Trips & Treks for the Thrifty Traveller
With stunning beaches, enchanting forests and hiking and adventure options for all fitness levels, there’s nothing to not like about Abel Tasman. This National Park is the smallest of all the National Parks in New Zealand; however, it is home to one of the country’s Great Walks. Add in plenty of kayaking, fishing and horse trekking options, and you can… Read More
Hawkes Bay is located on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand, and is home to many attractions, including the beautiful Te Mata Peak. There are many different hiking and biking options to get to the summit, as well as a paved road for those who’d prefer to drive up. Te Mata is a very significant place… Read More
Often described as one of the best day hikes in New Zealand, Tongariro Alpine Crossing is a must for avid hikers. It is a long, challenging hike through a dramatic volcanic landscape and it takes around 7-8 hours to complete. The track is 19.4km long, which doesn’t seem too difficult at first glance. But with steep climbs up to 1886m… Read More
Kaikoura is a lovely little town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. Many people visit the area for its abundance of marine life and opportunities to see whales, dolphins, seals and more. It is also a beautiful area, where huge snow-capped mountains plunge almost directly into the ocean, and the grey pebble beaches hide shining… Read More
3 hour return There are many impressive hiking opportunities around Wanaka. Its stunning location means that you are spoiled for views everywhere you go. But, if you’re looking for a walk that has all of the reward for less of the effort, I highly recommend Rocky Mountain’s summit track. The track starts at Diamond Lake Conservation Area car park, 18.5km… Read More
2 hours return If you’re anything like me, after spending some time in a city you’d like to get back out into nature and do some hiking. I was pretty happy to find out about this short day hike to Whispering Falls, just a 40 minute drive out of Nelson city centre, at the top of New Zealand’s South Island…. Read More
When I visited Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain, I felt like I’d wandered into a fairytale. I know how that sounds, but honestly, it’s probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever visited! At 3,724 metres high, Mount Cook is a challenge for the most experienced mountain climbers, but for the vast majority of us it is merely a beautiful… Read More
If you want a challenge, Mount Taranaki’s summit track is certainly that! Located on the west coast of New Zealand’s north island, this volcano is 2,518m high and is an almost perfect cone. This means that there are no easy parts and the whole trek is a steep climb! When we set out to conquer the summit, we were not… Read More
Day hike: 4-6.5 hours If there is one place in New Zealand that holds a place in my heart, it’s an island called Aotea. More commonly known as Great Barrier Island or ‘The Barrier’. Located about 100 kms off the coast of Auckland, it is completely off the grid. And it is one of the most beautiful, sustainable and eco-friendly… Read More
