Walking New Zealand December 2025

Popular Wanaka track reopened The popular Blue Pools track, near Wānaka, reopened in June 2025, after a two -year closure for renovations, and the Lake Sylvan track near Glenorchy reopened in October, with a new bridge, providing safe access to this family-friendly scenic hike. Permits open for Inca Trail Trekking The Peruvian authorities have released the official schedule for 2026 Inca Trail trekking permits, with bookings opening from late this month. Permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis and are in high demand, particularly for the popular trekking months of May to August. Inca Trail permits are non-transferable, non-refundable, and cannot be pre-reserved or modified once confirmed. January 2026 opens 28 October 2025; March 2026 opens 29 November 2025; April 2026 opens 30 December 2025; May 2026 opens 31…

Sometimes it’s the tucked-away adventures that make the most memorable outings—peering at eels in murky streams, craning necks at trees scarred by old storms, or strolling down fern-fringed tracks. Here are five low-key adventures in and around Hamilton for the family. Tamahere Reserve | Tamahere For 30 years, the Tamahare Reserve rare remnant of lowland kahikatea swamp forest near Hamilton, had become a neglected wasteland rife with pest plants and animals. Yet since 2012, Leo Koppens and numerous volunteers have been transforming the gully to its former glory. Negotiate the steep path shaded by pine trees into the reserve. Long boardwalks and well-graded dirt paths wind past exotic trees providing cover for regenerating mamaku, māhoe, carex grasses and ponga. Some stands of trees are more than 400 years old. Viewing…

The opening of the new Dallington Bridge was celebrated in the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor (OARC) in September. A ceremony was held to mark the opening of the bridge, which is the fourth and final walking and cycling bridge to be constructed as part of the Corridor’s Regeneration Plan. The opening was attended by mana whenua, elected members, community groups, and the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust (CEAT), who provided the funding for the bridge. The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust was an independent charity established to administer public donations raised by the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal. The new bridge is based on concepts created by engineering and fine arts students from the University of Canterbury. Its design is inspired by Mōkihi, a small canoe-type vessel fashioned from raupō and flax. These were…

“Top of the South” is a term used to refer to that part of our South Island north of Lewis Pass, stretching from Kahurangi Point in the west to Cape Campbell in the east. It encompasses the regions of Marlborough, Hurunui, Nelson, Tasman Bay and Golden Bay. Within this broad expanse there are three national parks: Abel Tasman, Nelson Lakes, and Kahurangi. In addition you have the Marlborough Sounds, Kaikoura Ranges, and Mt. Richmond Forest Park. The wonderful walks in this huge area would take several books to fully describe, let alone several months to traverse. The Footsteps day-walk excursions scheduled for March 2026 are therefore simply samplers, enabling participants to taste the very best walks on offer. Marvellous Marlborough (15-21 March) is quickly followed by Noteivorthy Nelson with Gob-smacking…

The Bruce Park Loop Track, near Hunterville, is an easy to intermediate mainly flat walk through a podocarp and broadleaf forest remnant. The 1.4km figure of eight loop can be comfortably covered in an hour. With luck you will see bellbirds in the large stands of totara, rimu, matai and kahikatea trees which tower over the understorey of pigeonwood, lancewood and mahoe. Robert Cunningham Bruce, after whom the scenic reserve is named, was a pioneer in the Rangitikei and represented the area in parliament. A keen naturalist, he was passionate about our flora and fauna and gifted this 30ha to the people of New Zealand. He died in 1917. However, he would have turned in his grave had he known the country’s main highway ploughed right through the middle of…

1st-3rd Light fog in the Christchurch region. 1st-6th Unusually hot spell in the north and east of both islands. 5th Very hot day in Blenheim. Strong blustery winds in the Christchurch area. 11th Over the next four weeks, frequent anticyclonic systems pass east of the South Island, while troughs of low-pressure form in the northern Tasman Sea before crossing over the north of the country. As such, a dry northeasterly flow will prevail more often than is normal for this time of year. This brings warmer than normal temperatures to many districts in the north and west, as well as in Southland and Otago. Temperatures are slightly above average, with the rest of the country closer to the norm. Rainfall during this period is above normal in Northland and below…