My 5 Favourite Hikes in New Zealand
You’re in New Zealand, lucky you! Having lived in New Zealand for Three years I hiked some of these hikes a few times. Here are the 5 Best Hikes In New Zealand.
Before we start I just wanted to apologize for the quality of some of these photos. Only recently have I had the pleasure of using a modern camera so most of these pictures have been taken with my old camera/iPhone 4 back in 2014-2017. Having said this I hope you enjoy reading about my top 5 must-do hikes in New Zealand.
Roy’s Peak
1,578m (5 hours)
By far the best. Close to Wanaka, stunning lake and mountain views. I suggest a few little warm-up hikes as it was pretty steep the entire way. You can either stop at the viewpoint or hike right up to the top (definitely hike up to the top). It’s not too much further and you will feel like you have achieved greatness because not everybody climbs up that far.
Wye Creek
(30min walk to the platform)
As one of the least popular hikes in the area, Wye Creek took me completely by surprise. It’s an easy uphill walk, very accessible and concludes with a waterfall and ladder up to a little wooden platform overhanging Lake Wakatipu, sounds perfect doesn’t it.. well it is. Having done this hike 3 times I can confidently advise anyone visiting the area to give this easy hike a go.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing
19.4 km (7 hours)
For me, this remains the most difficult hike I’ve done in New Zealand. If you don’t enjoy walking uphill for large periods, try walking downhill for an even longer time. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing will test you. I hiked this beast twice and can confirm it shouldn’t be attempted unless you are in good physical shape. Having said this; the views are like nothing I’ve ever seen before, how often is it you get to stand on top of an active volcano and wander up Mt. Doom, the actual Lord Of The Rings film location? It’s a must-do on the North Island.
Hooker Valley, Mt Cook National Park
This 3-hour return hike takes you through the Hooker Valley on an easy boardwalk to a glacial lake filled with icebergs! Doing this hike for the third time was just as exciting as the first. An easy but very rewarding track!
Ben Lomond
1,748m (6-8 hour)
Being very similar to but not as spectacular as Roy’s peak, this hike had to take a few steps down the list. With wild Kea lingering at the summit, it is a magical place. The climb up is extremely challenging with the tiki trail at the beginning is the steepest part. Again, this is one for the experienced hiker as it’s very steep and the path turns into a slight scramble during the last 20 minutes.
Big thanks for clicking on this blog post. I got a little bit emotional as I was copying this over from my old blog. I miss New Zealand a lot and I think about it all the time. It’s truly a magical place and the three years I spent there were some of the best years of my life.
If you’re in New Zealand right now, have a cold cider in Queenstown for me or if its winter, have a Patagonia dark chocolate hot chocolate on the lake front and send me a picture on instagram.
Safe Travels,
@sheisthelostgirl
