Craig McLachlan - Lonely Planet Best Day Hikes New Zealand

There arent many places as naturally diverse as New Zealand (Aotearoa). These isolated islands in the South Pacific boast everything from dripping rainforests to sun-blazed beaches, smoking volcanoes, ice-topped mountains and retreating glaciers in a land area bigger than the UK but with only one-fourteenth its population. So isolated were these islands that some birds that flew there generations ago forgot how to fly they didnt need to as there were no predators. These days, this idyllic land is criss-crossed with tracks, making it one of the most desirable walking destinations around. Theres so much to do and if youre into walking, so much to choose from. There are day walks the length and breadth of the country, most of them overseen by the Department of Conservation (DOC), which is responsible for the 30% of the countrys total land area set aside for conservation and recreation.

RADOSLAV CAJKOVIC/SHUTTERSTOCK

The regular claimant to the title of New Zealands best day walk justifies the hype with its brilliantly coloured lakes and vivid volcanic landscapes.

Snake around two volcanoes mighty Taranaki and ancient Poukai on this challenging but highly scenic full-day walk.

Bite off a sizeable chunk of New Zealands most popular Great Walk on this undulating amble through native bush and along golden-sand beaches.

Climb through beech forest into a high and dramatic enclosure of mountains and glaciers in Mt Aspiring National Park, west of Wnaka.

This lovely walk on Stewart Island/Rakiura involves taking a boat from Oban to Port William, then walking back along the first section of the Rakiura Track.

Make a steep 1000m climb above Arthurs Pass and find yourself atop a peak that feels like the epicentre of the Southern Alps.

Watch the Tasman Sea collide with the Pacific Ocean from deserted beaches where the visible impact of human activity is limited to two forlorn lighthouses.

A day walk on this legendary track takes you to Routeburn Falls, approached from Queenstown, on the eastern side of the South Island divide.

A fun loop track in Paparoa National Park includes river valleys, spectacular limestone cliffs, vibrant Nkau palms and the stunning Pancake Rocks.

A climb through beech forest in Fiordland National Park takes you to a magnificent hanging valley, once the head of a tributary glacier, surrounded by towering peaks.

CK TRAVELS/SHUTTERSTOCK

n ESCAPING THE CITY

Youre never far from a convenient escape to a bush, coastal or mountain trail.

A relatively easy climb to the top of this volcanic island reached by ferry from Auckland (pictured).