Mount Aspiring, New Zealand

The Upper Clutha River track and Newcastle track can be joined to form a great ~28km loop that I highly recommend as a long run or a fun mountain bike ride. I suggest parking at the Hawea River swing bridge in Albert Town and starting off by going over the swing bridge to pick up the signposted N...

From the carpark the trail can easily be identified across the street. A short walk through native beech forest and over a long swing-bridge takes you to the boardwalk just before reaching the bridge over the Blue Pools.  

If you're looking for the best the Routeburn Track has to offer but only have one night to spend - hike from the Glenorchy side Routeburn Shelter to Lake Mackenzie in 12.5 miles (approx. 3,500 feet of elevation gain) and stay at this stunning hut location before backtracking over Harris Saddle th...

The Routeburn Track is world famous, and with good reason. But the because it is a through hike that requires multiple hut reservations and an expensive car-shuttle or two day bus ride to complete, many people feel overwhelmed or underprepared. This day hike options allows you a no-strings-attach...

New Zealand's incredible Routeburn Track is popular for a reason, and to this day it is still one of the most beautiful hikes I've done. Usually backpacked in 3-4 days, this 20 mile hike is possible to do in one!  During Great Walks season (October through April), huts and campsites along the tra...

To access the Routeburn North Branch, you start out from the Routeburn Shelter and head along the Routeburn Track towards Routeburn Flats Hut (6.5km). At the hut, cross the wide but shallow North Branch to pick up the poled route on the other side that leads through the last of the Routeburn flat...

From the road to Pakituhi Hut the track is a steady climb rising 400 meters on a formed zig-zag track to a small saddle. You'll get increasingly better views of Lake Hawea as you climb up the switch-backs, and you might walk alongside some sheep that make the uphill slog look much easier than it ...

The Valley of The Trolls can be accessed from the head of Lake Harris, off the Routeburn track. The trail in the valley is a lot tougher going than the well maintained Routeburn track. The valley floor will quickly become a swampy bog after a rain.  Getting to the trail is easily done about 300 ...

Twenty kilometers north of Haast Pass (568m/1864ft) there is a carpark for Fantail Falls, a beautiful waterfall with numerous rock cairns displayed at its base. From here, take a 3-4 hour hike along Brewster Hut Track (more like climb) through beech forest and then alpine tussock to reach Brewste...

After a short walk from the Fantail Falls parking lot, the trail crosses the river to reach the beginning of the track. It's unlikely you'll avoid getting your feet wet.The track heads up through the steep and rooted slopes until you break treeline after several thousand feet of elevation gain. N...

The track starts soon after the turnoff onto Hollyford Rd off the Milford Highway. The track begins with a bridge crossing over a river and then soon reached Marian Falls. From the falls the trail climbs steeply through forest until the lake. The lake is a beautiful place to spend several hour...

If you’re ready for an advanced challenge to suit any adventurous spirit and have the skills to navigate complicated terrain then the narrow MacPherson Creek drainage on the fringes of Mount Aspiring National Park may grab your interest. Diving in from the MacPherson Creek bridge on the Haast Roa...

The track begins from the Greenstone carpark. After walking for around 5 minutes, you will chose which direction you would like to complete the loop. For our hike we chose to go left over the swing bridge that crosses the river. After crossing the river you continue through open farm paddocks....

The drive to Moke Lake from Queenstown is only 14km but it takes about 30 minutes since you're on a dirt road for a good portion of it. You'll pass Lake Kirkpatrick and lots of sheep on your way to Moke Lake, but keep driving until you get to the campground that's on the southeast end of the lake...

Milford Sound can be explored by land or sea. Short hiking trails departing from the main parking lot are numerous and well signed, walk along the Foreshore Trail or up into the hills for expansive views.Going on a cruise is an exciting way to get up close and personal with Milford's scenery and ...

The trail begins at the signposted car park along Milford Road just before the Homer Tunnel, about 98km from Te Anau. Follow the marked track through the valley and left, steeply uphill. About halfway up you will cross the Gertrude Stream below a large, steep waterfall.Upon reaching Black Lake, c...