New Zealand Grand Hikes

Up to 2 km (1.3 miles), 2 hours hiking, elevation +/-60 m (200 ft) 

Meet your North Island guide and the rest of the group in the Rydges Hotel foyer at 6.30am before driving south through classic patchwork green farming country alongside the Waikato River.

We make a quick cafe stop enroute to Waitomo for those who need a coffee and bite to eat. Arriving at the Waitomo Caves area descend into the vaulted galleries of the Ruakuri Cave with its limestone formations and crystals. Be enchanted by the thousands of tiny glow worms that cling to the cave ceiling and mimic a starlit night sky. Later we emerge into the sunshine and wander on a loop trail through an outstanding limestone canyon.

We arrive in the volcanically active area of Rotorua late afternoon. Rotorua is also the centre of Māori cultural tourism in New Zealand and tonight we enjoy an evening meal in the city.

• Accommodation: Distinction Hotel, Rotorua.
• Includes lunch and dinner
  

12 km (7.2 miles), 4 hours hiking, elevation +480m (1,500 ft) –250 m (900 ft) 

A short drive leads us to the stunning forests and beaches of Lake Tarawera. Take a scenic water taxi ride to the lake end. From here we hike back alongside this beautifully clear lake, enjoying the shade that towering tree ferns and ignimbrite cliffs offer. Plunge into the lake to cool off at any one of the tiny pumice beaches as you wait for the others to catch up. There are astonishing views all along this trail, and usually the chance for a natural hot creek dip along the way. This is an expansive wilderness of forest, lakes and volcanoes. After we return, we have the chance to look around Rotorua including the short Redwoods Trail. Later explore through the historic waterfront area including the fascinating Faith church. Rotorua is also the centre of Maori cultural tourism in New Zealand and late afternoon we enjoy an evening meal and cultural performance.

• Accommodation: Distinction Hotel, Rotorua.
• Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner
  

10 km (5.5 miles), 2-4 hours hiking, elevation +/-200 m (600 ft) 

In the morning we explore some of the amazing thermal areas located a little south of Rotorua. Wander along boardwalks that connect pools of bubbling mud, mineralised hot pools and plumes of rising steam, and wonder at the uniqueness of this area. Grab a cuppa before we drive south to Huka Falls and feel the power as the huge Waikato River gets pinched through a narrow rock corridor. Enjoy a café lunch at the lakeside town of Taupo before heading south around Lake Taupo’s shores to New Zealand’s first national park - Tongariro. The next two nights are spent in a hotel on the edge of the park, providing a great opportunity for you to explore the area at your leisure. In the afternoon hike to Taranaki Falls, cascading 20 metres over a 15,000 year old lava flow. Enjoy dinner with the group in the comfort of your hotel.

• Accommodation: Hotel at the gateway to Tongariro National Park.
• Includes breakfast and dinner

Up to 21 km (12 miles), 7-8 hours hiking, elevation +900 m (3,000 ft) -1,250 m (4,100 ft)

Join the guide today for a full day’s walk on the famous Tongariro Alpine Crossing, regarded as one of the best day walks in the world. The well-built track climbs, steeply at times, to the craters of Mt Tongariro. Stop and admire the views of the Red Crater, Emerald Lakes, and steaming vents that make this hike so outstanding. After a sometimes long and physically challenging day, celebrate your achievement at dinner with a bottle of fine New Zealand wine.

Those who prefer a more restful day can find plenty to do in the village: Soda Springs walk, Taranaki Falls walk, or simply enjoy coffee while viewing the great exhibits at the Park Visitor Centre. Enjoy your second night in this village.

• Accommodation: Hotel at the gateway to Tongariro National Park.
• Includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  

Rest your legs this morning as we drive south through rolling green hill country to the capital city of Wellington. Stroll along the fabulous waterfront and absorb some of New Zealand’s history in the national museum, Te Papa, or simply get lost admiring the heritage houses along one of the many improbably steep streets. Nowhere is very far in Wellington. There is a vibrant café and restaurant scene here – enjoy.

• Accommodation: Copthorne Hotel, Wellington.
• Includes breakfast
  
  

Up to 3.3 km (2 miles), 1-1.5 hours hiking, elevation +/-170 m (560 ft)

There is more time to enjoy this busy harbourside capital or relax before having an early lunch and heading to the airport. Enjoy a scenic early-afternoon flight over Cook Strait as you hop from the North to the South Island. Your driver will meet you at Nelson Airport to transfer you to the Rutherford Hotel, where you will later meet your guides and those joining for the Southern Slice tour at 4 pm.

