I visited New Zealand in their winter (what would have been a Canadian summer). I spent 10 weeks in New Zealand, dividing my time between the north and south island. When I arrived in New Zealand I had big ambitions of completing 25 hikes, about two to three per week. Yikes! Although I was not successful at reaching this goal, I did do a handful of beautiful hikes.

YES! You can still do tons of stunning hikes in the winter! I did have some difficulty with a few, which I will explain later, however there are many benefits of traveling/hiking New Zealand in the winter. The biggest being that the trails are extremely quiet and not packed with other tourists. Because of this I got to see some amazing wildlife and untouched nature.

Worth mentioning to my budget travelers is that entering any/all of the national parks in New Zealand (where most of the hikes I have highlighted below are located) is FREE! Canadians and many Americans reading this will appreciate this, as it is standard that we have to pay to access most national parks.

Abel Tasman National Park-South Island. This trek is 60km, but don’t let this scare you away! There are many options to tackle this beast. Because I was there in the winter and was unable to camp, I only did a short 10km and then turned back, making the trip a total of 20km. This is a relatively flat hike with amazing pay offs. The trail follows sandy beaches and lush coastal native bush. I even walked some of the way along the beach. Many people walk one way (30km), and hire a kayak to come back. Had I been there on a sunny day I would have loved to do this. The views that Abel Tasman has to offer will make you forget you’re in New Zealand, and have you thinking that you’re on a Caribbean island.

(Abel Tasman National Park)

Roy’s Peak-South Island. This is probably New Zealand’s most “Insta Famous” day hike, and there is a reason for this! The views at the top of this 16km climb will leave you breathless (quite literally). With an elevation of 1,578 metres, this is not the hike for someone looking to enjoy a morning walk. You are guaranteed to see a handful of fluffy sheep along the trail. I will warn you that because this trail is quite popular, it was very busy even in the winter. I cannot imagine how packed it would be in the summer months. To avoid this I would recommend heading out very early in the morning.

(Summit of Roy’s Peak)

Hooker Valley Track-South Island. The first time I attempted this hike I got caught in one of the worst storms I’ve ever seen but I was determined to complete it so I tried again the following day, and I was not disappointed! Much of this hike is fitted with a boardwalk which is a nice relief on the feet. You will see exceptional mountain views (including the famous Mount Cook) while you follow a crystal clear blue river. A warning to those scared of heights, you do cross a number of quite high bridges, although these do make for great photo opportunities. This is not a loop track, meaning that once you reach the end you will have to turn back.

(Hooker Valley Track)

Tongariro Crossing-North Island. Named the world’s best day hike for a reason. This was one of the happiest days I have ever experienced travelling. I was on a total nature high. This hikes takes you through 17km of valleys with views of Mount Doom the entire way (any Lord of the Rings fans out there?). The last kilometre is brutal on the legs and knees I must say, but the views left me speechless. At the top you will overlook two beautiful deep blue lakes (Tama Lakes).

(Tongariro Crossing)

Isthmus Peak-South Island. This long, steady climb will reward you with spectacular, panoramic views of Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea, as well as the mountains of the Southern Alps. The drive to the trailhead is absolutely stunning. I was the only hiker on this trail. Sounds great, right? Unfortunately I couldn’t make it to the top as there was too much snow and ice, so I had to turn back. For anyone using crampons, reaching the top would have been entirely achievable. Have you ever heard of crampons? I highly recommend crampons to any hikers visiting New Zealand in the winter months.

(Drive to Isthmus Peak trail head. Unfortunately it was so snowy/icy I didn’t get any photos on the trail as I was too focused on not wiping out)

Te Mata Peak Summit-North Island. I feel like this hike is a hidden gem, as are so many things on the north island. The majority of tourists skip the north island and go straight to the south island which has a strikingly different landscape than the north. Although it depends on what you’re looking for, I would definitely advise spending at least a few weeks exploring the north island. When you get out of the large city of Auckland, it is incredibly quiet, cultural and isolated, the farther north you go. The Te Mata Peak Summit leads you through farmland, lush green rolling hills and dense Redwood forests. It feels like you are on the set of Hobbiton. I could write an entire post on the beauty of Redwood trees. For anyone who has ever seen the California Redwoods, I swear these are twice the size. They give me some kind of feeling!

(The amazing Redwoods seen at Te Mata Peak-see me for scale)

Te Paki Coastal Track-North Island. The trailhead begins in beautiful Cape Reinga, the most northern tip of New Zealand. To anyone visiting Cape Reinga, waking up at the crack of dawn to watch the sun rise over the lighthouse is a must. If you look closely, you can see two oceans meet: the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Pretty neat. The entire track is 48km-ONE WAY-yikes! Again, I only did a short 10km, 5km each way. This trek follows the rugged coastline of Cape Reinga, descending to Te Werahi and Twilight beaches. This is another hike that makes you feel like you’re in the Caribbean. There are lush palms and overhang everywhere, and stunning ocean views as far as the eye can see.

(The view from the half way point of the Te Paki Coastal Track-unfortunately not the sunniest day)

 

Happy hiking!