Hiking / Tramping / Walking

Hiking / Tramping / Walking

Walking throughout New Zealand is the best way to see beautiful tramping landscapes and explore vast wilderness hiking areas

Choose your hiking duration

From short and local two-hour tramps to further afield multiple day and overnight expeditions

Two-hour Tramps

Two-hour Tramps

Half-day Hikes

Half-day Hikes

Full-day Foray

Full-day Foray

Two-day / overnight Tramping

Campfires, drinks, stories, meals and camping under the stars makes it all much better

Multi-day Hiking Journeys

Go further, learn more and develop your full potential mastery in that you choose…

Annual Walking Expeditions

Once a year, something to look forward to and build up for, these are ones to rave about

Bushcraft skills

Learn bushcraft basics, get started in tramping / hiking / walking and advance to navigation, survival, crossing rivers, food foraging, outdoor weather and more…

Navigation and Survival

Find your way using map, compass, sun and moss. Survive with vegetation, fire, ways to collect water and knife skills.

River Crossings

When, where and how to cross rivers. Stay safe in the bush and backcountry with rivers and waterways.

Foraging foods

Organic, free-range, fare-trade and abundant. Access edibles in your area by picking, pulling and plucking for your palate.

Adventure race training

Navigation and survival, river/stream crossings, outdoor weather, gear and more…

Hiking extras

Tramping boots for hire, hiking tent rentals, camp cookers, bush safety equipment

Outdoor adventure gear hire / rental

2-4 person Macpac tents, 3-4 person Trangia cookers and PLB

Hiking / Tramping / Walking

With hiking routes stretching thousands of kilometres throughNew Zealand tracks, there are walking and hiking options suiting all levels of fitness and experience. New Zealand’s well-established hut network and maintained trail paths offer a remarkably diverse array of hikes for every trampers ability and interest.

Welcome to a walker’s paradise, where forests present timeless stories, rugged coastlines intrigue, farmland animals entertain, river valleys inspire and dramatic mountain ranges humble the soul. The diversity of tramping tracks across New Zealand’s national parks and green reserves means there’s a hike for everyone, from leisurely nature trails bringing unique ecosystems into focus, to challenging multi-day tramping adventures in remote, untouched wilderness. 

New Zealand landscapes are without a doubt one of the best trekking destinations in the world. A lush country incredibly rich in natural beauty and opportunities for adventure, and home to some of the friendliest people you’ll ever encounter, it’s a must-do destination for anyone who loves to hike and travel. Experience the best of New Zealand with our Guided Hiking NZ tours, including our popular New Zealand Hiking Vacations and New Zealand Hiking Packages, or join us for the best Hiking Tours NZ has to offer, by exploring the best of the North Island with our Guided Walks in North Island, NZ. Whether you’re looking for a leisurely hike, or a challenging multi-day trek, our New Zealand Hiking Treks have something for everyone.

New Zealand’s ‘best kept secret’ walks

With SNM you can walk the very best of New Zealand’s landscapes! From altitude hiking in the Southern Alps to taking the paths less travelled we offer unique NZ walking experiences.

We ensure you hike the most spectacular sections of the famous Great Walks to provide you with a complete experience. All of our New Zealand walks are designed by hikers for hikers. If you’re looking to explore NZ on foot, explore the world with your own two feet by embarking on a trekking or walking tour. You can really take in the natural wonders and stunning landscapes of magnificent wildlife, just check out our various New Zealand hiking tours. 

Did you know that tamping is the second most popular activity in New Zealand, second only to birdwatching! And when it comes to places to visit – in the general sense – forest park landscapes are the number one most popular of places to be. There are a million ways to travel, but few resonate in the way that trekking does. Get back to nature, challenge yourself and enter bushclad landscapes well beyond our urban greenspace environments. Picture yourself embracing unique geological moments, incredible geographic landscapes and wilderness cultures in some of the most primitive parts of the world.

Choose from a range of introductory treks to challenging treks bringing you closer to the culture and wilderness of a country. Your presence on one of our trekking trips means that you are helping the local mountainous communities grow and develop both economically and environmentally.

