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. ALOT OF THIS TRAIL IS CLOSED FOR KAURI DIE BACK ...

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

First NZ Tramps • damoocow 14 Dec 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

Have done the Kepler - was reading about the Wangapeka last night - sounds great. Welcome Flat reads ok too ...

DoC to charge visitors more on Great Walks • waynowski 13 Dec 2018 in The campfire

howden hut isnt great. it was expanded for more people but the main eating space is barely adequate... feels like ...

Patagonia and/or Nepal • James the Giant 13 Dec 2018 in The campfire

Nepal is fantastic. Cheap and interesting. I did the Annapurna Circuit and Poon Hill and Annapurna Base Camp in mid winter. ...

tramps planned for the holidays? • emmagoaround 13 Dec 2018 in The campfire

Yes.around New Year Eve's Heading to national park and going to test my new sleeping bag. Got it from here http://www.pirt.org/best-sleeping-bags/

Blisters under toes • marian 13 Dec 2018 in The campfire

Like I said it could be that your skin is too soft at the beginning of the season: "I get them ...

Pass hopping in Leatham Conservation Area • glennj 13 Dec 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

Ta militaris. That report covers Silver Stream to Bull Paddock which is part of the country I'm hoping to travel.

Where to buy heat treated salami • Gregor 11 Dec 2018 in Food

Another quick comment: fatty salamis are great to fry up and get the greasy goodness to fry up bread or ...

Round the Mountain Track (Ruapehu) • Ericson 10 Dec 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

I have just done the RTM in 4 days , clockwise, about 28.5 hours walking time. My biggest day was ...

Tracks filled with Keas • si-dog 10 Dec 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

The only time I have seen heaps of them in one go was on the other side of Waimakariri Col. ...

Internal Frame Packs vs External Frame Packs • jmeyer 9 Dec 2018 in Gear talk

Forgot to mention this earlier but regardless of the different views on this thread or any other...the thing that's most ...

Dusky track • Yarmoss 9 Dec 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

If it hasn’t been raining in 24 hours the crossings are fine, the bigger ones are all bridged with 3 ...

Overcrowding in National Parks • Forest328 7 Dec 2018 in The campfire

Last week in Nelson Lakes there was hardly anyone in the valleys and it wasn’t until we got up to ...

Tent Options • jmeyer 6 Dec 2018 in Gear talk

Waynowski, additional 'footprints' are not to add waterproofness to the tent, they are there to protect the floor from abrasion, ...

Transport Haast to Martyr Homestead roadend? • lewshaw 5 Dec 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

fwiw,when you get to the Cascade using the 4wd track,go downstream. for a few hundred yards to find a fine ...

Travel on upper reaches of Otaki River (Tararuas)? • si-dog 3 Dec 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

Yikes, thats one way to do it Wayno!

New Zealands longest swingbridges • geeves 2 Dec 2018 in The campfire

Icy 3 wire. Sounds like fun. I think I would be looking to ford the river

China • Mr Finch 1 Dec 2018 in The campfire

I know many of the subscribers to this forum are well travelled so I thought I might pick a few ...

6/7 days worth of food in a 50 Lt backpack. • Syncop8r 30 Nov 2018 in Gear talk

I have the Cascade 75L... great pack.... I don't think I have been on any longer than a three-day trip ...

Te Araroa or something else • hobbs2999gmail.com 30 Nov 2018 in Tramping partners

Hi, I am also from the Britain looking to do the north island Te Araroa starting in January. Am happy ...

Tramper killed in avalanche near Mt Cook • waynowski 30 Nov 2018 in The campfire

it did, they arent on mt cook, they are beneath the footstool which is opposite the hooker valley from Mt cook

Garry River Track • AlexKutler 29 Nov 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

great

Lower Salmon Creek Biv • Honora 29 Nov 2018 in Tracks, routes, and huts

@Cabbage: thanks for that. We've been concentrating on the track work.

Wildlife smuggler unrepentant to the end • waynowski 29 Nov 2018 in The campfire

Without a doubt, this country's worst ever wildlife smuggler was Frederick Robert Angell, or Freddie Angell as he became universally ...

Couple of glitches • glennj 29 Nov 2018 in This website

Cheers! Yes all good now thanks!

