New Zealand has a lot of hiking trails to choose from. Donate now. That exposed walk up lends itself to glorious views of the beautiful Lake Rotoiti. Ball Pass Crossing in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park : 34.52 km: 6. MSR fuel canister (depending on how long the stretch is we either carry a large or small canister), Bug spray (the sandflies are awful! Chapple saw Te Araroa as an expression of New Zealand culture. Rating: easy walking track (comfortable, formed trails). See this on our 'Rimu - Ultimate South Island Adventure' How to choose a multi-day hiking trail in New Zealand. New Zealand is an outdoors lovers dream come true, its splendid nature offers countless activities, especially for avid hikers. But for walkers with less time, or wanting to make the journey in stages, Te Araroa also provides a series of great scenic hiking routes of varying length, difficulty and landscape. World’s 10 Longest Trails. Te Araroa - The Long Pathway is the result of a dream that was first talked about 40 years ago when the New Zealand Walkways Commission - which eventually became the Department of Conservation (DOC) - was formed. Secondly, New Zealand has volcanoes and yes, you can hike around them! For an outdoors lover like me, it was a dream destination. A shot of New Zealand’s breath taking mountains. It’s advised to still filter this water. The South Island’s hut system is even more plentiful and developed, but there are less towns and longer stretches in between resupply towns. There are 16 huts on Te Araroa's 110-kilometre traverse of the Richmond Range - the trail’s longest and most demanding section with summits consistently above 1500 metres. Plan your land based trip into the New Zealand outdoors. What else you’ll do and see while hiking in New Zealand 7. 40-year journey Pick your path as you travel from one end of Iceland to the other. Rakiura Track, Stewart Island : 29.84 km: Hikes in New Zealand Multi-Day hikes Longest Best . Lake Waikaremoana Track . List Map Combined + + Guide . These Trail Notes will list helpful accommodations and trail angel stops that we would otherwise miss by hiking only with GPS, so we highly recommend checking these out. Best time to visit: June to July Iceland is known for its gorgeous, varied landscape that includes volcanoes, h… New Zealand has some of the best hikes in the world in stunning National Parks and across diverse landscapes. DOC manages a network of over 950 huts of all shapes and sizes. Located on New Zealand’s third-largest island, Stewart Island, this hike is off the beaten path but offers some of the best chances to see New Zealand wildlife including the elusive kiwi. Coromandel Hikes You Can’t Miss. By 1998, Chapple had gained increasing support for his campaign, and a substantial grant allowed him to leave full-time employment and walk the proposed North Island route. Short walks and day hikes If there’s a special place to visit or something remarkable to see, you can be sure that there’s a short walk or day hike that’ll take you there. Now, planning a thru-hike is no easy task, whether or not you’ve completed one. By the mid-2000s and well ahead of the trail’s still-to-come completion, eager walkers were beginning to hit the trail - up to 10 a year, using roads as by-passes where necessary. New Zealand is an island nation located in the southwestern region of the Pacific Ocean. In our next dispatch we’ll take a closer look at how to tackle your food and fuel strategy for months on the trail, as that’s a whole topic in itself. #1 Tongariro Crossing. 5 Things to Know before Hiking in New Zealand. The Mount Robert Circuit in the Nelson Lakes National Park of New Zealand’s South Island is classified as an advanced hike. New Zealand’s well-established and maintained trail network offers a remarkably diverse array of hikes for every ability and interest. Lace up your hiking boots, this beautiful trail is only a short 5-minute walk from the centre of town. In popular culture. This provides some of New Zealand’s best hikes throughout Mount Aspiring National Park, Aoraki National Park and ending in Fiordland National Park. Lake Waikaremoana Track : 41.49 km: 4. When it comes to the best hikes in New Zealand, this is one of the longest that we’ve included. Firstly, New Zealand has the Southern Alps which are a chain of mountains running centrally through the South Island. For nine-year-old Elizabeth and six-year-old Johnny, it was an immersive education—a […] Depending on how fast you want to hike the trail—it can be completed in as short as 4 months or as long as 6 months—most start in the beginning of November and arrive in down in Bluff around the end of April. The South Island came later. This spans the length of New Zealand, from Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach in Northland to Bluff in Southland. Elevation change: Unknown 5. Truth be told this hike wasn't our first choice, we had tried to book one of the 'Great Walks of NZ' but they were all full, so we took a punt on this track. Cook National Park - 3 hours. I used to get a Deet spray but recently a local told me to combine Detol and Baby Oil—that’s been working well and much cheaper), Clothing: hat (the sun is brutal), 2 merino wool t-shirts, 1 pair shorts, 1 pair leggings, 1 puffy down jacket, 1 rain jacket, 3 pairs merino wool socks, 3 pairs merino wool underwear, hiking shoes/boots, sandals, beanie. Starting in the North Island, the trail begins where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean meet. In the central North Island, the trail  takes in the Tongariro Crossing - a world-renowned one-day mountain crossing through a unique volcanic landscape. New Zealand's Great Walks are premier tracks that pass through diverse and spectacular scenery. Enjoy and good luck! For maps, we use iHike GPS app that works offline. New Zealand’s Te Araroa Trail is the world’s newest long-distance thru-hike. These forests challenge hikers with gnarly roots, up-to-your knees mud and unforgiving trailside cliffs. It’s an easy 10 km hike as slopes are not steep. Much of … New Zealand’s most famous walk, the Milford Track is 53km worth of mountains, valleys, lakes and other incredible views. We have hiked alongside trail veterans who recently