Walking & Hiking
Short walks, long tramps, waterfall meanderings or a beachside stroll – if you love to explore on foot and appreciate scenic beauty, you’ll love this region.
We have many beautiful parks to explore including McLaren Falls Park – a 190ha public reserve located 20km from Tauranga’s CBD. It has one of the best botanical tree collections in New Zealand and is particularly stunning in autumn as the trees change colour.
Mauao (Mount Maunganui) has arguably two of the best short walks you’ll find anywhere in Aotearoa – one to the summit that rewards you with incredible views, the other around an undulating 3km base track. Our beachside towns of Waihi and Ōhope have gorgeous walks to secluded bays, and there are numerous waterfall tracks that are within easy reach.
If you want to delve into some serious bush, the Kaimai Ranges have a number of well-marked tracks, as does Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park. This is one of the world’s last prehistoric rainforests and has 155km of superb walking and tramping tracks to suit all levels.