New Zealand Great Walks

The New Zealand Great Walks are a set of popular tramping tracks developed and maintained by the Department of Conservation.

[1] They are New Zealand's premier tracks, through areas of some of the best scenery in the country, ranging from coastlines with beaches to dense rain forests and alpine terrain.

The tracks are maintained to a high standard, making it easier for visitors to explore some of the most scenic parts of New Zealand's backcountry.

[1] The network was established both as a way to advertise hiking in New Zealand, but also as a means of managing and conserving the most popular tracks which were increasingly being damaged by unrestricted tourism.

These tracks are very popular with overseas visitors, partly due to their heavy promotion by the Department of Conservation and tourism operators.

Map of the Great Walks of New Zealand
Sub-tropical vegetation along Heaphy River
Mountain pass on Milford Track
An alpine section of the Kepler Track after snowfall
Typical swing bridge on Waikaremoana Great Walk
Emerald Lakes in the volcanic landscape of Tongariro