{"id":691,"date":"2021-11-15T15:48:15","date_gmt":"2021-11-15T15:48:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/are-new-zealand-great-walks-that-great\/"},"modified":"2023-06-25T12:42:33","modified_gmt":"2023-06-25T12:42:33","slug":"are-new-zealand-great-walks-that-great","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/are-new-zealand-great-walks-that-great\/","title":{"rendered":"Are New Zealand&#8217;s Great Walks really that &#8216;Great&#8217;?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_76 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/are-new-zealand-great-walks-that-great\/#The_introduction_of_two-tier_pricing\" >The introduction of two-tier pricing<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/are-new-zealand-great-walks-that-great\/#Why_did_the_Department_of_Conservation_raise_the_price\" >Why did the Department of Conservation raise the price?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/are-new-zealand-great-walks-that-great\/#What_could_be_done_instead\" >What could be done instead?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/are-new-zealand-great-walks-that-great\/#Should_the_Department_of_Conservation_just_keep_creating_more_Great_Walks\" >Should the Department of Conservation just keep creating more Great Walks?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/are-new-zealand-great-walks-that-great\/#Are_the_Great_Walks_really_that_great\" >Are the Great Walks really that great?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/are-new-zealand-great-walks-that-great\/#Should_you_still_come_to_New_Zealand_if_you_cant_book_or_afford_the_Great_Walks\" >Should you still come to New Zealand if you can&#8217;t book, or afford, the Great Walks?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/are-new-zealand-great-walks-that-great\/#Are_the_Great_Walks_worth_the_money\" >Are the Great Walks worth the money?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<div style=\"height:70px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The 10 great walks of New Zealand make up almost 600km (595.3km) of trails on 3 different Islands.<\/strong>&nbsp;The North Island has 3, the South Island has 6 and Stewart Island has 1.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Their classification of being \u2018Great Walks\u2019 came about as marketing campaign<\/strong>&nbsp;by a combination of the national tourism board and the Department of Conservation. They were used to entice international tourists to experience&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/2015\/08\/14\/18-most-photogenic-places-on-the-south-island-of-new-zealand\/\">the best of New Zealand\u2019s landscapes.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The campaign was a great idea and a huge success.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tracks popularity with keen adventurers was initially down to their beauty.&nbsp;Rugged coastlines, glistening glaciers and lush dense tropical rainforests are all features on the 10 Great Walks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In later years, the achievement of doing such tracks as the Milford became prestigious. A talking point around the dinner table and even a status symbol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As word spread of their grandeur,&nbsp;<strong>booking systems had to be introduced to maintain and monitor the influx of tourists to these fragile areas of land.<\/strong>&nbsp;Annually, the Milford Tracks popularity, dubbed \u2018the finest walk in the world\u2019 by the London Spectator in 1908, is growing&nbsp;substantially each season and shows no sign of slowing down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Milford-Track-41-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13730\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Milford-Track-41-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Milford-Track-41-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Milford-Track-41-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Milford-Track-41.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The MacKinnon Pass on the Milford Track<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Each year the booking window for the mandatory reservations required to stay at many of the backcountry huts on these walks gets smaller and smaller. Within days there are few vacancies left.&nbsp;<strong>Within weeks of the reservations becoming available online there\u2019s often no spots left.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is especially true on the most popular tracks such as the Milford,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/routeburn-track-information\/\">the Routeburn<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/kepler-track-hiking-guide\/\">the Kepler<\/a>. In fact the Milford usually books out within the first few hours of the reservations opening!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>New Zealand\u2019s Department of Conservation<\/strong>&nbsp;recognises their popularity and&nbsp;<strong>have been steadily increasing the prices of the huts on these great walks in recent years<\/strong>. Understandably, increasing their price proportionally with the increasing demand. Totally fine (up to a point).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kepler-Track-18-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13733\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kepler-Track-18-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kepler-Track-18-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kepler-Track-18-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kepler-Track-18.