Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand

From Highway 6 on the New Zealand South Island's west coast, take the Glacier Access Road for 2km to where the signposted Alex Knob track begins. There will be a obvious parking lot on the right.The trail begins at the parking lot breaks off to the left from the Lake Wombat trail about a half-mil...

The Waiho River is a glacial fed river from the spectacular Franz Josef Glacier. The main road to get there is Highway 6, which becomes a long single-lane bridge when it crosses the river. If you find yourself staying in the small town of Franz Josef over night then you should make the short walk...

From 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...

This is a 1032m peak with amazing scenery is surrounded by the beautiful Lake Tekapo. Keep in mind that it gets very windy the higher you go. There is an entry fee for vehicles and tours of the observatory are available. 

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...

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...

From the car park follow an old road track / stream bed until it narrows into a scenic walking track. Cross the swing bridge and ascend the south side of the mountain to its picturesque summit. Alpine views abound in all directions. It's easy to see why it was selected as a LOTR set location.This...

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.  

Park at the Lake Clearwater trailhead where you are immediately greeted by some of the best alpine views in New Zealand. The hiking track follows the lake shore around the west end before breaking off to the right and ascending Mt Guy in typical New Zealand fashion, without switchbacks. After a l...