New Zealand · HIKING & TREKKING
Good hiking & trekking tours fill up over summer; the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Fly to Franz Josef Glacier, land on the ice, and hike past caves and crevasses with expert guides, full gear, and small groups.
“An amazing tour and experience! Knowledgeable guide and the hike was well planned out. Totally worth it and highly recommend!”
See Fox Glacier from the air then hike on ice with crampons and guides, weather-dependent and safety-first, small-group, 4 hours.
“We enjoyed every minute but you should be prepared for a lot of walking. The guides took it slow. Also, was not aware about bringing medication, should you have to spend the night. High light of our trip!”
Cruise through Queen Charlotte Sound to Ship Cove, then hike the Queen Charlotte Track on a self-guided route from 12.7 to 17 km.
“A lot of people skip this activity thinking there isn't much in Picton, don't do it! The Queen Charlotte track is one of the best I did in NZ, the transport is very good and the cost is good. It’s so worth it!”
Franz Josef heli-hike: fly by helicopter to the glacier, strap on crampons, and take a guided walk through crevasses, caves, and ice.
“We have wanted to do the Heli-hike on Franz Joseph since 2019 when our trip was cancelled due to bad weather. To say we were excited this time around was an understatement we absolutely had the most amazing day. Our guide was ABBEY she was a bundle of energy and a wealth of knowledge on the history of the Glacier, and we felt we were in great hands. Our helicopter ride up the mountain was amazing it's one of the experiences in life that you MUST do. We had the most spectacular weather with not a cloud in the sky making for sensational photos that we will treasure forever. We…”
Fox Glacier heli-hike with two flights and up to 3 hours on ice caves and arches. Gear and guide included, 4 hours.
“Really enjoyed the experience. I was lucky to be in the front seat so had excellent views on the flight. Lovely features to explore on the ice and great equipment provided. Would have been nice to cover a bit more ground up there - not really a ‘hike’ - but a really cool experience in every way!”
Guided hike on Mt Tarawera’s volcanic crater from Rotorua. Pickup included, geology stories, Waimangu views, optional scree run.
“I really enjoyed walking/sliding down the mountain and seeing all the different views from the top of the mountain!”
Intermediate+ horseback trek in Cardrona, Wanaka, with gold-rush tales, river crossings, and a stop for a free hotel drink.
“I had a lovely time on Stu! He had a personality and kept everyone in line. The trek is through mild hills with lovely scenery- sheep, deer (a baby was born during our trek!), cows, and lupins galore. Truly a beautiful and memorable experiRead more”
Self-guided Waimangu Volcanic Valley hike in Rotorua with geothermal stops, trail choices, and shuttle return, from $46.54.
“Definitely it was marvellous. The weather was perfect, the driver and the plane were perfect and it was so marvellous the views the pictures we took. A must !”
3-hour Tasman Glacier heli-hike from Mount Cook: two scenic flights, up to 2 hours on the ice, Aoraki views, small groups.
“Knowledgeable guide who made us feel safe throughout the trip. Fantastic pilots who pointed out beautiful landmarks”
Heli onto the Tasman Glacier from Mount Cook for a 2-hour guided hike, then fly home near the Hochstetter Icefall.
“Highly enjoyable, brand new experience walking on a safe section of glacier, professional service from start to finish, you know you’re in good hands, our guide Maddie took good care of everyone every step of the way, even the heli pilots had tonnes of information to share en route, this is a must do!”
Guided Tongariro Alpine Crossing with volcanic craters, Blue and Emerald Lakes, and winter gear support, all managed for weather and crowds.
“That was my first hike ever. It was not easy, especially getting down. I had no equipment and at some point i was the last in the row. A nice lady from Minesota gave me her walking sticks and with the guide whose name i do not recall, helped me multiple times. He gave me some proper snacks to handle the fatigue. Although i was super exausted in the end, it was worth every single breath!”
A 4.5-hour Bay of Islands cruise with island walks, snorkel gear, possible Hole in the Rock, Cape Brett Lighthouse, and wildlife spotting.
“I booked this tour months ago and was really looking forward to seeing this beautiful area. We got in line 15 minutes early and a worker came and told us they were trying to get the boat working. He returned a few minutes later and told us the Read more”
Ride the Cardrona Valley with a small group horse trek, learn Otago gold-rush history, and get big Lake Wānaka views in about 2 hours.
“The host and guide were very nice. The trip couldn’t been great without the unique experience we’d enjoyed.”
Cruise Lake Wakatipu on the vintage TSS Earnslaw, enjoy homestead tea, then ride calm Walter Peak horses with a small group.
“10/10 experience, the staff were absolutely amazing made it so much fun. The afternoon tea after our horse trek was absolutely amazing as well!”
Full-day guided Milford Track walk and Milford Sound small-boat cruise, with hot drinks, water taxis, and likely dolphins. 7 hours.
“Ben was a wonderful guide, very insightful and helpful. Learnt about the region and wouldn’t have been able to appreciate it as much as we did without his knowledge. Thanks for a fabulous day!! Highly recommend!!”
From the fiords to the geothermal belt, sorted by what you want to do with the day.