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A lookout on the Kepler Track &#8211; A popular Great Walk in New Zealand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:70px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cc-m-header-12045959899\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_introduction_of_two-tier_pricing\"><\/span>The introduction of two-tier pricing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The recent talks to&nbsp;<strong>increase the price further to foreign visitors<\/strong>&nbsp;has now come to fruition. To me, the introduction of this two-tiered system which prioritises NZ families seems unjust, the same requirements for everyone seems like a fairer solution but naturally, not being a NZ national, I would think that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The huts on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/backpacking-milford-track\/\">the Milford Track<\/a>&nbsp;will raise to NZ$140 per person per night with a mandatory 3 night stay. With the bus and boat transfers required this will make&nbsp;the track over NZ$600 per person for those coming from abroad!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People interested in multi-day hiking could go to Canada and complete&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/best-multiday-hikes-canadian-rockies\/\">the best overnight trails in the Canadian Rockies<\/a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;less then 10% of that price.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many, including myself, think this raise is very elitist and&nbsp;<strong>unfair to international travellers<\/strong>&nbsp;on smaller budgets who want to experience the best that New Zealand has to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine coming on a hiking holiday to New Zealand and then realising that you have to spend another 3000$NZD per couple if you want to do 3&nbsp;Great&nbsp;Walks. I sincerely hope it doesn\u2019t backfire and put international visitors off coming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Do international tourists take double the footsteps or go to the toilet twice as often? Should they solely be responsible for raising the extra revenue needed by the Department of Conservation to compensate for the loss?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kepler-Track-4-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13732\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kepler-Track-4-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kepler-Track-4-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kepler-Track-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kepler-Track-4.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Luxmore Hut looking out over Lake Te Anau<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:70px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cc-m-header-12047415799\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_did_the_Department_of_Conservation_raise_the_price\"><\/span>Why did the Department of Conservation raise the price?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>According to national statistics the great walks generate a loss of between 1-3 million NZ dollars annually, the DOC quoted it at $3.8 million NZD but these statistics don\u2019t look further than the trails themselves. They are calculated by the total hut costs generated minus the DOC&#8217;s costs to run and maintain the huts and tracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>That seems fair enough, however most international tourists don\u2019t come to New Zealand solely to do the walks.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019ll also stay in hotels, eat local produce, rent cars, bungy jump plus a million other things, especially in tourist hubs like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/2015\/12\/07\/queenstown-s-must-dos-this-summer\/\">Queenstown<\/a>, which generates nearly 15 billion dollars annually. 15 billion dollars that is taxed and eventually ends up in the governmental budget.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Tourism New Zealand figures published in February 2018,&nbsp;<strong>the average spend of an international visitor is approximately NZ$3,200.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>International tourists are clearly spending more than the cost of the Great Walks but recent articles by&nbsp;NewZealand.com&nbsp;amongst many more, showed that&nbsp;<strong>NZ\u2019s scenery including those Great Walks is the number 1 reason international visitors decided to make New Zealand their next destination.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Foreigners (we) bring in money from abroad and spend it in New Zealand. Yes, the walks specifically may make a small loss,&nbsp; but New Zealand certainly can&#8217;t complain about losing money within tourism industry. Funnelling the earnings back into conservation and better infrastructure&nbsp;will work better in the long term.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Routeburn-Track-15-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13734\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Routeburn-Track-15-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Routeburn-Track-15-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Routeburn-Track-15-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Routeburn-Track-15.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Routeburn Track<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Another reason that has been said why the price hasn&#8217;t increased for NZ residents is to try and entice&nbsp;locals&nbsp;to explore their own backyard.&nbsp;There\u2019s roughly 30 DOC operated huts on Great Walks<\/strong>&nbsp;and currently during the summer season, they have roughly 75% foreign occupancy on the most popular trails.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This \u201ccall for concern\u201d, as governmental officials are putting it, that less Kiwis are doing the great walks is silly.&nbsp;<strong>The fact is, the number of international visitors annually is growing faster than the number of New Zealand nationals<\/strong>&nbsp;so naturally the rate of change of internationals with respect to nationals on the Great Walks is going to increase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kiwis may also be avoiding the great walks and other popular trails as the word&#8217;s out amongst locals that&nbsp;<strong>these hikes are past their \u201ctipping point\u201d<\/strong>. I really don\u2019t want that word to spread globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not because it\u2019s not entirely true, some of the limited Great Walks are really busy, but because it doesn\u2019t send the full picture.