New Zealand Great Walks

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The New Zealand Great Walks are the country’s best hiking trails, built and cared for by the Department of Conservation. They show off some of New Zealand’s finest scenery, from beaches and coastlines to dense rain forests and alpine areas. The tracks are kept to a high standard so visitors can explore safely.

Walk lengths vary from 32 to 82 kilometres and take about 3 to 6 days. The Whanganui Journey is a 145-kilometre river trip that takes about 5 days. Only the Tongariro Northern Circuit and the Kepler Track are loop walks; most other Great Walks require transport back to the starting point.

The network began in 1992 to promote hiking while protecting the most popular tracks from damage caused by unregulated tourism. Seven of the walks have Google Street View coverage (as of November 2015).

Huts along the Great Walks are comfortable, well-equipped, and can house many people. The tracks and huts are of a higher standard than other tramping routes. They attract many international visitors, helped by promotion from the Department of Conservation and tourism operators. All Great Walks have booking systems to manage visitor numbers, and guided walks are available through private operators. Getting onto the tracks is free, but there are charges for overnight stays at huts or campsites.

To protect the tracks, camping within 500 metres of a Great Walk or within 1 kilometre of the Milford Track is illegal, unless you use a designated campsite.

Parts of the Abel Tasman Coastal Track are popular for day walks, with middle sections served by water taxis.

The Great Walks span the North Island, South Island, and Stewart Island / Rakiura.

In 2018, the Department of Conservation looked at adding an 11th Great Walk. In July 2019, it was decided that the 61-kilometre Hump Ridge Track would become the 11th Great Walk. Upgrades to the track and huts cost around NZ$5 million. The aim was to join the network in 2023, but there were delays, and it opened as a Great Walk on 25 October 2024.