Packing correctly for the Great Walks will have a big impact on your enjoyment, and can be the difference between blister hell and hiking heaven. It is worth taking time in advance to purchase the correct gear.
Having hiked 9 of the Great Walks in 9 weeks, we’ve put together the essential Great Walks packing list and any packing pitfalls to look out for.
Day 2 on the Milford Track
The fundamentals of packing for the Great Walks
Every track is different
Don’t assume that every track will have the same facilities and require the same gear. Some tracks don’t have gas burners in the huts for cooking food, others not only have gas burners but some cookware. Some trails allow camping, others don’t.
It’s best to look closely at our guide as we’ll tell you what you need for every track.
Pack light, but don’t short cut
Limiting weight is essential, especially on the longer Great Walks like the Heaphy and Milford Tracks. There is no garbage system or assistance with your packs (except on the Abel Tasman where for select days you can use a pack transfer service), so everything you take stays with you for the entire trail, but you also don’t want to make your experience uncomfortable by not having a dry set of clothes and the like.
The weather on all of the Great Walks is unpredictable and you could get ill if you choose to only have one set of clothes with you!
Making use of the pack transfer service on day 3 of the Abel Tasman Track
We would recommend being strategic, choosing light clothing and food choices which are either light (like freeze dried meals) or can make multiple meals. Packing lavish meals can be rewarding on night one, but then punish you on day four when you’re still carrying all the weight of the rubbish. You will also need more food than you anticipate eating as there have been times where hikers have had to stay an extra night on the tracks because of the weather.
A decent backpack and hiking poles can also make a heavier pack feel a lot more manageable. My pack was moulded to my waist, meaning that the weight didn’t strain my back.
What you’ll need - a decent backpack
Our pick - Osprey Aether 60
Needed for: All Great Walks (including the Whanganui Journey)
One of the most important things you’ll need for the any of the Great Walks is a good backpack. It isn’t just the capacity that’s important, but the comfort and quality will make the difference between having a great experience or suffering for days with back ache.
It is seriously worth investing in a good quality pack. We’ve purchased many packs over the years and now we won’t stray from Osprey. They are expensive but we have found them to be worth the money.
We use them for hiking and general travelling and own a large backpack, day pack and tiny day walk pack. We used the Kestrel line (like the image below) for all the Great Walks.
We love these packs as they have good waist supports and straps that are designed to take the weight off your shoulders and onto your hips. This will reduce the aches and pains you’ll feel across multi day hiking.
The top line big backpacks also have mouldable waist straps which customise to your body (this was free in store when we purchased ours).
You can read our full review of this pack or check it out on one of the retailers below.
Pack Liners or Pack Covers
Your pack may say it’s waterproof but we’ve yet to see a pack that can contend with Fiordland rain. We found this out the hard way and invested in pack liners and rain covers, and boy were we glad we did.
The rain on some of the Great Walks was so heavy that we were soaked through, but our clothes, food and camera gear were bone dry (thank goodness)!. Here’s what you need to ensure your belongings stay nice and dry throughout the trail.
Pack Liner
Needed for: All Great Walks
A packliner is a good way of guaranteeing dryness. These sit inside your bag and seal everything inside - it’s the same as a dry bag you would take on a boat trip. We took this on every walk and ended up needing it on five of the nine so it really is worth investing in.
You can pick from many on Amazon and the size doesn’t matter as it sits inside your pack. You can choose multiple if you plan on taking a decent amount of gear or food.
Rain Cover
Needed for: All Great Walks
This is another essential as it acts like a rain jacket over your backpack. It will keep anything attached to the outside of your pack dry and act as another layer of protection for your belongings.
Make sure you check the sizes as there is no “one size fits all” rain cover. Check the capacity of your pack (30 litres, 40 litres etc) and pick the corresponding rain cover. We had rain on all but two of the Great Walks so again this was vital.
