A stunning walk from Karamea through to Golden Bay, it will take five days to complete, but boy it’s worth it! It’s an easy tramp so great for the young and old and you’ll experience the amazing and diverse landscapes of the top of the South Island.

A fantastic 50 minute walk, you’ll love Nikau Walk for its spectacular views. The suspension bridge leaves the Heaphy Track and takes you through an amazing Nikau and Northern Rata Forest.

Quite possibly the coolest walk in Hokitika, I love the Treetop Walk! The walk (although costs at little bit to do) is literally located high up in the trees - when you get the end of the walk you’re greeted by a cafe … what’s not to love about that??

The Truman Track is a quick 15 minute walk submerged in sub tropical rainforest - the great thing about this walk is that you don’t need to walk far to discover the amazing coastline, cliffs and sea caves. This track is real joy!

A nice 15 minute stroll, Hokitika Gorge is a great place for a walk. The viewing platform is awesome and the whole walk is wheelchair accessible. There’s even a swing bridge and granite rocks along the walk.

A beautiful bay located by Lake Kaniere, I love Hans Bay for its fishing (from the jetty), boating and swimming. Take a picnic for the day or stay the night at the amazing lake-front campsite - what better way to spend the summer than here?!

I love Crooked River! This beautiful and erratic river runs from the Southern Alps, through Brunner on the West Coast. Excellent for fly fishing as well as swimming, you’ll find many great places to take a dip along its path.

The famous river Grey is a great spot for swimming. The best place to dive in is at the Grey River Camping Ground where you can pitch a tent and take your time exploring the river and its banks.

The Haast is a stunning river. If you find the perfect place in amongst the native bush of the West Coast, you may never want to leave this fantastic swimming spot. I love coming here with friends and taking a picnic - bring a few boogie boards too!

I love Lake Mahinapua Scenic Reserve and the best place to explore it from is Lake Mahinapua Campsite. There are so many activities and fun times to be had exploring the lake as well as opportunities for picnicking, walking and water sports.

This national park has an amazing limestone river canyon. Located in amongst the 30,000 hectare Paparoa National Park, the river canyon is family friendly and the best spot for swimming!

A beautiful spot for swimming, I love Mavora Lakes Park for the spectacular mountains, beech forest and wildlife. Look out for trout in the river too!

A great fishing river, Oreti River is also a super place for swimming too. This scenic river flows from the Southern Alps so be warned, it’s cold, even in summer!

Not just a motor camp, but the secret location of an amazing swimming hole! I love Waikaia Domain Motor Camp for the nearby river (and of course, swimming hole!), and the beautiful setting under the trees - this spot rules for a picnic or camping ground!

One of New Zealand’s most famous walking and tramping tracks, I love Milford Track. The four day walk is popular for its amazing views and shared huts - no camping allowed so you’re bound to meet loads of new friends along the way.

A 32km walk, the Rakiura Track will take three glorious days to complete. Not only is this walk a favourite of mine because of the views, but the bird life is truly wonderful.

This Fiordland National Park walking track is wonderful! A "Great Walk" of New Zealand, Routeburn Track is great for beginners through to advanced walkers - and the great part is that you can camp or stay in huts, the choice is yours!

I love Kepler Track! This is a great walk for exploring the Luxmore Caves and tussock grasslands, as well as Iris Burn Falls - there are great huts for staying in too.

This Fiordland track is an excellent walk for beginners through to advanced. Bookings are required for this 3-day loop walk - expect to experience the beautiful coastline on the South and sub-alpine tops. It’s truly magnificent!

The Albert Burn Hut Truck makes its way from the valley through to a gorge which crosses a river a few times. It’s a moderate walk which goes through a spectacular beech forest which makes this walk my favourite in Otago!

Dingle Burn Peninsula Track is a fantastic walk. It’s an easy stroll through the Hāwea Conservation Park - you’ll have stunning views of the Mt Aspiring Lake too.

Lake Hayes in Wanaka is a special place in Otago. I love the long rambling walks and lovely views of Wanaka. The best bit is walking to the high street and enjoying a long black after.

Butterfields Westland Walk is awesome! I particularly like the Hāwea River Swing Bridge and the vast area for biking, running and walking. The wildlife reserve is truly great too.

This 2-3 day walk is truly great. The Breast Hill Track has a number of excellent huts to book a night in and be warned, this track is only suitable for experienced walkers.

Wishbone Falls is a truly magnificent watering hole. You’ll find this swimming spot at Mt Aspiring National Park with 80-metre cascades - this place is spectacular!

Lake Crucible is a great spot for a quick dip. Suitable for strong swimmers, this lake is surrounded by tall mountains (including Mt Aspiring) and large ice bergs. It’s a fantastic place to take anyone new to New Zealand, so they can see the ultimate beauty of this country!

A local favourite, I love Bucklands Crossing because it is a great little secret swimming spot. There’s loads of fantastic grassy areas for picnicking and playing sport. The best part of Bucklands is the slow moving river with rope swing!

I love this Central Otago swimming hole! You’ll find Pinder Pond near Roxburgh - it’s a superb place for a dip, and great for kids too.

Lake Wakatipu is a great swimming spot. I love this spot for not only swimming but walks and rock jumping. You’ll love the spectacular views and amazing sunshine!