Food and treats

Louise Tanguay first walked the Milford and Heaphy tracks with her husband Matt, and they’ve since done all of the Great Walks, except Tūātapare Hump Ridge, with their four children. 

“Back when we walked the Milford Track, before we had kids, we didn’t take enough food – and no treats! Having spare food for bad weather and lots of sweet treats is particularly important with kids. 

“We also invested in a dehydrator. For a family of six, it is so much cheaper than pre-packaged meals and the kids love it as it is the same food they would eat at home. Our standard meals are butter chicken, chilli con carne and bolognaise.” 

Choose the right footwear 

Bianca Russell walked the Milford Track with a group of friends just after the season closed. She has also hiked Tongariro Northern Circuit multiple times.

“I did not realise how well formed the Milford Track would be and what implications that would have on my footwear choice,” she says. “I wore my usual stiff tramping boots, which had been super comfy on more rugged trails in the past.” By day three the balls of both feet were blistered. “If only I had used trail runners or a more flexible boot, the trip would have been memorable for better reasons. Moral of the story: get the right footwear for the track.”

Don’t forget to drink

Rachel Fleming has hiked seven Great Walks with family and friends. This year she did the Kepler Track solo. 

“Do your research beforehand and make sure you’re covered for all kinds of weather and emergency situations,” she says. “And keep a steady supply of snacks and liquids going in, even if it’s cold and you don’t feel like it or don’t think you need it. You want to avoid getting dehydrated.

“Although I’d done many Great Walks before, on the Kepler I didn’t keep my energy and hydration levels up enough. I got really tired at the end of the second day.”

Learn the lay of the land

Rob Bates has tramped three Great Walks solo. His first was the Rakiura Track in 2023. 

“I wish I’d had better knowledge of the conditions, and the nutrition and water needs to match them,” he says of Rakiura. “The weather, some climbs that were steeper than expected and the mud on day two caught me out. It was only 13km, but I really struggled to make North Arm Hut. 

“Study the track conditions, ask people in the know and tailor your food and drink accordingly. I’ve had a couple of really tough days since, but always had the snacks and electrolytes to get me through.”

Expect the unexpected

Michelle Noakes has done every Great Walk except for Tūātapare Hump Ridge with her group ‘the Great Walkers’, which includes family members, life-long friends and workmates. Now mostly in their sixties, their first Great Walk was the Milford Track in 2014.

“Tick off the more challenging Great Walks first, because if you do one each year, you’ll be a decade older by the time you finish them all,” she says. “And brace yourself to collect amazing memories, some of which come with challenges that will push you further than you thought you were capable of.”

For Michelle, this included heavy snow on the Milford in December, being evacuated from the Abel Tasman due to washouts, losing the sole of her boot on Lake Waikaremoana, encountering an elephant seal on Rakiura and having her lunch stolen by kea on the Kepler. 

Consider camping 

Tsewang Nuru Sherpa has walked every Great Walk, some of them multiple times, since first doing the Kepler Track in 2020. 

His top tip is to consider camping. “Most people think the Great Walks only involve staying in huts,” he says. “Campsites can be booked with the exception of the Milford, Paparoa and Hump Ridge tracks. For Hump Ridge, camping is allowed at Port Craig Hut only.” 

Tsewang finds camping cheaper, easier, quieter and more private. “While Great Walk huts are beautiful, they can also be loud and busy. For tracks like Abel Tasman Coast Track and Whanganui Journey, with warmer climates and multiple campsites, camping is preferable.”

Allow extra time for the side trips

Jesse Wiltshire walked Tongariro Northern Circuit with a friend in 2017 and has since done Lake Waikaremoana. 

He recommends adding extra days onto your Great Walk where possible to allow for side trips.

“I wish I had allowed more time on the Tongariro Northern Circuit to include detours like Ohinepango Springs and Tama Lakes,” he says. “Sometimes a tight timeframe or limited research beyond the main walking route is a missed opportunity for more adventure – or just an excuse to go back!”