Clothes
Thermals
Needed for: All tracks except Abel Tasman in summer
The temperature on the Great Walks can drop dramatically, even in the summer months (apart from the Abel Tasman Track as this seems to be reasonably warm all year round). In truth, thermals are probably more important at night, as hiking during the day can keep you warm. The huts do not have any heating systems and can get very cold, so having thermals can help you stay warm and rest up.
Having a good quality set of thermal base layers (top and leggings) is important, as cheap ones can often make little difference. We know because we bought cheap ones for the Hump Ridge Track and froze before having to upgrade. We highly recommend Icebreaker as we wore their merino wool thermals on every track and felt the difference.
You can find them on Amazon.
Check Amazon for Icebreaker thermal base layers
Rain Jacket
Needed for: all Great Walks
New Zealand isn’t called “the land of the long white cloud'“ for nothing! It rains a lot here, especially in areas like Fiordland (the Milford Track is one of the wettest places on the planet). We had 1/3 of the annual rain fall of London in one day!
Having a rain jacket is a must. Make sure you do not go on any of the hikes without one - even if the forecast is perfect!
The Routeburn Track on a very wet day!
Other clothes
Needed for: all Great Walks
We recommend bringing one set of clothes to hike in (and possibly one additional spare t shirt and one pair of spare socks) plus one set of clothes used only for the huts that will always remain dry.
In terms of material, cotton clothes dry slowly and sap your body heat, so bringing woollen or synthetic clothes are a better choice for wet conditions. Merino wool would be our advice, as it is quick to dry and keeps you warm.
In addition for all hikes but the Abel Tasman in summer we’d recommend bringing gloves and a woolly hat.
Flip flops were also a non negotiable for us because you can’t wear boots in the huts and when going out to the toilets in the evening the last thing you want to do is put your boots back on!
Hiking Boots/Socks
Aside from a pack, good quality hiking boots can be the difference between blister hell and hiking heaven (as can good socks!). Whilst you don’t have to go mad and invest in really expensive boots, having a reliable pair will really help.
Our main piece of advice is to wear in any shoes before you go. We saw some hikers embark on a four day hike with a new pair of boots and had blisters on day one! It’s better to have comfortable and worn in shoes, than to wear boots straight out the box.
Day 2 on the Rakiura Track
Our Pick - Merrell
Needed for: All Great Walks except the Whanganui Journey (although there is a short hike on day three of the Whanganui Journey)
We’ve gone through a lot of hiking boots from a lot of companies, but have found the brand that works for us. Merrells are comfortable, break in quickly and have never caused us blister issues (in conjunction with good socks).
We recommend trying on hiking boots at a shop before buying as each fit (no matter what the size) differs between every brand. Only buy boots online that you have tried in real life!
Most Merrells are waterproof as well, which helps a lot if you have a whole day of rain, having said that on days with major rain in Fiordland they definitely couldn’t cope - I’m not sure any boots could!
Check Amazon for Merrell hiking boots
Hiking Socks
Needed for: All Great Walks except the Whanganui Journey
It took us a while to understand the importance of good socks. I remember the first time my friend recommended I needed to get some in Thailand and they cost a full day’s travel budget. I nearly didn’t do it but I took her advice and have never looked back.
A good pair of socks can save you from a world of pain, so we recommend buying either merino wool or another decent quality brand. This will help with friction and pressure which can occur from multi day hiking and even day hiking. I personally won’t even hike for a few hours without them nowadays!
Icebreaker Merino Socks
Injinji Toes Socks to stop blisters between toes
If you suffer from blisters between your toes (as opposed to on your heals), then you may want to consider toe socks. This can reduce the rubbing between your toes which cause blisters. Cat often suffers from this over long distances and has stopped it by using Injinji hiking socks (the right picture above). The only time you might find they don’t work as well is if they are wet so make sure you dry them out in the huts if possible or bring a spare pair.
