We wanted to provide a light-hearted and photo-filled read to get your mind off of everything life is bringing to us all. This is part 2 to a multi-part post about our trip. Enjoy!
We enjoyed quite a few hikes in our short time in New Zealand. It was the perfect way to move around and take in the spectacular scenery. One fun thing about New Zealand is that trails are called tracks and hiking is referred to as tramping 🙂
Mt. John Walkway – Tekapo Lake
Before we get to the hike: Tekapo Lake features an amazingly photogenic church. We were hoping to get some great night shots of the church, but it was a full moon and the pictures look like daylight with long exposures.
Church at Tekapo Lake 
Beth standing in Lake Tekapo 
Mt. John Walkway at Tekapo Lake is a moderately strenuous hike that takes you up to the NZ Dark Skies observatory overlooking this turquoise lake. If you choose to do the full loop, it’s an easy descent and finishes on a flat portion along the lake.
Sealy Tarns Track to Mueller Hut – Mt. Cook/Aoraki National Park
The road to Aroki National Park is an amazing 45 minute drive from the bottom of Lake Pukaki to the foothills of several glacier-covered mountains.
Oh man, where to start with the Sealy Tarns Track. This trail is located in the Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park, and it was HARD! We had intentions of going to the Mt. Olivier peak – a 7 mile round trip hike – but called it once we got to a glacier field roughly 2.7 miles up. We ended up only doing 5.5 miles, but it was more than enough. The track climbs 3,000 feet straight up the mountain; the first 1.75 miles are narrow stairs and the last mile is a rock scramble. We definitely felt the elevation on this hike, which was 2,700 feet at the base and just under 6,000 at the highest point. Despite our slow pace, we were constantly in awe of the vistas.
It was a brutal scramble to the summit after the Sealy Tarns halfway viewpoint. It was a combination of large boulders and loose gravel for a hands-and-knees scramble. The high altitude and cold breezes made the activity that much harder. However, Summit offered some amazing views into a glacier-worn valley–the pictures don’t do it justice.
At the end of the day we stayed in the Lake Pukaki Overnight Parking area that has some great views of the mountains over the lake.
Kepler Track – Te Anau
When we got to Te Anau, we immediately hit the trails. We headed to the Kepler Track, which is a 60km loop in the Fiordland National Park that is normally done as a 4-day, 3-night hike with developed campsite areas along the way. We obviously did not do the entire loop, but we did a 7 mile out-and-back tramp starting at the Te Anau Lake Control Gates and heading south. It’s a flat, tree-covered route that would be easily runnable for a 2-day fast pack if you have your legs on you!
The track ran along the Waiau River through lush, dense forest. It reminded us a lot of the PNW. The section of trail we completed was mostly flat – we only gained 500 ft over 7 miles – and was an easy walk in the woods. It was lightly trafficked the day we went, and while there were no vistas through the forest, it was very serene… if you like rainforests. 🙂
mattandbethtravels 
Amazing article. Would love to travel here.
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