&nbsp;<strong>Yes, A B C are busy but there\u2019s still D through Z that are yet to be explored.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Routeburn-Track-9-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13522\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Routeburn-Track-9-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Routeburn-Track-9-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Routeburn-Track-9-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Routeburn-Track-9.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A section of the Routeburn Track just past the Routeburn Falls Hut<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:70px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cc-m-header-12047416899\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_could_be_done_instead\"><\/span>What could be done instead?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A simpler proposition<\/strong>, and one less obviously vindictive against international tourists,&nbsp;<strong>would be to introduce a National Park Entry Fee<\/strong>&nbsp;as is the case in Australia, Canada and the US amongst many more. The annual fees would be the same price for all, but a NZ resident has more opportunities to utilize their pass as they have year-round close proximity to the parks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>That way everyone, even those who don&#8217;t do Great Walks and only day hikes, directly contribute towards the preservation of the environment.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:70px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cc-m-header-12047417499\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_the_Department_of_Conservation_just_keep_creating_more_Great_Walks\"><\/span>Should the Department of Conservation just keep creating more Great Walks?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve been fastidiously keeping up to date with travel in New Zealand for the last 5 years and whilst I\u2019m there&nbsp;<strong>I always hear the same \u201cI\u2019m so disappointed, I couldn\u2019t get bookings for any of the Great Walks\u201d<\/strong>&nbsp;from the groups or individual travellers I meet along the way.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whilst the Great Walks are remarkable, no one is denying that, there are other treks in New Zealand that offer more solitude, cheaper prices and less reservation competition.&nbsp;<strong>The majority of New Zealand\u2019s 950 backcountry huts don\u2019t require reservations and operate on a first come first serve basis.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Cape-Reinga-12-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12244\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Cape-Reinga-12-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Cape-Reinga-12-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Cape-Reinga-12-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Cape-Reinga-12.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Te Werahi Coastal Track &#8211; A potential contender for being a Great Walk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>As the demand on New Zealand\u2019s Great Walks keeps increasing, an ever-increasing number of Great Walks seem to enter the pipeline.&nbsp;<strong>There<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;was over 30&nbsp;other walks being considered as potential contenders which has now been narrowed down to 7 according to a press release given on June the 8th 2018. Two of which will be converted to Great Walks by 2021.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>But if you highlight everything, you highlight nothing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To&nbsp;keep adding Great Walks seem superfluous and not very well thought through, it won\u2019t direct the traffic away from the most popular hikes, like the DOC claims and it might even lose them more money if they aren&#8217;t a success.&nbsp;<strong>In the end the tracks that generate losses are the ones that are walked the least.<\/strong>&nbsp;With more Great Walks means more&nbsp;expensive&nbsp;track maintenance, more rangers wages, plus more money on gas, firewood, advertising plus a whole heap of other costs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The DOC should certainly raise more awareness about these other potential hikes<\/strong>&nbsp;but to classify them as Great Walks can&nbsp;be a slippery slope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>There&#8217;s also talks about creating &#8220;The Great Day Walks in New Zealand&#8221;&nbsp;<\/strong>which would be some sort of combination of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/day-hikes-north-island-new-zealand\/\">hikes on New Zealand&#8217;s North Island<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/best-day-hikes-new-zealand-south-island\/\">walks on the South Island.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Gertrude-Saddle-6-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13624\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Gertrude-Saddle-6-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Gertrude-Saddle-6-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Gertrude-Saddle-6-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Gertrude-Saddle-6.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Gertrude Saddle &#8211; A great alternative to the Milford Track<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:70px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cc-m-header-12047418199\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_the_Great_Walks_really_that_great\"><\/span>Are the Great Walks really that great?