The Best Hikes in New Zealand

New Zealand is not a country you visit for the cities. Middle Earth is meant to be hiked, hobbit style. Instead of a long intro to an already long article, let’s just get to the goods. 

Tongariro Alpine Crossing
North Island | Stay in Taupo or Turangi

If there is One Ring to rule them all, then Tongariro Alpine Crossing is the one hike to rule them all. Never in all of my hiking around the world have I completed a trek as diverse as this one. Volcanos, geothermal lakes, forests, valleys, and a path lined by 8-foot shrubberies that would surely please even the Knights Who Say “Ni.” 

Your journey begins in Mordor which makes the fact that this trail is 12-miles (19-km) long seem worth it from the very first step. As you begin the climb that culminates in an unimpeded view of Mount Doom, things get a little tougher. My Dutch friend and I had to stop talking for a bit to save the air for our over-taxed lungs. 

With a shout of “THE EAGLES ARE COMING,” we crested the path and found ourselves beside Mount Doom. My nerdgasm immediately washed away the exhaustion from my limbs. After a bit of imagining where they would’ve filmed what, we continued on. 

The next stretch was truly vertical and the trail was made of loose volcanic rock that sank in six inches with every step. But at the top was perhaps the most stunning view in all of Middle Earth…er…New Zealand. Gazing down upon the insanely colored geothermal lakes, we ate our lunch and watched people struggle (and mostly fail) to not fall in the loose rubble. 

The remainder of the hike is through a few different terrains and blessedly all downhill. It has some of the only switchbacks in New Zealand and then ends in a forest filled with birdsong. 

A quick tip: There is no shade on this hike so catch the first shuttle into the trailhead so that you miss the heat of the day as much as possible. I don’t burn easily and applied sunblock three times and my shoulders still looked more lobster than human by the end. 

Gertrude’s Saddle
South Island | Camp in Milford Sound or Stay in Te Anau

If I’m honest, after hiking the Tongariro, I felt like there was no hike in New Zealand (or maybe even the world) that could compete. How do you outdo a hike that has everything? Then Gertrude entered my life and WOW. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun hiking what was essentially straight up for hours. 

A quick look at the trail stats shows that it is only a 5.2-mile return trek. Too easy. A further look reveals that in the 2.6 miles to the top, you are gaining 2,121-feet of elevation. Yeah, no. I was with a friend who was keen to do the hike so I couldn’t bail (or I totally would have haha). 

We started in the shadow-filled valley at sunrise and I was delighted that, at least for a bit, the trail was flat. The cliff faces around us were lined by trickling waterfalls. It felt as if we were walking through a dried up fjord and it was beautiful. 

When the time for our ascent arrived, the shrieks of my protesting thighs were drowned out by my cries of, “Look at that waterfall! And that one! One sec, I need another picture.” By the time we got to the Indiana-Jones-style rebar ropes that helped us scale up the side of a waterfall, I was truly smitten with Gertrude. 

Then we reached Black Lake and I thought we were done. My friend quickly disabused me of that fantasy when he asked if I was ready to summit. Huh? There’s more? Yep, but Gertrude was saving the best for last. It was a tricky hike across a snow path that was not more than a foot wide and would’ve meant falling to your death if you misstepped. A few years ago, this was exactly the type of trail that nearly led me to an early grave (though I doubt they would’ve been able to find my body). I was incredibly proud that my nerves held up as I inched along. 

Scrambling up the final boulder, we were rewarded with the most incredible view. We sat in awe for a good hour before glissading back down to Black Lake and hiking out. I only nearly fell to my death once the whole time, success!

Ben Lomond
South Island | Stay in Queenstown

If you are as much a sucker for ridgelines as I am, then this hike is going to be your new favorite. Taking the gondola up and skipping the Tiki Trail not only cuts an hour or two off your total hike time, but it also means your entire trek will be above the tree line. Drools. You might even save enough time to do some luge riding on the way down. Two incredible experiences for the price of one? Yes, please. 

The actual trek up to Ben Lomond starts as a gentle slope with insane views behind you and to your left. Don’t get me wrong, you are gaining a good amount of elevation, but it’s at least not straight up. There are plenty of photo opportunities on the way up that are just as good as the one you have at the top. Take your time and enjoy it. 

Once you reach the bench at the saddle, you’ve completed the easy portion of the hike. Sit down, recover, and enjoy the 360-degree views of lakes Wakatipu and Moke. Once you’ve reenergized, begin the final push. This part of the trek is mostly straight up and has a few false peaks—a hiker’s sly worst enemy. Don’t worry though, once you achieve the victory of reaching the summit, it will all be worth it. 

As you have your celebratory lunch, mind yourself because Keas (a native New Zealand bird as intelligent as a two-year-old) will swoop in and rob you of all you own. If they can’t eat it, they may just throw it off the cliff for fun. I even saw one nearly make a guy trying to get the ‘gram fall to his death with a surprise attack. Please don’t feed the birds as this makes them more aggressive and if they have sugar, they can die. 

Hooker Valley Track
South Island | Stay in Mount Cook Village or Tekapo

Once you stop giggling about the name of the trek, it’s time to start hiking. Like its namesake, it’s quite easy. Though surrounded by mountains, nearly the entire trail is flat. 

As hikers, we often think that we have to work hard for rewarding views, but this trail is the exception to that rule. Hooker Valley Track is alluring every step of the way. Mount Cook plays peek-a-boo with you as you cross suspension bridges over aqua rivers and walk across narrow wooden pathways over marshes toward the end destination—a glacial lake at the foot of the mountains. 

Remember when hiking this popular trail, that in New Zealand they drive on the left side of the road, so keep left and let faster hikers pass you. I highly recommend packing a lunch to have next to the lake at the end before starting your return trip. Alternatively, there is a kitchen at the trailhead where you could cook up something tastier. 

These were easily the top four hikes of my trip but New Zealand has so many others to offer. Roy’s Peak outside of Wanaka is a fan favorite. Queenstown Hill (pictured above) is an easy, but still gorgeous, hike that anyone can do. And there are some really cool opportunities to hike on glaciers like Fox and Franz Josef if you’ve not done that before. There are also the Great Walks that are all multi-day treks that you need reservations for. It flooded during the dates I was meant to go, so I didn’t get to do any of these but definitely will when I return to Middle Earth. 

Have you been to New Zealand? If so, what were your favorite hikes? Leave a comment below.