{"id":499,"date":"2024-06-06T03:09:11","date_gmt":"2024-06-06T03:09:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myholidayradar.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/06\/how-the-heaphy-track-become-my-new-favorite-great-walk\/"},"modified":"2024-06-06T03:09:11","modified_gmt":"2024-06-06T03:09:11","slug":"how-the-heaphy-track-become-my-new-favorite-great-walk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myholidayradar.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/06\/how-the-heaphy-track-become-my-new-favorite-great-walk\/","title":{"rendered":"How the Heaphy Track become my new favorite Great Walk"},"content":{"rendered":"
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There are so many walks and tramps in New Zealand on my list that I haven\u2019t had a chance to check out. And no matter how much I get out and tackle them, the list only grows longer. Funny how that happens.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But there is one track I\u2019ve been wanting to do forever, the Heaphy Track. New Zealand has ten Great Walks<\/a>, including the Heaphy, and I\u2019ve basically done them all, some even a few times. Great Walks have better infrastructure than our normal backcountry tramps<\/a> \u2013 they also come with bigger price tags and book out fast. Bigger, fancier huts with wardens. Some even have flushing toilets (!!!). Wide and better-maintained trails, and for some of them, you can choose guided options.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While kiwis pride themselves on being tough and cheap when it comes to tramping (no arguing), there is something great about easier tracks. I\u2019ve done my fair share of slogging through frigid rivers, climbing tree roots and scrambling up dodgy rocks, and even walking in knee-deep mud (f*ck that). I\u2019m pretty sure the motto here is, \u201cWhy build a nice switchback trail when you can just climb straight up the mountain?\u201d<\/p>\n

But I\u2019m gonna be honest: I love a chance NOT to use my hands when tramping, hanging on for dear life, and praying to whatever god is out there that torture ends soon. I really don\u2019t care about being hardcore.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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While you won\u2019t see many kiwis on the popular Great Walks, it was all locals when I did the Heaphy Track in May this year. From May 1st, our autumn, the track opens to mountain bikers. At an 84-kilometer tramp, it\u2019s the longest Great Walk (minus canoeing the Whanganui River), and I will argue it\u2019s the best.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So why did I put it off for so long? Because the start and finish of the track are a seven-hour drive apart. I couldn\u2019t figure out the logistics, especially as I prefer to tramp alone. The start on the West Coast is a ten-hour drive from W\u0101naka, too. It\u2019s quite a commitment, and it would be nearly $500 to relocate my car, on top of fuel: it currently costs me $175 to fill up my little car here. NOPE.<\/p>\n

But then I mentioned to a friend that I was keen to tackle the Heaphy this year, and they told me about Golden Bay Air<\/a> as the best logistics option. Looks left to right, how did I not know about this? You can fly in between the start and finish, and they do lots of shuttles. They have streamlined the process of organizing the tramp, and it\u2019s affordable. It\u2019ll save you 450 kilometers of driving. Count. Me. In.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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How I organized my logistics with Golden Bay Air<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n