How to Prepare for a Great Walk in New Zealand

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Book Great Walk Accommodation

Start with planning a Great Walk by booking your Great Walk accommodation. Availability of accommodation essentially determines what dates you are able to hike the trail, as there are almost always no alternative accommodations on the trail.

Note that availability for most of the Great Walks becomes limited during the Great Walks Season (late October to late April), so it’s essential to book as early as possible (or as early as bookings become available) to secure your chosen dates for hiking the trail.

What is the NZ Great Walk Accommodation?

Accommodation on the Great Walks comes in the form of Great Walks huts and campsites, run and maintained by the Department of Conservation (DOC), while the Hump Ridge Track is a little different in that it has lodges.

Despite some Great Walks having extortionate prices during the Great Walks Season, huts are very basic and lack facilities like electricity, bed linen and even cooking facilities in most cases.

Campsites have even less in the way of facilities (but note that you cannot camp anywhere along the trails on a Great Walk track; you must book a campsite if you want to camp).

We recommend checking out the hut facilities on the DOC website prior to your hike so you can be fully prepared for what you’ll have and, more importantly, what you won’t have. You can also get an idea of the Great Walk huts in New Zealand Hut to Hut Hiking: What is it Like to Stay in a Hut?

On the Hump Ridge Track, accommodations are more luxurious lodges with both bunk and private rooms, proper beds and even a bar and shop. Similar lodges are also available on the Milford Track and are available to Ultimate Hikes customers.

How to Book Huts and Campsites on the NZ Great Walks

Great Walk huts and campsites are booked through the DOC website by following the links on your chosen hut page or through the DOC booking system. You can pay with a credit/debit card; but not with a hut ticket or a Backcountry Hut Pass. You can also book some huts through DOC visitor centres.

Hump Ridge Track accommodation can be booked through the Tuatapere Hump Track Charitable Trust (humpridgetrack.co.nz), while the lodges on the Milford Track can be booked through Ultimate Hikes.

For more information on accommodations and their facilities, view The Guide to the Great Walks of New Zealand.

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Book Transport for a Great Walk

You need to plan how you are getting to and from your chosen Great Walk. The majority of the walks are linear, meaning the track ends in a different location from where it starts.

How to Organise Great Walk Transport

If you’re lucky enough to have friends or relatives near the trail, organise for them to pick you up from the end of your hike.

For most of us, however, the easiest way to get to/from a Great Walk is to book one of the shuttles (or water taxi services, as is the case for the Abel Tasman Coast Track, Lake Waikaremoana and Milford Track), which can take you to the car park where you started the walk. Some shuttles even offer door-to-door services, taking you back to town or to your chosen accommodation.

One of your premium options, especially for Great Walks like the Kepler and Routeburn tracks, is car relocation. Some companies offer services to transport your vehicle from the start of the track to the car park at the end.

All towns near the New Zealand Great Walks have transport services to and from the hiking trails, so it’s nothing that a bit of online research can’t handle!

Canoe Hire for the Whanganui Journey

As you may well know, the Whanganui Journey is a canoe journey rather than a hike, so canoes will need to be hired for this unique adventure. Learn more about organising canoe hire in The Guide to the Whanganui Journey.

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What Clothes to Take on a Great Walk

It’s important to strike the right balance between packing light and packing clothes that are suitable for the conditions you’ll be hiking in. Here’s our Great Walk clothes packing list:

Luggage Storage for the Great Walks

Needless to say, you don’t want to carry all of the possessions you’re travelling with on a Great Walk with you. To keep your extra luggage secure, use your chosen accommodation’s luggage storage for a small fee (or sometimes free). Most hostels, motels, hotels and lodges near the Great Walks offer this service.

Also, remember to book your next night at the accommodation after your Great Walk!

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What Other Equipment to Pack for a Great Walk

If You are Camping…

… you’ll need your tent, sleeping mat and four-season sleeping bag.