Hiking Poles
We are hiking pole converts, especially if you have rough terrain and a pack on your back. Whilst you may not notice a big difference while on the hike, you’ll see the benefit every night in how you feel.
They make a particularly big difference when descending, as the poles take a lot of pressure off your knees.
Our Pick - Black Diamond
Recommended for: All Great Walks except the Whanganui Journey
Black Diamond are light, reliable and a brand we’ve been using for years. If you try them in a shop they can feel so light and almost bendy, like they wouldn’t hold so well descending but we’ve tested them over hundreds of hikes and never had an issue.
They fold up to be compact, and can be slotted in the loops on your pack when not needed. It’s another brand that we thought long and hard about before shelling out but were very happy with our decision.
If you are only planning on one hike as a one off bucket list experience and are not a regular hiker then I’d recommend getting a cheaper brand though.
A warm sleeping bag
Needed for: All Great Walks, even in summer
There are fire stoves in some of the common rooms in the huts on the Great Walks, but none have heating in the bunk rooms. The temperatures can drop dramatically on the majority of hikes (even in the summer) so having a warm sleeping bag will make a big difference when it comes to trying to get some rest.
We faced overnight temperatures of 2C on the Lake Waikaremoana Track in March and even with a good sleeping bag we felt pretty cold! So it’s worthwhile scrolling through the choices on Amazon and finding a sleeping bag that can deal with temperatures around 0C.
Note that most women will sleep colder than men so it’s even more important that women get a sleeping bag that can deal with very cold temperatures.
If you get a very warm sleeping bag and then luck out with great weather, the worst that will happen is that you have to open it right up to cool off, much better than finding your bag is not warm enough and you have three more nights to go!
Food
Food to pack
Needed for: All Great Walks
Working out what to pack for food isn’t easy, and we’d say that we never perfected the art of this!
We always recommend having a decent meal before any of the Great Walks and to try to pack food smartly. It’s a good idea to purchase food which can make multiple meals - our choice was a packet of pasta and a jar of pesto. We started with the freeze dried meals and then realised we could use pasta and save a lot of money! You can also buy things like dried peas to add to pasta to have a little veg intake!
Having said that, having a bit of variety is usually key for a multi day walk.
The key for packing your food is weight. Whilst freeze dried food is not greatly appetising, it barely weighs anything. Another thing to consider is the mess you will have to clean up after preparing a meal as there’s no hot water and so thorough cleaning is difficult. This is why we steered clear of porridge!
We always chose to pack the following (we have embedded links to products on Amazon for you to check out):
Breakfast: Muesli bars
Snacks: Nuts, trail mix or dried fruit
Lunch: Pre-made rolls (for us that meant just carrying buns and some cheese) or sometimes we ditched bread in favour of crackers, fruit and a chocolate bar
Dinner: Freeze dried meals or pasta
You can stop at a cafe on the Abel Tasman Track and there are two on the Whanganui Journey, but otherwise you will have to pack all your food for the hike as there are no places to buy food along the trails.
Day 2 on the Kepler Track
Gas Burner
Needed for: Rakiura, Abel Tasman and some of the Whanganui Journey.
You don’t have to invest in a Jetboil, but having a decent gas burner can be the difference between a good meal and half cooked mush. You cannot fly with the gas bottle, so you will have to buy this in New Zealand.
You can buy the adapter before you go, so check Amazon for the options. Don’t do what we did and forget the gas for the Rakiura Track! We had to rely on the charity of others to cook our dinner (some very nice people stepped up to help us thankfully!).
Check Amazon for lightweight gas stoves
Kitchen set (pot, matches, cutlery, plates and mugs)
Needed for: All Great Walks except select huts on the Heaphy Track which have cooking pots
You will need to bring the essentials for cooking, but try to minimise this. If possible, keep it to a single pot, a set of cutlery, a plate and a mug per person. If you start bringing more, you’ll find that you’re adding weight just for a little bit of convenience. With this in mind, we often chose simple meals like Pesto Pasta or anything which required just a single pot or pan to cook with.
