PRINT MODULESection Three
Abel Tasman Coastal Track, Abel Tasman National Park
The Abel Tasman Coastal Track offers walkers glimpses of idyllic coastlines, white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and excellent swimming.
The track follows the full length of this small national park’s coastline and involves several tidal crossings. Dolphins, seals and penguins are regularly spotted. For more information, visit the Great Walks feature on www.newzealand.com.
Location - North western corner of the South Island.
Length - 4-5 days, 38km, Easy Grade
Type of Walk - Great Walk - guided and independent options available
Start - Marahau
Finish - Totaranui
NB: Track can be walked in either direction
When to walk - All year
Recommended equipment
- Sunscreen
Nearest towns - Marahau, Motueka, Takaka
Nearest main centre - Nelson
How to get to and from the region
Air
Nelson city airport has regular flights in an out of the Nelson region.
Air New Zealandwww.airnewzealand.co.nz
Nelson - Marahau, 69km, 1 hour 20 mins
Cars can be left at Marahau car park at the start of the track.
Intercity Coaches offer a wide range of scheduled services to the Nelson region. www.intercitycoachlines.co.nz
For guided walkers - Guided walk operators organise all transport to and from the walk from Nelson or Motueka
For independent walkers - Regular bus services depart Nelson and Motueka for Kaiteriteri, Marahau, Totaranui and Wainui. Visit www.nelsonnz.com for operator details
Water taxis service points on the Coastal Track, a convenient way to start or finish the walk.
It is possible to walk only part of the track and water taxi back.
Visit www.nelsonnz.com for operator details
Huts and permits
- Guided walking: Private accommodation provided as part of the guided walk
- For independent walkers: There are five DOC huts and 21 campsites on the track. Go to www.doc.govt.nz for bookings
A Great Walks pass is required for hut accommodation and bookings must be made.
Bookings can be made from 1 July each year for the coming summer season.
Camping can not be pre booked but camping passes must be purchased from DOC or the Nelson Visitors Centre before arriving at the park.
There are no cooking facilities at any accommodation. There is an independent lodge at Awaroa accessible by walking or water taxi.
Guided walk operators
Abel Tasman Wilson’s Experiences www.AbelTasman.co.nz
Ocean River Sea Kayaking www.seakayaking.co.nz
Flying Kiwi Adventure Tours www.flyingkiwi.com
or visit the product listings on www.newzealand.com.
Heaphy Track, Kahurangi National Park
Classic crossing of the geologically and biologically diverse northwest corner of the South Island from Golden Bay to the West Coast. It is the longest of the Great Walks.
Landscapes range from Nikau lined beach at western end, red tussock downs, lush beech forests and alpine herb fields.
Most people walk the track from east to west to cover most of the climbing on day one. It can be completed in the reverse direction. It is a well formed track and suitable for fit, well-equipped people.
For more information, visit the Heaphy Track feature on www.newzealand.com.
Location - North West Corner of the South Island
Length - 82kms, 4-6 days, Easy Grade
Type of Walk - Great Walk - independent and guided walk options available
Start - Brown Hut, Golden Bay (28kms from Collingwood)
Finish - Kohaihai Camping Ground (Karamea, the closest town to the finish of the track, is 15km away.)
NB: The track can be walked in both directions.
When to walk - All Year
Recommended equipment
- Portable cooking stove needs to be carried.
Nearest towns - Collingwood, Karamea
Nearest main centres - Nelson, Westport
How to get to and from the region
Air
Air services make it possible to walk the track and return by air to near your starting point. Air New Zealand have services in Westport and Nelson. www.airnewzealand.co.nz
170km from Nelson and 120kms from Westport
Leaving a vehicle at one end of the track is possible however it will require a number of coach transfers from either end of the track to return to the car.
Intercity Coaches offer a wide range of scheduled services in the Nelson and West Coast areas. www.intercitycoachlines.co.nz
How to get to and from the the track
Regular walker bus transfers depart from Nelson and Motueka to the Collingwood end of the track.
There is a daily transfer from the West Coast end of the track to Karamea.
Visit www.west-coast.co.nz and www.nelsonnz.com for local transport operator contact details, or www.doc.govt.nz.
NB: There is a phone at Brown Hut and at the Kohaihai Camping Ground so buses/taxis can be called on completion of the walk.
Huts and permits
For independent walkers: There are 7 DOC huts and shelters along the track. All huts have heating, toilets, bunks, matresses and water. There are five camping grounds. Great Walks hut passes and camping passes must be pre purchased however pre-booking is not possible.
