Must Do Hikes in New Zealand

Hiking New Zealand’s North and South Island are very diverse. The North Island is tropical, lush and green with ocean views and waterfalls. A short flight away the South Island transports you to a snowy mountain landscape! I love how diverse New Zealand and there’s no better way to experience it than a great hike

The North Island Hikes

Auckland: Mount Eden Mount Eden is in the heart of Auckland with 360 degree views at the summit. Mount Eden is actually a dormant volcano! This hike is all incline on the way up winding up the steep hill and you can go at your own pace up. Enjoy feeling like a local alongside joggers and class fieldtrips!

Outside Auckland: Fisherman’s Rock Hike on Waiheke Island Auckland has so many islands to explore with easy commuter ferries leaving from the harbor. We decided on Waiheke island because of its beauty. You don’t have to buy tickets in advance since the ferries run frequently and the ride was a joy in itself. Once on the island take the bus right from the terminal to Oneroa Beach to begin your trek. Take your time and make your way to get lunch at Little Oneroa Takeaways (get the fish and chips!) and then talk the trail to Fisherman’s Rock for stunning views! The trail will take you through the trees and then pop you out at the top of a bluff. Take the stairs down the water to soak it in and dip your toes in the water. We found a little rope swing here too!

Outside Auckland: Cathedral Cove Trails Chances are you’ve seen Cathedral Cove in photos while researching NZ, but the surrounding area offers so much more! Once you hit the trail denoting the path to Cathedral Cove you’ll start seeing more and more trails that lead to other fantastic beaches! We hit Stingray Bay to snorkel which was wonderful, and we which we had more time to hike to incredible view points and secluded beaches!

Outside Auckland: Blue Springs (Palururu) This hiking trail takes you along the Blue Springs, a natural spring that flows down a winding slow river through picturesque green hills. This is a very easy hike, and you’ll love how crystal clear the water is with big vibrant green plants swaying in the current, its mesmerizing to watch. Most pop on the trail for a brief time but if you keep going you will eventually leave the rolling farm land and venture into a lush fern jungle! It feels like something out of Jurassic park and a T Rex will pop out of the giant ferns at any moment. Trust me this is a must do hike on the North Island!

Outside Auckland: Lions Rock Hike on Piha Black Sand Beach The west coast of the North Island lies the surfing paradise, Piha. It was wild to me how different the ocean was on this side of the island with big waves and a rocky coastline compared to the turquoise waters we saw in the Coromandel Peninsula. Piha is a perfect surf town with adorable surf shops and laid-back vibes. The Black Sand Beach is really amazing to see and exploring some of the tidepools was cool. Once we explored, we hiked to the top of Lion Rock, the big rock formation in the middle of the beach. The rock holds a lot of importance to the Maori natives and feels like you are taking a stairway to heaven! Take your time because the fog and weather can make the trail slippery.

Outside Auckland: KiteKite Falls in Piha This stop is a short drive away from Piha Beach. You’ll want to do the hard part first, so hit the trail straight up to the top of Kite Kite Falls and you will be blissfully awarded with a picture perfect aqua blue swimming hole at the top! I was so hot after climbing straight up and jumping in felt amazing. The swimming hole pools a good distance away from the start of the falls but definitely check your conditions before you plunge in, you are at the top of a waterfall after all! You can walk closer but be super careful for slippery rocks to see the edge of the falls. Once we got out we saw a big fresh water eel emerge to say hi! They are frightened of people so he did not bother us but it was cool to see him. The way down was much easier and we climbed back down. Finally we checked out the waterfall and saw where we just were! We ended up swimming in the waterfall too, it felt great!

The South Island

Roy’s Peak This is a hike, literally, to get to but it’s so worth the view if waking up early for a sunrise hike is something that interests you! The hike can be crowded as it’s a picture perfect postcard moment in NZ, but once at the top you can spread out and soak in the expansive views. This is a pretty intense hike too so only do this if you feel up for that!

The magnificent Roy’s Peak

Mount Cook National Park

Mount Cook National Park: Tasman Glacier Trail There are so many amazing hikes in the National Park! Our first hike was the Tasman Glacier Viewpoint trail because we were so excited to see a real life glacier! After the viewpoint we took the trail leading closer up to the Tasman Lake and River to see the signature icy blue water. We could see even closer up huge chunks of the glacier that had chipped away. These trails were moderate difficulty and fairly flat considering all the mountains surrounding it!

Hooker Valley Track - Mount Cook National Park We spent two separate days here since there was so much to see and do! Day 2 in the park head to the Hooker Valley Track which is a longer hike than Tasman Glacier. This hike will take you through winding valleys and you will get up close and personal with Mount Cook! This was my all time favorite hike in New Zealand because each turn is another breathtaking panorama and you can see a different glacier here as well! On the trail first stop at the Lake Muller Lookout, cross some suspension bridges (it’s not high for those scared of heights) and make your way to the end at Hooker Lake. We spent a lot of time at Hooker Lake and ate our packed lunch here, watching the clouds change around Mount Cook or Aoraki was mesmerizing! So stunning!

Dark Sky Reserve & Lake Tekapo Here you will find easy walking paths that take your through Lupin flower meadows surrounding the beautiful blue lake, the Church of The Good Shepard which finds its way on many tourism stops for its charming location, and a Dark Sky Reserve! After dark the The Dark Sky Project hosts tours that will take you to an observatory or a hike around the Lake with an expert. There are not many dark sky reserves in the world and this was such a unique hiking experience!

Mount Cook Helihike If you're looking for an experience that will stay with you for the rest of your life, doing an excursion with Heliworks is a must do. Ride in a helicopter and enjoy the views of the park from above before landing in your desired location. They offer many options like landing on the glacier for a hike or a mountainside spot with view of Mount Cook that is out of this world! You can choose which option suites you best

Fjordland National Park: Lake Marian In Fjordland National park you must stop at Lake Marian Track for a stunning reward at the top of the hike. This was a fairly difficult hike but it was gorgeous once we reached the top, Lake Marian is a crystal clear snowmelt alpine lake that creates a beautiful mirrored reflection of the mountains above. The hike runs through a mossy rainforest which was also very interesting for what is a snowy mountainous region!

Want More? Check Out The Ultimate New Zealand Itinerary!