Two weeks in April, where to go?

April is the end of the Great Walks season, meaning you don't need to book but… there might be avalanche risk, and thick snow on the track, requiring a completely different skillset, and crampons and ice axe etc. This will be the case on the Kepler, Routeburn, Tongariro Northern Circuit, etc. but Waikaremoana and Abel Tasman stay open (with booking required) all year. Your plan is good. In Abel Tasman you can do a day walk loop from the south side, begin via the Inland track, and walk down to join the Coastal track and back to the start. Or as an alternative to the Coastal Track if you want to do a multi-days walk you do the Inland track, which doesn't require booking. Abel Tasman is always popular, but it's on the end of the tourist season, so it will be slightly better I hope. The rest of your plan is good, I did almost the same in 3 weeks, 3 years ago, there is plenty of stuff to see on the way, think about Kahurangi NP, Nelson lakes NP… Punakaiki rocks (literally on the side of the road), Fox Glacier, and lots of great hiking around Queenstown and Wanaka too. Aoraki Mt Cook has interesting options too, mostly short half day walks though. Hooker valley is excellent but popular too. Climbing to Mueller Hut is worth it, if the route is not under snow. Make sure to check track conditions with visitor centre before going if you go on a mountain hike, and weather forecast :) If weather is bad there's usually shorter, easier options in most places. Enjoy your holidays!

Be sure to buy/hire a locator beacon. And download the nztopo maps app to your phone. People disparage electronic maps in the wild (you need to take a paper map too, just in case) but a paper map won't show you exactly where you are in darkness or fog. If you are not already so, please be sure you understand just what weather possibilities you could face in NZ at that time of year at the altitudes you are tackling, and have the correct clothing and emergency shelter options available to you. We recently had two hikers die of hypothermia in the NI in late spring. The forums on this site probably have some of the best information you will find on these and other NZ hiking topics.

We own a PLB, a GPS device and of course we will get a paper map, too. I'm here to ask what the weather could be in early april. I guess could be similar to Scandinavia? We never used crampons or a ice axe, so we will avoid areas where this will be necessary. We often had fresh snow (also a lot old snow) during our summer trips in the Scandinavian mountains, so we have some knowledge about that and our gear is comfortable down to minus 5 degrees Celsius (tested by our self, temperature written on it is lower). If temperature drops lower, it will also save us, even it wouldn't be comfortable anymore. We want to sleep in our tent, so we have a emergency shelter always with us. Would it be a good idea to fly to Nelson and fly from Christchurch, will we have enough time for it? We could also fly out of Queenstown, skip Mount Cook and go to lower regions where the risk for heavy snow/ice is lower if they suit better for a april holiday.

Many of the great walks aren't circular, on the South Island only the Kepler is, so getting too and from them is an extra consideration. The Abel Tasman will still enjoy hot & warm weather in April, and still reasonably busy, though camping should be fine. It is indeed possible to make this a circular walk by the very much quieter inland route (2 nights). There should be no danger of needing crampons on Heaphy either, and it's begins to quieten down and that would be my recommendation, coastal section is stunning. It's possible to arrange flights from near start to near finish, if you time things right at a decent price too on backfill flights (Golden Bay Air). As for locator beacons, on a main track & still in season, and not walking alone, personal opinion of course, but overkill I think.

It's probably hard to advise of specific walks/tracks for you to consider given such and open brief. There are literally thousands of options which fall in to the catagory of "one or two nights where we are unlikely to see other people". Based of that brief everyone here could probably give you a multitude of their favourite trips. It could be simpler if you planned an itinerary and than looked for some trips in areas that fit in with that. From a personal perspective areas I have enjoyed include in the North Island; the Kaimanawas, Kawekas and Ruahines. In the South; Nelson Lakes, Kahurangi, Fiordland and the Queenstown area have been highlights. Happy to provide some specifics if you think you will venture in to any of these areas.

Your are right. But as I don't know a lot about NZ it's a little hard. Of course I read a lot now, but it's still nothing compared to what this country has to offer. Other people told me we should stay on the north island, as it will get better weather than the south island this time of the year, we will spend less time with air traveling and should just do daytrips/1 night trips to see more of the island. I guess this make sense. So a plan could be driving to Coromandel, East Cape, Urewera, Tongariro and Waitomo. Some say Rotorua shouldn't be missed, too. We could put in Kawekas as well, as it look like we could get there in remote areas without long walks.

Great Walks season goes into May. In the lower end of the South Island early April is usually great weather. Technically it's mid Autumn but the seasons generally come a month late these days. Claims of avalanches and crampons required is over the top and frankly more then a little silly. Temperatures should be cool and crisp first thing in the morning but generally warm up to mid teens, even up on the mountains. The leaves on the trees, especially around Queenstown, usually start changing colour around Anzac Day (late April). If you timed a visit to the lower South Island to coninside with that then it would be well worth the effort.

Kawekas are certainly a great area in which to easily immerse yourself in NZ wilderness isolation. Wear bright colours though (a good rule when hiking anywhere in NZ) as "the roar" will be about at its peak then and there could be hunters operating (still a great chance of not meeting people though, especially during the weeks). There are a couple of precarious pieces of track though. I don't have a great head for heights, but the track running north-south down to Cameron Hut, and the track east of the Donald River up to 961m, I wouldn't do again if you paid me. And I did both of those in dry weather. If you're not great with heights its a good idea in NZ to ask around about potential height hazards on tracks you're planning on doing. A broken black line on a map is no guarantee of a safe walk.

The Kaweka Ranges are a very popular hunting area, especially in April and there would be few huts unoccupied. However I haven't met a bad hunter yet, but be aware that as many of them fly in some can be prone to late night socializing. Good people, with a love of the outdoors. And generous if you go about it the right way.