Self-drive tours

Both campervans and rental cars can be a cost effective option, especially when there’s a group of you travelling together. With options to sleep 2-6 people, campervan rental rates range from $50-300 per day in New Zealand depending on the season and the type of campervan you require. Important things to enquire about with your rental company include their depot locations, equipment included in the campervan, minimum hire periods and insurance.

You can legally drive in New Zealand for up to 12 months if you have either a current driver’s licence from your home country or an International Driving Permit (IDP). Commonly, you need to be 21 or older to rent a vehicle, but some companies are now renting to younger people. In New Zealand we drive on the left-hand side of the road, so if you’re coming from somewhere like Germany, take things slow while you adjust to the change!

If you’re driving a campervan, be sure to find out about campgrounds where you can park up at night, and you might like to explore freedom camping in New Zealand too. 

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Backpacking transport

Transportation for backpackers
Being such a compact country with superb scenery, travelling by backpacker bus, campervan or rental car  is a great way to see New Zealand. So, get your camera ready because you’re gonna want to stop, lots. New Zealand has something beautiful or just plain awesome to see around every turn. There are also plenty of guided adventure bus tours that will take you to the top spots – and show you a few local secrets, too.

Short on time? New Zealand has a comprehensive domestic flight service that will take you from Auckland to Queenstown, Rotorua to Wellington and heaps of places in between.

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Get ready to try new and wonderful (and perhaps odd) ways to play while backpacking in New Zealand.

There are so many ‘must-do’ experiences that you’ll naturally come across as you backpack in New Zealand that might not necessarily appear on your typical itinerary, but they’re equally as amazing as those that would. Experiences like getting invited to a BBQ by a local to enjoy Kiwi hospitality and our world-famous lamb, taking in a local band (look out for Shapeshifter, Fat Freddy’s Drop or if you’re lucky, Lorde), watching an All Blacks game, or learning the Haka are all memories that you’ll never forget from your time in NZ!

But of course, backpacking through New Zealand is also about seeing our epic landscapes and getting stuck into our amazing adventures. To help you out with this, below are some top activities to make sure you include in your itinerary.

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Top 10 things for Backpackers to do in Abel Tasman

A run down of the main events in the park, all the little gems you want to know about

1. Hiking, take your day bag and get out on the beautiful tracks, so many beaches for you to stop at along the way for a picnic and a swim.

2. Take a cruise or water taxi into the park and see it all from the comfort of your boat. You can stop off at one of the beaches for a picnic and swim or walk a section of the park and re join your boat later on in the day for a ride home. Options from Nelson, Kaiteriteri and Marahau. Not to mention many places through the park itself. Also a great way to start or finish your walk.

3. View the Marine reserve and the beautiful seal colony

4. Venture a little further into the Marine Reseve with a Seal Swim. Your guide will suit you up in a wetsuit and wisk you into the park on a water taxi to start you adventure. All the gear is supplied and they can help arrange transport from Nelson for certain trips.

5.  While your out in the park why not stay at one of the DOC huts along the track, or one of the many camp grounds. This is something that needs to be booked all year round.

6. Stay at one of the luxury Lodges in the Park. Wilsons Abel Tasman have two, Torrent Bay Lodge and Meadowbank Homestead - Awaroa. The Awaroa Lodge provides overnight accommodation and is also a popular spot to lunch at while on a day trip to the park.

7. You may also like to stay at the Aquapackers. A floating backpacker house boat at Anchorage. Here your linen, dinner and breakfast are included. They have dorm rooms and a couple of Twin or Double rooms available.

8. Kayaking is extreamly popular in the park. So many options, guided, freedom, day trips or overnighters, they really do have something for everyone.

9. There are several sailing option within the Abel Tasman, cruise the park in style and comfort. Overnight and multi day trips are available also.

