A day in the wild
NZ’S MULTI-DAY walks are brilliant, but the country also offers some fantastic short walks. Here are five worth stepping out on:
LAKE MARIAN, FIORDLAND NP A pristine alpine lake nestled in a hanging valley surrounded by mountains, Lake Marian is a half-day walk located 1km along Lower Hollyford Road (via Milford Sound Highway), in Fiordland NP. The track is steep, but that effort is rewarded with a simply breathtaking lunch location beside the lake. Make sure you check out the waterfalls 10 minutes from the car park.
ROB ROY GLACIER, MT ASPIRING NP A brilliant half-day walk to capture magic views of one of NZ’s most famous glaciers, in Mt Aspiring NP’s Matukituki Valley, on the South Island. The start of this 10km return walk (at Raspberry Creek car park) is about an hour’s drive from the adventure town of Wanaka. It offers big rivers, beech forest, towering mountains and the chance to spot the mischievous kea,
NZ’s alpine parrot.
TONGARIRO ALPINE CROSSING, TONGARIRO NP Touted as the world’s best day walk, this crossing offers an all-day trekking experience through a volcanic wonderland. You’ll walk past live volcanoes (and vents), sulphur-filled lakes, through a glacial valley and a barren lunar landscape. It’s a oneway trek of about 19km and serviced by transport options.
ROYS PEAK TRACK Located about 5km west of Wanaka, this exposed ascent is best tackled early in the morning to avoid the worst of the day’s heat.
The slight inconvenience of an early start is forgotten as you gradually gain altitude on this 16km return haul, with sweeping views from the 1578m summit across Lake Wanaka and some of the Southern Alps’ most famous peaks, such as Mt Aspiring/Tititea.
HOOKER VALLEY TRACK, AORAKI/MT COOK NP
The perfect way to follow in Sir Edmund Hillary’s footsteps, this flat 10km return walk through the Hooker Valley is another one best done early, this time to avoid crowds, but also to gain uninterrupted, sunrise views of Aoraki/ Mt Cook, NZ’s highest peak. A number of swing bridges and platformed sections ensure this walk is ideal for all ages and fitness levels.
The views are awesome.