Best of Hiking New Zealand

• Hiking Mileage:  1-2 miles (1.6 – 3.2 km)
• Accommodation: Hotel in Christchurch

Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand! On this South Island New Zealand hiking adventure, your guide will pick you up at Christchurch International Airport (CHC). After getting settled into our first night’s accommodation, we’ll meet together as a group for our orientation meeting at 2 pm. We’ll then head out to the famous Christchurch Botanical Gardens for a short walk to shake out the legs after a long flight and to get acquainted with the local flora and unique ecology of the island. From there, we’ll enjoy our first of many delicious meals together. We’ll call it an early night, so we are ready for tomorrow’s adventure!

• Hiking Mileage: 5.6 miles (9 km)
• Elevation Gain: 1174 feet (358 m)
• Elevation Loss: 1174 feet (358 m)
• Drive: 3 hours
• Accommodation: Hotel in Hokitika

After a good night’s sleep and a breakfast to fuel your day, we’ll load the van and begin our journey through the stunning Southern Alps, sampling three iconic hikes. The Southern Alps are the fastest growing mountain range in the world (rising about 1 cm per year!) and the hallmark of the South Island landscape. Our first hike is the Kura Tawhiti (aka Castle Hill) loop trail. We’ll walk amongst the impressive karst landscape that was a feature in the famous Lord of the Rings movies. The geology of this area is other-worldly. Our second hike takes us to the Devil’s Punchbowl located in Arthur’s Pass. We’ll hike through a lush beech forest to view this incredible 430 ft waterfall where we’ll dig into our trail lunches. Next, we’ll begin the Otira Valley Walk, at the summit of Arthur’s Pass. Finally, we’ll drive the final stretch into Hokitika, on the west coast of the South Island. This area is well known for its heritage of gold mining history, shipwrecks, and pounamu stone hunting. One can find many, unique New Zealand treasures here in Hokitika.

• Hiking Mileage: 8 miles (13 km)
• Elevation Gain:  846 feet (258 m)
• Elevation Loss: 846 feet (258 m)
• Accommodation: Cottage in Punakaiki

The focus of today’s hike is the splendid Lake Kaniere. After breakfast the trail will take us along the photogenic bays of the lake. We’ll take a break and cool off in the lake with a quick swim right off of the trail. While on the hike we’ll see plenty of examples of Rimu and Podocarp forests. After lunch on the beach, we’ll drive over to the Hokitika Gorge trail and cross a beautiful blue river over a long suspension bridge. Our afternoon drive will take the scenic route down The Great Coast Road to Punakaiki. Here, nestled at the foot of the Paparoa mountains, we’ll find our lodging for the next two nights. We will be staying in fairly basic, self-contained cottages, family style, with shared bathrooms. Wind down the day with a spot on our back porch, listening to the sounds of the forest that surrounds us.

• Hiking Mileage: 8 miles (13 km)
• Elevation Gain: 380 feet (116 m)
• Elevation Loss: 669 feet (204 m)
• Accommodation: Cottage in Punakaiki

Today will be a day of exploring Punakaiki’s offerings consisting of Pororari River Loop, Pancake Rocks, and the Truman track. The Pororari River loop takes you past limestone cliffs and through iconic, sub-tropical forests. Pancake rocks are limestone formations made up of unique shaped rocks. We’ll also catch a glimpse of blowholes and surge pools. The Truman track is a shorter walk through pristine subtropical forest that will bring us to a magnificent coastline with cliffs, caverns, a waterfall, and blowholes.

• Hiking Mileage: 7.4 miles (12 km)
• Elevation Gain: 1555 feet (474m)
• Elevation Loss: 1365 feet (416 m)
• Drive Time: 2 hours
• Accommodation: Hotel in St. Arnaud

This morning, we head north to hike up the Fox River Gorge. Here we’ll encounter west coast rain forest, stunning limestone gorges, and spacious caves. On this hike we’ll have lunch beneath the Ballroom overhang, which is one of the South Island’s crown jewels. We’ll have ample opportunity to practice our river crossing skills with aid from our fantastic guides. If the water levels are too high, we’ll enjoy a beautiful coastal hike and visit the fantastic residents of the Tauranga Bay seal colony. After lunch our hike continues as it follows the river out of a limestone canyon to the coast. Upon arriving at the mouth of the Potikohua and Fox rivers we’ll head inland toward the small alpine village of St. Arnaud, tucked away in the heart of the Southern Alps.