Whether your tent is old or new, make sure it is prepared to survive a downpour. A new tent will be waterproof but sealing the seams will make sure water doesn’t find a way in.

If your tent has seen many backpacking trips, you can reproof tent material with wash-in waterproofing liquid, which you can usually buy from outdoors stores in New Zealand.

For Those Staying in a Hut…

… you will need your own four-season sleeping bag. We also recommend taking some earplugs as huts can get pretty noisy with the snoring!

Other Essentials to Pack

Where to Get Hiking Equipment in New Zealand

Hiking equipment can be purchased from outdoor stores in New Zealand at brands such as Torpedo7, Bivouac Outdoors, Macpac and Kathmandu, as well as at secondhand stores (op shops).

There are also gear rental shops close to many of the Great Walks in New Zealand, such as in towns like National Park (Tongariro Circuit), Te Anau (Kepler, Milford and Routeburn), Queenstown (Routeburn), etc.

For tips on where to get affordable outdoor gear, check out Where to Buy Camping and Hiking Gear in New Zealand?

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What Food to Take on a Great Walk

Drinking Water on the Great Walks

Make sure you drink plenty of water on your hike. Of course, hiking with three days’ worth of water is extremely cumbersome, so take a large water bottle to refill along the way.

Although DOC huts have water sources, they are not usually suitable for drinking without boiling the water (for at least 10 minutes) first – so make sure you take and use that portable camping stove!

Alternatively, we like to use water-purifying bottles like LifeStraw to take the hassle out of boiling the water.

Make a Great Walk Meal Plan

Make a plan of what you intend to eat each day so you don’t end up putting extra weight in your backpack with the food you aren’t going to eat. You also don’t want to be stuck in a situation where there is not enough food!

Breakfast

Muesli and/or porridge with powdered milk mixed in boiling water. Add a bit of jam, honey or dried fruit for taste.

Lunch/Dinner

Take some (or all for longer hikes) of the following:

• Flatbread – sturdy bread, which doesn’t take up too much space. You can eat it with some humous, cheese and/or chorizo
• Humous
• Halloumi cheese – it is a firm cheese and protein source, perfect to stick in your backpack
• Chorizo – ready-to-eat meat
• Dried pasta – stock up on the carbs
• Rice
• Tinned tuna – stick with some pasta or rice
• Sun-dried tomatoes – add a bit of flavour.

Snacks

• Muesli bars
• Fruit (or dried fruit will be lighter)
• Jelly beans – a quick energy booster
• Emergency tea and coffee (if you need such things).

For more ideas, take a look at The Best Camping Meals, Inc. Camping Food List.

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How to Train for a Great Walk

To spend more time enjoying the immense scenery and wilderness environment of your Great Walk rather than, well, feeling like you’re dying, it’s a good idea to do some training in the lead-up to your Great Walk.

Wear in/Break in Your Hiking Boots

Start with the bottom; your hiking boots! It is essential to “wear-in” any new hiking boots before going on a long hike. Wear them in the house, for a short walk around the block and then for all of your Great Walk training so that you can address any rubbing or blisters.

Remember, there are various ways to lace up hiking boots, so you might want to look into those if you’re having problems.

How Much Training to Do for a Great Walk

It’s a good idea to start your Great Walk training at least three months before your big hike. Aim for hiking/walking two to three times a week (in your hiking boots) for at least 30 minutes. One of these hikes should be a long-distance hike (10-20 km/6-12 mi).

You’ll also want to sprinkle in some trails that involve stairs and uphill climbs (as all of the Great Walks except the Whanganui Journey have these). All of this training combined will help build up your stamina for an easier Great Walk experience.

Training with a Backpack

Another important aspect of your Great Walk training is hiking with a backpack. Start with a few kilograms and work up to hiking with 10-15 kgs (22-33 lbs) in your backpack – you can just fill up your bag with water bottles if you actually don’t have much to pack for your training.