The barren, tundra-like high country of Kopuwai Conservation Area in Central Otago offers views from The Remarkables to Aoraki/Mt Cook and an alpine experience like no other. Encompassing a…
Traversing a mountain range between the historic Central Otago gold mining towns of Clyde and Cromwell, the Cairnmuir Hill Track provides an excellent vantage point to soak in ‘big…
If you’re keen enough to venture to Rob Roy Glacier and marvel at the lofty summits at the head of the valley, a little extra planning and preparation could…
The trip starts at the Routeburn Road end but leaves the Routeburn Track after a short time and climbs steeply to Sugar Loaf Pass, where it descends, again steeply,…
Park Pass Glacier is one of those special places that you’d expect would take days of difficult and arduous tramping to reach. The glacier cascades spectacularly from its high…
Renowned for its autumn colours and mirror-like reflections, Butchers Dam has become a staple of New Zealand calendars and postcards, but climbing the nearby hills gives a new perspective…
An electrifying hike Skippers Creek offers a gateway to one of New Zealand’s richest and most isolated goldfields and a diverse landscape of beech forest, tussock country and rugged…
While the Great Walks offer an excellent introduction to the enjoyment of tramping, they also provide launchpads to more intrepid places where fewer trampers venture. Just an hour off…
With a steep climb to the treeline, where waterfalls tumble down the sheer rock walls of 2300m peaks, the Glacier Burn Track is a portal to a rugged alpine…
Rising to 1398m above Lake Hawea, the aptly-named Grandview Mountain provides a stunning panorama without the crowds of nearby Roys Peak. Starting from the car park at the Nook…
Lake Alta is an exquisite alpine jewel set in a post-glacial cirque at 1800m right under the north-east face of Double Cone, 2319m. Reaching the lake is easy, considering…
From the tiny car park just off SH6, a stile takes you into a field where a short series of poles guides walkers alongside a narrow stream and towards…
In a valley in the dry high country hills of Pisa Conservation Area, Meg Hut provides a cosy bunk for the night. The eight-bunker is an old musterers hut…
From Muddy Creek at the end of Rees Valley Road, a 4WD road crosses leasehold land along easy river flats. Follow marker poles across a boggy section beyond Arthurs…
Two national parks, two iconic valleys, and more stunning views, lakes and waterfalls than you can point a selfie-stick at – the Routeburn is the complete package. Starting from…
Climbing from the shore of Lake Wakatipu and over the Hector Mountains, the trip to Lake Hope is a classic alpine adventure, just a short drive from Queenstown From…
A short drive north of Wanaka, Isthmus Peak features grandiose views of both Lake Wanaka and Hawea, but with a fraction of the company of the popular Roys Peak…
Tucked in the high bare hills south of Omarama, where northern Otago butts up against southern Canterbury, is a sparkling alpine lake. Sitting at 1550m amid the tawny landscape,…
With Fiordland National Park to the west and Aspiring National Park to the north, the Eyre Mountains are a rarely-visited gem. While the park lacks the spectacular grandeur of its…
Featuring an icefall tumbling 2000m down a rock face and feeding a multitude of waterfalls, the Earnslaw Burn is one of the most spectacular valleys in the country. Best…
Climbing into the dry Central Otago high country to one of New Zealand’s highest gold mines, this loop track offers excellent scenery and fascinating history. From the Mt Buster…
The Arrowtown Millennium Walkway was built in 1998 to mark 150 years since Europeans settled in Otago. The walkway is hugely popular, but don’t let that be a deterrent,…
Branching off one of the busiest sites in Haast Pass, the Blue Valley Track is a comforting reminder of how you can still find a track to yourself, even…
A firm favourite The route to Brewster Hut requires an immediate crossing of the Haast River, a trickle in low flow. The marked track on the opposite bank then begins…
It might be a cliché to call Diamond Lake a jewel in the crown, but if you’re looking for a short stroll to a hidden treasure, then this lake…