• Hiking Mileage: 7.5 miles (12 km)
• Elevation Gain: 2230 feet (680 m)
• Elevation Loss: 2395 feet (730 m)
• Drive Time: 2 hours
• Accommodation: Off-Grid Lodge

Today marks the start of our two-night remote, off-grid Nydia Track Adventure! This is a 2-day/17-mile trail (plus one amazing layover day) at the edge of Kaiuma Bay on the Pelorus Bay in the Marlborough mountains. Today’s section crosses the Kaiuma and Nydia saddles and follows the shoreline of Nydia Bay. We’ll hike through varied landscapes of farmland, scrubland, pine forests, and old growth silver fern forests. The terrain will consist of stone and wooden steps, rock slabs, bridges, board walks, and a river crossing. Just over 7 miles in, we’ll find ourselves at our incredible lodge that will be ours for the next 2 nights. Dinner will be prepared by the lodge hosts with some of the ingredients sourced directly from the gardens. Perhaps you will choose to enjoy the evening relaxing your muscles in the outdoor hot tub!

You will need to carry a bit more in your pack on Days 6-8, as you will need to include personal items that you’ll need for the two nights (toiletries, a change of clothes, bathing suit, etc.).

Please note that with this special lodge, no two rooms are alike, and some have shared bathrooms. We cannot guarantee which room you will be assigned to.

• Hiking Mileage: 2.5 miles (4 km)
• Elevation Gain: 210 feet (64 m)
• Elevation Loss: 210 feet (64 m)
• Accommodation: Off-Grid Lodge

We’ll enjoy today as a choose-your-own-adventure day. You may spend it catching up on a good book and relaxing and/or you can choose to kayak, paddle board, swim, and of course we’ll have the option for more hiking.  Our chosen hike will take us to a small waterfall and swimming hole. Along the hike, your guide will show you how to responsibly and respectfully harvest harakeke (New Zealand flax used for weaving) and instruct you how to weave a mat or flower!

• Hiking Mileage: 9 miles (15 km)
• Elevation Gain: 1410 feet (430 m)
• Elevation Loss: 1575 feet (480 m)
• Drive Time: 4 hours
• Accommodation: Hot Spring Resorts near Lewis Pass

We’ll depart from our lodge after breakfast towards Duncan Bay. Today we’ll get to hike through ancient miro, red beech, and fern forests, first by walking along the side of Tennyson Inlet and then we’ll climb the Nydia saddle and be surrounded by mosses, lichens, and a podocarp forest. With spectacular views of the Tennyson Inlet, we’ll then descend and walk along the Ngwhatakhiti Bay. Before lunch, you may enjoy a swim of the Marlborough Sound. The hike concludes with views of the sea through the lush coastal forest full of giant rimu, nikau, beech, and fern trees. At the end of the trail, our private vehicle awaits to whisk us to Maruia Springs. Though the drive is long, it’s beautiful as we see more of the New Zealand countryside filled with sheep, rivers, and vineyards. We’ll quickly settle into our rooms and get ready to enjoy the local cuisine at the in-house restaurant.

Maruia Hot Springs Resort offers two different types of rooms: individual cabins with shared bathroom or ensuite Lodge Rooms. Please note that we cannot guarantee which room you will be assigned to.

• Hiking Mileage: 3.2 miles (5 km)
• Elevation Gain: 2159 feet (658 m)
• Elevation Loss: 2159 feet (658 m)
• Accommodation: Hot Spring Resorts near Lewis Pass

This morning we’ll hit the trail to the Lewis Tops Track. This track will take us up through aged beech forest and into open, tussock tops. This hike will afford us plenty of stunning views of the surrounding mountains and nestled, alpine tarns. In the afternoon, we’ll have the opportunity to treat ourselves at our hot springs accommodations: hot spring soaks, sauna infusions, and meditation and yoga classes are all included in our stay.

• Drive: 2.5 hours

We’ll say goodbye to our hot springs resort with a final soaking in the early morning, if you choose, and then load up the van and grab breakfast along the way. As we make our way back South to Christchurch, we’ll get to reminisce over the incredible time we’ve had on our New Zealand hiking adventure. Your guide will drive you either to the airport for flights leaving after 2 pm or to your hotel in Christchurch if you plan to extend your stay in New Zealand.