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Ultimate Hut-Based North Island Hiking Tour

Guide(s)
Malcolm O’Neill, Daniel Murphy, Hiking New Zealand
Trip options

Booking for a group?
Reserve spots for 5 or more people, and get $48 off for each

Add-ons

Almost all meals are included in the price of this trip. Special dietary requirements can be accommodated, please let us know down below if you have any.

People
1 Person
Date(s)
--
Duration
8 day
Guide(s)
Malcolm O’Neill, Daniel Murphy, Hiking New Zealand
Reserve deposit (25%) $0
Second Payment Amount: $0
  • Experience the varied natural wonders of New Zealand’s North Island with a local guide over 8 days! Explore the peaks, jungles, volcanoes, and waterfalls of Whirinaki and other iconic areas along New Zealand’s bucket-list trails. Spend your evenings in cozy campsites and bustling huts, swimming in pristine lakes, eating delicious food, and sleeping under the starry skies.

    • We meet at 7am at the Sky Tower in downtown Auckland before heading south to Rotorua, with a café stop on route to fortify those who missed breakfast. Rotorua is renowned for its steaming thermal vents, bubbling mud-pools and stunning lakes. The area is also rich in Māori and early European history, including the violent 1886 Mt Tarawera eruption that buried a Māori village. We continue to Lake Tarawera, where we catch the noon water taxi to access the trail’s midsection. Here, we start a hike alongside the clear waters of Lake Tarawera, enjoying the shade that towering tree ferns and ignimbrite cliffs offer. Along the way, you can take a dip in the lake at one of the small pumice beaches. The trail offers glimpses of the expansive wilderness of forests, lakes, and volcanoes in the distance.

      We spend the night at the Blue Lake camp by the lakeside, where we come together to prepare a meal. It’s an opportunity to get to know your fellow travellers and chat. Tonight, or in the morning, we’ll also organise our gear and pack our backpacks for the upcoming hike into the rainforest, ready for the next leg of our journey.

      Hiking: up to 10 km/ 6 miles, 3 hours
      Elevation: +480 m (1,500 ft), -380 m (1,200 ft)
      Meals: Lunch and dinner
      Accommodation: Blue Lake Holiday Park (either camp or cabins)

      Lake Tarawera NZ
    • A leisurely start after packing all our kit and driving east, into the rugged forest ranges of Te Urewera. This is the traditional home of the Tūhoe (Māori tribe) and one of the last places to have been reached by European settlers. After about 2 hours of driving (picnic lunch on the way) minimum, we reach the Whirinaki Forest trail.

      This is a preserved remnant of the vast forests believed to have covered the supercontinent of Gondwanaland more than 150 million years ago. Our first hike is an easy one, on a descending track through native beech forest, to a simple forest hut beside the stunning Whirinaki River. We cook up our meal together and either stay in the hut or camp nearby with an evening campfire and time to relax and enjoy the surroundings.

      Hiking: up to 8.5 km/ 5.3 miles, 5 hours
      Elevation: +450 m (1,400 ft), -750 m (2,450 ft)
      Lunch: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
      Accommodation: Whirinaki Hut (camp or hut)

      Whirinaki forest hike
    • This morning, our journey continues down the valley track. This wilderness is a hidden gem, far from the tourist crowds, so encounters with others are rare. Instead, we often have the privilege of spotting elusive blue ducks, robins, and hearing the distinctive call of the kaka, a large bush parrot. As we descend further into the valley, our path leads us beneath towering tree ferns and through some of New Zealand’s most magnificent podocarp rainforest trees.

      For those who seek a little extra adventure, there’s an opportunity to explore a side track leading to an area of ancient rata forest. A 20-minute drive takes us to a cabin on a nearby rural property. Here you can enjoy a warm shower and unwind by the fire pit, sipping on a beer or wine.

      Hiking: 14 km/ 8.7 miles, 7 hours
      Elevation: +430 m (1,400 ft), -650 m (2,100 ft)
      Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
      Accommodation: The Jail House Cabins

      New Zealand ferns
    • We start the day with a drive to the Volcanic Plateau and its myriad natural wonders. Explore an extraordinary thermal park, bathe in a natural hot river and view the impressive Huka Falls. Feel the spray here as the mighty Waikato River, New Zealand’s longest, plunges 11 metres into a stadium-like pool. Later we arrive at Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand. Incredibly, this 600 square kilometre crater lake was formed in 186 AD by the most powerful volcanic explosion in recorded history.

