Turn your hiking fantasies into reality in New Zealand. Meandering from North to South Island, this fifteen-day tour hits the highlights—exploring magical glowworm caves, sailing with seals and dolphins in the waters of Milford Sound, and getting up close with volcanoes in Tongariro National Park. Deepen your appreciation for these remote lands by participating in Maori cultural performances in Rotorua, then unwind with the wines of Central Otago and eclectic New Zealand dishes in Wellington.
Experience New Zealand’s natural wonders (including 6 national parks) with a local guide. Visit the country’s capital and world-famous attractions such as Waitomo Caves with glowing worms, Rotorua with its unique geothermal features, Tongariro Alpine Crossing (considered one of the best day hikes in the world), Punakaiki’s lush rainforest, and Mount Cook, famous for glaciers and alpine landscapes. Finish your days with laidback evening activities in high-quality hotels and lodges.
Join the rest of your group in the Heritage Hotel foyer in Central Auckland and meet your guide. Start the tour by driving past patchwork green farming country alongside the Waikato River. After the drive, visit the Waitomo caves with thousands of glowworms clinging to the surfaces and hike through a fascinating limestone canyon. In the afternoon, you will arrive in the volcanically active area of Rotorua, which is also the center of Maori cultural tourism. Spend the evening enjoying a cultural performance.
Accommodation: Distinction Hotel, Rotorua
Meals: Lunch, dinner
Hiking: 1-2 km/2 hours
After breakfast in your hotel in Rotorua, hike alongside the crystal-clear lake Tarawera in the shade of tree ferns. You’ll be able to swim in the lake and enjoy the views of the area’s expansive forests and volcanoes. In the afternoon, explore the area south of Rotorua with its mineralised hot pools and plumes of rising steam. Later you’ll spend some time by the Waikato river, whose flow is particularly powerful in this area because of a narrow rock corridor. Arrive in your accommodation in the lakeside town of Taupo and enjoy dinner and other evening activities.
Accommodation: Beechtree Motel, Taupo
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: 8 km/5 hours
Start the third day off with breakfast in Taupo. You will have a drive along the shores of Lake Taupo and arrive in New Zealand’s first National Park—Tongariro. Walk through the forest and explore the Rotopounamu lake, as well as the magnificent Taranaki Falls. Day 4 will be challenging as it features a 15-mile (23 km) hike, but it’s definitely worth the effort since we’re talking about the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, considered one of the best day walks in the world. During the hike, you’ll see the Red Crater, Emerald Lakes and lots of steaming vents. Arrive in your accommodation in the early afternoon of the third day. This will be your base for the next two days.
Accommodation: Hotel at the gateway to Tongariro National Park
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: 8 km/2-4 hours on Day 3 and 23km/6-8 hours on Day 4
After breakfast, drive south to the nation’s capital, Wellington. Experience the city’s vibrant culture and spend some time bar hopping, visiting one of many museums, or going on a cable car ride to Wellington Botanic Gardens. The dinner on Day 5 and the breakfast on day 6 are not included which gives you an opportunity to explore the city’s restaurant and street food scene. On Day 6, spend more time in Wellington and take a flight over Cook strait to Nelson. Settle in your accommodation and meet up with your guide around 4 p.m. Later you can either take the guided tour to the Botanical Hill with the views of the Tasman Bay and the Nelson City or simply explore Nelson on your own.
Accommodation: Distinction Hotel on Day 5, Trailways Hotel on Day 6
Meals: Breakfast on Day 5, dinner on Day 6
Hiking: 2.5 km/1 hour
After an early breakfast, you will set off for the Abel Tasman National Park and board a water taxi to the Bark Bay. The park is known for its long sandy beaches and rugged granite headlands. Follow the Abel Tasman Coast Track in a native forest with views of cascading streams and get to the Torrent Bay featuring the pristine Cleopatra’s Pool. Board the water taxi again and return to your accommodation in Nelson where you will get some more time to explore the town.
Accommodation: Trailways Hotel, Nelson
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Hiking: 12 km/4 hours
Head to the West Coast and stop at a private deer farm to marvel at the natural flames which have been continuously burning since the 1920s. Relax with a cup of tea and cakes made over the flames. Continue your journey alongside the Buller River, enjoy the views of the West Coast and learn about its past. You will later head to Punakaiki where you will catch the sunset and enjoy dinner in a local pub. Later in the evening, take a walk around the Pancake Rocks. Settle in your accommodation in the Punakaiki Resort and get some rest.
Accommodation: Punakaiki Resort, Punakaiki
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: up to 8 km/3 hours
Hike the Inland Pack Track from the Pororari to the Punakaiki River and admire the lush rainforest with tropical nikau palms. Pass many clear pools and take a short swim in one of them! You will spend some time on the road with views of the Southern Alps and soft yellow tussock grasslands. Later in the day you will visit Tura Tawhiti with remarkable limestone outcrops. The site was once an important meeting place for early Maori people and was named “Spiritual Center of the Universe” by the Dalai Lama. Get back on the road and drive past the Lyndon Lake on your way to Methven, a laid-back town which has the Southern Alps as its backdrop. You’ll have some time to explore the town and dine in one of its restaurants.
