What do you picture when you hear the words New Zealand? For me, I picture dramatic landscapes. Mountains, plains, and coast lines – a land where it doesn’t take very much effort to escape the rat race. New Zealand has definitely lived up to my expectations in that regard. New Zealanders seem to really care about the preservation of their unique landscape.
And with about 75% of flora and fauna in New Zealand being absolutely unique to this land, you can really understand why. The New Zealand government takes an active role in preserving this land, and educating locals and visitors alike through their national parks system. Almost all crown land in New Zealand is protected by the department of conservation (DOC) and throughout the fourteen national parks there are hundreds of hiking trails for the public to enjoy. The best and most wonderful of these trails were crowned the “Great Walks.” There are nine great walks in New Zealand, three on the North Island, and six on the South Island. My goal before coming to New Zealand was to complete all nine. So far I have completed five : Waikaremoana, Wanganui, Abel Tasman, Heaphy, and Routeburn.
These walks are considered great for the wide variety of wildlife you can encounter, and the greatly varying landscapes you walk through. From dramatic mountain passes on the Milford, to idyllic beaches on the Abel Tasman. From cheeky Keas (alpine parrots) on the Routeburn, to mischievous Weka (curious flightless birds) on the Heaphy. Rata forests, volcanic landscapes, hot pools, and violent crashing waves are all things that will be encountered on the great walks.
Bringing tourism into such isolated place always begs the question – are the educational gains made to the public worth the environmental cost of the practices?