We recommend buying a set as otherwise you’ll spend hours getting every little bit and realise you forgot something simple like a mug!
You’ll also need ziplock bags for rubbish as you must take this off the track with you.
Health & hygiene
Toilet Paper
Needed for: Lake Waikaremoana and Whanganui Journey
The majority of Great Walks provide toilet paper, the exceptions are the Whanganui Journey and the Lake Waikaremoana Track. Make sure you buy this before you embark on each of the Great Walks.
Soap and wipes
Needed for: All Great Walks
Whilst most Great Walks provide soap, some don’t and it’s easier just to bring some in case. There is only one shower on one of the Great Walks (the outdoor one at Bark Bay on the Abel Tasman), so you may want to bring wipes as well to stay clean.
The Tongariro Northern Circuit
Walkers Wool
Recommended for: All Great Walks except the Whanganui Journey
Walkers wool can be a lifesaver if you get blisters. This pack of wool can be wrapped around a blister or between your toes to reduce the pain. We brought some as a precaution, and luckily didn’t need it but often handed it out to others who got blisters.
You can find Walkers Wool on Amazon by clicking on this link.
First Aid kit
Needed for: All Great Walks
You don’t need to go mad, but a small first aid kit with bandages and plasters is recommended. This will help with any minor injuries you have on the trails and is something you hopefully won’t need, but will want to have just in case.
Check Amazon for First Aid Kits
Sunscreen and Deet
Needed for: All Great Walks
Even on the alpine hikes, the sun on the Great Walks can be intense, so you will want sunscreen with you. The other enemy of hikers on the Great Walks are the sandflies, especially on the Heaphy, Milford and Kepler Tracks. High strength deet will help deter them, although nothing will stop them completely.
You can get Ben’s Deet on Amazon (click here to check it out) which is very high strength and should keep some of the sandflies at bay.
Comforts
Kindle & Kindle Unlimited
Despite there being quote a bit of walking, you’ll find that there’s also a lot of time spent in the huts. Having a Kindle will mean you can read a book without the weight of a paperback!
Check out the cost of Kindles on Amazon
Amazon also offers a free trial for “Kindle Unlimited” - which offers access to thousands of books. You can sign up before the walk and download for those nights in the huts. Click here to read more and sign up.
Powerbank
Powerbanks are helpful in ensuring your phones and Apple Watch if you have one are charged every day. We used the Anker Powercore which lasted through every single Great Walk on one charge (even the one which is five days long), keeping all our devices working throughout.
The Heaphy Track day 3
Headphones & Music
I (Joe) sometimes like to listen to a podcast or some music on a trail. It can help motivate through a tough climb or during those downpours!
Amazon offer a free trial for Amazon Music Unlimited, which offers thousands of songs you can download to your phone and listen to. Click here to check it out.
Earplugs
If you don’t like to listen to music when you sleep, ear plugs are our only solution for bunk rooms. After this much hiking, it's likely there’ll be at least one heavy snorer if not a whole cacophony.
Torch
There's no electricity at any of the huts, so you'll need a torch after sunset and in the morning. We recommend getting a head torch like one of these on Amazon.
What you don't need
Water purification tablets - Sometimes the huts will say you will need to purify the water, but we never had a problem. If you really want to, you can pack purification tablets, but we found the water on the walks was cleaner than most tap water!
Need help planning the walks themselves?
We have guides on each of the hikes when you know which track you will be doing. If you’re still undecided this guide on which Great Walk is right for you should help.
If you can’t make up your mind on which of the famous Fiordland hikes to go for, here’s our take on whether the Milford, Routeburn or Kepler is the best Great Walk in Fiordland.
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Are you hiking one of the Great Walks? What are the essentials on your hiking packing list? Let us know in the comments below!
