Most of us have a bucket list of places we want to travel, experiences we want to have and iconic locations we want to see. We’ve all got dream destinations in mind and places we’ve always longed for. But a goal without action is just a dream. At some point you’ve got to grab life by the horns and set off on your adventure and that’s exactly what all the inspirational women who join us here in New Zealand do! We love seeing women travelling together and exploring new places. The Rise of Women’s Travel In recent years the popularity of solo travel has boomed with more intrepid adventures sett ..read more

In recent years, solo travel has become a rapidly growing trend as more individuals seek out unique and personalised adventures. However, navigating a new destination alone can pose many challenges - planning your own itinerary, booking all of your accommodation and activities and even concern for your own safety just to name a few. In this post, we'll explore the growing popularity of solo travel, the difficulties a solo travel adventure can bring, and why solo group tours have become the go-to solution for those seeking a balance between independence and community. Why Solo Travel is Growing ..read more

Nestled within the heart of New Zealand's North Island lies a hidden gem and magnificent natural wonder - the Whanganui River. Renowned for its pristine waterways, lush native forests, and rich cultural heritage, the Whanganui River Journey offers an unforgettable experience for nature enthusiasts and adventurers alike. Perhaps the most unique of New Zealand’s ten Great Walks, the Whanganui River Journey is like a journey back in time as you float through this Jurassic wonderland. Where is the Whanganui River Journey? The Whanganui River winds its way for 145km (90 miles), weaving through the ..read more

When people think about solo travel it can bring a range of emotions from exhilaration to apprehension and everything in between. It can come with a few big decisions, not least of which is choosing the right destination. But for those who have taken the leap to get out and explore the world on their own terms, we're yet to meet anyone with any regrets, with the words liberating, freedom and life-changing usually accompanied by the phrase “one of the best decisions I’ve ever made”. Wherever you go, solo travel is an amazing opportunity to explore, meet people and travel the way you’ve always w ..read more

Twenty miles of the southern coast of Te Waipounamu (New Zealand’s South Island) lies the untouched paradise of Rakiura, commonly known in English as Stewart Island. The third largest of the 600 islands that make up New Zealand, Rakiura is a nature lovers paradise, offering visitors a chance to step back in time to a pre-colonial New Zealand without the farming and industry which is common the in the rest of the country. Almost entirely protected as a National Park, it is also home to one of New Zealand’s 10 Great Walks, the Rakiura Track. Marking the beginning of the hiking season in New Z ..read more

A trip to Aotearoa/New Zealand is for many a once in a lifetime bucket list experience, a chance to see world-class scenery and experience the amazing culture of the last country to be inhabited in the entire world. With such a diverse array of scenery and over 30% of its landmass dedicated to National Parks, New Zealand is a hikers paradise. Here at New Zealand Trails we’ve been sharing our favourite parts of New Zealand with our guests for over a decade and have perfected small-group travel in New Zealand. On our all-inclusive hiking and adventure tours we make it our mission to help our gue ..read more

When most people think about New Zealand the first thing that comes to mind is a land of breath taking scenery, with a diverse range of landscapes ranging from volcanoes to rainforests, beaches to glaciers, and everything in between. It’s hard to go anywhere in the country without seeing some of this incredible scenery, but most of the real highlights lie hidden from the main towns and highways. Luckily for you, here at New Zealand Trails, we're experts in exploring the best of New Zealand, and lucky for us New Zealand is also blessed with an expansive network of trails and tracks that showcas ..read more

Aotearoa/New Zealand is blessed with natural beauty of all kinds. As a relatively young landscape, you can witness it still being carved by the immense forces in front of our very eyes. Glaciers carve out mountain valleys as they grind their way towards the lakes and rivers below, and the Southern Ocean constantly redesigns the West Coast of the South Island. The result is a beautiful maze of roads and trails which wind their way through some of the most breathtaking scenery anywhere in the world, allowing us to marvel at the many incredible features formed by the power of nature. While many o ..read more

The Routeburn Track is one of New Zealand’s Great Walks and a favourite track and fond memory of hikers from all over the world. Set in the stunning Tititea/Mt Aspiring National Park, the track is 32km (20 miles) long and follows a historical trail crossing from the Lakes District of Queenstown and Wanaka to the Hollyford Valley in Fiordland. Starting in stunning beech forest and carving its way up above the tree line and over the Harris Saddle, it offers a diverse range of scenery and birdlife. Weather on the Routeburn Track in Winter Throughout winter, weather on the Routeburn Track is highl ..read more

Voted by some as the World’s Best Walk, the Milford Track is a journey through wilderness in all its natural glory, crossing mountains and valleys carved by the forces of nature. The track is inaccessible by road at either end, requiring a boat journey via either an alpine lake or glacial fjord to reach the ends of this 33-mile (53 kilometer) track through paradise. However, during winter the same forces that shaped the incredible natural landscape of the Milford Track make hiking on this famous trail an altogether different undertaking compared to the Great Walks hiking season of October till ..read more