10. You can also scuba dive in the Abel Tasman, there are several options for you from absoloute beginner to the advanced.  You can also view the park from the air while flying a stunt plane with an instructor from U Fly Extreme, Pilot a Stunt Plane at Motueka Airport.

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Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk.

The Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk is situated 5km from the Franz Josef Township off SH6. The route follows the riverbed with great views of the glacier.

The spectacular Franz Josef glacier valley walk is a moderate 1 1/2hr return walk up the glacier valley. The walk is not a track but a route that follows the riverbed an uneven surface, which is made up of rock and shingle (the river level can rise suddenly in heavy rain, extra care is required as you may get wet feet!).

The valley was formed by the glacier thousands of years ago and as it has retreated features have been carved into the valley. The terminal face of the glacier is just under 300m above sea level and is one of three glaciers in the world to be as close to the coastline.

It is advisable to visit the Franz Josef i-SITE before visiting the glacier valley to check the conditions of the valley and weather forecast. The route can be closed due to rockfall, flooding, ice collapses or landslides care is required at all times. Do not wlak or climb on the glacier unless you have the correct equiptment and experience it is strongly advised to that you go with a guiding company.

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Blue Pool Track.

Try out the fabulous new walking track from Blue Pools to Young Valley on Haast Highway, just 20 minutes west of Makarora.

The Blue Pools walking track on the Haast Highway has always been popular but now you can do even more !! It is a short 20 minute walk down to the swing bridge which crosses the Makarora River (look out for trout in the crystal clear water as you cross the bridge).

Spend time looking at the Blue Pools and then carry on down the valley for a couple of hours. Most of the track is through the beech forest beside the river but there are also open sections. Nice flat walking but because the track is so new it can be a bit muddy if there has been rain.

This popular walk has been reviewed by independent travellers on Rankers. Read what others have to say about the Blue Pools Track.

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Wharariki Beach Walk to Cape Farewell.

Explore the wild and rugged northern most point of the South Island.

The wild northwestern coast of the South Island is the perfect place for a day adventure. In this area you'll find the Farewell Spit, with it's distinctive Kiwi shape curving round Golden Bay; the massive cliffs at Cape Farewell, and the one of a kind Wharariki Beach.

Be prepared for wind - when it starts to blow you can not only feel it but see it too!

Wharariki will blow you away. Literally. Everything at Wharariki is big. Big waves, big cliffs, big sand dunes, big caves, and even bigger winds!  Part of the appeal to me is how remote it all feels, but it is only one hours drive from Takaka, followed by a 30 minute farm walk.

Make sure that you wear comfortable walking shoes - the Puponga Farm Park is a working farm, run in conjunction with the Department of Conservation, allowing public access over the marked tracks. There is livestock in many of the paddocks, and at lambing time some access may be restricted. After rain it can be damp underfoot, so boots or old sneakers are best.

The best time to visit is at low tide - there is a 4 hour window two hours before through until 2 hours after low tide where the most sand is exposed, allowing you to walk the full length of this incredible beach.

My favourite walk is about 3 hours long - you start from the car park, and walk Southwest along the farm track. At the signpost for the "Stone Bridge" turn right and head down to the beach. This is where you need low tide in your favour as you can't cross this section of the beach unless the water is out.

From here you walk back Northeast, along the beach past some massive sand dunes. Get some sand in your undies climbing to the top and jumping down them!

There is a small creek to cross (no more than knee deep) so roll your pants up and wade through to the other side. The track climbs steeply from here into the farm park once more, and it is marked by poles. There are lots of cliffs along this way, keep well clear if the wind is strong!

Continue following the markers and you will come down to the Cape Farewell. Keep an eye peeled for seals sunning themselves on the rocks below!  From here you can extend your walk over the hilltop track to the Farewell Spit - another 3-4 hours. I like to follow the road back to the carpark (1km away) by this time.

There is also a local horsetrekking company with special concessions from the Department of Conservation to ride along the Wharariki Beach - another awesome way to explore this special

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