Guided walk operators
Visit www.newzealand.com click on Activities and type "Heaphy Track" into the search function, or visit the "Commerical Operators" section on www.doc.govt.nz.
Milford Track, Fiordland National Park
Regarded as New Zealand’s most famous walk. Follow historic Maori routes through a dramatic landscape of forest-covered valleys, high mountains and steep sided fiords from Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound.
The Milford Track can only be walked as a four day/three night package and starts with a cruise on Lake Te Anau to Glade Wharf and finishes with a cruise on Milford Sound.
Location - In the heart of Fiordland National Park, finishing at Milford Sound
Length - 4 days, 53km, Medium Grade
Type of Walk - Great Walk - guided and independent options available
Start - Glade Wharf (At the top of Lake Te Anau)
Finish - Milford Sound
When to walk - Peak season is late October - late April. Bookings are required as a maximum of 40 people may start the track each day.
Recommended equipment
- Sturdy walking boots will be required - these will get wet and muddy.
Please note: Backpacks and raincoats included in guided package prices.
Nearest town - Te Anau (Queenstown to Te Anau, approximately 2 hours)
How to get to and from the region
Self Drive
State Highway 94 to Te Anau.
Free long term parking is available at the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre however vehicles are left unattended at own risk.
Scheduled Coach Services
Newmans Coach Lines and Intercity buses offer scheduled services to Te Anau. www.newmanscoach.co.nz, www.intercity.co.nz.
How to get to and from the the track
For guided walkers - For those clients booking a guided walk all transport to and from the track is arranged as part of the package. Pickup and dropoffs can be made from either Te Anau or Queenstown. A half-hour scenic cruise on Milford Sound is also included in a guided walk package.
For independent walkers - Independent walkers need to organise boat & land transport to and from the walk (you can not walk to Milford from Sandfly Point). Information on transport options can be found at www.doc.govt.nz.
Huts and permits
There are three DOC huts on the track. Pre-booking is required during peak season and Great Hut passes must be obtained prior to starting the walk.
Visit www.doc.govt.nz for booking details.
Guided walk operator
Tourism Milford Ltd hold the only DOC approved concession for overnight guided walks on the Milford Track during the peak walking season www.ultimatehikes.co.nz
Please note: Day One of the Milford can also be undertaken as a guided one day walk.
Routeburn Track, Fiordland National Park
The two day Routeburn Track offers a shorter alternative to the Milford Track for clients with limited time, but wanting an equally majestic experience.
Passing through the Fiordland and Mt Aspiring National Parks, the track has beautiful forest, alpine flora, lakes, waterfalls and panoramic views.
The track climbs to 1277 metres at its highest point on the Harris Saddle.
Location - Fiordland and Mt Aspiring National Park
Length - 32km, 2-3 days, Medium Grade
Type of Walk - Great Walk - guided and independent options available
Start - The Divide, Fiordland National Park (nearest town, Te Anau). Located off the road to Milford Sound.
Finish - Routeburn Shelter, Mt Aspiring National Park (nearest town, Glenorchy)
NB: The track can be walked in either direction.
When to walk - late October - late April - bookings are essential. While the track is open year round, it should only be attempted by very experienced walkers during winter.
Recommended equipment
- Good walking boots which will get muddy!
Please note: Backpack and raincoat hire is included in guided walk package price.
Nearest towns - Te Anau, Glenorchy
Nearest main centre - Queenstown
How to get to and from the region
Air
Flying into Queenstown is an option as the guided walk pick-up and drop-off points are from Queenstown or Te Anau.
www.airnewzealand.co.nzwww.jetstar.com
Self Drive
Long term free parking is available in Te Anau and at the Divide. Walkers will be required to transfer back to Te Anau via Queenstown to collect vehicle.
There are no long term parking facilities in Queenstown.
Scheduled Coach Services
Newmans Coach Lines and Intercity offer scheduled services to Te Anau.
www.newmanscoach.co.nz
www.intercity.co.nz
How to get to and from the the track
For guided walkers: Guided walks start and finish in Queenstown or Te Anau.
For independent walkers: The track is not a circuit track and there is over 350km of road transport required between both ends of the track. The track is well serviced by public transport. Transport operators are listed on www.doc.govt.nz Walkers should have arranged transport connections before they pick up their accommodation passes or tickets.
Huts and permits
- Guided walkers use private huts on the track.
- For independent walkers - There are four DOC huts on the track and two campgrounds are available.
Pre-booking is required (see above website) and Great Hut passes must be obtained prior to starting the walk. The huts have kitchen facilities including gas cookers.
