Tramping (Walking, Trekking or Hiking)

Tramping is very popular among New Zealanders and the tourists visiting this beautiful country. Tramping is New Zealand’s term for walking, trekking or hiking. The great advantage of tramping is that you will see New Zealand’s real natural beauty. Making a tramp is an experience you will never forget due to New Zealand’s spectacular and varying scenery.

There are lots of opportunities for tramping; from a short an easy walk of 10 minutes to very difficult walks taking 7 days from start to finish. In conclusion New Zealand offers excellent opportunities for each kind of tramper.

Department of Conservation (DOC) (http://www.doc.govt.nz) is the organization to go to for information concerning tramping in New Zealand. You will find many DOC’s around the country. They will offer information on short, long, easy and difficult tramps and everything in between of course. A good online source of information is "New Zealand Tramper". The link: http://www.tramper.co.nz.

New Zealand has 9 Great Walks of which 1 is a canoe trip. There are 8 Great Walks which are actually walks: Lake Waikaremoana Track, Tongariro Northern Circuit, Abel Tasman Coastal Track, Heapy Track, Routeburn Track, Millford Track, Kepler Track and Rakiura Track. These are very popular walks and vary from easy to very difficult. Some of them, for example the Millford Track, are very crowded during summer time. If you would like to undertake a Great Walk please check at DOC weather there is still availability.

All tramping routes in New Zealand tend to be opened during summer times. In winter times some will close, or at least nobody from DOC will manage the place. Year round it is important to have proper shoes, unless you will do a very short and easy walk. Especially when undertaking an overnight tramp, thermal underwear and fleece fabric is recommended, cotton and other fabrics which won’t dry easy are not recommendable. Over trousers and a rain coat is a necessity as well. Depending which Accommodation you will have when doing an overnight tramp, bring: a sleeping bag, sleeping mat, tent, stove, pots and pans, cutlery, etc. and of course food and water.

To have a look at photos of accomodation you will find along the routes, visit the New Zealand Huts website.