(FINISHED, EN in DOC3) Top 5 New Zealand's National Parks: A Nature Lover's Paradise
New Zealand, the long white cloud that often gets forgotten on world maps. The country of the kiwi and that has more sheep than people. We spent 17 months in this amazing country while we discovered the most remote places with our own van. While we were on the road, one of our favorite activities was hiking!
The best places to go hiking are, obviously, in one of New Zealand's 13 national parks. These parks make up 85% of the land, which is quite unique.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) is responsible for maintaining these National Parks and they do an amazing job providing all the necessary facilities and keeping these places clean and enjoyable.
Of these 13 national parks, we picked out our absolute top 5 and we hope to inspire you to go and explore these extraordinary places!
- Egmont National Park
The Egmont National Park might not immediately ring a bell. But what if I say Taranaki Mountain? This huge peak is the center of the Egmont National Park and has a decent height of 2518m. This national park used to be way bigger (check out the Wellington Museum if you’d like more information on this) however at some point in 1881 they’ve decided to cut the Egmont National Park into a circle.
We can proudly say that we made it to the top of Mount Taranaki and it was the best experience in our lives. We have never felt so many emotions at once, but the feeling of reaching the top is incomparable. In case you feel uncomfortable climbing to the top, you could also walk up to the red hut where the views are already pretty breathtaking.
2. Fiordland National Park
The Kepler Track made us put the Fiordland National Park at number 2. We walked the Kepler Track in 3 days and took our tents to camp next to the huts (booking is required) This national park is way bigger than just the Kepler Track we walked, but we got to see a glimpse of the untouched fiordlands which you can't reach by any transportation.
It is extremely peaceful and we walked up and down through amazing landscapes. This area is known to have keas (New Zealand parrots) living here and you should be careful with leaving your stuff laying around as they are so cheeky they might take it.
3. Abel Tasman National Park
Our number 3 on our list is the beloved Abel Tasman National Park. It’s located in the north of the South Island and goes beautifully along the coast. This park has been named after the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman who discovered New Zealand in 1642.
The unique thing about this National Park is that you can access the hiking paths by water taxi, arriving at stunning beachfronts at different points along the route. You can choose how long the route will be and you have the opportunity to stay at several huts along the way. Do keep in mind that you might want to book the huts in advance so you are sure of a place to stay overnight.
We hiked a beautiful route that mostly stayed along the coastline, we stayed one night in the Anchorage hut, it was so peaceful!
4. Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park
Moving on to the Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park, which can obviously not be forgotten! The views still give me goosebumps and with Mt. Cook being the highest mountain in New Zealand, the landscape is just so impressive! There is however a reason that this national park has fourth place on our list; the path is ‘relatively’ easy to walk and not extremely long (3 hours out and back), this is also why more day tourists and fewer adventurers come here. We would definitely recommend going here, because this place can’t be missed. Do remember though, the more remote your hike is going to be, the fewer tourists you will encounter. We personally loved being surrounded by locals or just being all alone.
5. Tongariro National Park
Breathtaking. That’s all you need to say to describe the landscape of the Tongariro Crossing. This unique volcanic landscape just makes it seem like you’re on a different planet. The lakes have a unique color, and coming from the top, you’ve got a stunning panoramic view over these mountains. Please do be aware that this has become a huge tourist attraction and we too, needed to book a bus to bring us, since the route doesn't end where you start. We decided to take the bus in the morning so that we could ‘walk back’ to our car. The other way around is also possible though.
If you have the opportunity to visit outside of the holiday season, you will definitely have fewer companions and the views are worth the walk!
Even though New Zealand doesn't have a huge number of National Parks, they sure are impressive! Every single one of them showcases exclusive nature and absolutely breathtaking views. You can visit National Parks as a day trip or plan a multi-day hike. In our last blog ‘Top 5 must-haves to take on a hike’ we will explain all the essentials needed when you are planning to go on a hike!