Great walks

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As Great Walks (officially New Zealand Great Walks ) is a series of trails in New Zealand called. The Great Walks are among the most important and important hiking trails in the country and lead through the most beautiful areas on the North Island , the South Island and Stewart Island .

The nine trails were selected by the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DoC) and are also administered by the agency founded in 1987 . There are well-equipped and conveniently located comfortable huts along the paths. Overall, both trails and accommodations are in better condition compared to other New Zealand hiking trails . The Great Walks attract large numbers of visitors from overseas as both DoC and private tour operators promote the tours on a large scale. For the majority of the Great Walks, booking systems apply in order to limit the number of visitors and thus to reduce the burden on nature. Private organizations often offer guided hikes.

The use of the various hiking trails is free, only the overnight stays for the huts and mostly also tent sites have to be paid for. Only on the Milford Track is it not possible to bring your own tent, you have to stay in the DoC huts.

The current booking modalities and fees are always available on the information page of the Department of Conservation for the respective hike.

List of paths

  • Lake Waikaremoana determines the landscape of the path of the same name
    Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk - The Lake Waikaremoana hiking trail is located in the southwestern part of Te-Urewera National Park in the east of New Zealand's North Island. The 46-kilometer route usually takes three to four days. Most of the path runs along the western shore of the lake. During the hike you pass through different vegetation zones, from extensive beech forests to dense, temperate rainforests .
  • Emerald Lakes and Blue Lake on the Tongariro Northern Circuit .
    Tongariro Northern Circuit - The "Northern Tongariro Circular Walk" is located in the center of the Tongariro National Park in the Central Volcanic Plateau of the North Island. This "Great Walk" does not have to be hiked in one piece (with overnight stays), but consists of several sections, of which the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is probably the most popular. It takes about three to four days for the entire route. The area of ​​the central plateau in general and the immediate vicinity of the three volcanoes is mostly not forested.
  • Whanganui Journey
    Whanganui Journey - Although the 145 kilometer Whanganui Journey is officially classified as a "Great Walk", it is not a hiking trail in itself, but rather represents a particularly scenic section of the Whanganui River , which - depending on the route chosen - can easily be divided into three or three five days with the kayak . On both sides, you will explore the middle course of the river, which runs in a densely wooded jungle and is located in the Whanganui National Park .
  • The Abel Tasman Coast Track runs right over the beach in many places
    Abel Tasman Coast Track - The Abel Tasman Coast Track is located on the northeast coast of the Tasman region in the Abel Tasman National Park . The 51-kilometer hiking trail is particularly popular in the summer months. Since the route runs along the beach in several places, one shouldpay attentionto the particularly high tidal range in this area. The whole way usually takes four to five days, but of course you also have the opportunity to go on day hikes.
  • The Heaphy Track temporarily runs alongside the river of the same name
    Heaphy Track - The longest of the "Great Walks" at 82 kilometers is also located in the Tasman region, but on the stormier west coast. On the Heaphy Track, you pass through all the vegetation zones of the Kahurangi National Park in an average of four to six days. The environment changes significantly every 20 kilometers from the highlands covered with bushes toevergreen, lush forests to the Nikau palms on the beaches of the west coast.
  • Harris Lake on the Routeburn Track
    Routeburn Track - The 32-kilometer Routeburn Track is located in the southwest of New Zealand's South Island in the Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Parks. The next larger towns are Te Anau in the south and Queenstown in the east. In the dry eastern part, the forests consist largely of pine trees, while the wetter western part of the trail islined with endemic plants, especially ferns. The Harris Saddle, which is located in high alpine terrain, forms the point of intersection between these two areas.
  • The Sheer Down peak is near the end of the Milford Track
    Milford Track - The 53.5 kilometer long Milford Track is arguably the most famous and also the most visited of the "Great Walks" and is also located in Fiordland National Park . It is also the route with the strictest schedule: the hike must not take longer than four days, as there are exactly three places to stay. The starting point is the village of Te Anau, the end of the hike is Milford Sound . There are no access paths to either end of the Milford Track, they can be reached by boat. Outside the main season, you are responsible for all transportation yourself.
  • The Kepler Track partially runs on a ridge in high alpine areas
    Kepler Track - The 60 kilometer long Kepler Track is a circular hiking trail that is located in the Fiordland National Park and includes extremely different vegetation zones. The route, which normally takes four days, leads over alpine ridges, through mossy forests, along various lakes and through deep gorges. Since 1988 , the Kepler Challenge, the most famous mountain race in the country, has been held here, in which the best runners need less than five hours for the sixty kilometers.
  • The Rakiura Track crosses Stewart Island
    Rakiura Track - The     Rakiura Track , located in the east of Stewart Island , is only 29 kilometers long, with an additional 7 kilometers on public roads to get to the beginning or end of the hiking trail. You need a maximum of three days for the route. Most of the time the route follows the coastline of the island, with the route sometimes leading over a wooded ridge up to 300 meters high. The newest of the Great Walks was built under difficult conditions: Due to an average of 255 rainy days per year, a large part of the Rakiura hiking trail had to be painstakingly paved so that it would not simply be washed away.

Booking system

Three hiking trails have one peak season , the seven months from October to April. Currently there is

Some brief descriptions
  • no booking system for
    • Tongariro Northern Circuit
    • Whanganui River Journey
    • Rakiura track
  • Booking obligation all year round for
    • Lake Waikaremoana
    • Abel Tasman Coastal Track
    • Heaphy Track
  • Booking obligation for "peak season" for
    • Routeburn Track
    • Milford Track
    • Kepler Track
During the five inhospitable winter months May to September ( off-peak season ), these tracks can be hiked like other hikes; they are not considered great walks, only the simpler huts can be used.

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