The South Island is home to some the best great walks in New Zealand

We’ve been out walking all over the South Island and written about our journeys. See the best walking trails in the South Island. This page lists the towns, cities and areas in the South Island where there is great walking and hiking.  Click into an area to view all the walks, each hike has stunning photos, trail details, location map, points of interest and much more.

Abel Tasman Coast Track Walk - South Island New Zealand - Copyright Freewalks NZ

Abel Tasman National Park Walks and Hiking

18 January 2020
Abel Tasman National Park hosts some of the best walking and hiking New Zealand has to offer. From short walks to longer hikes, find great ...
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Free Alexandra Walking & Hiking Guide - Otago Region - New Zealand - Copyright Freewalks.nz

Alexandra Walks and Hiking

29 January 2020
Find out why Alexandra is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Arrowtown Walks and Hikes - South Island - Copyright reewalks.nz_.jpg

Arrowtown walks and hiking

9 March 2020
Just walking down the one way historic gold rush town main road is cool. There are plenty of excellent walks and biking from Arrowtown, check ...
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Christchurch walks and hiking in Canterbury - Avon River Walk -Copyright Freewalks.nz

Canterbury Region Walks

16 June 2021
The Canterbury Region is home to some the best great walks in New Zealand We’ve been out walking all over the Canterbury Region and written ...
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Christchurch walks and hiking in Canterbury - Avon River Walk -Copyright Freewalks.nz-4

Christchurch Walks & Hiking Guide

29 January 2020
The best Christchurch walks include the banks of the Avon River, which meanders through the city centre. The green expanse of Hagley Park and Christchurch ...
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Clyde Walks and Hikes - Otago Region - South Island - Clyde Main Street - Copyright reewalks.nz

Clyde walks and hiking

30 January 2020
Find out why Clyde is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Cromwell Walks and Hikes - Otago Region - South Island - Ruins on Bannockburn Sluicing walk - Copyright reewalks.nz

Cromwell walks and hiking

1 February 2020
Find out why Cromwell is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Dunedin Walking & Hiking

1 February 2020
Find out why Dunedin is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Fox Glacier Walks, South Island, New Zealand- Copyright Freewalks NZ

Fox Glacier walks and hiking

1 February 2020
Find out why Fox Glacier is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks ...
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The old one lane bridge at Franz Josef

Franz Josef Hikes

24 October 2023
Franz Josef Glacier & Callery Gorge walks are great for their stunning views, there are plenty more of my walks to explore in Franz Josef.
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Free Geraldine Walking & Hiking Guide - Canterbury Region - New Zealand

Geraldine walks and hiking

31 May 2020
Find out why Geraldine is a great place to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around the Geraldine ...
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Greymouth walks and hiking, South Island, New Zealand - Copyright Freewalks.nz

Greymouth walks and hiking

4 February 2020
Find out why Greymouth is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Haast Walks and Hikes - Otago Region - South Island - Copyright Freewalks.nz

Haast walks and hiking

4 February 2020
Find out why Haast is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Havelock Walks, South Island, New Zealand

Havelock walks and hiking

4 February 2020
Find out why Havelock is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Hector walks and hiking, West Coast, South Island, New Zealand - Chasm Creek Walk -Copyright Freewalks.nz

Hector walks and hiking

4 February 2020
Find out why Hector is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Walks and hiking in Hokitika, South Island, New Zealand - Copyright Freewalks.nz

Hokitika walks and hiking

4 February 2020
Find out why Hokitika is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Kaikoura Walks, South Island, New Zealand, Copyright Freewalks NZ

Kaikoura walks and hiking

4 February 2020
Find out why Kaikoura is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Free Lake Benmore Walking & Hiking Guide - Otago Region - New Zealand

Lake Benmore walks and hiking

4 February 2020
Find out why Lake Benmore is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks ...
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Free Lake Pukaki Walking & Hiking Guide - Southland Region - New Zealand

Lake Pukaki walks and hiking

22 May 2020
Find out why Lake Pukaki is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks ...
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Free Lake Tekapo Walking & Hiking Guide - Southland Region - New Zealand

Lake Tekapo walks and hiking

24 October 2023
Our best walks in Lake Tekapo. Get 360 views from the top of Cowans Hill Walkway. Stunning views from Lake Tekapo Walkway. See track times, ...
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Lawrence Walks, South Island, New Zealand, Autumn on the Clutha Gold Bike Trail - Copyright Freewalks NZ

Lawrence walks and hiking

4 February 2020
Find out why Lawrence is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Kaikoura Walks, South Island, New Zealand, Copyright Freewalks NZ

