The best hiking in New Zealand — our guides' favourite routes

New Zealand's South Island is, without exaggeration, one of the great hiking destinations on earth. With dramatic alpine passes, ancient beech forest, glacier-carved valleys and a network of backcountry huts unlike anywhere else, it rewards anyone willing to lace up their boots and head into the high country. The challenge isn't finding good hiking in New Zealand — it's deciding where to start.

Our guides have spent years on these trails, and we've put together our favourite routes, along with some practical guidance on choosing the right one and why going guided makes such a difference.

The best hiking in New Zealand — our guides' favourite routes

From the iconic to the genuinely off-the-beaten-track, these seven routes represent the very best of what New Zealand's South Island has to offer. Whether you're after a famous multi-day classic or a quieter alpine traverse, there's something here worth building a trip around.

Routeburn track: alpine drama at its finest

The Routeburn is rightly considered one of New Zealand's Great Walks, and it earns the reputation. Crossing between Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Parks, the track delivers sweeping views over the Humboldt Mountains, alpine tarns, and the kind of dramatic ridgeline walking that photographs simply don't do justice. Most hikers complete it over two to three days, staying in DOC huts along the way.

What makes the Routeburn special is the sheer variety packed into a relatively short distance — beech forest, alpine herb fields, waterfalls and panoramic mountain views all within a single multi-day hike. It's well-trafficked during peak season, so booking ahead is essential if you're tackling it independently.

Arthur's pass: New Zealand's great alpine crossing

Arthur's Pass National Park sits at the heart of the Southern Alps and offers some of the most rewarding backcountry hiking on the South Island. The Mingha/Edwards Loop, in particular, is a classic alpine traverse — climbing from braided river valleys east of the pass into rugged terrain beneath Mount Oates, past the striking basin surrounding Lake Mavis, and crossing Tarahuna Pass into the isolated Edwards Valley.

This is genuinely demanding terrain. Expect long days, multiple river crossings and alpine weather that can turn quickly. It's also one of the routes we guide directly — our Elite Hikes New Zealand three-day itinerary through this exact region combines remote camping, historic backcountry huts and a guided crossing of Tarahuna Pass, with all accommodation and meals included.

Walks of the New Zealand South Island: hidden gems

Beyond the famous Great Walks, the South Island holds an enormous network of quieter trails that see a fraction of the foot traffic. The Lewis Pass region, the Nelson Lakes backcountry and pockets of the West Coast offer alpine scenery just as spectacular as the well-known routes, minus the crowds.

These hidden gems reward hikers who are comfortable with a bit more remoteness and a bit less infrastructure. They're also where we focus much of our own guiding — genuinely wild country, quieter trails, and a stronger sense of being somewhere few people get to. If you want a fuller sense of what the South Island has on offer beyond the headline routes, our complete guide to hiking New Zealand is a great place to start.

How to choose the right hike for your fitness level

Not every route on this list suits every hiker, and that's by design — New Zealand offers genuine variety in difficulty. Great Walks like the Routeburn are well-formed and suit hikers with moderate fitness and some multi-day experience. Routes through Arthur's Pass and similar alpine terrain demand more: strong cardiovascular fitness, confidence carrying a multi-day pack, and comfort hiking six to eight hours a day in potentially wet, cold and exposed conditions.

Be honest about your current fitness and hiking background before committing to a route. If you're unsure, reach out to us directly — we're always happy to talk through which trip suits your experience level, and our Elite Hikes New Zealand brochure breaks down the difficulty and daily demands of each itinerary in detail.

It's also worth thinking about timing. Conditions vary enormously by season in the Southern Alps, and choosing the right window matters as much as choosing the right trail. Our blog post on the best time to visit New Zealand for hiking covers this in depth, and our guide to budgeting for a New Zealand hiking vacation is worth a read if you're mapping out costs alongside your route.

Pictured above: Dave Parker (left), our CEO and Founder, hiking New Zealand's south island.

Why go guided on New Zealand's best trails

Self-guided hiking in New Zealand is absolutely achievable, but there's a reason so many experienced hikers choose to go guided on the more demanding alpine routes. Weather in the Southern Alps changes fast, and a guide who knows the terrain can make real-time calls on route and campsite that keep a trip both safer and more enjoyable. River crossings, exposed ridgelines and rapidly shifting forecasts are all part of the territory, and having someone experienced making those calls takes a significant weight off your shoulders.

Our guided hikes take care of accommodation, meals, transfers and route planning entirely, so you can focus on the experience rather than the logistics. Our guides bring genuine local knowledge of the terrain, the conditions and the history of the land, and our small group sizes mean more flexibility and a far more personal experience than you'd get on a larger commercial trip.

Why hike with PAST Outdoors

PAST Outdoors is a family-owned Australian retailer and guided experience operator based in Helensburgh, NSW, and our New Zealand hikes are a genuine extension of everything we do — proper gear, real expertise, and a deep love of wild places. We're trusted by over 2,000 reviewers who rate us 4.9 stars, and the feedback from our guided hikers in New Zealand has been consistent: well-organised trips, genuinely remote terrain, and guiding from people who know the land inside and out.

Whether you're after a guided alpine crossing through Arthur's Pass, the right gear to get you trail-ready, or simply more information before you commit, we're here to help. Browse our Ultimate Hikes New Zealand experiences, download our Elite Hikes New Zealand brochure for the full rundown on itineraries and difficulty levels, or get in touch with our team directly — we love talking hiking, and we'd love to help you plan your next one.

New Zealand's best trails are waiting. Let's get you out there.