Whether you’re after a quick foray into the wilderness or a full blown life-changing, epiphany-inducing, personal journey, you’ll find plenty of options on your doorstep. These are the top five that you should conquer if you haven’t already.

Tongariro Crossing
Glacial valleys, ancient lava flows, mountain springs, steaming vents and emerald crater lakes make Tongariro one of the most sought-after day walks in the world.

Routeburn Track
The guided three and a half day excursion treks through Mount Aspiring National Park and Fiordland, delivering sublime views of vast mountains and valleys.

Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk
Winding through the largest native forest in the North Island is this enchanting trail thick with stunning rainforest, wetlands and a magical ‘goblin forest.’

Te Araroa Trail
Cheryl Strayed eat your heart out — this spectacular, long-distance tramping route covers the length of the country, taking around three to six months to complete.

Kauaeranga Kauri Trail
Leading to Pinnacles Hut, this crowd-pleaser delivers prepossessing panoramas of the Coromandel Peninsula and can be done as either a day hike or an overnighter.