Hiking tours in New Zealand

COMBINE WORLD-CLASS HIKES WITH OPTIONAL CYCLING & ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES

New Zealand is a walkers and hikers (or trampers as they are known here) paradise. The diversity and natural beauty is hard to match, from golden beaches and dramatic oceans to glaciers and forests, there is something for everyone here. And, while Flying Kiwi offers much more than pure hiking tours, walking or hiking will be a big part of your adventure with us.

New Zealand has 14 national parks, with Flying Kiwi giving you options for hiking in 7 of them, each with unique flora, fauna and scenery that allow you to explore New Zealand's natural, cultural and historic heritage.

Walks are un-guided but your knowledgeable tour guides will give you and your fellow walkers all the info you need for any of the treks. If you don't fancy them you will always find plenty of other activities to try or just relax and enjoy the scenery. A few of the more popular walks mentioned below can get busy, so it’s best to let us know in advance if you are keen.

How it Works 

Each day of your adventure holiday offers walk options ranging from a short stroll through the bush to a gorgeous waterfall, to a serious multi-day hike on the Routeburn Track. All walks are optional, so if you are not feeling up to it there is no pressure -- relax by the bus, play cards, catch some sun, read a book or grab a coffee while the others enjoy the bush.

When to Go - Most tracks are comfortably walked from October to May though the winter months do get cold and it’s certainly not an advisable time to attempt any of the Alpine tracks.

What to Pack - It’s important to ensure you are equipped with all the appropriate food and equipment on any of the major hikes in New Zealand. Weather is subject to great fluctuation and it's always advisable to be prepared. The following are some general recommendations:

Pack clothing appropriate to the season. It's always good to ensure you have enough warm clothes for your trip, and useful to bear in mind that more layers mean more warmth, so it's not necessarily about big, bulky items. Suggestions would include a pile/fleece jacket, waterproof jacket, lightweight fleece top/woolen jersey, a couple of t-shirts, polypropylene top, waterproof seam-sealed pants, shorts (can actually be better when raining), underwear, polypropylene bottoms, woollen socks, hat, gloves and a lightweight towel. Finally, a good pair of hiking boots can be a lifesaver; you may be crossing rivers and will often be traversing slippery surfaces so good boots are a great investment.

Hikes in New Zealand

hikes with incredible views
New Zealand offers some of the best day walks and short hikes in the worldFlying Kiwi offers you an opportunity to make many of them part of your NZ adventure tour. We've put together a selection of N...

Routeburn Track

Experience unforgettable moments
Hike the Routeburn Track on your Flying Kiwi TourLove to get off the beaten track? Want to see some of New Zealand's most spectacular scenery or enjoy hiking? Then we highly recommend making the Route...

Tongariro Crossing

Emerald pools on Tongariro Crossing
Many of our trips pass through the Tongariro region and enjoy views of one of the most famous peaks in New Zealand and arguably the world's best one-day hike - the Tongariro Crossing. For those joinin...