A Taste of Hiking in New Zealand

Lords of the Rings, Hobbit, and Chronicles of Narnia are just a few of the movies filmed in New Zealand. With stunning landscapes around every corner it’s easy to see why directors like it here. Although New Zealand isn’t a large country per se, there is a wealth of scenery to drool at. During my first two weeks I drove from Christchurch to Queenstown and hiked every chance I could. Eventually I got worried that I had already seen the best there was to see in New Zealand. I quickly found out the beauty here is unlimited, and I want to introduce you to some of my favorites during those first few weeks.

Mount John Summit Track

A small town with few excitements to offer, Lake Tekapo seems like a silly place to visit if you look at a map of New Zealand. It’s a tiny dot. Driving up however, you will realize why guidebooks recommend spending a day here. Lake Tekapo is incredibly blue and clear, and it’s a perfect introduction to New Zealand scenery. I popped into the visitor’s center to see what hikes were available. Mt John Summit Track was recommended by the ranger, so I went for it.

The hike is about 10 kilometers and skirts around the West side of Lake Tekapo before trailing up to the peak. At the top is Mt John Observatory, an International Dark Sky Reserve which has no artificial light at night. There are only four of these reserves in the world, so if you are interested in astronomy this is a good place to view the night sky. My interest however, was simply stretching my legs and checking out the views.

The hike starts out at Tekapo Springs and loops back to the carpark after 2-3 hours of walking. It can be started from either direction but I opted for the counter clockwise route. The trail begins easy and flat, and a couple of kilometers in there is a small sign that points up to Mt John. After a short uphill climb the trail already begins to give amazing views of Lake Tekapo and the mountains to the east. Then the trail steeply ascends but there are several excuses for a break if you want to look out over the lake.

At the top there is a cafe with several tables to relax and enjoy your surroundings. Continue past the observatory to the other side of the hill and the hike continues on. From the hill there is a lovely view of the actual town of Lake Tekapo. The rest of the way is a shaded walk through forest until the trail pops back out at the parking lot. When you finish the hike treat yourself to a nibble at one of the little cafes along Tekapo Road. Be sure to check out the Dog Monument and The Church of the Good Shepard down by the lake.

Isthmus Peak Track

A bustling town full of trendy cafes and plenty of adrenaline-filled activities, Wanaka is a great place to spend several days. I picked up a hitchhiker who recommended Isthmus Peak Track over the incredibly popular Mount Roy Track. Never being much for the masses I  decidedly took up the challenge of the more difficult Isthmus Peak. On my first full day in Wanaka I woke up at 6am and headed to the trailhead. It’s located a 30 minute drive along Highway 6, just before The Neck. It’s impossible to miss because the parking lot is too small, causing people to park all along the road.

The parking lot is across the street from the start of the track. Walk over the road and enjoy the easiest part of the trail which meanders through flat(ish) farmland. Most of the trail is on private property so there are some gates to open and fences to climb. After an easy first kilometer the trail starts going up…and up…and up. It’s a very steep 16km (round trip) hike. One of those hikes where you just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and let your mind wander until you finally get to the peak. To top it all off there are several false peaks.

During the hike up the mountain the views couldn’t get any better. I must have stopped 100 times to look around. Towards the end of the hike, when I really began to wonder how much farther the trail could possibly go, it graciously flattened out. Although it was incredibly windy. In fact, the wind was so strong on the ridge-line that I was afraid of getting blown over. After some much-deserved flat trail there is one small hill to climb before reaching Mount Isthmus Peak.

There are 360 views from the top looking over Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea. Although I didn’t see many people on the trail there were about 20 people enjoying the view from the top. After a few snacks (and more pictures) I headed back down the trail. Many people asked how much farther it was to the top and I understood why. Mount Isthmus Peak is a fantastic hike but very long and steep. Recommend to anyone looking for a good workout and unbeatable views. It took me 5 hours to complete the hike and this included many breaks for catching my breath and taking lots of pictures. Some websites recommend giving yourself 6 hours, which is the amount of time I would have taken if I hadn’t been hiking religiously for the past several months

Rob Roy Track

When first driving into Wanaka there is a visitor’s center for Mount Aspiring National Park. I stopped in and asked for some advice on where to hike. The lady recommended Rob Roy Track which I bookmarked in my mind for the next day. After I spent the day relaxing and spoiling myself with the ice cream from Patagonia (Mascapone & Fruits of the Forest, anyone?) I decided it was time to explore Mount Aspiring.

It’s about an hour’s drive from Wanaka to Raspberry Creek Carpark where the hike starts. Most of the road is unpaved and it includes nine fords and plenty of sheep to navigate around. The fords make the road occasionally impassible but thankfully it hadn’t rained recently. None of them were too high and it was quite fun driving through them (although I think I lost a hubcap).

Raspberry Creek Carpark is big, but not big enough for all the people wanting to explore Mt Aspiring National Park. It was nearly full when I arrived at 8am – likely the result of a perfectly sunny day. I put on my shoes and began the 10km hike to Rob Roy Glacier. The trail starts across grassy fields of sheep until it crosses a suspension bridge with gorgeous views on either side. Then it’s a completely shaded walk through the forest. This makes it a good hot-day hike. Apart from a couple small landslides the trail is well maintained and enjoyable.

The first viewpoint gives you a little tease of Rob Roy Glacier and the waterfall. It’s about another 2 kilometers from here to the end, after which the trail suddenly bursts out in front of a beautiful clearing. The glacier, waterfall, and river surrounded me on all sides. The flowers were blooming, the waterfall was running strong, and it was an incredibly clear day. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

People perched themselves on various boulders along the trail. I found a boulder to my liking and ate lunch while looking out over Rob Roy Glacier. I couldn’t convince myself to leave just yet and walked to the river to put my feet in the cold water. It felt really good and I sat there for a while longer admiring the valley. The national park website claims the hike takes 3-4 hours, which may seem long for a 10km hike until you spend an hour looking at the view. It was the perfect morning and I couldn’t resist taking my sweet time getting back. What a fantastic week this had been.