      At Taupō, we grab our takeaway food and head to a lovely lake-side spot. Here we can relax on the unusual pumice beach and in summer enjoy an evening swim before continuing to our lodge accommodation near Whakapapa Village, Tongariro National Park.

      Hiking: up to 3 km/ 2 miles, 1.5 hours
      Elevation: +/-55 m (180 ft)
      Meals: Breakfast and lunch
      Accommodation: Skotel Alpine Resort or The Park Hotel

      Hot pools Rotorua
    • Tongariro National Park is the oldest National Park in New Zealand and the fourth oldest in the world. In 1993, the park became a UNESCO mixed cultural and natural World Heritage Site. Although many hikers walk the busy one-day Tongariro Alpine Crossing, few explore the more remote and drier east side of this volcanic range. Enjoy our secret side trips and short cuts but rest assured we will hike the famous Tongariro Alpine Crossing, considered one of the world’s finest day walks, but at a less busy time of the day whenever possible.

      We sort out gear and pack our backpacks ready for our two nights away. In the late morning, hike out of Whakapapa through tussock-grasslands and over the low saddle that cuts between the volcanoes Ruapehu and Ngāuruhoe. Late afternoon we arrive at the simple but modern Waihohonu Hut among patches of mountain beech forest beside a quiet stream. There are great mountain-views from the spacious common room.

      Hiking: 15 km / 9.3 miles, 6 hours
      Elevation: +/-300 m (1,000 ft)
      Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
      Accommodation: Waihohonu Hut

      Tongariro NP hike
    • The trail to the next hut takes just 3 hours, so we have the morning to explore. Either amble (about an hour) to the splendid Ohineopango Springs and visit a historic hut and then return to the hut for lunch, or we can negotiate an adventurous off-trail route over ash-moraine ridges and skirt lava cliffs to reach a viewpoint high above a remote lake. After lunch continue on, traversing stony desert to an alpine hut at 1,400m situated on the edge of an old lava flow.

      We stop to enjoy fantastic views of the park’s three main peaks: Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngāuruhoe. The latter starred as Mount Doom in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films. It’s an extraordinary landscape of active volcanoes and lava valleys. Evening provides an opportunity to share the hut with hikers from all over the world. Oturere ‘sardine tin’ Hut is small, quite busy, but still our favourite spot. We usually sleep in the hut, but sometimes we camp.

      Hiking: 8 km/ 5 miles, 3 hours
      Elevation: +650 m (2,100 ft), -350 m (1,150 ft)
      Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
      Accommodation: Oturere Hut

      Moraine New Zealand
    • We hike through a moon-like valley of lava flows and ash fields before climbing steeply to the remarkable Emerald Lakes, which have graced the covers of many guidebooks. From here we join the spectacular Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The next few hours of hiking takes us through an unforgettable wonderland of lava valleys, steaming craters and brooding volcanoes before our descent through bonsai-like alpine foliage and alongside mineral-infused streams. In good conditions, we have the option of climbing high on the volcanic peaks.

      An evening drive takes us back to our lodge in the heart of the National Park—the perfect place to relax with a beer and enjoy million-dollar volcanic views before dining in the alpine village.

      Hiking: 12 km/ 7.5 miles, 6 hours
      Elevation: +500 (1,600 ft), -800 m (2,600 ft)
      Meals: Breakfast and lunch
      Accommodation: Skotel Alpine Resort or The Park Hotel

      Emerald lakes Tongariro
    • Driving south, we leave the volcanoes to descend through the beautiful river valleys of the Rangitikei and along the coast to Wellington, where we arrive mid-afternoon after a café break. Wellington is so much more than just New Zealand’s capital. It is also the nation’s stylish hub for arts, culture, cafés and politics. Enclosed by hills and a harbour, this compact city has many attractions within easy walking distance.

      Options include enjoying the National Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa) or watching the political shenanigans of the ‘Beehive’ (Parliament House). Many visitors immerse themselves in the vibrant café scene and the accessible downtown area.

