New Zealand · HIKING & TREKKING

15 Hiking & Trekking Tours in New Zealand Worth Booking

35 tours  ·  from $47

Every trip has one free day too few. These 15 hiking & trekking tours justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get back to the fun part.

Franz Josef Glacier Heli-Hike - Getting fitted for boots, crampons, and warm layers
Franz Josef Glacier Tours, Hiking & Trekking, Snow Landing Helicopter Flights, Tour Reviews

Franz Josef Glacier Heli-Hike

1.Franz Josef Glacier Heli-Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 618 reviews · from $506Our pick

Fly from Franz Josef village onto the moving Franz Josef Glacier, then spend about 2 hours 15 minutes exploring crevasses, ice caves, pinnacles, and seracs with a guide. Gear is supplied, groups are capped at 11, and guides such as Angus and Sarah add glaciology and Māori stories to the walk.

“Everything was incredibly well managed. Safety of all participants was an obvious top priority. Our guide Sarah was working hard throughout the walk to make it as easy as possible for all, while being a joy to be around. The views of and from the glazier were breathtaking.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Heli Hike Fox Glacier - Up to three hours walking on the ice
Franz Josef Glacier Tours, Hiking & Trekking, Snow Landing Helicopter Flights, Tour Reviews

Heli Hike Fox Glacier

2.Heli Hike Fox Glacier

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 563 reviews · from $477Top rated

Fly into Te Moeka o Tuawe, Fox Glacier, then spend up to three hours walking through changing ice caves, arches, crevasses, and blue tunnels. Your guide, perhaps Charlie, Serena, Henry, or Billy, cuts steps and leads the way. Boots, crampons, poles, and wet-weather gear are supplied.

“This is an amazing experience! Zeki our guide was fantastic. Great at explaining the glacier & providing an interesting path across the surface. The helicopter flight is short but fantastic. We booked early in the day & the weather was clear, Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review

Queen Charlotte Track: Cruise & Self-Guided Hike from Picton - Cruising from Picton through Queen Charlotte Sound
Boat Tours in Picton, Cruises & Boat Tours, Guided, Hiking & Trekking, Picton Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews

Queen Charlotte Track: Cruise & Self-Guided Hike from Picton

3.Queen Charlotte Track: Cruise & Self-Guided Hike from Picton

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 383 reviews · 8h 30m · from $66

Cruise from Picton with Beachcomber Cruises through Queen Charlotte Sound, stopping at Historic Ship Cove before a 12.7 km or 17 km self-guided hike. Expect skipper commentary, native bush, sound views, and a well-earned drink at Furneaux Lodge or Punga Cove.

“Excellent boat trip and good instructions about the walk and pick up points. Really recommend doing this as a way to see the Queen Charlotte Sound and learn about the area. The walk itself was lovely - especially as we had amazing weather and great views of the turquoise water through the trees. Not to be missed!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Franz Josef: 2.5 Hour Glacier Hike with Helicopter Transfer - A short helicopter flight with a big view
Franz Josef Glacier Tours, Helicopter Tours, Helicopter Tours in Franz Josef, Hiking & Trekking, Private Drivers, Tour Reviews

Franz Josef: 2.5 Hour Glacier Hike with Helicopter Transfer

4.2.5 Hour Glacier Hike with Helicopter Transfer

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 322 reviews · 4 - 8 hours · from $475

Fly from Franz Josef over rainforest, waterfalls, and rugged terrain, then spend 2.5 hours hiking Franz Josef Glacier with a trained guide. You will use crampons and may crawl through ice caves or crevasses. Guides such as Ryan, Sarah, Drew, and Abby add local stories, glaciology, and Maori legends.

