Multi-day Trips: Great Walks and Trails in Nelson

October 30, 2026

Nelson is the gateway to two of New Zealand’s Great Walks, a backcountry alpine loop and a long-distance cycle trail. Each needs planning around tides, bookings and mountain weather. Costs are in NZD. Read DOC alerts for your dates, since storms and slips have closed sections in the past.

Abel Tasman Coast Track

About 60 km from Marahau to Wainui, usually walked in 3 to 5 days. Huts at Anchorage, Bark Bay, Awaroa and Whariwharangi, plus campsites, must be reserved ahead throughout the year. Reservations for 2026/27 are open.

Section	Distance	Time
Marahau to Anchorage	12.4 km	About 4 h
Anchorage to Bark Bay	8.4 km low tide, 11.5 km high tide	About 3 h or 4 h
Bark Bay to Awaroa	13.5 km	About 4.5 h
Awaroa to Totaranui	7.1 km, tidal	About 2 h 20
Totaranui to Whariwharangi	9.8 km	About 3 h 15
Whariwharangi to Wainui	5.7 km	About 2 h

Reading the tides

The Awaroa Inlet crossing opens 1 h 30 before low tide and closes 2 h after it, and only by daylight. Awaroa has no all-tide alternative. Torrent Bay and Bark Bay can be crossed within 2 h of low tide on either side. Otherwise follow the all-tide track, which adds roughly 10 minutes at Bark Bay.

Nightly fees from 1 October to 30 April

Huts per person: 55 (New Zealand adult), 84 (international adult), 28 (New Zealand child) and 42 (international child).
Campsites: New Zealand adult 21, international adult 31, child 10 (New Zealand) or 15 (international).
Cheaper rates apply out of season. Huts cost 42 for May and June, 33 for July and August, and 42 in September.

You may stay 2 nights at one site in the summer months and 5 nights between May and September. Totaranui campsite allows 1 night all year. Bikes are permitted only on the Wainui, Gibbs Hill and Totaranui stretch, from 1 May to 30 September. Look out for the 47 m Falls River suspension bridge.

Heaphy Track

A 78.4 km Great Walk with 6 huts and 9 campsites, booked year-round. Cyclists may ride it from 1 May to 30 November. Brown Hut in Golden Bay and Kohaihai near Karamea are separated by a road trip of several hours, so arrange a shuttle with Golden Bay Air or the Heaphy Bus.

Travers-Sabine Circuit

Roughly 80 km around Nelson Lakes in 4 to 7 days, staying in backcountry huts. It is not a Great Walk. Snow can fall at Travers Saddle in any month. Do not wash or swim in Blue Lake (Rotomairewhenua), at DOC’s request.

Tasman’s Great Taste Trail

Cycle operators package the trail as 3 to 5 day trips covering about 203 to 204 km, linking Nelson, Richmond, Brightwater, Wakefield, Mapua, Motueka and Kaiteriteri. The trail is not a route to Kaikoura. Look at the trail notices before booking, as storm repairs and forestry closures have affected parts of it.

A road loop

Drive from Nelson to Kaiteriteri, Golden Bay, Murchison, St Arnaud and Blenheim. Give it 5 days or more, because Takaka Hill and the Golden Bay side trip eat time.