Nau mai, haere mai

Hiking or backpacking: here in Aotearoa / New Zealand, we call it tramping. Tramping is heading off into the backcountry with everything you need on your back, and doing it safely so you can get home again. Experienced tramper, visitor to the country, or simply thinking about getting into tramping, find the information you need here to plan your adventure.

Classic walks

Abel Tasman Coast Track • 3 – 5 days. Easy. One way.

Easy, sunny coastal track with golden sands and excellent swimming. The busiest track in the country, following the length of ...

Dusky Track • 8 – 10 days. Medium. One way.

This journey explores the glacial valleys and mountains of Fiordland from Lake Hauroko to Lake Manapouri, visiting Dusky Sound along ...

Heaphy Track • 4 – 6 days. Easy. One way.

A classic crossing of the geologically and biologically diverse northwest corner of the South Island. The track is also open to ...

Hillary Trail • 4 – 6 days. Medium. One way.

A spectacular coastal walk in the Waitakere Ranges west of Auckland.

Hollyford Track • 4 days. Medium. One way.

The Hollyford Track is a classic lowland Fiordland route from the Hollyford Road out to the coast at Martins Bay.

Hump Ridge Track • 3 days. Easy/medium. Loop track.

The Hump Ridge Track links the Waitutu coastline west of Invercargill with the subalpine landscape of the Hump Ridge. Historic ...

Kauaeranga Kauri Trail (Pinnacles Walk) • 1 – 2 days. Easy/medium. Return by the same track.

An overnight trip past old kauri dams to The Pinnacles, on Coromandel Peninsula.

Kepler Track • 3 – 4 days. Easy/medium. Loop track.

Popular loop track providing access to the mountains around Lake Te Anau.

Lake Waikaremoana Track • 3 – 4 days. Easy/medium. One way.

"The Lake Track." Busy track in summer with swimming and fishing along the lake-side.

Milford Track • 4 days. Easy/medium. One way.

The Milford Track is an alpine journey through Fiordland National Park, and New Zealand's most renowned walking track, visited by ...

North West Circuit • 10 – 12 days. Medium. Loop track.

The classic Stewart Island coastal journey known widely for its mud. Links with the Rakiura Track.

Paparoa Track • 3 days. Easy/medium. One way.

New track located in Paparoa National Park, and still under construction. The track is scheduled to open late 2018. This track ...

Queen Charlotte Track • 3 – 5 days. Easy. One way.

A long but easy walk along Queen Charlotte Sound. This track offers hostel and resort accommodation as well as basic ...

Rakiura Track • 3 days. Easy/medium. Loop track.

An historic walk through almost deserted, pure podocarp forest.

Rees-Dart Track • 3 – 4 days. Medium/hard. Loop track.

Alpine circuit along two river valleys at the head of Lake Wakatipu.

Routeburn Track • 2 – 4 days. Easy/medium. One way.

An internationally renowned and popular alpine crossing between Fiordland and Lake Wakatipu.

St James Walkway • 5 days. Easy/medium. One way.

A long and easy walk on St James Station near Lewis Pass. Beech forest, mountain scenery, farmland, wild horses, mud.

Te Araroa Trail • 95 days. Medium. One way.

Te Araroa is a walking trail running the entire length of the North and South Islands. The trail opened 3 ...

Te Paki Coastal Track • 3 – 4 days. Easy/medium. One way.

Explore the Far North coastline around Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga Wairua.

Tongariro Northern Circuit • 3 – 4 days. Easy/medium. Loop track.

This circuit on the Volcanic Plateau passes close to the summit of Tongariro in a spectacular, active volcanic landscape of ...

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In the forums

Trampers flown out of Tararua Range • madpom 20 Apr 2018 in The campfire

Speculation - but they were presumably aiming for Dundas that night (Sunday) and failed to make it. If I were ...

Hip belt keeps sliding down my belly • geeves 20 Apr 2018 in The campfire

The reality is that a strap will always slide to the loosest point. Thats why socks fall down and shorts ...

Communications in the backcountry • madpom 20 Apr 2018 in Gear talk

A few updates on my experience with inreach. The smartphone app that goes with it has become somewhat buggy since ...

Two dead in the Tararuas • waynowski 20 Apr 2018 in The campfire

seddon bennington was at the other end of the spectrum, extensive relevant experience but from what people who knew him ...

Fiordland ideas for 22 April-10 May • Pro-active 18 Apr 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

""Snow closed the Milford Road overnight, and MetService issued road snowfall warnings for the Lindis Pass and Crown Range Road, ...

Sawcut Gorge • waynowski 16 Apr 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

yeah gamble to go there, especially with all the heavy rain, could be a stream gets blocked or is already ...

