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Best hikes in the South Island of New Zealand
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items I tried to include all kind of hikes, these are the most famous ones and absolute must. When you come to New Zealand it’s an absolute mustLet me know if you like them or if you tried them!!
Sections
3
Queenstown - a stop to enjoy
Hikes - all in South Island
Activities to mix with hikes
Queenstown - a stop to enjoy
This is a guide on Queenstown! If you need a base or just somewhere to stop on the way, this is the great place to do it! I've lived here for some time and these are all the recommendations I would give you!
Just added a guide for queenstown too! You can visit this city or stay there for a base.
A complete guide to Queenstown - eat, do, stay, experience!!
Hikes - all in South Island
All the hikes you need to feel absolutely happy with your trip! Some of them are family-friendly or day hikes, multiday, be sure to check so you know what to expect!
You will climb through forest to alpine tussock, reaching panoramic viewpoints such as Key Summit and the Harris Saddle. Expect 2-4 days depending on pace, we did it in 3 days; huts and campsites are managed by the DOC and require advance booking in ...
Routeburn Track: Fiordland National Park
It's the best hike to do but you really need to book in advance because everyone is trying to do it!! The Milford Track is a classic 53.5 km route through Fiordland National Park, usually completed in 4 days. You will start at Glade Wharf and finish ...
Milford Track: Fiordland National Park ...
It's quite steep so be preprared! :) We struggled a little bit but oh it was so worth it! The Kepler Track forms a 60 km loop that starts and finishes at the Rainbow Reach/Control Gates near Te Anau. You will ascend to alpine ridgelines with sweeping...
Kepler Track: Fiordland National Park ...
Roy’s Peak rises above Lake Wanaka and rewards you with a long, steady ridge climb and expansive lake-and-mountain panoramas. The track gains about 1,200 m over roughly 8-10 km one-way; plan 5-7 hours return depending on fitness and photo stops. Star...
Roys Peak Track: Wānaka area, Otago region
Ben Lomond offers a true alpine summit experience above Queenstown with varied terrain from forest to scree. The full return is about 11–14 km with ~1,200–1,400 m ascent; expect 6–8 hours for the summit trip. The final section is steeper and exposed;...
Ben Lomond Track: Queenstown area, Otago region
You can camp in White Horse capmping but be sure to book well in advance! Hooker Valley Track runs from White Horse Hill to the moraine and lake at Mount Cook National Park. This easy, well-formed trail is about 10 km return with minimal elevation ch...
Hooker Valley track
Steward island is absolutely beautiful. They have a lot of birds but be careful they have sharks too! The Rakiura Track circles the southern coast of Stewart Island over 32 km, usually done in 3-4 days. You cross coastal dunes, dense rimu and rata fo...
Rakiura Track
The Heaphy Track spans 78 km between Golden Bay and Karamea, typically 4-6 days depending on your pace. We did it in 5! You traverse contrasting terrain: golden beaches, limestone bluffs, nikau palm forest, and alpine bluffs in its upper reaches. DOC...
Heaphy Track: Kahurangi National Park and Karamea area
The Greenstone and Caples Tracks form a linked circuit in the Fiordland/Mount Aspiring area, covering roughly 30–60 km depending on route choices and side trips. Check the weather for all the hikes because it gets very windy and we had troubles somet...
Greenstone and Caples tracks
Lake Matheson lies near Fox Glacier and gives you one of the South Island’s most famous mirror-reflection views of Aoraki / Mount Cook and Mount Tasman. We also booked a glacier walk so you can do that too! The loop is about 2.6 km and takes roughly ...
Lake Matheson / Te Ara Kairaumati Walk
Be sure to visit this on sunny days because if there was rain, the pool won't be very blue. The Blue Pools Track sits in the Haast Pass area and gives you a short, flat walk to clear, glacier-fed pools in the Makarora River. The return trip is about ...
Blue Pools Track: Mount Aspiring National Park, Otago region
Gillespie Pass Circuit sits above Lake Tekapo and winds through high alpine passes, tussocklands, and glacial-formed valleys. You start from the Caroline Creek or Two Thumb Range end, depending on access; expect steep ascents, loose scree, and sustai...
Gillespie Pass
Hump Ridge Track skirts coastal cliff tops and forest near southern Southland, offering a four-day loop with dramatic headlands and secluded beaches. Expect muddy sections and boardwalks in wet weather!. Huts are rustic but well-maintained; you’ll ne...
Hump Ridge Track: Fiordland National Park ...
The Abel Tasman Coast Track runs along the northern tip of the South Island and is best known for its beaches and frequent water-taxi pickups. You can walk day sections from Marahau or Totaranui, or through-hike 60 km over 3–5 days, staying in DOC hu...
Abel Tasman Coast Track
The Queen Charlotte Track sits in the Marlborough Sounds and offers 70 km of ridge and coastal walking with frequent elevation changes and panoramic harbour views. Most walkers take 3-5 days; you can combine single-day sections with water taxis betwe...
Queen Charlotte Track: Sounds area tracks and walks
The Mueller Hut Route starts from the White Horse Hill campsite near Mount Cook Village and climbs through scree and alpine tussock to a stone hut sitting above the Hooker Valley glacier. The track gains about 700–900 m depending on the exact start a...
Mueller Hut Route
The return loop via Goat Creek or the Otira Valley is less common; most people do the out-and-back, which typically takes 4–6 hours depending on conditions and fitness. The trail is rocky with loose scree and exposed sections that require careful foo...
Avalanche Peak Route
Activities to mix with hikes
This is all the activities that you can mix with all the other places you go. I just added all the activities that we did around the South Island. You can use this link as a reference :)
Milford Sound: 2-Hour Small Boat Scenic Cruise - do this with the milford sound track or instead of it. It's a very good adventure - you could try this one or the doubful sound boat
Milford Sound: 2-Hour Small Boat Scenic Cruise
I've never seen glowworm so for me it was so surreal! It's a cruise across Lake Te Anau to the Murchison Mountains’ network of natural caves. Explore an underground world of sculptured rock, underground waterfalls, and a silent hidden glowworm grotto...
Te Anau: Glowworm Caves Guided Tour
This is something you definetly need to do. It's the oldest boat that you can get on and get food and a farm tour. They do horse riding and tours so check them out!
Queenstown: Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ & Lake Whakatipu Cruise