completed the AT or PCT, and when asked about the level of difficulty relative to what we’re facing out here, they all answer that they’ve never been around so many physical terrain challenges and “sketchy” rock falls or cliff drops on their other hikes. The Te Araroa Trail Notes lists multiple spots to camp every night, so we usually stick to that for planning out each night’s “home.” When camping in the forest, we always look at our GPS for the closest river so that we can filter endless water for dinner, breakfast, coffee, and the next day’s water supply. Day Hike In New Zealand Hakarimata Range This is a short hike I did in the Waikato Region of New Zealand. Most TA hikers choose to go SOBO, or South Bound, based on the weather. Food, fuel & resupplies Chapple saw Te Araroa from a community perspective, with construction of the trail creating jobs, and the completed trail bringing tourists and business to remote rural areas. Stretching the entire length of the country, Te Araroa is a spectacular public walkway that links New Zealand’s actual and symbolic poles - Cape Reinga, at the northern tip of the North Island, with Bluff, on the South Island’s southernmost coast. After a long 3+ hours hike to the Hooker Lake, we were bone-weary and 15 min walk to see the Tasman Glaciers, New Zealand’s longest glaciers didn’t seem like a bad deal at all. 8. Lonely Planet Hiking & Tramping in New Zealand; Lonely Planet New Zealand – indispensable guide for traveling in NZ.We consulted our LP throughout our whole trip. Or you could just turn up, blindly point at the menu and hope you strike it lucky. Hiking in New Zealand has some specifics when it comes to packing - because of the ever-changing weather, especially in the mountains, you always must be ready, and carry almost all your equipment. It also appears in the 1976 (re-released in 1979) single "The Lone Ranger" by British band Quantum Jump, which featured in the title sequence of the second series of The Kenny Everett Video Show. Credit: Ben Curran. If you’re itching for a life-changing international experience where locals value giving back to this world and the land we inhabit, then New Zealand is the place for you. Though the jury is still out as to which thru-hike is the toughest, according to these vets, New Zealand takes the cake. But that’s why we’re here. The first trail from Kerikeri to Waitangi, in Northland, was opened in 1995 but it wasn’t until 1997 that the Te Araroa Trust was able to map the North Island trail - in consultation with DOC, and local and regional bodies. Another trek on Stewart Island, the North West Circuit spans 125 km (78 miles) and takes you on a circular track outlining a vast majority of the island. From dream to reality Great Walks tracks are well formed and easy to follow. Not for use in paid advertising.Please credit Tourism New Zealand. 11:12. Other than this, the hike is relatively easy and enjoyable for novice hikers. Elevation Gap 1,873 m. ... 6 longest Hikes in New Zealand Name Distance; 1. Now, my crew is out here and we’re sending this dispatch from the trail. When the 3000-kilometre Te Araroa – The Long Pathway was completed in New Zealand in December 2011, it became one of the world's longest walking trails. We’ve picked six of our favourites to call New Zealand’s best day hikes, but there are so many others that could have easily made this list. We slowly trudged up the hill with heavy breaths and sore legs. A judge has ordered the release of Alfred Thomas Vincent, who has severe dementia, does not know his name, cannot talk or look after himself. Europe. Ben Lomond, Queenstown. Crossing from the Waitemata Harbour in the north to the Manukau Harbour in the south (or vice versa), it passes through a lot of city landscape, but also includes a lot of culture, nature, and history. Water crossings and weather are the most dangerous elements to have on your radar while hiking the TA. Germany . Something for everyone The best way to keep in touch with people back home is to hop on wifi in each resupply town at a local café. (Also, ask yourself why you're in New Zealand.) A six-month thru-hike is a monumental goal; the key is breaking it up and focusing on each stretch until the next resupply town. The 3000km route stretching from Cape Reinga in the north of New Zealand to Bluff in the south. The hike is easy going and for keen hikers can be done in just two days … Kiwi experience Hiking in New Zealand post COVID-19 3. Māori believe the pathway has mana / powerful value, and the Waikato’s Tainui tribe even granted Te Araroa the protection of their taniwha / water spirit or monster. Queen Charlotte Track : 72.63 km: 2. So before you set out on your New Zealand day hike: dress appropriately, do your research, and check-in with the DOC (Department of Conservation) for updated track conditions. Make some new friends along the way. It’s important to not cross those at high tide, or you can easily be swept out to sea. Some people skip the North Island, where there are more … Credit: Ben Curran, Download Image  Learn more. The 3000km route stretches from Cape Reinga in the north of New Zealand to Bluff in the south. Toward the bottom of the North Island you begin to hit mountain ranges, where there are backcountry huts that have running water. When starting the trail, most TA hikers hitch-hike from Keri Keri, the closest town to Cape Reinga. Chapple described the journey as "pretty character building … but when you get up to a high point and look back on all the ridges and headlands you’ve come over, it’s a great feeling." [citation needed] It is the subject of a 1960 song by the New Zealand balladeer Peter Cape. Some of these longest hiking trails in the world traverse thousands of miles and can go over very harsh terrain. Taking a break on the beach. Fox Glacier Heli-Hike - New Zealand's Biggest Gap Year – Backpacker Guide New Zealand - Duration: 11:12. New Zealand's hiking and outdoor adventure specialist with tours to suit all fitness levels on great walks and trails. Enter some basic information then receive alerts, forecasts and resources relevant to the activity you're doing. Jet boating on the Hollyford River. This post contains affiliate links. 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