“We hiked a glacier in Alaska and it was mainly a flat hike. This experience was totally different and provided us a completely unique experience. It was up and down, we went through two tight crevasses and an ice cave! We had to use ropes and even a ladder at one point. You definitely need to be fairly fit. We loved the experience from the training, helicopter ride and guided hiking. This is a must do for those who want a unique and challenging experience. Even though we had to unfortunately cut the hike short due to weather, we still had more than sufficient time on the hike and appreciated…”

Check availability →Read our full review

Fox Glacier: Up to 3 Hours Hike with Helicopter Transfer - Check-in at 44 Main Road
3-Hour Experiences, Franz Josef Glacier Tours, Helicopter Tours, Helicopter Tours in Franz Josef, Hiking & Trekking, Private Drivers, Tour Reviews

Fox Glacier: Up to 3 Hours Hike with Helicopter Transfer

5.Up to 3 Hours Hike with Helicopter Transfer

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 309 reviews · 4 hours · from $448

Fly into a remote section of Fox Glacier, then spend up to three hours walking across blue ice, through caves, and beneath arches. Your guide cuts steps as needed and explains glacier features, from crevasses to Victoria Falls. Boots, socks, crampons, poles, and wet-weather gear are supplied.

“Campbell and Oliver were great guides who were so well informed, despite our 100 questions, and led us even in poor weather. The flight itself was scenic and well handled, with the hike well laid out and suitable for everybody.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Rotorua Hiking: Mt Tarawera Guided Volcanic Crater Experience - From Rotorua to the bush on a rough road
Guided, Hiking & Trekking, Rotorua Tours, Tour Reviews

Rotorua Hiking: Mt Tarawera Guided Volcanic Crater Experience

6.Rotorua Hiking: Mt Tarawera Guided Volcanic Crater Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 283 reviews · from $121

Join Kaitiaki Adventures for a 4.5-hour guided hike from Rotorua to Mt Tarawera’s crater. Guides such as Dan, Chucky, Jack, and Jesse share Māori culture and volcanic history as you climb through rugged terrain, enjoy 360-degree views, and optionally slide into the crater on loose scoria.

“The colors were breathtaking. A beautiful juxtaposition of lime green aside rust red. The sun made the experience warm, while the mountain top breeze kept it refreshing. Our guide, Daniel, made this a once in a lifetime experience. He was warm, personable, grounded, and knowledgable. We felt extremely connected to the land, it's history, and it's spirituality. We felt like we could have spent all day there. The hike was manageable, but required physical skill. Our tour had only 5 people in it, which really aided the personal aspects of the hike. The "run" down into the caldera was awesome! We were picked up at a nearby coffee shop, and…”

Check availability →Read our full review

Cardrona High Country Pub Trail Horse Riding Trek (Intermediate+) - Climbing into Cardrona’s mountain country
Drinking Tours, Hiking & Trekking, Horses, Queenstown Tours, Tour Reviews

Cardrona High Country Pub Trail Horse Riding Trek (Intermediate+)

7.Cardrona High Country Pub Trail Horse Riding Trek (Intermediate+)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 261 reviews · from $365

Ride from Cardrona into the high country with guides such as Summer, Emily, Kelly, and Marley. Expect mountain tracks, cattle country, river crossings, trotting, cantering, and a drink at the historic Cardrona Hotel. Horses are matched to your riding ability, but this is not a walk-only ride.

“Amazing experience!! Great views all along the way! Kelly was informative on the tour while riding, but we also did a decent amount of trotting and cantering. Would definitely recommend this tour!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Volcanic Valley Self Guided Walking and Hiking at Waimangu - The downhill route through forest and grassland
Geothermal Park Tours, Geothermal Tours in Rotorua, Guided, Hiking & Trekking, Rotorua Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews, Walking Tours, Walking Tours in Rotorua

Volcanic Valley Self Guided Walking and Hiking at Waimangu

8.Volcanic Valley Self Guided Walking and Hiking at Waimangu

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 248 reviews · from $46Best value

Walk Waimangu Volcanic Valley independently, using the Wanderer Guide or free app to understand steaming vents, Frying Pan Lake, Inferno Crater Lake, Lake Rotomahana, native plants, and volcanic history. Choose your pace and route, then ride the internal shuttle back uphill.