Hiking history

From the 1950’s, tracks, huts and bridges were built in the forested areas of New Zealand to support hunters culling introduced deer species which had become a threat to the biodiversity of New Zealand. As tramping became popular these facilities were increasingly used by trampers. In later years tramping has become popular for both local and foreign tourists.

 

The Land of the Long White Cloud, Aotearoa, New Zealand

No one who visits this magic place ever comes back disappointed. Forming the backbone of the South Island is the Kā Tiritiri o te Moana mountain range, dominated by Beech forest; a playground for forest adventurers who don’t mind being dwarfed by nature. The North Island – home to Podocarp and broadleaf diversity – is itself split in two by epic mountain ranges but is also home to rich volcanic soils, secluded beaches and rolling farmland. Thus North Island tramping makes it nearly impossible for deciding where the best hikes in New Zealand lie: the north island or the south island? 

Regardless, both islands of New Zealand offer opportunities to experience multiple hiking landscapes in a single day, with secluded beach coves and coastal walking and towering snow-capped mountains. But let’s not forget our third largest Island: Rakiura / Stewart Island that boasts the South Lights / Aurora Australis, kiwi, caves, round circuits, a great walk and much more.

New Zealand is a land of striking contrasts in its incredible hiking scenery, from white sand beaches and sleeping volcanoes, to temperate rainforest and snow-capped mountain peaks; around each bend, there’s a tramping view guaranteed to impress even the most hard-to-please traveller. What better way to experience this phenomenal nature than on foot? With thousands of kilometres of walking trails stretching to the furthest corners of each island, hiking New Zealand has got to be one of the best ways to discover the country’s outstanding natural beauty.

If you’re planning a hiking trip, then you’ve come to the right place. With varied terrain and somewhat temperamental weather system, it pays to be clued up about what to expect from your New Zealand hiking experience. So, with that in mind, we’ve collated a wealth of research and resources to compile an up-to-date hiking guide filled with everything you could ever want to know about New Zealand hiking trails.

Guided walks

Although a wealth of maps, trail information and track signage makes independent walking possible on major tracks, guided walks offer a more immersive experience. There are a huge number of trips, from half-day to multi-day, with transport, food, and accommodation ranging from basic to luxurious. What’s more, passionate local guides enrich the journeys, bringing landscapes to life with stories of natural and human history.

Why walk with SNM?

Because you can still experience the beauty of New Zealand’s landscapes with the support of our experienced guides. We’ll take care of the logistics too.

No matter where you are, or how long you’ve got, there’s a walk for everyone. Take a break in the outdoors and get in touch with nature. Take a walk, a Great Walk, through some of New Zealand’s most awe-inspiring landscapes on premier walking tracks.

New Zealand’s Great Walks are premier tracks that pass through diverse and spectacular scenery. From native forests, lakes and rivers to rugged mountain peaks, deep gorges and vast valleys…there’s a Great Walk for everyone! Great Walks tracks are well formed and easy to follow. While most people prefer to explore on their own terms, guided trips offer a bit more comfort. Great Walks are accessible from major towns that are well serviced by local operators and accommodation and transport providers.

Hiking Tours offer an excellent way to see large portions of New Zealand and hike in a number of National Parks. A guide enhances your understanding of the natural beauty and history that surrounds you on your journey and they help you make the most out of every moment on your New Zealand adventure.

Your journey is enriched by all the little extras that make for a hassle-free holiday. Your dining needs are all planned and well catered for as well as having opportunities to sample local cuisine at your leisure on some nights.

Relax at the end of each day at well-appointed accommodation and wake up refreshed knowing your day’s adventure is prepared and planned ahead by your guide(s).

If you enjoy walking in the wilderness, meeting likeminded people and appreciate your creature comforts then a Hiking Tour is the right choice for you.

What is a Kiwi-Style hiking Trip?

Kiwi-style hiking trips venture far away from the maddening crowds and into the real New Zealand. Most trips mix multi-day hikes (in different National Parks) with vehicle-based touring. 