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>YES but the DOC, along with the New Zealand government, need to make sure the Great Walks remain the very pinnacle of outdoor exploration in New Zealand<\/strong>&nbsp;otherwise, I fear, they\u2019ll become less sought after and less desirable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If word starts circulating that the Great Walks are impossible to book and now very overpriced, it may put potential tourists off visiting.<\/strong>&nbsp;On the other hand, if word gets out about the huge range of alternative options that New Zealand does have, then tourism should continue to grow healthily at its current 11% rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What I think the Department of Conservation does do fantastically on the Great Walks of New Zealand is maintenance and education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most huts have full time rangers in the summer months which give informative talks to their overnight guests, they cover topics such as native flora and fauna, Maori culture, track descriptions and anecdotes of their own experiences of tramping in New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Milford-Track-18-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13527\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Milford-Track-18-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Milford-Track-18-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Milford-Track-18-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Milford-Track-18.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Many of the great huts have the luxury of flushing toilets, gas hobs, comfy mattresses, benches, tables and solar lighting. Plus, the tracks connecting the great huts are also very well cared for, with large sections of boardwalk, well-formed paths, hand rails, lots of route markers and mostly steady elevation changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Great Walks are an ideal setting for an inexperienced hiker to literally take their first steps in multi-day backpacking and learn something about ecology and preservation. It&#8217;s a shame that it&#8217;ll now come at such a big cost.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kepler-Track-21-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13518\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kepler-Track-21-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kepler-Track-21-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kepler-Track-21-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Kepler-Track-21.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A great part of the Kepler Track<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:70px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cc-m-header-12047418399\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_you_still_come_to_New_Zealand_if_you_cant_book_or_afford_the_Great_Walks\"><\/span>Should you still come to New Zealand if you can&#8217;t book, or afford, the Great Walks?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re unable or unwilling to pay the increased prices, are not lucky enough to be able to secure a reservation or simply don\u2019t like the idea of hiking with large groups of others then don\u2019t panic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>There\u2019s tens of thousands of kilometres worth of trails here<\/strong>&nbsp;where you won\u2019t have people breathing down your neck like on a sunny day on the Tongariro Crossing, the most popular section of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/tongariro-northern-circuit\/\">Tongariro Northern Circuit<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>I can\u2019t stress this enough. New Zealand has so much to offer it terms of multiday backpacking trips or single day excursions that you will find something for your needs if you can\u2019t do the Great Walks.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The national parks such as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/mount-cook-national-park-guide\/\">Mount Cook<\/a>, Mount Aspiring, Mount Egmont and Arthur\u2019s Pass contain a great deal of huts varying in size, amenities, price, accessibility and popularity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Cascade-Saddle-14-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13647\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Cascade-Saddle-14-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Cascade-Saddle-14-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Cascade-Saddle-14-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Cascade-Saddle-14.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Overlooking the Matukituki Valley on the Cascade Saddle Track<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>There are over 950 recognised huts and lodges operated by the Department of Conservation in New Zealand,<\/strong>&nbsp;many of which get a surprisingly low number of visitors.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In my eyes the best huts lie within the boundaries of the well-established national parks and protected areas.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Mueller Hut, Brewster Hut, Sunrise Hut, Liverpool Hut and the Pouakai Hut<\/strong>&nbsp;are some of my favourites, and even though they are still considered the more popular choices in their respective areas, when I was in New Zealand during the summer of 2018 I found them&nbsp;relatively quiet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Mueller Hut there were 6 other hikers, in Brewster I was alone, Sunrise Hut I was alone, Liverpool Hut I was with 14 others and the Pouakai Hut I was with 1 other hiker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They are some of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/best-backcountry-huts-in-new-zealand\/\">the best backcountry huts in New Zealand<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;I found it amazing how&nbsp;unoccupied they were considering the huts on the Great Walks can accommodate&nbsp;up to&nbsp;52 adventurers and&nbsp;operate above 95% capacity for most of the season.