“Was a lovely area Lil disappointed I couldn’t do the full walk or boat due to renovations but what I did was mesmerising. Thankful the bus journey back up and the lil tour guide chat from the driver as I went in to explore areas he’d spoken about”

Check availability →Read our full review

Mount Cook: 3-Hour Tasman Glacier Helicopter Ride and Hike - Mount Cook Airport: the 45-minute start
3-Hour Experiences, Helicopter Tours, Helicopter Tours in Mount Cook, Hiking & Trekking, Mount Cook Tours, Tour Reviews

Mount Cook: 3-Hour Tasman Glacier Helicopter Ride and Hike

9.3-Hour Tasman Glacier Helicopter Ride and Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 235 reviews · 3 hours · from $537

You’ll fly from Mount Cook Airport to a remote part of Tasman Glacier, then spend up to two hours following guides such as Hunter, Anna, or Tori through blue ice, moulins, and tunnels. Boots, crampons, wool socks, and waterproof gear are supplied, with two scenic helicopter flights included.

“Enjoyed hiking around, going down in the hole having family pictures to remember. Hunter was a great guide. However, wish we stayed more as group so we could hear more information about glaciers”

Check availability →Read our full review

Mount Cook: 3 Hour Heli Hike to the Tasman Glacier - The 15-minute flight to the Tasman Glacier
3-Hour Experiences, Hiking & Trekking, Mount Cook Tours, Snow Landing Helicopter Flights, Tour Reviews

Mount Cook: 3 Hour Heli Hike to the Tasman Glacier

10.3 Hour Heli Hike to the Tasman Glacier

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 218 reviews · 3 hours · from $564

From Mount Cook Airport, you’ll fly over Tasman Glacier Lake, land on the glacier, and spend two hours exploring ice formations with crampons. Guides such as Kerry, Scott, Maddie, and Jess have been praised for clear instruction, glacier knowledge, and careful support.

“Magnificent views with breathtaking experience, a professional glacier hiking guidance of Kerry, a great pilot with smooth helicopter ride. A 7 stars journey.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Rubicon Valley Horse Treks - 2 Hour River Trail Horse Trek - From the valley to Otarama lookout
2-Hour Experiences, Hiking & Trekking, Horses, Tour Reviews

Rubicon Valley Horse Treks – 2 Hour River Trail Horse Trek

11.Rubicon Valley Horse Treks – 2 Hour River Trail Horse Trek

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 196 reviews · from $91

Chris leads this two-hour ride from a high-country sheep farm near Springfield. Follow the Waimakariri Canyon to Otarama lookout, stop for photos and refreshments, then return by a musterers’ trail. Small groups, calm horses, helmets, and wet-weather gear make it suitable for confident riders aged 12 and up.

“It was only my second time on a horse and the tour guide was very patient. He was very helpful and knowledgable. The views are beautiful! Highly recommend if you want to see the incredible views in this part of Christchurch.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Tongariro Alpine Crossing: Premium Guided Hike - From Carroll Street to the trailhead
Guided, Hiking & Trekking, Tongariro National Park Tours, Tour Reviews

Tongariro Alpine Crossing: Premium Guided Hike

12.Tongariro Alpine Crossing: Premium Guided Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 189 reviews · 9 hours · from $254

Walk the Tongariro Alpine Crossing with Adrift Tongariro for about nine hours, including transport from National Park. Guides such as Stu, Hiro, Hannah, Kayla, Ty, and Kenny provide route help, safety advice, and local insight. Summer and winter paths vary with weather, and crampons and ice axes are supplied when needed.

“We actually thought that the tour would be cancelled as there was a blizzard approaching on that day. All other touring companies cancelled their tours and the rest of my party was in the visitor center where the rangers were shocked to hear that they went ahead with the tour. With that said, Kenny, our guide was amazing. He is well known in doing the crossing in extreme weather conditions and was a ranger in the park for a long time in the rescue unit. Because we really had to push to get up and over the mountain before the blizzard fully hit, we were not able to take any…”

Check availability →Read our full review

Llama Trek (Half-day) - Kaikoura Bay, Beaches & Seal Colony - Walking the beaches and peninsula coast
Half-Day, Hiking & Trekking, Kaikoura Tours, Tour Reviews

Llama Trek (Half-day) – Kaikoura Bay, Beaches & Seal Colony

13.Llama Trek (Half-day) – Kaikoura Bay, Beaches & Seal Colony

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 157 reviews · from $154

Kevin guides a small group of up to eight along Kaikōura beaches, boardwalks, and the peninsula coast with your own llama. Learn about llama behavior, the 2016 earthquake, whaling history, and local geology, then pause at Ohau Point to watch fur seals.

