So many to choose from.....

Have you considered Stewart Island? You can water taxi from Oban to Freshwater hut and then walk across the island to Mason Bay (4 hours). Very idealic site and a great spot to observe kiwi in the wild. If you are feeling adventurous the Southern circuit is supposed to be a very good 4 day trip if you use the taxis. Theres lots to choose from around Te Anau which doesn't involve crowds. The Greenstone/Caples gets you into the mountains and is quite gentle. Lake Monowai road end into Monowai hut via Green Lake is scenic as well although you either have to backtrack to get out or go offtrack over a mountain to get to Rodgers Inlet and out. Theres a route guide on this site.

sometimes its a self defeating conversation, i really thing you need to get at least some sort of bucket list of the contendors to walk people ask open ended questions here about walk, and we suggest something then theres constant questions about the tracks and they want more information about more tracks and it can go on and on... frankly i think there is enough information on line to find some tracks of the type you require. if you want THE BEST tracks thats all subjective... we've got scenery for africa but also a lot of really rough tracks in a lot of those scenic areas. what a kiwi recommends could be a nightmare to someone from overseas, kiwis are used to rough, extremely muddy, root strewn tracks that are overgrown with thick bush on steep terrain. if you don't like mud then you're chancing your arm if you step off the great walks in nz.... there's the dusky track, fantastic scenery and endless mud and steep climbs that are rough underfoot....

Thank you all for the discussion and the suggestions, and concerns. It looks like we might just do 1 tramp afterall, and fill in the rest with a few day walks. We are considering Nelsons Lake/Angelus Hut tracks. The route we are researching is as follows. - Speargrass Track from Mt Robert carpark to Speargrass Hut and then on to Sabine Hut. Then Mount Cedric Track to Angelus Hut. Cascade Track onto Lower Travers Valley Track to Coldwater Hut. Then continuing on to Lakeside Track returning Mt Robert carpark. I have only looked at an online topo map, so the route is only a consideration at this stage - more research needed. My only concern would be the Mount Cedric leg. Any comments would be appreciated. Cheers :)

id do it in the other direction, esp if its wet weather, its a steep descent the way you are taking, tricker going down than up you must book angelus hut, its a popular area in mid summer

theres jetboat servies that take you to and from the head of both lakes, one way to explore deeper into the park and save time