Accommodation: Ski Time, Methven
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Hiking: up to 10 km/3 hours
Spend the next three days around the Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park. On the first day, you will spend some time by the turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo and hike in Governors Bush up to Red Tarns for elevated views of Aoraki/Mt Cook, the highest mountain in New Zealand.. You will spend the next two nights within the national park. Start off Day 11 with a hike up to Sealy Tarns. Enjoy spectacular views of the Mueller and Hooker Glacier terminal lakes and the towering south face of Aoraki/Mt Cook. On Day 12, sail the terminal lake of the Tasman Glacier dotted with pearly icebergs. Later on, drive to Wanaka and stop at one of the vineyards for wine tasting. Settle in your accommodation in Wanaka, a lakeside holiday town.
Accommodation: Lodge within Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park on Days 10 and 11, Edgewater Resort, Wanaka on Day 12
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: 5 km/3 hours on Day 10, 10 km/4 hours on Day 11, 3 km/1 hour on Day 12
After breakfast, take a drive around Wanaka Lake and head to the Aspiring National Park, home to natural wonders such as the Diamond Lake and Rocky Mountains. On your way to Te Anau, the largest lake in the South Island, you will pass through the scenic wine growing area of Gibbston Valley. Te Anau is the gateway to the Fiordland National Park. Your hotel is conveniently located near the lake and the commercial center of the town.
Accommodation: Distinction Luxmore Hotel, Te Anau
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Hiking: 7 km/3 hours
From Fiordland mountains, head to the Milford Sound, one of New Zealand’s most iconic tourist destinations. Hike to relish the views of the surrounding mountains. The highlight of the day is cruising along the fjord between glaciated mountains featuring impressive waterfalls while being on a lookout for marine wildlife—most notably dusky dolphins, New Zealand fur seals and, if you’re lucky, the rare Fiordland crested penguin. Return to your hotel in Te Anau.
Accommodation: Distinction Luxmore Hotel, Te Anau
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Hiking: 7 km/3 hours
On the last day, hike the Kepler Track to Lake Manapouri, known for an array of islands and its mountain backdrop. Head north to Queenstown, the last point of your adventure. Set against the dramatic Southern Alps, Queenstown is known as New Zealand’s adventure capital. You can travel up the Skyline Gondola to enjoy some show-stopping views, or have a leisurely stroll through the Queenstown Gardens before heading for dinner somewhere downtown. Tomorrow you’ll say goodbye to New Zealand or continue touring on your own.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Hiking:10 km/3 hours hiking
Hiking New Zealand’s Uncut hike was fabulous. It was a non-stop adventure to places I would have had great difficulty locating and traversing. The guides were over-the-top (Adrian, Mitch, Dan, Katie) helpful on both tours of the North and South Islands. I always felt safe, comfortable, well-exercised and entertained. Meals were substantial and at times over-the-top. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone wanting to see a most beautiful country, and doing it by hiking (and the odd bus ride, too)!
Hiking New Zealand did an excellent job in taking us to places that I found to be very beautiful. There was a sense of magic in what we saw and experienced. The food and accommodations were very good for the price of the trip. The guides for both islands were very knowledgeable and were able to adapt to the diversity of the group and weather related conditions. They took us to many places that were away from any crowds. I highly recommend using Hiking New Zealand for those that want to get out and explore the beauty of New Zealand
Hiking New Zealand did a fantastic job with this 13 day tour of both islands. The guides Justin, Martin, Eva and Andre were excellent as was the accommodations and meals: especially the home made salads at lunch. There was a nice balance of rigourous hiking, rests and driving. This was a “tasting menu” of the diversity of NZ: I’ll be back!
Fran from Canada
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in New Zealand please refer to the official New Zealand Website.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
What you get on this adventure:
If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know prior to booking to make arrangements.
What’s not included:
This hiking adventure is beginner-friendly! You need to have a basic level of fitness and be able to walk up to 8 hours a day (4-5 hours on average), with an elevation gain of up to 2,000 ft (600 m) on hard days while carrying a backpack weighing around 9 lb (4 kg). You will often be stopping during the hikes to get some rest and eat lunch and various snacks.
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
For the flight between Wellington and Nelson, the checked luggage allowance is 23 kg/ 50 lbs per person, with a carry-on luggage allowance of 7 kg/ 15.4 lbs.
Group sizes and prices:
Min. age requirements:
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
The adventure starts in Auckland and finishes in Queensland. To get to Auckland, most people fly into Auckland International Airport. From there, you can take a shuttle service to get to the meeting location in the city—the Heritage Hotel foyer, 35 Hobson Street, Central Auckland.
A 25% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking 4 or more months before the departure. The remaining amount is paid 95 days prior to departure. For bookings within four months of the departure, full payment is required. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies.
Hiking New Zealand’s Uncut hike was fabulous. It was a non-stop adventure to places I would have had great difficulty locating and traversing. The guides were over-the-top (Adrian, Mitch, Dan, Katie) helpful on both tours of the North and South Islands. I always felt safe, comfortable, well-exercised and entertained. Meals were substantial and at times over-the-top. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone wanting to see a most beautiful country, and doing it by hiking (and the odd bus ride, too)!