New Zealand is home to some of the most unique and incredible hiking and tramping sites in the entire world. To be honest, it was difficult to narrow all of the hikes down to the 10 best day hikes in New Zealand, but we did it!
On New Zealand’s North Island, the diversity of hikes is amazing. You’ll be able to hike a mountain one day and to a hidden beach the next. You’ll see a beautiful waterfall, a beach connected by a natural archway, a perfectly shaped mountain with a reflective pool, free hot springs, and SO MUCH MORE!
We made a countdown of our favorite New Zealand day hikes. From number 10 all the way to the very best day hike in New Zealand, one that will take a full day and will leave you in awe of the natural beauty that surrounds you in New Zealand.
If you would like to read about the 10 best hikes in New Zealand’s North Island and watch an awesome (we are biased) video on it, check this out! We made a video detailing all 10 of these awesome hikes in order from 10 to 1.
Now, without further ado, let’s get to it. Here is our countdown of the 10 best New Zealand day hikes covering the entire North Island, starting with number 10!
#10 – New Chums Beach
The hike to New Chums Beach is low effort, high reward. The hike takes you along the New Zealand coast, where you will have to do one shallow water crossing and a little bit of walking over seaside rocks.
After a short hike along the coast and a jaunt through the forest, you’ll come out to the hidden beach. This beach is huge, with so much space for you to spread out a blanket and claim your spot for the day. On top of the huge size, due to the fact that the beach is hidden, it is not busy AT ALL!
The hike to New Chums Beach easily makes our list of the top 10 best day hikes in New Zealand north island!
New Chums Beach Hike Details
- Distance: 3 km out & back
- Time: 1 hour roundtrip
- Trailhead: Whangapoua Beach
#9 – Karangahake Gorge – The Windows
Coming in at number 9 on our countdown of the best day hikes in New Zealand’s North Island is the Karangahake Gorge. The gorge has a lot of hiking options, but we specifically liked The Windows. This hike starts at a beautiful swimming area alongside the river that cuts the Karangahake Gorge in half.
From the start, you’ll cross a beautiful swing bridge across the river, and follow signs for The Windows trail. The Windows takes you inside the canyon, literally, where there are train tracks and a network of tunnels leading every which way. At a few points, there are windows (where this trail gets its name) that peer out into the Karangahake Gorge beautifully.
Bonus: at the end of the hike, head to Owharoa Falls for a beautiful swimming hole and set of cascading waterfalls! A respectable honorable mention for the best New Zealand day hikes.
Karangahake Gorge Hike Details
- Distance: 2.5 km loop
- Time: 1 hour roundtrip
- Trailhead: Karangahake Gorge Reserve
Numbers 10 and 9, as well as upcoming numbers 5 and 3, are ALL located in the Coromandel Peninsula! Here are 13 free and exciting things to do in the Coromandel Peninsula!
#8 – Wilkies Pools – Mount Taranaki
Located right in Egmont National Park along Mount Taranaki is the incredibly unique and wonderful Wilkies Pools. The hike to the Wilkies Pools is relatively short, just a few kilometres each way, but the reward at the end is stupendous. You’ll get a set of cascading pools and small waterfalls all in perfect view of Mount Taranaki!
The best part about the Wilkies Pools is the natural slide that has formed over time between two of the pools. This slide was a BLAST to slide down, and splash into the largest and deepest of the Wilkies Pools.
One warning: the water can be COLD! It would be best to visit the Wilkies Pools on a hot day when the water will be refreshing, and you can heat up in the sun after your slide!
Check out our entire Mount Taranaki guide here! It’s full of amazing hikes and free things to do in the area!
Wilkies Pools Hike Details
- Distance: 2.5 km loop
- Time: 1 hour roundtrip
- Trailhead: Dawson Falls Visitor Centre
#7 – Bridal Veil Falls
Located near Raglan, New Zealand, Bridal Veil Falls is one of the most beautiful single sites on New Zealand’s North Island. There was no question it would make our list of the best day hikes in New Zealand!
The falls themselves are incredibly huge, seemingly falling straight from the sky into a huge pool below. However, though the waterfall is beautiful, the surrounding area and the hike itself add to the experience of Bridal Veil Falls.
The first view you’ll get of Bridal Veil Falls is from the top, where you can see the river as it flows over the enormous cliff. From this vantage point, you’ll get a great view of not only the falls, but of the surrounding natural landscape.
