8 Great Walks and Tramps

Whananaki Coastal Walk (Northland)

The 9.5km Whananaki Coastal Walk offers a relatively easy two- to three-hour walk (each way). The walk begins by crossing the longest footbridge in the Southern Hemisphere and ends at Sandy Bay. From the bridge, the walkway continues left along the edge of the estuary where you can enjoy magnificent ocean views and lush bush landscapes.

Manapouri Circle Track (Fiordland)

Spanning 6.9km, this circular track takes around four hours and offers stunning views over Lake Manapouri and surrounding mountains. The track takes you through beech forest where there’s plenty of vibrant birdlife to keep you company. Some areas of the track can be a little slippery, so care is required.

Puponga Hill Top Track (Farewell Spit)

This coastal track walk runs from Wharariki Beach to the base of Farewell Spit—South Island’s most northerly point—and takes around four hours one way. The walk takes you across farm paddocks, through coastal forest, and on to the beach.

Edmund Hillary Trail (Auckland)

The Edmund Hillary Trail in Auckland’s WaitakereRanges offers 77km of self-guided trails that can be taken on as a multi-day challenge or tackled in smaller chunks depending on your fitness level and time availability. The trail, named after Sir Edmund Hillary, takes you from rainforest to rocky shores and black sandy beaches.

Otari-Wiltons Bush Reserve (Wellington)

Wellington’s Otari Native Botanic Garden and Wilton’s Bush Reserve is a unique botanic garden with around 100ha of native forest including an 800-year-old rimu tree. The bush includes around 11km of walking tracks, varying in length from 20 minutes to 2.5 hours.For something a bit different, try the Tree Top Walkway, which takes you 18m above the forest floor.

Tongariro River Trail (Turangi)

Winding its way along the banks of the Tongariro River, this 15km loop takes around two to three hours to complete. The track is easy and mainly flat and dogs are allowed. The trail starts at Taupahi Reserve in Turangi with plenty of parking available. There are a number of shorter walks within the trail for those with less time.

The Chasm Walk (Fiordland)

If tackling the full Milford Track (53km, four days!) is a bit much, the Chasm walk is a much easier (and quicker) alternative. This popular walk is on the Milford side of the Homer Tunnel and takes just 20 minutes return. Enjoy spectacular views of waterfalls and the sculptured rocks that surround them.

Auckland waterfront to Mission Bay (Auckland)

For a change of scenery, a stroll along Auckland’s vibrant waterfront could be just the ticket. Start at Wynyard Quarter and enjoy the cafes and shops along the harbour front and on to Tamaki Drive—the full walk to Mission Bay takes around two hours. The scenery is pretty hard to beat, but it can get quite hot during summer, so be sure to carry water (or stop for a swim along the way).