New Zealand
Looking for the best hiking in New Zealand? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around New Zealand. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.
Top Hiking Spots in and near New Zealand
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Arthur's Pass, New Zealand
Backpack to Carrington Hut
11 mi / 350 ft gainWith peaks rising thousands of meters on every side of you and a wide-open valley to tramp in, the hike to Carrington Hut does feel quite like you're walking in a movie set. After walking a day up the Waimakariri Valley you'll reach this 36-bunk DOC hut, which requires a DOC hut pass to stay the ...Read more -
Arthur's Pass, New Zealand
Hike to Summit of Mount Bealey
5.05 mi / 3608.9 ft gainThe hike to Mount Bealey starts in the town of Arthurs Pass at 750m above sea level. Take the road back towards Christchurch from the centre of the village and you'll cross a river, take the first right and head up Mount Bealey Road until you see a car park on the right hand side.From here the hi...Read more -
Auckland, New Zealand
Hike the Summit Track on Rangitoto Island
4.32.4 mi / 850 ft gainStarting from the Auckland Ferry Terminal (-36.842505, 174.767258), jump on the Fullers Ferry to Rangitoto Island (-36.786279, 174.858345). A short, beautiful 30-minute ride through the city's harbor will end at the island's wharf. Rangitoto is a volcano, the youngest and largest in the Auckland...Read more -
Mount Aspiring, New Zealand
Backpack the Matukituki Valley
5.024.9 mi / 4822.8 ft gainThe West Matukituki Valley is a playground for those who love the outdoors. There are 2 sub-alpine huts, one on either side of the river, that make great backpacking destinations. French Ridge Hut (1470m) and Liverpool hut (~1140m) are both about 40km return trips from the carpark, and each can b...Read more -
Tongariro National Park, New Zealand
Hike the Taranaki Falls Loop
5.04 mi / 377.3 ft gainThe walk starts with red tussock grass. After a short distance, you will walk into alpine shrub. The track up to the falls is a very gradual incline. To get to the lower falls, a long staircase through a forest of toatoa trees provides a quick descent down the cliffs on the east side of the falls...Read more -
Arthur's Pass, New Zealand
Climb Mount B'Limit
6 mi / 4000 ft gainBegin your adventure by hiking up the Temple Basin Ski Field access trail. Continue beyond the Ski huts to the upper basin below Mt Temple and B'Limit. Continue hiking under the rope tows to the saddle where the views will surly take your breath away.Once at the saddle mount the ridge-top to clim...Read more -
Arthur's Pass, New Zealand
Hike the Avalanche Peak - Crow River Valley Traverse
2.3 mi / -2624.7 ft gainThe beginning starts with the popular day hike climb up Avalanche Peak in Arthur’s Pass, NZ. You can view that route on the Outbound here. Scott’s Track up is a bit longer but less steep and with better views so I’d recommend taking that up. Should only take around 2-3 hours, but you’ll want to s...Read more -
Gibbston, New Zealand
Hike to Lake Alta
2 miFrom Queenstown drive to the Remarkables Ski Field. The road features incredible views of Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, Shotover Canyon and the Southern Alps. The road takes you far above tree line into alpine high country.From the parking area it is a short (30-45 min) walk along a pleasant trail t...Read more -
Inangahua, New Zealand
Mountain Bike the Old Ghost Road
5.052.2 mi / 5577.4 ft gainThe Old Ghost Road is an intermediate-advanced backcountry single-track mountain bike trail in New Zealand. It takes 1-4 days to complete, with most people doing the ride in two days. It's in the West Coast region (the upper South Island) and runs from the historic mining settlement of Lyell in t...Read more -
Lake Tekapo, New Zealand
Hike the Mount John Walkway
5.0From the lakefront, walk left until you reach the trailhead. It takes around 1-1.5 hours to walk it at an average pace. The track is on privately owned land, so expect for sheep to be nearby at all times.You can mountain bike the trail if you wish to. The trail varies from long, drawn out section...Read more -
Castle Hill, New Zealand
Hike Mt. Cheeseman
9.9 mi / 4265.1 ft gainFollow the Hogsback Track until you reach the clearing just after the Waterfall Creek crossing. Hike through the clearing towards the toe of Mt Cheeseman's east ridge.Work your way up the ridge by linking a network of tussock slopes, ledges, scree slopes snow patches and crumbly rock. Eventually ...Read more -
Marahau, New Zealand
Kayak Camp Abel Tasman NP
23 mi / 328 ft gainThis beautiful national park can be explored by boat and/or by foot, so we decided to incorporate both before catching a jet boat back to Marahau. The entire coastal track is almost 50 km one-way without side trips, and the coastline can also be done entirely by kayak. Before arriving in Marahau,...Read more -
Fox River, New Zealand
Hike to the Fox River Caves
4.6 mi / 492.1 ft gainThere are a few different options while exploring this track. The first is making your way all the way to the entrance of the caves. The second is making your way to where the trail splits, one way heading up towards the cave, and the other abruptly ends at a big river crossing. The third is to m...Read more -
Westland National Park, New Zealand
Explore Peter's Pool
From the carpark for Franz Josef Glacier, Peter's Pool is signposted to the left near the toilets. The walk takes you through a fern and beech forest, eventually dropping you in front of the gorgeous and reflective Peter's Pool. Snap a few photos and then return the way you came or continue along...Read more -
Hunters Hills, New Zealand
Rappel the Kaumira Canyon
3.7 mi / 984.3 ft gainThe Kaumira Canyon is a deep, narrow gorge in the mid-Canterbury plains. Although not covering a very large distance, the array of technical features will take a while to navigate. We had a large party of nine people, and it took us nearly four hours to complete the canyon. There are two rappels,...Read more -
Craigieburn Forest Park, New Zealand
Hike to Hamilton Peak's Summit
7.5 mi / 3280.8 ft gainPark at the Craggyburn Valley Trailhead for a longer, more scenic hike, or continue driving to the Ski Field Parking at the road's end.The trail follows the true right bank of Craggieburn Valley as it climbs through a thick and scenic beech forest. After an hour it reaches the bush edge just shor...Read more