There is no shortage of draw dropping treks in this country. Not to be confused with hiking, trekking usually involves unchartered paths and requires days to complete. They tend to be where no other means of transportation are available – one way in and one way out. No short cuts. There is a metaphor in there somewhere.
We have done our fair share of mind-blowing walks since we arrived in New Zealand but have yet to hit a trek. They require more planning than throwing a granola bar in my knapsack and piling into the car. That said, I have mapped the three I hope to do in our time here.
Abel Tasman National Park is in the northwestern bit of the South Island of NZ. One and multi-day packages are on offer and this one is totally doable with the girls. I am not a camper (I know that it is a bit precious but I didn’t grow up camping so I just can’t drink the kool-aid) but they offer lodge stays and for the more precious still, they will do all of the cooking and carry your gear from lodge to lodge. Sign me up!
Milford Sound is the exclamation point of all things New Zealand – it is everything you would expect of NZ on steroids. Think Lord of the Rings. It is an inlet from the southern west coast of South Island and delivers mountain views and clear blue lake, waterfalls and the stunning Fiordland National Park. You can spend a week at Milford and still only see a bit of it. We are planning on hitting this NZ must-see this year over Christmas.
This one is borderline hike vs trek. It is only two short hours south of Auckland but is best to do with a guide or at least, in a group. People have died on this crossing as the Alpine climate is known to be fickle, leaving people stranded. It is 8 hours across and another back so best to take a tour that will drop you at one end and pick you up at the other.
There is something fundamentally grounding about simply putting one foot ahead of the next. Isn’t that what it is all about? Moving forward. I love the analogy and a good walk/hike/trek always gets me out of my head and into the moment. Can’t wait to hit these.