Finding hikes and walks in Te Anau
As the gateway to Fiordland, Te Anau is bustling with hikers ready to lace up their hiking boots and tighten their backpacks and set off on one of the many multi-day hikes in Fiordland. But if you’re looking for an easier way to stretch the legs, there are plenty of day walks in Te Anau on offer.
Along the lakeshore, an easy walking track takes you all the way from the centre of town to the Control Gates, on the Kepler Track. If you’re up for it, you can continue past the Control Gates and onto the Kepler Track for a taste of one of New Zealand’s Great Walks. The lakeshore walk takes you past the Department of Conservation Information Centre and the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary. The walk from Te Anau to the Control Gates takes around one hour.
The Lake2Lake Cycle Trail is an easy walk or bike ride along the Waiau River. Hire a bike from town or walk the 19km/12m track which follows the mighty Waiau as it flows from Lake Te Anau to Lake Manapouri.
Visit the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre for maps on Te Anau walks.
Access the Great Walks from Te Anau
Three of New Zealand’s Great Walks are accessible from Te Anau or its nearby surrounds. With so many spectacular hikes within easy reach, it’s no surprise Te Anau is a mecca for hikers and lovers of the outdoors.
The 4-day Milford Track, considered one of New Zealand’s finest walks begins at Glade Wharf and finishes in Milford Sound. To get to Glade Wharf, jump on the water taxi from Te Anau Downs for the one-hour transfer across the lake. The Kepler Track can be done as a 3 or 4-day hike with the option of starting at the Control Gates which is a 5-minute drive from Te Anau or skipping a day and catching the Kepler Water Taxi from Te Anau across the lake to Brod Bay for the 3-day option. The famous Routeburn Track which links Mt Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks is a 3-day hike which can be finished or started at The Divide car park, located just off the Milford road.
Discover New Zealand’s Great Walks.