Getting to New Zealand's Great Walks — Auckland, Queenstown, and the rental car you need

Gateway airports

For Fiordland walks (Milford, Routeburn, Kepler, Hump Ridge): fly into Queenstown (ZQN). Direct flights from Australian cities and domestic flights from Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.

For Tongariro: fly into Auckland (AKL) and drive south (330 km, ~4 hours), or fly into Wellington (WLG) and drive north (330 km, ~4.5 hours).

For Abel Tasman / Heaphy: fly into Nelson (NSN) via domestic connection, or Christchurch and drive (4.5 hours to Nelson).

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Inter-island transport

Interislander Ferry

Wellington to Picton, 3.5 hours crossing Cook Strait. Up to 4 sailings per day in each direction. Carries vehicles, bicycles, and motorbikes. [Source: Interislander]

This is essential for anyone driving between the North and South Islands. The ferry crosses Cook Strait — one of the rougher stretches of water in the world. Rough crossings are common. Book in advance during peak season (December-February).

Cost: Approximately NZ$70-120 per person, NZ$200-300 per vehicle (varies by season and advance booking).

Flights

Multiple daily services on all major domestic routes:
- Auckland to Queenstown: ~2 hours
- Auckland to Christchurch: ~1.5 hours
- Wellington to Christchurch: ~45 minutes
- Christchurch to Queenstown: ~1 hour

Air New Zealand and Jetstar operate domestic services. Book early for better fares.

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Rental cars

A rental car is effectively essential for reaching most Great Walk trailheads. Public transport exists on main routes but is infrequent and does not reach remote trailheads. Shuttle services operate for popular tracks but must be booked in advance.

Costs: NZ$50-80/day for a compact car. Petrol: NZ$2.80-3.20/litre.

New Zealand drives on the left. Many roads to trailheads are unsealed (gravel). SH38 to Lake Waikaremoana is unsealed for approximately 80 km. The road to Glenorchy (Routeburn trailhead) is sealed but winding.

One-way rentals are available between major airports (Auckland, Queenstown, Christchurch) but typically attract a surcharge. For multi-walk trips spanning both islands, renting a car on each island separately (and using the ferry or a flight between) can be cheaper than a single one-way rental.

The exception — the Kepler Track: The only Great Walk where you genuinely do not need a car. The trailhead is 4.6 km from Te Anau township — walkable, or a short taxi ride. The circuit returns to the same point.

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Getting to each major walk

Milford Track

1. Fly to Queenstown (ZQN)
2. Drive or bus to Te Anau — 170 km, ~2 hours
3. Drive to Te Anau Downs — 29 km, ~30 minutes
4. Boat across Lake Te Anau to Glade Wharf — ~1 hour. Must be booked separately from DOC hut booking
5. Walk the track (4 days)
6. Boat from Sandfly Point to Milford Sound — ~15 minutes
7. Bus from Milford Sound back to Te Anau — ~2.5 hours via SH94 and the Homer Tunnel

The boat transfers and return bus are separate bookings. Multiple operators run the Milford Sound to Te Anau bus. The Homer Tunnel (single-lane, 1.2 km) can create delays.

Parking: Leave your car in Te Anau (not at Te Anau Downs, which has limited security). The bus return from Milford Sound drops you in Te Anau.

Routeburn Track

1. Fly to Queenstown
2. Drive to Glenorchy — 46 km, ~45 minutes (sealed road along Lake Wakatipu)
3. Drive to Routeburn Shelter road-end — ~30 minutes further (gravel road)
4. Walk the track (2-4 days)
5. Exit at The Divide on SH94 (Milford Road)
6. Shuttle from The Divide back to Queenstown — ~3 hours

The two trailheads are 340 km apart by road (~5 hours driving). A shuttle is essential. Several operators run the service. Book in advance.

Alternative: Walk east-to-west (The Divide to Routeburn Shelter), park your car at the Routeburn Shelter end, and shuttle to The Divide to start. This way your car is waiting when you finish.

Kepler Track

1. Fly to Queenstown, drive or bus to Te Anau — 170 km, ~2 hours
2. Walk or drive 4.6 km to Control Gates trailhead
3. Walk the circuit (3-4 days) — returns to same point
4. Walk or taxi back to Te Anau

No shuttle needed. This is the simplest Great Walk logistics.

Tongariro (Alpine Crossing and Northern Circuit)

Base towns: National Park village (west side), Turangi (south side), Taupo (south, larger town with more services).

Alpine Crossing (day walk):
1. Drive or bus to base town
2. Shuttle to Mangatepopo Road End — early morning departure (5:30-8:00 AM)
3. Walk the Crossing (6-8 hours)
4. Shuttle from Ketetahi Road End back to base town

Multiple shuttle operators run from all three base towns. Book 2-3 months ahead for peak season.

Northern Circuit (Great Walk):
1. Drive to Whakapapa Village (on the mountain, north side of Tongariro)
2. Walk the circuit (3-4 days) — returns to Whakapapa Village
3. No shuttle needed (circuit)

Driving from Auckland: 330 km, ~4 hours via SH1. From Wellington: 330 km, ~4.5 hours via SH1.

