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Which Great Walk should you choose?

The Great Walks of New Zealand have been designated as some of the greatest multi-day hiking trails in New Zealand. These tracks showcase some of the country’s most spectacular terrain and are recognized for their exceptional natural beauty, outstanding landscapes, and cultural significance. Most of the Great Walks are managed by the Department of Conservation and the tracks a maintained to a high standard making them accessible for the public. There are 11 Great Walks of New Zealand and 8 of them are located in the South Island, 4 in the North Island, and the final Great Walk is located on Stewart Island. Each walk is very different and can take you through mountain ranges, past waterfalls and pristine lakes. Others will take you across remote sandy beaches, volcanic landscapes, and into lush rainforests. With so many to choose from how do you pick? Consider the location, length, availability, and difficulty of the track when selecting a Great Walk.

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  • North Island - Lake Waikaremoana, Tongariro, Whanganui River  (which is actually a canoe trip) 

  • Upper South Island - Abel Tasman, Heaphy, Paparoa

  • Lower South Island- Kepler, Hump Ridge, Milford, Routeburn

  • Stewart Island  - Rakiura

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Milford, Routeburn, and Abel Tasman are the most popular Great Walks due to their stunning scenery and natural beauty. But all of the Great Walks are incredible in their own way, offering different experiences and landscapes. To stay on the track, generally you will need to book a Department of Conservation (DOC) hut or campsite. Although not all Great Walks allow camping due their remote locations. Securing bookings for the huts/campsites can be difficult due to their popularity, particularly around holiday periods and often have to be booked months in advance. There are no shops or restaurants so unless you are booked on a Guided Walk you will need to carry everything on your back in and out of the track. So which walk is right for you?

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The Department of Conservation (DOC) rates all Great Walks as an intermediate hiking track which means hikers should have moderate fitness and basic backcountry (remote area) skills and experience. Tracks are generally well maintained and formed but some sections could be rugged, muddy, or steep. The tracks are marked with orange triangles or poles to show the way. Major water crossings are bridged but it is possible smaller crossings are not. DOC recommends hikers wear light tramping/hiking shoes or boots.

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 Although all tracks are rated as intermediate some Great Walks are a little easier (or harder) than others. This is how we rate the difficulty when compared to each other from our own personal experiences.

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​Easy Great Walks

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  • Abel Tasman is a perfect walk if you are new to multi-day hiking or have 'little hikers' with you. A family friendly hike with lots of huts and campsites along the way enabling you to shorten or lengthen your days and choose the distance to suit. The Abel Tasman is a coastal track and is serviced by water taxis so if you don't manage to secure a hut/campsite booking you can water taxi out each day to accommodation.

  • Rakiura is also an easier track due to the flatter terrain and length which totals only 36km, that can be hiked over 2 to 3 days.

 

If you are short on time, desire or fitness then consider a day hike. It is possible to walk sections on some of the Great Walks. Check out each walk for more info. 

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​ Easy to Moderate Great Walks

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  • Kepler - The Kepler is an intermediate track which climbs to 1472m. The second day is very exposed to the weather as you trek across alpine ridges. We experienced 70km winds which made parts of this day very challenging for a couple of hours.

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  • Lake Waikaremoana - The climb to Panekire Hut is a tough ascent climbing up to 1180m but the views at the bluff are absolutely worth it. Probably the second toughest climb we have encountered after the Hump Ridge Track. The rest of the hike is undulating through forest and around the shores of the lake. You can walk this track in either direction so it is possible to climb up to Panekire Hut on the last day when you have a lighter pack. Although, we prefer to do our climbs on fresh legs. You can also arrange for your pack to be dropped ahead to your next hut by water taxi making the walk much more manageable.

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  • Milford - The Milford track is considered an intermediate track. Much of the track is flat or undulating but there is a decent climb from Mintaro Hut to Mackinnon Pass on the second day, taking you up 1156m to stunning views. 

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  • Routeburn - The Routeburn is only 3 days in length and possibly the most beautiful of the Great Walks. The landscape is diverse as you climb through ancient forests to alpine vistas and lakes. The Routeburn Falls Hut is perched high on the mountain in front of the Routeburn Waterfalls, which is absolutely stunning.

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  • Tongariro - The Tongariro Northern Circuit takes you through a desert like plateau, past emerald lakes and the active volcanic mountains of Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe.  This walk is particularly exposed to the elements and caution is required in poor weather. Many hikers will attempt the one-day Tongariro Alpine Crossing which is still 20.2km, so a good level of fitness is required for this walk. Many hikers underestimate this walk and can be unprepared without the appropriate gear. As such, this mountain has a high number of rescues each year.

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  • Whanganui River - The Whanganui River Journey is not a walk but actually a canoe trip down the mighty Whanganui River. Days on the Journey will require you to paddle for 6-7 hours down river.  If the river is high, less paddling will be required otherwise it can be a strenuous paddle. There are options to complete the entire journey in 5 days or shorten it to 3 days, paddling the most scenic sections of the river only.

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Moderate Great Walks

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  • Heaphy - The Heaphy track is moderate due to it's length. It is the longest of the Great Walks at 78.4km that takes 4-6 days to complete one way. You will need to carry more food (and wine 😎) so your pack will be heavier as you traverse from one coast to the other.

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  • Hump Ridge - The days on the Hump Ridge Track are long and require hikers to travel 20kms each day. The climb up to Okaka Hut is without a doubt the hardest ascent we have had to navigate, with the last 6km a total gut buster. To assist with this tough ascent (if needed) you can pay $150 to get your pack helicoptered up to Okaka Hut and then carry the pack for the remaining days.

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  • Paparoa - The days on the Paparoa are also long at 20 kms each day over 3 days. The West Coast is known for inclement weather coming from the Tasman Sea, so if you are unlucky and catch some bad weather, the alpine section is very exposed.

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