Hike down a ways and you’ll get a view of the falls from a viewpoint halfway up, which we thought was the most spectacular. Continue down, and you’ll get the view of Bridal Veil Falls from the bottom. From here, you’ll get a great view of the unique cliffside that appears as though it was painted with a brush.
Make sure Bridal Veil Falls is on your itinerary. It is sure to be one of your favorite New Zealand day hikes too!
Bridal Veil Falls Hike Details
- Distance: 2 km out & back
- Time: 40 minutes roundtrip
- Trailhead: Bridal Veil Falls Trailhead
#6 – Paekakariki Escarpment Track
The Paekakariki Escarpment Track is one of the most singularly special day hikes in New Zealand. There is truly not another hike like this one in all of the land. Also called the Stairway to Heaven, the Escarpment Track earned that nickname one hundred percent.
This hike starts right near the road in Pukerua Bay. You’ll begin the hike by taking a route under the road, and beginning with a hike through the bush. After a few sets of staircases, you’ll emerge from the treeline and be hiking along a mountainside!
Along the mountainside, the Paekakariki Escarpment Track has tons of staircases connected together like links, leading to the top of the track and the absolutely incredible views. This track has wonderful viewpoint all along the mountainside, however the best is of course at the top.
If you’d like to, you can continue the hike forwards and make this a point-to-point track. However, you’d better organize a ride back to your car (or get dropped off at the start) if you want to do this. We chose to turn around at the summit (about halfway through the track) and hike the return trip to our van.
Escarpment Track Hike Details
- Distance: 10 km one-way
- Time: 4 hours one-way (train back to start)
- Trailhead: Pukerua Bay
#5 – Cathedral Cove
Cathedral Cove, like New Chums Beach, is a beach you have to hike to! Unlike New Chums Beach, Cathedral Cove is really 2 beaches rolled into one, and connected by an enormous natural stone archway!
The archway at Cathedral Cove is the main reason that this is such an incredible destination and lands on our list of best day hikes in New Zealand. However, on top of that, there are many things that make this a wonderful adventure.
First off, Gemstone Bay, which is along the path to Cathedral Cove, is an incredible snorkeling and swimming area.
Also, at Cathedral Cove is a large rock platform about 100 metres off shore that you can jump off of! Check the water depth before jumping of course, but then go wild climbing and jumping off the rock!
Finally, the beach itself is fantastic to hang out at. Bring a picnic and a book, and spend the day relaxing, you’ve earned it after hiking all the way out there.
Cathedral Cove Hike Details
- Distance: 5 km out & back
- Time: 1.5 hours roundtrip
- Trailhead: Hahei
The Cathedral Cove hike can be done two ways. The first way is to park in the parking lot, pay a small fee for a shuttle service to bring you to the trailhead and then continue on the trail by foot to the beach.
If you rather not pay for the shuttle (like we didn’t) you can use your own two feet as your own private shuttle service. This will add about 2 km each way to your hike, but it’s great exercise and will save you some money!
#4 – Rainbow Mountain & Kerosene Creek
Coming in at number 4 of the best day hikes in New Zealand’s North Island is a double hike: Rainbow Mountain and Kerosene Creek. This hike is located near Rotorua, New Zealand. If you’re looking for other awesome and free things to do in the area, check out this blog!
This hike forms a large letter ‘Y’, as the trails start on the same track, and then divert to their respective destinations. We recommend doing Rainbow Mountain first, then making the trip up to Kerosene Creek.
The hike up Rainbow Mountain is a bit of a challenge, as you’ll be hiking a few steep ascents on your way to the summit. Along the track, there are a few wonderful lookouts including one over a red cliff. At this lookout, look closely and you’ll be able to see steam rising from some geysers in the mountainside!
On the return hike from Rainbow Mountain, at the fork in the trail, turn for Kerosene Creek! As you hike along, if you are hiking during the Summer you’ll see blackberry bushes lining the trail. If they are ripe, go ahead and have a little snack! Or even better, bring along a baggie and save some for later!
Kerosene Creek is an awesome free hot springs. The hot springs are complete with flowing current and cascading waterfalls. And somehow, all of that water is as hot as a hot tub! Lucky for you, you can find a place to hang out and relax. You may be tired after the Rainbow Mountain hike, and no better way to unwind than at New Zealand’s best free hot springs.