Abel Tasman Coast Track

1. Fly to Nelson (domestic connection from AKL, CHC, or WLG)
2. Drive to Marahau — 67 km, ~1 hour
3. Walk the track (3-5 days) or arrange water taxi for section walking
4. Exit at Wainui Bay (northern end) or water taxi back to Marahau

Water taxi services between Marahau and points along the coast enable flexible itineraries — day hikes, section walks, or full track completions.

Rakiura Track (Stewart Island)

1. Fly to Invercargill (IVC)
2. Drive to Bluff — 27 km, ~30 minutes
3. Ferry from Bluff to Oban (Stewart Island) — ~1 hour. Or flight from Invercargill — ~20 minutes
4. Walk from Oban to Lee Bay trailhead — 5 km
5. Walk the circuit (3 days)

Stewart Island is remote. Ferry services run daily but are weather-dependent. Accommodation in Oban is limited — book ahead.

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Key driving distances

All drives are on sealed roads except:
- SH38 to Lake Waikaremoana (~80 km unsealed)
- Routeburn Shelter road-end (gravel, last 30 minutes)

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Public transport options

InterCity buses run between major towns (Queenstown, Te Anau, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington, Auckland). Advance booking saves significantly — NZ$25-45 vs NZ$50-90 last-minute.

Great Sights / Ritchies operate scenic services between Queenstown and Milford Sound (day trip or one-way).

Shuttle services for specific Great Walks are run by specialised operators. These are not public transport — they are pre-booked, point-to-point services for trampers. Book early in peak season.

TrackNet and Info & Track are two of the main shuttle operators serving Fiordland trailheads. Tongariro Expeditions and Tongariro Crossing Shuttles serve the Tongariro area.

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Multi-walk trip routing

Fiordland focus (10-14 days)

Fly into Queenstown. Base in Te Anau for Milford + Kepler. Base in Queenstown/Glenorchy for Routeburn. Rental car throughout.

Suggested sequence:
1. Arrive Queenstown, drive to Te Anau (Day 1)
2. Milford Track (Days 2-5)
3. Rest day in Te Anau (Day 6)
4. Kepler Track (Days 7-10)
5. Drive to Glenorchy, Routeburn Track (Days 11-13)
6. Return to Queenstown, depart (Day 14)

North + South Island (21+ days)

1. Fly into Auckland
2. Drive south to Tongariro (Day 1-2). Northern Circuit or Alpine Crossing (Days 3-6)
3. Drive to Wellington, ferry to Picton (Day 7)
4. Drive or fly to Queenstown/Te Anau (Day 8)
5. Fiordland walks (Days 9-20)
6. Fly out of Queenstown (Day 21)

This requires either a one-way rental car or separate rentals on each island.

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Driving in New Zealand

Left-hand driving. New Zealand drives on the left. If you have never driven on the left, the adjustment takes 1-2 days. The most dangerous moments are turning at intersections (instinct pulls you into the wrong lane) and roundabouts (circulate clockwise). Fatigue on long drives compounds this.

Road quality. Main highways (SH1, SH6, SH94) are sealed two-lane roads. Most are not divided highways — head-on passing is constant. Speed limits are 100 km/h on the open road, 50 km/h in towns. Roads to trailheads are often unsealed gravel for the final section.

The Homer Tunnel. The route from Te Anau to Milford Sound passes through the Homer Tunnel — a 1.2 km single-lane tunnel through solid rock. Traffic is controlled by traffic lights, with alternating one-way flow. Expect delays of 5-15 minutes at each end. The road beyond the tunnel descends steeply to Milford Sound through avalanche terrain.

Fuel. Petrol stations are frequent in towns but can be widely spaced in rural areas. Fill up in Te Anau before driving to Milford Sound — there is no fuel station between Te Anau and Milford Sound (121 km). Fill up in Glenorchy before driving to the Routeburn Shelter road-end.

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Visa and entry requirements

Most nationalities can visit New Zealand visa-free for up to 90 days but must apply for an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) before departure. The NZeTA costs NZ$17 (via app) or NZ$23 (via web) and includes the International Visitor Levy (IVL) of NZ$100. Total entry cost: NZ$117-123 per person. [Source: Immigration New Zealand]

Australian citizens and permanent residents do not need an NZeTA.

Processing time is typically 10 minutes to 72 hours. Apply at least 72 hours before your flight.

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Packing for multiple walks

If combining multiple Great Walks, pack to the hardest walk's requirements. A Fiordland-ready kit (full waterproofs, sandfly gear, sleeping bag rated to 0°C, cooking stove) covers everything Tongariro requires. Add warm wind layers and sunscreen for the volcanic terrain.

Gear storage between walks: Most hostels and motels in Te Anau and Queenstown will hold luggage for trampers. DOC Visitor Centres do not offer storage. If you have a rental car, the car is your storage.

Resupply: Buy fresh food in town between walks. Queenstown has the largest supermarkets (Countdown, New World, Pak'nSave). Te Anau has a New World and a Four Square. Glenorchy has a general store with limited supplies. National Park village (Tongariro) has very limited shopping — buy supplies in Taupo or before leaving Auckland.