Into thin Air book • Honora 28 Nov 2018 in The campfire

I read both books (and many others including one by Simon 'slasher' Yates). He is a very humorous writer and ...

What's new?

Upper Whirinaki Loop • Track, updated 9 Dec 2018

An Easy two day loop in the Whirinaki Forest park

Monument Track (south) • Track, updated 2 Dec 2018

Climb from the head of the Kaituna Valley to Te Ara Pātaka, and the network of tracks running from Purau ...

Tunnel Beach • Track, updated 7 Nov 2018

A popular coastal walk in Dunedin that explores coastal cliffs and a hand-dug tunnel.

Mt Barrosa • Track, updated 23 Oct 2018

A volcanic summit (1364m) in the Clent Hills with sweeping views across the Ashburton Lakes basin.

Hillary Trail • Track, updated 13 Oct 2018

A spectacular coastal walk in the Waitakere Ranges west of Auckland. ALOT OF THIS TRAIL IS CLOSED FOR KAURI DIE BACK ...

Silver Peaks Route • Track, updated 9 Oct 2018

Route in the Silver Peaks range from Jubliee Hut to Mountain Road via ABC Cave and Philip J Cox Memorial ...

Kepler Track • Track, updated 11 Sep 2018

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

Waimairi Walkway • Track, updated 20 Aug 2018

Farm walking, birdlife, picnicking, swimming, and hydrological ponderings.

Hawea Solitude • Article, updated 28 Jun 2018

Who would have thought you could have huts to yourself on a long weekend within an hour’s drive of one ...

Ball Pass • Track, updated 14 Jun 2018

A challenging crossing of the Kirikirikatata / Mount Cook Range between the Hooker and Tasman Glaciers just 5km south of ...

Waitākere and Hunua Ranges closure • Article, updated 19 May 2018

All Waitākere Ranges forested areas are closed to public access from 1 May. 10 high risk tracks in the Hunua ...

Kowhai - Hapuku Track • Track, updated 7 May 2018

This track follows two river valleys between Mount Fyffe and the Seaward Kaikoura Ranges. Since the Nov 2016 earthquakes, times ...

Banks Track • Track, updated 19 Apr 2018

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

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 ...

Cameron Hut, Makarora

Paradise Road Glenorchy, New Zealand, Fiordland, April 2018

Doubtful Sound,New Zealand, Fiordland, April 2018

Mount Aspiring National Park

Lake Matheson

Queenstown park

Lake Hayes

Remarkables from the Queenstown hill #2

Lake Hawea

Lake Wanaka from Rocky Peak #2

More photographs

Out in the hills

Briar visited Cameron Hut Wanaka/Makarora 4 December 20184 December

monkeysh1ne visited Atiwhakatu Hut 2 December 20182 December "Super easy walk in has pros & cons. ..."

Matthew walked Monument Track (south) 1 December 20181 December "Walked it in the rain. Not so many ..."

M400-1 walked Upper Whirinaki Loop 1 December 20181 December "Track just been cleared and new track markers ..."

iangeorge visited Hopeless Creek Hut 30 November 201830 November

Laurette visited Waingongoro Hut 18 November 201818 November "Only an hr from the carpark, easy walk ..."

landdownunder_nz walked Mount Thomas 17 November 201817 November "They have closed the Summit Track until 15/12/2018 ..."

glennj visited Top Leatham Hut 12 November 201812 November

john dutchie visited Speargrass Hut 29 October 201829 October

Fantastic walked Waipapa River Track 15 September 201815 September

TealTakahe visited Powell Hut [Replaced] 1 September 20181 September "Pretty awesome hut with a deceiving track! Every ..."

Yarmoss visited Leaning Lodge 12 August 201812 August

Harrison walked Trig M 4 August 20184 August "Very Cool Walk, would recommend it to anyone ..."

Honora visited Mansion Hut 21 July 201821 July "Stopped in for lunch. Needs toilet. Dark little ..."

zigzig walked Glentui Loop Track 21 July 201821 July

Berend de Boer walked Round the Mountain: Ruapehu 2 July 20182 July "Did this as a winter tramp. Takes quite ..."

madpom visited Upper Oreti Hut 30 June 201830 June

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