North and South Island - Walking Tramping

Itinerary

Don't forget, this is our suggested itinerary only. You can customise each trip to your own requirements.

Day 1 : Auckland

Exhausted or not, depending where do you arrive from... We have a good plan for you if you are not too excited to drive right away, I mean on the left, to your accommodation. Take our shuttle and get over gently from your jetlag.

Day 2 : Auckland – Rotorua (250 km – 3h10)

Drive to Rotorua to experience Maori culture, geothermal forces, spa treatments, thrills and adventure, or any of the other natural assets such as 16 lakes, some of the world's best mountain biking trails, fantastic trout fishing and myriad forest walking.

Day 3 : Rotorua

A full day in south of Rotorua to discover the 2 most amazing sites of geothermic activity: Wai-O-Tapu and Waimangu Valley. Why not diving in Wakiti Valley Thermal pools at the end of your day.

Day 4 : Rotorua –Tongariro National Park (180km – 2h15)

Drive south to Tongariro National Park and take some advices at the “I site” about the forecast for the 2 following days: clean your shoes, iron your shorts and get yourself ready for a big walk.

Days 5-6 : Tongariro National Park

You have plenty of time for tramping, Tongariro Crossing is waiting for you. The crossing spans the length of Mt Tongariro (18.5 km) and takes about 7-9 hours. If the weather does not look too good, there are hundred different walks from 10 min to several hours in the area.

Tip: We also suggest you a 30 to 45 min scenic flight over the region, it's awesome.

Day 7 : Tongariro National Park – Wellington (350km -4h20)

Drive south on SH1 to the capital. Wellington is set on a busy harbour surrounded by hills, visit the Te Papa National Museum, the Parliament House and the Beehive buildings or take a look at the different cosmopolitan quarters. If you are more interested by nature take the Cable car and come back trough botanical gardens.

Day 8 : Wellington – Picton (3h10 sailing)

Take the ferry to Picton through Cook Strait. Picton offers a myriad of activities to the travellers: cruise on the waters of the Marlborough Sounds soaking up Maori legends and see a huge array of birdlife. Whether on the water or walking the Queen Charlotte Track or mooching on the foreshore, the scenery will leave you breathless.

Days 9-10-11 : Picton – Queen Charlotte Track

The Queen Charlotte Track begins with an hour scenic boat trip. The 71km and 3 overnights coastal walking track stretches from historic Ship Cove to Anakiwa in the spectacular Marlborough Sounds which enjoys a temperate climate and allows good year-round walking conditions.

Day 12 : Picton

As the walk ends in the afternoon in Picton, you might need a little rest before you keep going.

Day 13 : Picton – Punakaiki (340km – 4h15)

From north to west coast, discover on your arrival the Pancakes Rocks. The famous Pancake Rocks and Blowholes are just a 20 minute loop walk from where you park your vehicle on the main highway. Looking like giant pancakes the curious limestone formations are especially spectacular at high tide in a westerly sea.

Day 14 : Punakaiki – Glaciers (225km – 2h50)

Along the west coast, you go south to the glaciers country. Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers are cut through dramatic glacial valleys to flow into temperate rainforest. While many glaciers world-wide have been retreating, these glaciers still flow almost to sea level, making them unique relics of the last Ice Age.

Day 15 : Glaciers

Enjoy a full day of activities wherever you prefer on Fox or Franz Joseph Glaciers. It is not until you place your footprints onto a high alpine snow field, journey deep into the towering rainforests, explore the blue ice caves of the glaciers, tackle a trout on a beautiful lake or jetboat up a glacial river, that you will truly experience Glacier Country.

Day 16 : Glaciers – Wanaka (260km – 3h15)

Through Haast Pass, drive south to the Mount Aspiring National Park, the third largest park in New Zealand. It stretches from the dense rainforests of Fiordland, across braided river valleys and alpine meadows, to the heavily glaciated Southern Alps and Wanaka township provides some of the easiest access to the entire park.

Day 17 : Wanaka – Queenstown (70km – 0h55)

Quick drive south via tiny Arrowtown nestled beside the Arrow River and home of unique attractions. Visitors can enjoy gold panning, tours around historic buildings, the Chinese Miners Settlement, the district’s museum, a boutique cinema and numerous walking trails. Be prepare to encounter crazy Queenstown.

Day 18 : Queenstown

From the mild to the wild you'll find your adventure threshold here. The expansive natural physical environment offers air, water and land based activities. Go walking, sailing, hiking, climbing, fishing, cycling, golfing, off-roading, skiing or mountain biking.

Tip: Add extra nights to experience great Routeburn and/or Milford track.

Day 19 : Queenstown – Mount Cook Region (200km – 2h30)

A nice drive to central location to all the attractions of the Aoraki Mt Cook Mackenzie region will help you calm down. With the Southern Alps as a backdrop, the alpine retreat of Twizel is close to five picturesque lakes.

Day 20 : Mount Cook Region

About trekking, walking, tramping and hiking in Aoraki Mount Cook there is something for everyone - from easy half hour walks along formed paths, to alpine hikes that can last days and take you into the vast wilderness of the Southern Alps. For the particularly hardy adventurer there is even mountain climbing on Aoraki Mount Cook - NZ's tallest mountain and the same peak that Sir Edmund Hillary "practiced" on before his successful ascent of Everest.

Day 21 : Mount Cook Region – Christchurch (290km – 3h40)

It is time to go back to Christchurch to have a look at the most British city of the country. Christchurch has a lively entertainment scene, strong cultural heritage, gorgeous parks and gardens and good shopping. Among the 'must sees' are the weekend Arts Centre market, Christchurch Cathedral, Botanic Gardens and International Antarctic Centre.