There will be an opportunity for a guided hike up Botanical Hill, also known as the “Centre of New Zealand”, to enjoy sweeping views of Tasman Bay and Nelson City. Alternatively, your guides can suggest options for independent exploration of this lively town.

Later, we celebrate the start of our South Island tour by dining together in one of Nelson’s fine restaurants.

• Accommodation: Rutherford Hotel, Nelson.
• Includes dinner
  
  

Up to 12.2 km (7.6 miles), 4 hours hiking, elevation +/-700 m (2,300 ft)

After an early breakfast, we set off for Abel Tasman National Park. At the beach resort of Kaiteriteri, board a water taxi and cruise along the coastline past golden sand beaches, rugged granite headlands, and bush-clad islands. Step ashore at Bark Bay and follow the renowned Abel Tasman Coast Track through native forests and past cascading streams. A well-formed trail leads us up and over gentle ridges to Torrent Bay, where the lovely clear fresh waters of Cleopatra’s Pool may tempt you to take a dip or, for the more daring, a slide down the naturally formed hydro-slide!

At Anchorage, we will meet the water taxi for the return journey to Kaiteriteri before heading back to Nelson in the late afternoon. This evening, there is an opportunity to further explore this vibrant and artistic little town with its many excellent restaurant dining options.

• Accommodation: Rutherford Hotel.
• Includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  
  

Up to 6 km (3.7 miles), 2 hours hiking, elevation +/-170 m (560 ft)

On the way to the West Coast, we stop for a remarkable hike to marvel at natural flames which have been burning since the 1920s. We access this phenomenon with a local guide through a privately-owned working deer farm. Unlike the Eternal Flames of the Chimera in Turkey, these flames are surrounded by lush tree ferns and beech forest. A cup of ‘billy tea’ and hot cakes prepared over the flames gives this experience a distinctly ‘Kiwi’ flavour.

Our journey resumes alongside the mighty Buller River as it cuts its way through the vast wilderness of the upper South Island to the coast at Westport. We take the opportunity to explore a piece of spectacular West Coast coastline and learn something of its storied past, then head on south to catch the sunset at Punakaiki and visit a local pub for dinner.

Take an evening stroll around the famous Pancake Rocks and blowholes – we try to time our visit with high tide, so we may leave the rocks until tomorrow if tide times are more favourable.

• Accommodation: Scenic Hotel Punakaiki.
• Includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  

Up to 9.6 km (6 miles), 3-3.5 hours hiking, elevation +/-360 m (1,180 ft)

Hike the Inland Pack Track from the Pororari to the Punakaiki River. This historic route, once used by prospectors and miners to avoid immense coastal cliffs while travelling the West Coast, now forms part of our newest Great Walk, the Paparoa Track. Pass through a deep limestone canyon and towering rainforest with groves of tropical nikau palms. You may find it hard to resist a refreshing swim in one of the many deep clear pools along the way!

After the hike, we join a remarkable highway which takes us from the lush green rainforests of the West Coast over the glaciated Southern Alps to the parched soft yellow tussock grasslands of the eastern high country. This is one of the most ingeniously engineered roads in New Zealand. East of Arthur’s Pass, stretch your legs and stroll around the enchanting limestone outcrops of Kura Tawhiti (Castle Hill). This area was an important meeting place and food gathering area for early Māori people. Interestingly, it was named the “Spiritual Centre of the Universe” by the Dalai Lama during his visit in 2002. Today, it is a haven for rock climbers who climb and boulder on the multitude of rock forms.

We then leave the highway and follow the back roads around Lake Lyndon and on to Methven, a ski town in winter and a laid-back rural town the rest of the year. The Southern Alps form a spectacular backdrop.

• Accommodation: Ski Time, Methven.
• Includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  
  

8.2 km (5.1 miles), 3 hours hiking, +/-380 m (1,280 ft)

We continue south, initially following the edge of the extensive Canterbury Plains, then ascending into the intermontane Mackenzie Basin to Lake Tekapo, renowned for its stunning turquoise waters and the quaint Church of the Good Shepherd, perched daintily by the lake. During a picnic lunch, revel in the broad views of the Patagonia-like landscape. The sweeping Mackenzie “Country” is a sparsely populated region in the rain shadow of the Southern Alps; tawny-brown drylands, braided riverbeds, and striking glacial lakes extend to distant mountains.

On arrival at Mount Cook village, we hike in Governors Bush and up to Red Tarns for magnificent elevated views of Aoraki/Mt Cook and the surrounding Alps. Relax here to enjoy the views before wandering back down to our accommodation, where we will stay for the next two nights.