The southern flanks of the Serpentine Range, which traverses Mt Aspiring and Fiordland national parks, include the incredible Lake Wilson and can be reached from the Routeburn Track. Head…
Take the high road Whakaari Conservation Area may be a relatively new reserve, but it’s an area with plenty of history. It was a hub of scheelite mining (calcium…
The Dingleburn Route from Ahuriri Base Hut is well marked and leads steeply to a ridgeline that forms an outlier to the Huxley Range. At the 1450m ridgeline, follow…
Downhill from NZ’s highest road With a dry, sunny and reliable climate, a dramatic landscape, and widespread evidence of a romantic gold-rush past, Central Otago offers unique opportunities for…
Conquering the Wilkin Valley With an overseas friend on the verge of returning to Europe, I resolved to give him one final epic adventure. We settled on a walk up…
For a demanding overnight hike with some decent altitude near Queenstown, look no further than Mt Larkins. The magic of this summit is not only in its 2300m height…
Along the knife’s edge YOU DON’T HAVE to drive far to find the wilderness beyond the high street and Queenstown’s tourism hustle and bustle. Just 12km west of Queenstown…
The five Passes is a classic backcountry loop trip which includes the crossing of Sugarloaf Pass, Park Pass, Cow Saddle, Fiery Col and Fohn Saddle. This route is mostly…
To test your navigation skills beyond marked tracks and routes, head out on the Scott Creek to Kay Creek crossing between the Routeburn and Caples valleys. Even though the…
The upper Wye Creek basin is the perfect destination for a camping trip. Camping on high alpine terrain usually requires a gruelling approach. The Remarkables access road spares the…
For those looking for a special side trip off the Routeburn Track that offers a pristine environment and an uncrowded location a world away from the busy Great Walk,…
A jet boat journey saves a potentially awkward crossing of the Makarora River and will leave you at the confluence of the Makarora and Young rivers. The Young Valley…
A solid day’s walk to the goldfields, up from the old homestead at Skippers Creek, travelling through the gorge, pushing through giant stands of beautifully weedy lupins in shades…
An overnight trip from Wanaka to the 12-bunk Fern Burn Hut offers a slice of this Otago high country station. The walk in is easy going as the gradient…
The track zigzags countless times; first through farmland and then through a fence that marks the start of The Stack Conservation Area. These continue and when you brush the…
From the car park, follow the track across Muddy Creek and up the Rees Valley. The vista opens up, with the sweeping ridgeline of the Forbes Mountains from Mt…
Mt Alfred/Ari is a wedge-shaped monolith, formed when the Dart Glacier split into two streams, and stands more than 1000m above the surrounding valleys. Draw a 20km circle around…
For Te Araroa Trail walkers, the East Ahuriri Track marks the start of another epic tramping section between Lake Ohau and Lake Hawea. The track begins on a 4WD…
One of the most important sites for seeing our mining heritage is Macetown, a ghost town and now a historic reserve, 15km from Arrowtown. Setting off from Arrowtown there,s…
From Raspberry Creek car park, it is a pleasant nine-kilometre walk along the valley floor to the stone-clad Aspiring Hut. The hut is reached in two hours, so if…
When people think of heritage sites in the Silver Peaks, they usually think of the early tramping and mustering huts or the ,caves, – rock bivvies. Often overlooked is…
Corner Peak, 1683m, is accessed from the Timaru High River Track above the Timaru River. From the car park cross Peter Muir Bridge and, about 50m up the road,…
Take a 30-minute boat ride, or 13km walk, to Kerin Forks, the track zigzags steeply up a spur above the Forks. The track then eases into a gentle gradient…
The track starts easily enough though just 20-minutes in, Stewart Creek needs to be crossed below Stewart Falls. As with all river crossing, care needs to be taken. If…
Follow the marked track towards the hill. At the first stile turn sharp right and follow the fence to the sign-posted Rock and Pillar Conservation Area. The route heads…