2018’s South Island road trip was planned around going to Stewart Island for my first Great Walk. There are 10 Great Walks across the country that showcase New Zealand’s diverse & spectacular scenery. These are highly maintained tracks that are well marked, although you still need to pay for huts and campsites (prices vary on track). The fourth destination on our Christmas trip was Oban, Stewart Island.
Driving from the Catlins to Bluff took about an hour and a half. From there we boarded a boat for an hour ride to Oban. Crossing the Foveaux Strait is notoriously rough and our journey was no exception. Although it was the middle of Summer it was super windy and water was splashing up onto the boat quite heavily. I almost got sick.
From there, we walked from the wharf right to the start of the Rakiura Track. Just under 5km, which took about an hour walking, we stopped at Horseshoe Bay to enjoy lunch. With around 500 permanent residents on the country’s 3rd largest Island, this really is a pristine place.
The track is one way that can be completed in either direction. We decided to go anti-clockwise with no transport drop offs or pick ups. In doing so we were able to make the walk a loop.
The walk from both ends of the track to town can be dangerous as there are not many sidewalks along the windy, narrow road.
The Rakiura track is home to 15,000 Stewart Island Kiwi! It is one of the few places you can see Kiwi in the day during the summer hours, due to the long hours of sunlight.
From the start of the track at Lee Bay Road, we headed toward our first destination at Port William Campsite.
The first day is about 8.1 km and will take you about 3.5 hours.
There are two water crossings, including a swing bridge at Maori Beach. There is a campsite at this beach with 16 sites.
A gradual climb & then descend took us to Magnetic Beach which had another 16 campsites and a hut a bit further on the trail. This was such a peaceful spot for our first night, but it had the worst sand flies!
Day 2 is the longest of the 3 days, with 13k to climb over 6 hours. Going back up the hill to start the morning followed with 5 other hills throughout the day.
Headed to North Arm Campsite, we stopped at several spots to catch our breath and enjoy lunch. This definitely was the most wild day in terms of forest vegetation.
Our night at North Arm had us listening to Kiwi calls all night. We were also awoken to a possum scavenging the kitchen!
The final day was an easy 11k along beaches. A starch contrast to the first few days, it was beautiful to see these calm waters.
Once we reached the Main Road at Fern Gully carpark, we had another 2k into town. From there we took a shower and grabbed drinks on the waterfront to cheers our first Great Walk!
The next morning we took the ferry back to the South Island and continued our road trip. For my first ever ‘camping-hiking’ trip, the Rakiura was a great start. We got lucky with the weather which meant the trail was not that muddy. There was history of Maori hunting camps and historic sawmills. The nature was stunning and left me feeling rejuvenated. I’d love to go back to Stewart Island and do more activities, including visiting Ulva Island.
I have to give a shout out to Mark who carried most of the water & equipment for us, thanks babe š
TIP: Invest in a good hiking backpack.
What was your first camping-hiking trip?