New Zealand - Need help with itinerary for Day Hiking
 

Hi all:

My husband, two year old daughter and myself are thinking of going to NZ in March or April for 2 weeks. Had been thinking south island, maybe 3 or 4 areas for day hiking (daughter will walk or be in back pack carrier). Wanted to cut down on travel so do not need to see it all. Suggestions on where to go?? South island over north? Where on the island? Also, any recommendations on where I can get info for day hikes to help decide? I have just started perusing a book I have and some web sites and they seem to emphasize the multi-day tramps (not logisitically feasible this trip) or helicoptor day trips. Any recommendations and suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Colleen

NZ is hiking nirvana. You can walk some of the multi-day hikes as day hikes if you don't mind backtracking, but there's so many tracks to choose from that you'll be spoiled for choice.

This site is invaluable in researching walks within NZ.

http://www.doc.govt.nz/

I have several very detailed trip reports posted here on Fodor's which outline many of the day walks we've taken over the years (South Island - our absolute favorite). Just click on my name and scroll down to Trip Reports.

Suggested areas on the SI for great walking -

West Coast (glaciers)
Queenstown, Te Anau, Wanaka
Marlborough Sounds, Queen Charlotte Track, Abel Tasman

Queenstown makes a great base for exploring Glenorchy, Milford Sound (long day trip though) and Arrowtown. Loads to do in the area.

These are all easy, top of the South Island walks, and would be fine for your daughter. They are activites that you could do in a few hours, or stretch out to fill a whole day, depending on how you decide to play it:

Stop for a night (or two) at Kaikoura and do the hike/walk around the peninsula at low tide. You will see seals basking on the rocks and have fun poking around in the tidal rockpools. Great seascapes.

Head over to Golden Bay and look at some of the beach walks over there. Pop your daughter into a kayak and paddle around some of the bays near Totaranui.

Do the Cape Foulwind walkway just south of Westport. Sea views and seals once again. This is just an easy walk rather than a hike, but it is a good way to break up a journey down the west coast.

Do some of the walks inland from Punakaiki. Spectacular rainforest bush walks with rocky overhangs.

Tramp up Bealey Spur (just east of Arthurs Pass). An easy climb (walk) up a ridge with great alpine views.

Do the return walk from Taylor's Mistake to Boulder Bay on Banks Peninsula, just out of Christchurch. Fantastic seascapes.

As Mel has said, there are many areas where you can find great walking opportunites. NZ is very compact, and if you were to base yourselves in only 3 or 4 places, you would be able to experience a wide variety of activities in day trips from each.

Have fun planning.

Rob.

Thanks for the input, I appreciate it!