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Mueller-Hut-Hike-26-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13737\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Mueller-Hut-Hike-26-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Mueller-Hut-Hike-26-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Mueller-Hut-Hike-26-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Mueller-Hut-Hike-26.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Mueller Hut in Mount Cook National Park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:70px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cc-m-header-12047423199\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_the_Great_Walks_worth_the_money\"><\/span>Are the Great Walks worth the money?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The great walks certainly live up to their reputation and they do offer views of some of the most precious landscapes New Zealand has to offer but after doing the most popular of the ten&nbsp;<strong>I won\u2019t be rushing to do them again at the current&nbsp;price.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>I thoroughly enjoyed the Great Walks I\u2019ve completed but the fallacy that they are the &#8216;be all and end all&#8217; of hiking in New Zealand has to be addressed.<\/strong>&nbsp;Not by continually adding Great Walks but providing more information on other alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"940\" height=\"627\" src=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Liverpool-Hut.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13670\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Liverpool-Hut.jpeg 940w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Liverpool-Hut-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Liverpool-Hut-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Liverpool Hut in Mount Aspiring National Park &#8211; 10 times cheaper than the huts on the Great Walks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>For me hiking is about connecting with nature, being alone on the top of a mountain and listening to water trickle down a creek in total silence. Experiences that in themselves are completely free of charge and do not require bookings.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you feel the same way, then don\u2019t stress, there\u2019s plenty to see and do here. My&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/new-zealand-travel-guide\/\">road trip guides for New Zealand<\/a>&nbsp;put you in the best spots to have the same experiences as I\u2019ve had. You just have to be scrupulous which hikes you do, at what time of day and at what time of year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>There\u2019s still lots of solitude in New Zealand but you may just have to look a little deeper than the Great Walks.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In the end it\u2019s all subjective.<\/strong>&nbsp;The splendour of a view differs from person to person and so does the mindset of whether $600NZD for that vista is good value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The \u2018busyness scale\u2019 is also subjective, some people think if they only meet 100 people in a day they are really remote but I know people who will meet 2&nbsp;hikers on a trail and think that it\u2019s busy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"940\" height=\"627\" src=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Brewster-Hut.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13637\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Brewster-Hut.jpeg 940w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Brewster-Hut-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Brewster-Hut-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Brewster Hut &#8211; Unfrequented compared to the huts on the Great Walks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>New Zealand has so much pristine wilderness covered in cheap huts and free hikes that are unfrequented by both national and international mountain lovers and I can\u2019t see any logical reason one would pay top dollar for the opportunity to walk with a hundred-other people and sleep in a loud, snore infested, bunk room in very similar, aesthetically speaking, scenery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>But that&#8217;s just me, my wants and needs are unique, as are yours. Decide what YOU want, or need, from a hike before clicking the \u201cBook Now\u201d button.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Feel free to ask me about alternative hikes. I haven\u2019t done them all yet but I\u2019m an open book when it comes to helping people make the most of their time in New Zealand<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:70px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 10 great walks of New Zealand make up almost 600km (595.3km) of trails on 3 different Islands.&nbsp;The North Island has 3, the South Island has 6 and Stewart Island has 1.&nbsp; Their classification of being \u2018Great Walks\u2019 came about as marketing campaign&nbsp;by a combination of the national tourism board and the Department of Conservation. &#8230; <a title=\"Are New Zealand&#8217;s Great Walks really that &#8216;Great&#8217;?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/are-new-zealand-great-walks-that-great\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Are New Zealand&#8217;s Great Walks really that &#8216;Great&#8217;?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13739,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[118],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-691","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-zealand-hiking-and-backpacking","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/691","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=691"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/691\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20558,"href":"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/691\/revisions\/20558"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13739"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inafarawayland.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}