These trips are a combination of “wild nights”, which are the nights where you are truly in the wilderness staying in backcountry huts or camping in locations that may be several hours walk from the nearest road or populated area, versus nights in civilisation where you may stay in cabins or camp by the vehicle at Department of Conservation campsites. The nights in civilization are twin/double or occasionally triple rooms – some have ensuites whilst others have a shared bathroom.

Small groups – maximum group size 11 with participants ranging in age, nationality and work background, but all share an enthusiasm for outdoor adventure and an appreciation of nature.

On these trips everyone lends a hand: whether it’s cooking over a campfire, collecting firewood or pitching a tent together. There’s nothing quite like wrestling a tent in the wind to get to know your fellow travellers.

No multi-day hiking experience is needed but you need to be a good walker and able to carry a backpack. And yes, occasionally you might just get your feet wet!

 

Where SNM guides walks in NZ:

Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park;
Arthur’s Pass National Park;
Coromandel Forest Park;
Craigieburn Forest Park;
Egmont National Park;
Fiordland National Park;
Great Barrier Island/Aotea;
Hihitahi Forest Sanctuary;
Kahurangi National Park;
Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park;
Karangahake Gorge;
Kaweka Forest Park;
Lake Sumner Forest Park;
Manawatu Gorge Scenic Reserve;
Mount Aspiring National Park;
Mount Richmond Forest Park;
Muriwai and Te Henga area;
Nelson Lakes National Park;
Okura Bush Scenic Reserve;
Peel Forest Park Scenic Reserve;
Pureora Forest Park;
Rakiura National Park;
Remutaka Forest Park;
Ruahine Forest Park;
Ruataniwha Conservation Park;
Tangihua Forest;
Tararua Forest Park;
Waima & Mataraua Forests;
Westland Tai Poutini National Park

 

Where I come from, it is called…

  • Walking – Walking tours take you through defined tracks and over smooth surfaces – like New Zealand’s idyllic Queen Charlotte Track. Fitness preparation is not required nor specialized equipment; just turn up with comfortable walking shoes, a day bag and a sense of adventure.
  • Hiking – a universally recognised term to describe something more than a stroll around the park. A hike is typically off-road on a purpose-built or naturally-occurring trail and can vary in length from an hour or two to a multi-day hike. Make your way up magnificent mountains, through concentrated bushland, and across rugged, countryside trails on our range of leader-led hiking trips. Harder and longer than a walk but less physically demanding than a trek, hikes are the perfect in-between for those who still want to thoroughly explore the great outdoors without all the fuss of proper equipment. 
  • Backpacking – commonly used in North America to describe an overnight hike where you carry your gear on your back. Here though, a ‘backpacker’ is typically considered a tourist travelling on a tight budget and carrying all their worldly possessions with them in their very large backpack.
  • Rambling – an expression used in the UK to mean a walk or hike in the countryside. People who join ‘rambling clubs’ are charmingly referred to as ‘ramblers’.
  • Bushwalking – heralding from Australia, the term ‘bushwalking’ describes the act of walking in natural areas. It sounds best when spoken with an Aussie twang!
  • Trekking – trekking is a term used widely to refer to a long hike, perhaps several days or even weeks long. It’s often used to describe iconic hikes. Treks are often in remote destinations where the trails are barely visible, and the terrain makes it harder to traverse without specialized equipment. These treks generally feature high altitudes and overnight stops with basic accommodation.
  • Tramping – a term that broadly covers all the above. In New Zealand, a ‘tramp’ is referring to a hike, not a homeless person.

Check out our booking tab, click the book now button or make a trip enquiry.

Get help booking. Have questions? Click our FAQ’s, call a specialist (0800 76 62 66) or message one (support@snm.nz)

Hiking / Tramping / Walking Credentials

NZOIA
SNM are NZOIA qualified guides and members.

Promoting excellence in outdoor instruction and guiding through qualifications for professionals since 1987.

DOC Concessionaire
SNM are approved DoC concessionaires

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