Guided walk operator
- Ultimate Hikes www.ultimatehikes.co.nz
Please note: The last day of the guided walk can also be undertaken as a guided one day walk departing from Queenstown
The Grand Traverse, Fiordland and Mt Aspiring National Parks
For a longer walk, the Grand Traverse takes six days, through Fiordland National Park and Aspiring National Park, combining the Routeburn Track (see previous) and the Greenstone Track.
The Greenstone Valley was an ancient Maori Trail. Tribes from Fiordland used the route to reach the greenstone sources near Lake Wakatipu.
Length - 73kms, 6 days, 5 nights, Medium Grade.
How to get to and from the track
The starting point for the track is the Greenstone Car Park. Ultimate Hikes runs a guided walk which includes transport. Clients are taken by coach from Queenstown along the shoreline of Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy and then transported by launch to the Greenstone carpark, which is located on the other side of the lake.
The walk finishes at the Routeburn Shelter near Glenorchy. Clients are transported by coach from this point back to Queenstown.
Kepler Track, Fiordland National Park
Loop track beginning and ending at the Fiordland National Park Visitors Centre in Te Anau.
Track traverses lakeside forest, open tussock grasslands with one day spent walking along the mountain tops above the bush line.
Location - Fiordland National Park, South West corner, South Island
Length - 3-4 days, 60km, Moderate/Difficult Grade
Type of Walk - Great Walk
Start / Finish - Lake Te Anau Control Gates - the walk is within walking distance from Te Anau township (approx one hour)
When to walk - November to April though the track is open year round
Nearest town - Te Anau
How to get to and from the track
Air
There are air services into Queenstown
www.airnewzealand.co.nzwww.jetstar.com
Self Drive
Long term free parking is available in Te Anau at the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre and at the Lake Te Anau Control Gates car park. Parking at own risk.
Scheduled Coach Services
Newmans Coach Lines and Intercity offer scheduled services to Te Anau.
www.newmanscoach.co.nz
www.intercity.co.nz
Shuttle
A shuttle operates from Te Anau to and from the control gates during the summer months. Visit www.doc.govt.nz for information.
Boat
Daily water taxi services available across Lake Te Anau to Brod Bay - reduces walk on Day One by 1.5 hours.
See above web address for operator details.
Huts and permits
Bookings for the track are essential. Bookings open 1 July for the upcoming season (Oct-Apr). See above website for booking forms. Great Walks passes are required for the three huts on the track and must be collected on the day of departure from Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre. All huts have heaters, gas for cooking, running water and flush toilets.
NB: Huts are not serviced during winter.
For more information visit the Kepler Track feature on www.newzealand.com.
Rakiura National Park, Stewart Island
Just a 20 minute flight from Invercargill or an hour by ferry from Bluff, Rakiura is home to New Zealand’s newest and most southerly National Park. Having only 25kms of roads, Stewart Island is a paradise for hikers and trampers with about 245km of walking tracks, all of which can be accessed from Oban. The tracks range from un-demanding short walks around the township area to remote-experience tramping tracks.
Major attractions are the pristine natural habitats and the opportunity to spot brown kiwis. The island also has a rich Maori history.
Stewart Island is exposed and while it enjoys a fairly moderate climate, wet weather is common and clients should be suitably prepared.
Once on the island, sea kayaks and water taxis are available for hire and can be used for access to the huts.
Location - Stewart Island, New Zealand’s third largest island
Length - 3 Days, 36 km, Easy - Moderate Grade
Type of Walk - Great walk / easy tramping track.
Start and Finish - The loop track starts and finishes at Halfmoon Bay.
When to walk - All year
Recommended equipment
- Wet weather clothing
Nearest town - Oban on Stewart Island
Nearest main centre - Invercargill on the mainland
How to get to and from the region/track
Air
There are numerous air services into Invercargill on Air New Zealand www.airnewzealand.co.nz
Stewart Island Flights offer a regular scheduled service from Invercargill to Half Moon Bay www.stewartislandflights.co.nz
Scheduled Coach Services
Intercity Coaches offer a range of scheduled services to Invercargill. www.intercitycoachlines.co.nz
Boat
Foveaux Express - daily between Stewart Island and Bluff. www.foveauxexpress.co.nz
Huts and permits
There are two DOC huts on the Island for independent walkers. Hut passes can be purchased at the Rakiura National Park Visitor Centre. Bookings are not required.
Guided walk operators
Thre are several guided walking companies operating on Stewart Island
Kiwi Wilderness Guided Walks www.nzwalk.com
Ruggedy Range Wilderness Experience www.ruggedyrange.com
Ulva's Guided Walks www.ulva.co.nz
