The diversity of the environment at the Top of the South makes it the perfect destination for day-walkers, or those who just want to get out and about amongst nature.
From challenging hikes over tussocked mountain ranges, to beautiful coastal walks, and day treks around spectacular glacial lakes, Nelson Tasman has a range of walking tracks suitable for all ages and fitness abilities.
The Abel Tasman National Park is New Zealand’s smallest but most popular national park, and the Coastal Track is renowned as one of the country’s Great Walks. The park is well serviced, making it easy to visit for just a day and still get to experience the golden beaches, lush native bush and stunning coastline.
A must do half-day walk around Lake Rotoiti will take you under the wings of a manuka and kanuka forest canopy to one of the lakes ‘hidden gems’, the gushing 40m high Whisky Falls.
At a height of 1795m, reaching the top of Mt Arthur is no easy feat, but the panoramic views at the summit are well worth it.
The Cable Bay Walkway offers wonderful coastal views of the Boulder Bank, Nelson City, Kahurangi and the Abel Tasman National Parks, and ends at the historically significant Cable Bay.
Sheltered by a native forest canopy overlooking the lakes edge, the day walk around Lake Rotoiti is truly as picturesque as it sounds. Surrounded by high mountainous peaks, the chorus of birdsong in the treetops is known to echo deeply through the valleys.
The loop track around the northern face of Mount Robert will have you traversing open ridges, offering spectacular panoramic views over Lake Rotoiti.
The Aorere Goldfields Track gives you access to explore some of the more accessible gold-mining remnants, including the Slate River Sluicing Company Dam and the Aorere Caves.
The Barnicoat Ranges form the impressive backdrop behind Stoke and Richmond, rising steeply to more than 500m elevation for most of it’s length, and is a popular recreational area for paragliders.
Cape Farewell, Wharariki Beach and the Pillar Point Lighthouse are just a few of the extraordinary sights you’ll be treated to along this spectacularly rugged coastline.
The St Arnaud Range track climbs steadily through native beech forest and glacial sculpted ranges to Parachute Rocks, where you’ll be treated to picturesque vistas of the lakes below.
The Kahurangi National Park is home to a number of short walks for the curious day-tripper, including those to the beautiful basin of Lake Peel or to the elevated viewpoint at Knuckle Hill.
Based on the line of New Zealand’s first railway, the Dun Mountain is popular with cyclists and walkers, and is one of the most distinctive mountains around Nelson due to it’s unique geology.