Lewis Pass walks and hiking

21 February 2020
Find out why Lewis Pass is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks ...
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Lyttelton walks and hiking in Christchurch Canterbury -Copyright Freewalks.nz-Bridle track

Lyttelton walks and hikes

11 February 2020
Find out why Lyttelton is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Free Manapouri Walking & Hiking Guide - Southland Region - New Zealand

Manapouri walks and hiking

21 May 2020
Our best walks in Manapouri. The walk to Fraser Beach from Manapouri Visitor center has great views. See track times, hiking length, quality, history and ...
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Free Milford Sound Walking & Hiking Guide - Southland Region - New Zealand-2

Milford Sound Walks

1 May 2020
Discover our favourite short walks and full day hiking tracks in our Milford Sound walks guide.
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Motueka Walks, South Island, New Zealand, Copyright Freewalks NZ-2

Motueka walks and hiking

4 February 2020
Find out why Motueka is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Mt Cook Walks, South Island, New Zealand -Hooker Glacier - Copyright Freewalks NZ

Mt Cook National Park walks and hiking

5 February 2020
Find out why Mt Cook is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks ...
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Mt Oxford Walks, South Island, New Zealand, Copyright Freewalks NZ

Mt Oxford walks and hiking

5 February 2020
Find out why Mt Oxford is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks ...
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Picton Walks, South Island, New Zealand, Copyright Freewalks NZ

Picton walks and hiking

5 February 2020
Find out why Picton is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Free Punakaiki Walking & Hiking Guide - West Port - New Zealand

Punakaiki walks and hiking

5 February 2020
Find out why Punakaiki is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Queenstown Walks & Hiking Guide - Views of Queenstown at the top of the Tiki Trail - Copyright Freewalks NZ

Queenstown walks and hiking

25 February 2020
Our best walks would be the Tiki Trail up to the Gondola saving a trip & Lake Hayes loop walk for great views. I haven't ...
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Free Ross Walking & Hiking Guide - West Coast - New Zealand - Copyright Freewalks.nz

Ross walks and hiking

5 February 2020
Find out why Ross is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Free Roxburgh Walking & Hiking Guide - Otago Region - New Zealand - Top of Frog Rock overlooking Roxburgh town

Roxburgh walks and hiking

5 February 2020
Find out why Roxburgh is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Free Seddonville Walking & Hiking Guide - West Coast - New Zealand - View walking through the bush

Seddonville

18 February 2020
Find out why Seddonville is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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St Arnaud Walks, South Island, New Zealand, Copyright Freewalks NZ

St Arnaud walks and hiking

5 February 2020
Find out why St Arnaud is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks ...
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Free St Bathans Walking & Hiking Guide - Otago Region - New Zealand - View of the Blue Lake in St Bathans

St Bathans walks and hiking

5 February 2020
Find out why St Bathans is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks ...
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Sumner walks and hiking in Christchurch Canterbury -Copyright Freewalks.nz-Barnet Park

Sumner walks and hiking

30 January 2020
Find out why Sumner is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Free Takaka Walking & Hiking Guide - Tasman Region - New Zealand

Takaka walks and hiking

5 February 2020
Find out why Takaka is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Tapanui Walking & Hiking Guide - Otago Region - New Zealand - Sandra at Whisky Gully Waterfall - Copyright Freewalks.nz

Tapanui walks and hiking

5 February 2020
Find out why Tapanui is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Free Te Anau Walking & Hiking Guide - Southland Region - New Zealand

Te Anau walks guide

23 April 2020
Find out why Te Anau is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks ...
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Free Timaru Walking & Hiking Guide - Canterbury Region - New Zealand

Timaru walks and hiking

31 May 2020
Find out why Timaru is a great place to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around the Timaru ...
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Free Twizel Walking & Hiking Guide - Canterbury Region - New Zealand

Twizel walks and hiking

5 February 2020
Find out why Twizel is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Free Waimangaroa Walking & Hiking Guide - West Coast - New Zealand - View from Denniston Incline - Copyright Freewalks.nz

Waimangaroa walks and hiking

5 February 2020
Find out why Waimangaroa is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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Wanaka Walks & Hiking Guide - View of Lake Wanaka Tree in Autumn - Copyright Freewalks NZ

Wanaka Walks and Hiking

21 December 2019
Our best walks in Wanaka would be around Lake Wanaka or up Mt Iron for easy fitness. I haven't managed to hike up Roys Peak ...
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Walks and hiking in Westport, North Island New Zealand - Copyright Freewalks.nz

Westport walks and hiking

5 February 2020
Find out why Westport is one of the best places to walk & explore. Discover our favourite short walks or full day hiking tracks around ...
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