      Hiking: 1 km / 0.6 miles, 1-2 hours
      Meals: Breakfast

    • What you get on this adventure:

        • An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area
        • Eight days of hiking and exploration
        • Accommodation for 7 nights (cabins, camping, and backcountry huts)
        • Tents
        • Luxury minibus transportation for the duration of the tour
        • All activities outlined in the itineraries
        • All meals outlined in the itineraries
        • Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland
        • Pack-liner to keep things dry inside your backpack
        • Kit bag to hold your spare gear when you’re out hiking
        • Emergency first aid kit
        • Thermarests
        • Plates, cutlery, mugs, pots, etc.

      What’s not included:

        • Transportation to Auckland
        • Transportation from the endpoint of the tour
        • Accommodations before and after the tour
        • Meals not outlined in the itineraries
        • Travel insurance
        • Guide gratuities — optional
    • It’s best to bring two bags on your trip, a hiking backpack with an internal frame (minimum 50L) for overnight hikes, and a smaller daypack for day hikes.

      Several layers of wool, polypropylene and/or polar fleece will ensure you remain a comfortable temperature regardless of the weather. No cotton shirt hiking/kayaking in the wet, please! Cotton gets cold when wet and it’s difficult to dry.

      Clothing you should bring:

        • Raincoat (gore-tex or similar)
        • Thermal underwear (top and bottom, wool or polypropylene)
        • Hiking boots or good hiking shoes
        • Spare lightweight shoes or sandals
        • Shorts or lightweight trousers (preferably quick-dry)
        • Short-sleeved shirt (quick-dry, polypropylene or wool)
        • Warm fleece/wool jersey (not cotton)
        • Socks
        • Warm hat or balaclava
        • Sun hat
        • Gloves or mittens (wool or fleece)
        • Swimsuit
        • Towel (lightweight travel towels are great)

      Extra socks and polypropylene layers are always handy—ensure you have enough warm items! Comfortable clothing for non-hiking days as well. Spare clothing can be left in the secure trailer when we are away on the hikes, so don’t worry about the extra weight! Note that there are only limited opportunities to do laundry during a tour, so quick-drying clothing is an advantage.

      Equipment you should bring:

        • Backpack (minimum 50L)
        • Sleeping bag (minimum 3 season, preferably down, lightweight, between 1-2 kg)
        • Flashlight/headlamp
        • Drink bottle or camelback (1L)
        • Small daypack
        • Sunscreen and sunglasses
        • Insect repellent
        • Personal toiletries, medication, and first aid
        • Walking poles (optional)
        • Gaiters (optional)

      This is what your guides will provide you with:

        • Pack-liner to keep things dry inside your backpack
        • Kit bag to hold your spare gear when you’re out hiking
        • Emergency first aid kit
        • Thermarests
        • Plates, cutlery, mugs, pots, etc.
        • Tents
    • While you don’t need any prior multi-day hiking experience for this tour, you still need to be fit, agile, and enthusiastic enough for 8 consecutive days of hiking 4-5 hours a day on average (8-9 hours on longer days). You can see the day-by-day breakdown in the itinerary. Keep in mind that you will be carrying packs weighing up to 10-12 kgs (22-26 lbs). You will also overcome altitude gains of up to 800 m (2,620 ft), covering some uneven terrain and river crossings. Finally, some tracks can be slippery or rough and there will be some off-track hiking and river crossings.

    • For this tour, the groups consist of up to 11 people, with a usual 11:1 guest-to-guide ratio.

      It takes a minimum of 4 participants for the tour to run.

      If you happen to be a solo traveler, you’re more than welcome to join the group! Travelers will be added until the minimum group size to confirm the trip can be guaranteed.

      Anyone over the age of 18 can join these multi-day hiking tours, while minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join on a case-by-case basis. They must, however, be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.

    • To start this tour, most people fly into Auckland International Airport (AKL). From there, you can take a bus, shuttle or taxi to the Auckland city center.

      You will meet your guide in the Sky Tower in downtown Auckland at 7am unless specified otherwise. This means that you should be in Auckland at least a day prior to the start of the tour, as it starts early in the morning.

    • We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both medical and travel protection. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!

      Redpoint tailors their protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.

      Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!

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