New Zealand Tramp And Paddle

Few places in the world combine such otherworldly landscapes with a solid infrastructure for exploring them. With about one-third of the country protected as wilderness areas and national parks by the Department of Conservation (DOC), you don’t have to be Sir Edmund Hillary (the first person to successfully scale Everest, and a Kiwi no less) to enjoy New Zealand’s world-renowned walking tracks. Nine designated Great Walks (3-5 days) satisfy trampers of all experience levels. The Milford Track (“the world’s finest walk,”), the Kepler Track , and the Routeburn Track wander through the majestic fjords and ranges of Fiordland National Park. Golden shorelines along the Abel Tasman Coastal Track , the Heaphy Track, and the Rakiura Track unfold for sea kayakers and trampers. On North Island, the Tongariro Northern Circuit and the Lake Waikaremoana Track wind between volcanoes, passing eerie geothermal creations along the way. If your feet need a rest, you can paddle through ancient kauri forests in a canoe or raft on the Whanganui River Journey. Additionally, there are dayhikes departing from virtually every town covered in this guide.

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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.