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Tracks & walks

North West Circuit Stewart Island/Rakiura

Southland region

Tramper on the North West Circuit.

Tramper on the North West Circuit

Southland region.

Separated from the South Island by Foveaux Strait, Stewart Island/Rakiura is New Zealand's third largest island and home to its most southern national park.

The North West Circuit provides for challenging tramping around the island's northern coast.

Rakeahua Valley and Doughboy Bay on the Southern Circuit Track can be added to the Northern Circuit. Alternatively the separate Southern Circuit Track incorporating these areas can be walked by utilising boat transport on Paterson Inlet.

Time:

9 - 11 days

Distance:

125 km

Features

Find out about the history and natural features of the North West Circuit on Stewart Island/Rakiura.

Track description

View a daily track description and walking times for the North West Circuit Track.

Places to stay

Information about hut accommodation and camping on the North West Circuit Track.

Plan & prepare

Information you need to help you plan and prepare for a safe visit.

Highlights:

Rakiura National Park

Rakiura National Park is located on New Zealand's Stewart Island/Rakiura. The park covers about 157,000 ha and makes up about 85 percent of the island.

Guides and commercial tourism providers

Find businesses that are DOC-approved to provide activities and services for the North West Circuit Stewart Island/Rakiura.

Stewart Island/Rakiura

Stewart Island/Rakiura is home to Rakiura National Park. The main settlement in Halfmoon Bay has several visitor centres and various accommodation options. From Halfmoon Bay you can take a range of day walks.

Rakiura Track

The Rakiura Track Great Walk is found on Stewart Island/Rakiura, just a 20 minute flight from Invercargill or an hour by ferry from Bluff.

Find out more

Publications

Rakiura North West and Southern Circuit track brochure (PDF, 745K)

Easy access walks - North Island
Easy access walks - South Island

Weather

Maps

Rakiura circuit tracks map (PDF, 285K)

New Zealand topographic maps are available from DOC Visitor Centres

Learn more

Rakiura track updates and weather information

Stop the spread of didymo
Check, Clean, Dry all items before entering, and when moving between, waterways.

Safety

Safety information

Always contact the nearest visitor centre for the latest information about facilities and conditions.

Safety alerts for Rakiura National Park

Contacts

Rakiura National Park Visitor Centre
Phone:	+64 3 219 0009
Address:	15 Main Road Stewart Island
Email:
Full office details

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