April 2018 updates • bernieq 15 Apr 2018 in This website

Another glitch it would seem - photos are again grey boxes (in samsung browser but ok in chrome) on the ...

Is it too late to do the Mueller Hut this season? • geeves 11 Apr 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

You could always go to Tasman Saddle Hut . A balmy -23 this morning. Just the thought of that causes ...

Rahui being urged for Waitakere Range • Forest823 11 Apr 2018 in The campfire

Walked the Hillary Trail over Easter with my 13 yr old girl and her friend. They did really well, the ...

Gunsight Pass • si-dog 9 Apr 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

This is a great trip but if its been raining the water comes right down the narrow gut that you ...

Driving to Mars - live feed • Pro-active 8 Apr 2018 in The campfire

Good to see the jpg pic function working again. Thanks Matthew. 10th Feb is the telescope photo of the distant ...

Routeburn track and Matukituki valley report • waynowski 8 Apr 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

mesh or loose knitted fabric that lets a lot of air through open pockets into the jacket

Also looking for advice and/or a partner in May • AffordableWind 7 Apr 2018 in Visiting New Zealand

Yes, it's a very good time for going any cool place

Tararua Rescue on southern crossing • aardvark 7 Apr 2018 in The campfire

It's just another tool in the kit which may or may not be of assistance . There are so many ...

Disposing propane/butane canisters • Berend de Boer 7 Apr 2018 in Gear talk

Another option is to drop off non-empty canisters at hostels (call first obviously). Many have a hiker box. We always ...

Drones in National Parks • madpom 7 Apr 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

Thanks for the link @izogi. For those in a hurry caa have a summary here: https://www.caa.govt.nz/rpas/ And a faq here which includes ...

Overland Track • bernieq 2 Apr 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

www.bushwalk.com has a forum devoted to the OT; a good source of important info and somewhere that specific questions can ...

Large are of High country land could be privatised • Honora 27 Mar 2018 in The campfire

thanks for the link for status of pastoral leases, Matt. I've bookmarked it. Very useful.

I'm back (not that many will have noticed). • Bamboo 27 Mar 2018 in The campfire

Hi guys, @Kreig and I must have been on some kind of similar "forum break" as I noticed he's back too. Not ...

Five passes with lake Nerine on Easter weekend • aardvark 25 Mar 2018 in Tramping partners

I'd love to help. It's a walk i have enjoyed three times and in different ways. I will probably touch ...

Antipodes pest control operation starts • izogi 22 Mar 2018 in The campfire

There's an excellent Stuff feature, from this month, on the motives for the mouse eradication at https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2018/03/the-island/

Those new Great Walks • waynowski 20 Mar 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

the no of great walks has been unchanged for years , i think the wanganui river was the last one ...

Route from Carkeek to Dracophyllum knob/hut • waynowski 9 Mar 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

I opted to sidle the gorge, it was slow going for me. had to climb a few hundred metres up ...

Queenstown to Wanaka options • waynowski 3 Mar 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

yup you can point a camera uphill or downhill, but without something in the background to add context, it can ...

State of Waiotauru and Renata Huts? • geeves 28 Feb 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

That trumps all other comments

What's new?

Banks Track • Track, updated 19 Apr 2018

NZ's original private walking track. It begins and ends in Akaroa.

Waitākere Ranges closure • Article, updated 11 Apr 2018

All Waitākere Ranges forested areas are closed to public access from 1 May.

Kirwans Track • Track, updated 5 Mar 2018

This classic circuit explore Reefton's gold history, starting from the site of the Capleston gold town and leading up to ...

Lake Wilson and the Valley of the Trolls • Track, updated 28 Feb 2018

An overnight or multiday scenic diversion from the Routeburn Great Walk. The Valley of the Trolls is easily accessed from ...

Walking the length of NZ's main divide • Track, updated 26 Feb 2018

A guide to / summary of my progress on one possible route from East Cape to West Cape, the length ...

Milford Track • Track, updated 9 Feb 2018

The Milford Track is an alpine journey through Fiordland National Park, and New Zealand's most renowned walking track, visited by ...

Not The Routeburn • Article, updated 4 Feb 2018

A six-passes trip through the Humboldt Mountains from Glenorchy to the Milford Road. Six untracked rocky passes. Seven little-visited catchments. The ...

Matukituki to Paradise by roads less travelled • Track, updated 25 Jan 2018

A rough, tough crossing from Raspberry Flat (Aspiring Road, Wanaka) to the Earnslaw Burn (Glenorchy-Paradise road) via Shotover Saddle, Lochnagar, ...