Rainbow Mt Kerosene Creek Hike Details
- Distance: 9 km out & back
- Time: 5 hours roundtrip
- Trailhead: Rainbow Mountain Trailhead
#3 – Mount Maunganui
Mount Maunganui comes in at number 3 on our countdown of the best New Zealand day hikes. This hike, located on the East Coast of New Zealand just south of the Coromandel Peninsula, is awesome for many reasons.
First off, Mount Maunganui is located in an interesting little stretch of land. The mountain is at the end of a peninsula that is bordered on both sides by enormous beaches. Therefore, you can start & end your day with a little rest & relaxation on the beach!
On your hike up the mountain, which takes you from sea level to 232 meters above sea level, you’ll pass a few sheep farms where you can get an up-close-and-personal view of some of New Zealand’s famous sheep!
Fun Fact: New Zealand sheep outnumber New Zealand people by over 8 to 1! For every one person in the country, there are 8 sheep.
Mount Maunganui offers the chance to get some great exercise while seeing an incredibly beautiful view. You’ll get a bird’s eye view of the beaches and resorts in Mount Maunganui. Lastly, you’ll see the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean all the way to the horizon. It is truly a breathtaking site and easily one of the best day hikes in New Zealand.
Mount Maunganui Hike Details
- Distance: 3.8 km out & back
- Time: 1.5 hours roundtrip
- Trailhead: Mount Maunganui
#2 – Pouakai Reflective Tarns – Mount Taranaki
The Mount Taranaki Pouakai Tarns comes in as the second best day hike in New Zealand’s North Island. The Tarns are a set of small alpine ponds that are located in a perfect place to view Mount Taranaki in all her glory. If you get lucky enough to do this hike on a calm, clear day, this is the view you’ll be treated to.
Unfortunately for us, our time in Mount Taranaki was a combination of cloudy and windy. Therefore, our view from the Pouakai Tarns wasn’t the perfect reflection, however it was still INCREDIBLY beautiful!
The tarns offer the perfect foreground, and Mount Taranaki is a better background than any mountain there is. Mount Taranaki is a perfect cone shape, almost perfectly symmetrical the entire way around.
The Pouakai Reflective Tarns hike is a bit of a challenge, and will take the better part of a day to complete. We recommend packing along a picnic to enjoy at the tarns, or at the Pouakai Hut that is located near the tarns.
If you’d like to, you can even stay overnight in the hut! That may be an awesome experience, as the best opportunity for seeing the tarns at their calmest would be at dusk and dawn.
Pouakai Tarns Hike Details
- Distance: 12 km out & back
- Time: 7 hours roundtrip
- Trailhead: End of Mangorei Road
#1 – Tongariro Alpine Crossing
The number 1 best day hike in New Zealand North Island is the Tongariro Alpine Crossing! This absolutely incredible hike really knocks everything out of the park. It is an entire day full of wonderful sites and adventure, with everything you could ever hope to have on a New Zealand hike.
For starters, Mount Ngauruhoe (Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings) is enormous and visible throughout much of the hike. If you begin the Tongariro Crossing hike early in the morning, you’ll even be treated to a sunrise directly over Mount Ngauruhoe, which is a beautiful site.
As you hike by Mount Ngauruhoe, you’ll walk through a huge crater. Then you’ll continue up an incline with a 360 degree view that will leave your jaw on the floor.
In one direction, you’ll have that epic Mount Doom. In another direction, you’ll see the Red Crater, an incredible rock formation that seems to have been masterfully designed and placed in the perfect place. Finally, you’ll get a first glimpse at the stunning Emerald Lakes that are the crown jewel of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
If you hike on a cloudy day, there is a good chance you’ll be hiking ABOVE the clouds! Cloud inversion!
The Emerald Lakes (and Blue Lake) are so wildly beautiful that you must complete this hike just to see them. These stunning colored lakes are somehow located high in the mountains, with a backdrop of mountains and blue sky. The Emerald Lakes make for a perfect photo opportunity, and a great place to enjoy a picnic you may have packed.
We wrote a full blog about the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, complete with a shuttle guide, packing list, and full guide to the hike.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing Hike Details
- Distance: 19.4 km one-way
- Time: 7 hours one-way (shuttle to start)
- Trailhead: Mangatepopo Carpark
Enjoy These Incredible New Zealand Hikes
Thank you SO much for reading our blog on the 10 best day hikes in New Zealand’s North Island! We sincerely hope you enjoyed it, and hope we gave you some ideas for awesome hikes to do in this beautiful country! If you enjoyed this article, please use the below images to Pin It on Pinterest.
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