• Accommodation: Hermitage Hotel, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.
• Includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  
  

5.3 km (3.3 miles), 3 hours hiking, elevation +/-590 (1,940 ft) or 10.2 km (6.3 miles), 3 hours hiking, elevation +/-270 m (890 ft)

Hike up to Sealy Tarns and enjoy the breathtaking views of Mt Sefton, Mueller Glacier, and up the Hooker Valley to Aoraki/Mt Cook. If you’re feeling energetic, join the guide for an extended climb above the tarns to the crest of Mueller Ridge for even wider views of this spectacular alpine landscape.

For those preferring an easier alternative to the Sealy Tarns climb, you can explore the valley floor independently. Take a walk up the Hooker Valley (closed until March-June 2026) for views of the Mueller and Hooker Glacier terminal lakes and the towering south face of Aoraki/Mt Cook, or learn more about the wonders of the national park in the world-class visitor centre.

• Accommodation: Hermitage Hotel, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.
• Includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  
  

2.9 km (1.8 miles), 1 hour hiking, elevation +/-70 m (230 ft)

Travel up the Tasman Valley towards the Tasman Glacier, the longest glacier in New Zealand. Take a short walk through glacial moraine and board a custom-built boat for a unique spin around the terminal lake. Like most glaciers in the world, the Tasman Glacier is retreating and the terminal lake increases in size every year. This dynamic environment is dotted with icebergs of all shapes and sizes from the collapsing terminal face of the glacier.

Our drive to Wanaka follows the Mackenzie Country south before climbing over the tussock lands of the Lindis Pass into the southern lakes district of Central Otago.

We can sample the wine and learn about the sustainable natural winemaking practices at an award-winning vineyard in this burgeoning wine region, or simply enjoy a walk among the vines. Wanaka is a charming lakeside holiday town.

• Accommodation: Oakridge Resort, Wanaka.
• Includes breakfast and lunch
  

Up to 7.2 km (4.5 miles), 3 hours hiking, elevation +/-650 m (2,130 ft)

A beautiful drive alongside Lake Wanaka leads us towards the peaks of Aspiring National Park. We hike in the lower Matukituki Valley on the Diamond Lake walk and up Rocky Mountain, a distinctive glacially sculpted “roche moutonnée” (rock sheep) for spectacular views over the lake, and to the Southern Alps and Mount Aspiring/Tititea. This area offers several hiking options, from the gentle Diamond Lake circuit to the more energetic Rocky Mountain summit climb.

After the hike and lunch, we drive over the Crown Range, along the shores of Lake Wakatipu, and through to Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland National Park. Enjoy some relaxation time in the afternoon or take a stroll along the beautiful lakeshore, with stunning views across the water of the vast Fiordland wilderness.

• Accommodation: Distinction Te Anau Hotel and Villas, Te Anau.
• Includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner

7.2 km (4.5 miles), 3 hours hiking, elevation +/-490 m (1,610 ft)

Our day excursion takes us through the stunning Fiordland mountains to Milford Sound, one of New Zealand’s most iconic visitor destinations. We stop at The Divide to walk a section of the Routeburn Track to Key Summit for panoramic views of the Humboldt and Darran Mountains. Easier short walks, the preferred option if cloud cover obscures Key Summit’s views, are located below in the Hollyford Valley.

The topography will leave you spellbound as we continue on to Milford Sound and experience the true magnificence of the fiord, cruising between glaciated mountains under sheer cliffs that plummet hundreds of metres into deep dark waters. Enjoy marvellous views of the mile-high Mitre Peak and Lady Bowen Falls as you keep an eye out for marine wildlife. You may spot dusky dolphins, New Zealand fur seals, and, if you’re lucky, the rare Fiordland crested penguin. We return to Te Anau in the afternoon.

• Accommodation: Distinction Te Anau Hotel and Villas, Te Anau.
• Includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  

9.8 km (6.1 miles), 3 hours hiking, elevation +/-180 m (430 ft)

This morning we hike part of the famed Kepler Track to the shores of Lake Manapouri, often described as the ‘loveliest of all lakes’ for its array of small islands, bush-fringed beaches and coves, and stunning mountain backdrop. From here, the southernmost point of our journey, we then head northwards towards the lively scene of Queenstown.

In the wine country on the outskirts of Queenstown, we celebrate our adventures together with lunch at a fine local restaurant. Enjoy some excellent local food and wine before arriving in Queenstown at approximately 5pm, where the tour concludes.

• Includes breakfast and lunch.
• Due to difficulties with the size of the vehicle combination and accessibility of many accommodations, drop-off locations are at the guide’s discretion and may be limited to the airport and one central Queenstown location.