Kaikoura Walking & Hiking Guide

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Here’s our pick of the best walks & hiking tracks in Kaikoura

Kaikoura is a beautiful place to walk, hike, and explore. Located right on the coast in the South Island of New Zealand, it’s the whale watching capital of the country. You’re sure to see them even from the beach. There are also plenty of smelly seals lazing around on the rocks right beside the main highway just before Kaikoura town.

With its stunning scenery and diverse terrain, it’s no wonder that so many people come here to enjoy the great outdoors. There are walks of all levels of difficulty, from easy loop tracks to challenging multi-day hikes.

Below are our walks & hiking tracks in Kaikoura for your enjoyment. They include full details along with stunning photos taken by us. You’ll find points of interest, track highlights, history, track quality, elevation and a personal run down on what we think about the walk. Kaikoura is an inspiring place to explore with plenty of great walking tracks.

Fly over the whales on this stunning scenic flight which includes Kaikoura and it’s coastline. 

3.5 hour tour either swimming or observing the dolphins. Includes return transfers, all gear, wetsuit, snorket, mask and fins. Light refreshments. 

List of all walks in Kaikoura

Views from the Kaikoura Peninsula walkway Canterbury RegionKaikoura

Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway

11.7 km • 3 hours • Easy

Walk details →
Walking track on the Hinau Track Walk in Kaikoura Canterbury RegionKaikoura

Hinau Track Walk

1 km • 30 minutes • Easy

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Walking track on the Puhi Puhi Reserve Walk Canterbury RegionKaikoura

Puhi Puhi Reserve Walk

700 m • 10 minutes • Very easy

Walk details →
Hiker on the Fyffe-Palmer Track out from Kaikoura Canterbury RegionKaikoura

Fyffe-Palmer Track Walk

3 km • 1-2 hours • Medium

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Hiking towards the Mt Fyffe summit from Mt Fyffe hut Canterbury RegionKaikoura

Mount Fyffe Hut Walk

10 km • 5 hours • Hard

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South Island Walks » Kaikoura » Haumuri Bluff Walk - NZ Canterbury RegionKaikoura

Haumuri Bluff Walk

12 km • 4-5 hours • Medium

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South Island Walks  »  Kaikoura  »  Point Kean Seal Colony Walk Canterbury RegionKaikoura

Point Kean Seal Colony Walk

3-4 km • 1 hour • Easy

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Kaikoura Coast Seal Colony Walk - South Island - View of a seal - Copyright Freewalks.nz Canterbury RegionKaikoura

Kaikoura Coast Seal Colony Walk

0 km • 10 minutes • Easy

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Ohau Waterfall Walk|ohau_falls Point Canterbury RegionKaikoura

Ohau Waterfall Walk

0.15 kms • 10 minutes • Easy

Walk details →

What sort of walking and hiking gear will you need

We’ve partnered with Macpac outdoor walking & hiking gear to bring you the very best products designed exclusively for our New Zealand climate. They’ll ship for FREE within NZ on orders over $100 (if under $100 it’s only $5). Worldwide international shipping is available except to the USA. Bulky orders will be $20.

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