Track Categories:

  • Easy Access Tracks (very short)
  • Short Walks
  • Walking track (2429 km): day hikes
  • Great walks (380 km) and Easy tramping tracks (895 km): track is generally well formed, may be steep, rough or muddy
  • Tramping tracks (7803 km): track is mostly unformed with steep, rough or muddy sections
  • Routes (1458 km): challenging; Track is mostly unformed with steep, rough or muddy sections


A special category are the so-called 9 Great Walks. In fact there are only 8, because the Whanganui Journey is a paddling route. These Great Walks are very scenic, not too difficult, and consequently most popular. During high season – from mid December until late January – these are best avoided. The Great Walks are:

  • Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk, 42 km, 4 days
  • Tongariro Northern Circuit, 50 km, 4 days
  • Whanganui Journey - paddle, 144 km, 5 days
  • Abel Tasman Coast Track, 51 km, 5 days
  • Heaphy Track, 78 km, 5 days
  • Routeburn Track, 32 km, 3 days
  • Milford Track, 54, 4 days
  • Kepler Track, 60 km, 4 days
  • Rakiura Track, Stewart Island, 36 km, 3 days


All tramps have huts and camp sites. You will need to bring your own food. Also bring your own stove for cooking, except on the Great Walks where the huts have a kitchen with stove. Most huts are basic and cheap, The better and popular ones may be staffed by a warden. There are three categories of huts:

  • 1000 huts in the NPs. Payment with tickets purchased in advance at for instance DOC visitor information centres. You can also buy a Backcountry Hut Pass, valid for one year, and a good deal if used for 10 nights or more.
  • There are a few Alpine Service Huts, high up in the mountains, which are a lot more expensive
  • Great Walk Huts: these have their own separate ticket system and require a special Great Walks Pass. In addition these Great Walks, because of their popularity, are bookable online (DOC) and consequently frequently booked-out during high season.

 
Summer holidays in New Zealand run from mid December until late January. In this period walking trails are very busy. The Great Walks will be fully booked if you haven’t booked early. If you can avoid the high season, from mid November and until mid April is also a good time for hiking, although you may encounter snow high up in the mountains. Weather is changeable at all times.

Map

North Island

South Island

Trails

Regions

Mountains

Books

The Book Depository
United Kingdom
The Book Depository
United Kingdom
2019
  • Also available from:
  • De Zwerver, Netherlands
» Click to open
The Book Depository
United Kingdom
The Book Depository
United Kingdom
The Book Depository
United Kingdom
The Book Depository
United Kingdom
2021
  • Also available from:
  • Stanfords, United Kingdom
  • De Zwerver, Netherlands
» Click to open
Stanfords
United Kingdom
2021
  • Lonely Planet Best Day Walks New Zealand
  • Lonely Planet`s Best Day Walks New Zealand is your passport to 60 easy escapes into nature. Stretch your legs outside the city by picking a hike that works for you, from a few hours to a full day, from easy to hard. Climb ancient volcanoes, view amazing vistas, and scale tall mountains. Get to the heart of New Zealand and begin your journey... Read more
» Click to close
The Book Depository
United Kingdom
2022
  • Epic Hikes of Australia & New Zealand
  • Lace up your hiking boots for the next in Lonely Planet`s highly successful Epic Hikes series, this time exploring 50 of Australia and New Zealand`s most rewarding treks and trails. From the Routeburn Track in New Zealand`s South Island to the Cape to Cape walk in Western Australia`s Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, we cover a huge variety of... Read more
  • Also available from:
  • Stanfords, United Kingdom
  • De Zwerver, Netherlands
» Click to open
Stanfords
United Kingdom
2022
  • Epic Hikes of Australia & New Zealand
  • Lace up your hiking boots for the next in Lonely Planet`s highly successful Epic Hikes series, this time exploring 50 of Australia and New Zealand`s most rewarding treks and trails. From the Routeburn Track in New Zealand`s South Island to the Cape to Cape walk in Western Australia`s Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, we cover a huge variety of... Read more
De Zwerver
Netherlands
2022
  • Wandelgids Hikes of Australia and New Zealand | Lonely Planet
  • Lace up your hiking boots for the next in Lonely Planet`s highly successful Epic Hikes series, this time exploring 50 of Australia and New Zealand`s most rewarding treks and trails. From the Routeburn Track in New Zealand`s South Island to the Cape to Cape walk in Western Australia`s Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, we cover a huge variety of... Read more
» Click to close
The Book Depository
United Kingdom
2021
  • Also available from:
  • De Zwerver, Netherlands
» Click to open
The Book Depository
United Kingdom
The Book Depository
United Kingdom
The Book Depository
United Kingdom
2022
  • Also available from:
  • De Zwerver, Netherlands
» Click to open
The Book Depository
United Kingdom
The Book Depository
United Kingdom
The Book Depository
United Kingdom
More books…

Maps

De Zwerver
Netherlands
De Zwerver
Netherlands
De Zwerver
Netherlands
More maps…

Forum

  1. Cancel