For those with some time to spend and a love for wilderness and tramping, Stewart Island is a sweet spot. Try the Raikura Track (one of the Great Walks), and with some luck you might spot a kiwi.
If you're tramping, you can stay in DoC huts or there are some campsites too. Tickets can be purchased from the Visitors Centre in Halfmoon Bay.
There's a few other options on the island - check out www.stewartisland.co.nz for info on places to stay, other activities and a general run down on what the islands about :)
Note: There are no banks or ATM's on Stewart Island. Some businesses/operators have EFT-POS and some accept cradit cards and some only accept cash. It may pay to check this out before you head over so you don't get caught out and end up having to scrub the floors!
TRAMP: Stewart Island is home to Rakiura National Park which spreads over 85% of the island.
There are two main tramps on the island:
* Rakiura Track:
This track will take you 3 days and covers a total of 36kms. It's a good choice if you want to get amongst the wilderness of the island but don't have the time or experience to complete the more demanding North-West Circuit. The Rakiura track is one of NZ's Great Walks meaning it's an 'easy tramping track' and will be ok for those who've not hiked much before but who have a reasonable level of fitness and sense! It'll take you through beautiful bush and around some cool coast. Make sure you keep an eye out for kiwi as they are plenty on this island.
*North-West Circuit:
This is a challenging track that takes 10ish days to complete. It covers a total of 125kms and will take you through some cool forest, coastline and tracks and tracks of mud! Word on the street is that it's best done in an anti-clockwise direction as that way the tougher parts of the track are near the end where your pack is lighter and you've warmed up! You can shave the last couple of days off the mission by getting a water-taxi back from Freshwater landing.
For both tracks, get tickets from the DoC Visitors Centre at Halfmoon Bay (the township)
There are lots of other walks and tramps on the island as well, varying from 10minutes to 7 hours.
KIWI SPOTTING: Stewart Island is one of the best and easiest places to spot a kiwi (and other wildlife for that matter!). This is especially the case if you head onto one of the tramping tracks and are away from the township. Don't forget, kiwi only come out at night, so grab your headtorch, quiet self and lucky charm and go kiwi spotting :)
KAYAK: Kayaking is another option on the island. You can hire them through Rakiura kayaks or do guided trips with Ruggedy Range Wilderness Experience.
5. Stewart Island and the Rakiura Track Caitlin Brinkerhoff (BU), Unregistered
So much of Stewart Island is untouched which can be refreshing for some people, but city lovers might feel uncomfortable. There’s not even an ATM on the island.
Rakiura Track- The second day is all stairs and there was a lot of mud. The hike we did was really good. The track and the huts were really well-kept and it wasn’t difficult. It was fairly scenic. We saw a lot of cool birds and it’s not particularly popular. The first day we were walking along the coast and we got to see the ocean almost the whole time we were hiking. We saw parrots, fan-tails, tuis, and red crowned parakeets. They would flutter around you. But really, PREPARE FOR MUD. There were literally vats and swimming pools of mud for a half mile.
Posted 2009-05-28 09:50:18
4. Rakiura Track: immerse yourself in nature Allison Young (UNC Chapel Hill), Unregistered
If you want to go for gorgeous sights and unbelievable views go to something like Tongariro, but if you want to immerse yourself in nature, the sights and the sounds and the feeling of nature, then Stewart Island is a good place to do that. You can really take time to stop and listen to all the different birds and the sounds of the stream and the ocean. Solo walks are nice for contemplating life.
Posted 2009-05-28 09:48:46
3. THE place to go for bird lovers Caitlin Brinkerhoff (BU), Unregistered
I would have wanted to take more time in Stewart Island. If you’re a bird lover it’s the place to go. Be prepared for all weather (especially rain— it’s the rainforest) throughout the day.
Posted 2009-05-28 09:40:02
2. Ferry from Bluff to Stewart Island Caitlin Brinkerhoff (BU), Unregistered
When you’re taking the ferry from Bluff to Stewart Island, take nausea meds. Even people who don’t usually get seasick had some troubles. For people with a weak stomach it could be a disaster. Consider taking a flight. Everyone should take Dramamine.
Posted 2009-05-28 09:39:20
1. Stewart Island awesome even for a non-hiker Geetali Chitre (BU), Unregistered
Stewart Island was awesome. We did a 3-day hike and it was really cool because even though I’m not much of a hiker I managed to do it. It was forested and there were slopes, but we weren’t walking up super steep inclines. There is lot and lots and lots of mud, so be prepared.
