New zealand is known for having stunning, otherworldly landscapes, and you don’t have to go to the middle of nowhere to witness them! Below is a list of what I believe are the best walks near Auckland – all within one hour of the cbd. My personal favorites are Comans Track, Long Bay Okura track, and the Kauri Glen Walkway.
At a glance
The best walks near Auckland
Comans Track
Distance from Auckland CBD: 50 minutes
Difficulty: hard (some steep sections with plenty of stairs)
length: 7.2km
Approximate Time to complete: 2-3 hours
Expect to see: stunning views of the Tasman Sea, dramatic Cliffs, green valleys, black sand beaches
More details from this hike are posted on my week in my life, part seven post.
Mercer Bay Loop Walk
Distance from Auckland CBD: 50 minutes
Difficulty: moderate (there is one steep, uphill section. otherwise, it is easy)
length: 2.1km
Approximate Time to complete: 30 min – 1 hr
Expect to see: since this is connected to Comans Track, expect to see the same landscapes. stunning views of the Tasman Sea, dramatic Cliffs, green valleys, black sand beaches.
More details from this hike are posted on my week in my life, part seven post.
Karekare Falls walk
Distance from Auckland CBD: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
length: 0.6km
Approximate Time to complete: 15 minutes (out and back)
Expect to see: a gorgeous 30 meter / 98 foot tall waterfall!
More details from this hike are posted on my week in my life, part seven post.
Omanawanui Track
Distance from Auckland CBD: 1 hour
Difficulty: hard (there are a ton of stairs)
length: 3.7km
Approximate Time to complete: 2-3 hours (out and back). alternatively, if you have two cars, you can park one at the Pūriri ridge track and another at the Omanawanui end and just hike one direction, which would take 1-1.5 hours.
Expect to see: views of the Waitakere Range, the sparkling blue Tasman Sea, jungle landscapes, and Manakau Heads across the bay.
Kauri Glen Walkway
Distance from Auckland CBD: 15 minutes
Difficulty: easy
length: 1.5km out and back
Approximate Time to complete: 20 minutes, but you can make it longer by walking around some of the off-shoot paths
Expect to see: Beautiful views of treetops and lush greenery!
Long Bay Okura Track
Distance from Auckland CBD: 30 minutes
Difficulty: moderate; there are some steep uphill spots
length: 8 km
Approximate Time to complete: ~2 hours
Expect to see: white sand beaches, rocky cliffs, rolling green pastures, and maybe some cows and sheep if you’re lucky
More details from this hike are posted on my week in my life, part seven post.
Shakespear park Tiritiri and heritage Loop
Distance from Auckland CBD: 50 minutes
Difficulty: easy
length: 7.9km
Approximate Time to complete: ~2 hours
Expect to see: Gorgeous views of the water, plenty of sheep (we walked alongside a bunch of them!), rainforest scenery, rolling farm land
more details from this hike are posted on my week in my life, part five post.
Milford to Takapuna Coastal Walk
Distance from Auckland CBD: 25 minutes
Difficulty: easy
length: 8.4km
Approximate Time to complete: ~1 hour 30 min
Expect to see: rocky and sandy beaches, views of the water and Rangitoto, pretty beachfront homes
More details from this hike are posted on my week in my life, part four post.
Mount Eden Path
Distance from Auckland CBD: 15 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
length: 2.1 km
Approximate Time to complete: ~40 minutes
Expect to see: views of all of Auckland and its surrounding areas / islands. Definitely recommend if you’re only in Auckland for a few days!
Auckland coast to coast walkway
Distance from Auckland CBD: n/a – it starts in the CBD!
Difficulty: moderate
length: 16 km. you can also split it up into a few parts – The Auckland council recommends the following splits: Part one: City to Auckland Domain (50 minutes approximately), Part two: Grafton to Maungakiekie (90 minutes approximately), Part three: Cornwall Park to Manukau Harbour (90 minutes approximately)
Approximate Time to complete: ~4 hours
Expect to see: city life, gorgeous parks, cute neighborhoods, panoramic views of Auckland and the surrounding areas.
Rangitoto Summit walk
Distance from Auckland CBD: 25 minutes (by ferry)
Difficulty: moderate
length: 7km
Approximate Time to complete: ~ 2 hours. This is if you go down the same way you go up, but there are also alternative routes to go down for a longer trek. Additionally, there is a Lava Caves Track off of the summit walk that I recommend detouring for – it’s an additional 20 minutes or so.
Expect to see: Panoramic views of Auckland city and the islands in the Hauraki Bay, Lavascapes (e.g., black lava rocks and sand), lush greenery
More details from this hike are posted on my week in my life, part one post.
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