“Trekking with the llamas was such a surprisingly fun and exotic experience! Kevin, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable and informative. Our interaction with our llama was wonderful! I’m sold on those big soulful eyes, fluffy fuRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

Queenstown: Walter Peak Horse Trek & Queenstown Lake Cruise - Crossing Lake Whakatipu by steamship or catamaran
Boat Tours in Queenstown, Cruises & Boat Tours, Hiking & Trekking, Horses, Queenstown Tours, Tour Reviews

Queenstown: Walter Peak Horse Trek & Queenstown Lake Cruise

14.Walter Peak Horse Trek & Queenstown Lake Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 151 reviews · from $134

Cruise 45 minutes across Lake Whakatipu aboard the TSS Earnslaw or Spirit of Queenstown, then ride gently through Walter Peak farmland with an English-speaking guide. The 40 to 45-minute trek suits first-time riders, with tea, scones, and muffins at the Colonel’s Homestead afterward.

“Walter Peak was gorgeous, and the horseback riding trek was amazing.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4-hour Lake Mapourika Kayak and Hike adventure, with Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary - Paddling the glassy water of Lake Mapourika
Canoes & Kayaks, Franz Josef Glacier Tours, Hiking & Trekking, Tour Reviews

4-hour Lake Mapourika Kayak and Hike adventure, with Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary

15.4-hour Lake Mapourika Kayak and Hike adventure, with Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 117 reviews · from $104

Join a guide such as Farrah, Sydney, Max, or Pickles for a gentle kayak across Lake Mapourika, then walk through the Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary. Expect stable kayaks, ancient rainforest, local nature stories, hot tea or coffee, and emailed photos. Moderate fitness is enough.

“Sydney was a great guide, taking photos and giving nice information about the land and its formation. Was a calm day on the lake so very peaceful journey, I love kayaking so could have gone for much longer! (not a rigourous kayak at all so Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review

New in Hiking & Trekking

★ 5.0Full-Day Small-Group Routeburn Valley HikeFrom $29311 reviews
★ 5.0Routeburn Track Guided Hike (Full Day)From $25727 reviews
★ 5.0Golden Hills Horse Trek in Central OtagoFrom $14255 reviews
★ 5.0Premium Mt Ruapehu Summit Plateau Guided Group HikeFrom $3159 reviews
★ 5.0Glentanner High Country Heli HikeFrom $30752 reviews
★ 4.53-Hour Tasman Glacier Heli-HikeFrom $60129 reviews
★ 4.5Kaituna Rafting & Mt. Tarawera Guided Hike ComboFrom $20011 reviews
★ 5.0Glentanner High Country Heli HikeFrom $2957 reviews
★ 5.0Full Day Kepler Track Guided Heli-HikeFrom $4578 reviews
★ 4.8Rangitoto Island: Sea Kayak & Summit Hike Day TripFrom $14431 reviews
★ 4.8Mount Cook Heli-Hike and Bus Tour ComboFrom $72342 reviews
★ 5.0Franz Josef Glacier Hike & Scenic FlightFrom $1,01525 reviews
★ 5.0Cardrona Valley: Horse Trekking ExperienceFrom $29812 reviews
★ 5.0Abel Tasman National Park: Cruise, Kayak, & Hike TourFrom $4179 reviews

Keep browsing

Jet Boat Rides37White Water Rafting13Zip Lines18Quad Bikes14Cycling Tours100E-Bikes39Walking Tours94
Scroll to Top

Explore New Zealand

Pick a coastline, a crater rim or a cellar door.

On the water

Milford SoundWhale WatchingSea KayakingSailingEvery Boat Trip

Up high

Helicopter FlightsScenic FlightsSnow LandingsSkydivingBungy

Underground and thermal

Waitomo CavesThermal ParksWai-O-TapuHot PoolsStargazing

Culture and film

Maori CultureHobbitonWeta WorkshopMuseumsWine Tours