Hiking in New Zealand

New Zealand has a way of grabbing your boots and never letting go. From towering alpine ridgelines to mossy rainforest valleys and glacial-blue rivers, this is hiking paradise — or tramping, as the locals call it.

If you're flying in from overseas and keen to get out on the trails, here's the lowdown on what to expect, what to pack (or not), and how to make your Great Walk great without lugging your entire garage of gear halfway across the globe.

Let’s get one thing straight — people don’t just “go for a walk” here. They go on bucket list adventures. With 10 Great Walks, hundreds of shorter tracks, and a network of backcountry huts run by DOC (Department of Conservation), it’s super easy to get off the beaten path — even if you’re not Bear Grylls.

Some tracks take you through Lord of the Rings-worthy landscapes. Others are a bit more secret (and just as epic). Either way, the hiking culture here is alive, welcoming, and well worth doing right.

Do you need to bring your own gear? Short answer: not anymore.

If you’re travelling to NZ for a one-off hike (or even two), you don’t need to weigh down your suitcase with tents, sleeping bags, or camp stoves. That’s where we come in.

PackBack is your hiking gear hire solution — premium-quality gear, bundled into hut-ready kits, delivered anywhere in NZ. So, you can spend less time packing, and more time actually enjoying the view.