#Worldtour Rakiura track on Stewart Island

When you think of a trip to New Zealand, you immediately think of the two main islands. But did you know that there is a 3rd island? Few people take the time to stop there, which is understandable when you're visiting New Zealand for a limited time and want to do the best-known spots. The advantage of a round-the-world trip is that you can take the time to discover lesser-known places and take a step back in time.

This 3rd island is Stewart Island, in the very south of the South Island. It is reached by ferry from the small town of Bluff.

Stewart Island Great Walk: Rakiura Track

After a hectic hour-long crossing, we arrived in Oban and did the Rakiura Track (a Great Walk!) over 2 days, sleeping in a refuge. The Great Walk is a 32 km hike that takes in a small part of the north of this island, which has remained much wilder than the rest of New Zealand. Crossing lush forests, coastal paths, birds of all kinds and heavenly beaches: this hike offers a superb variety of landscapes.

Arriving in the middle of the day, we decided to hike in the opposite direction to what is often recommended. This allowed us to arrive at the refuge that evening before doing the bulk of the hike the following day. So we hiked directly from Oban to North Arm Hut.

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For the second part of the hike, we left at 6 a.m., the ideal time to see....the Kiwis! This little animal, the country's emblem, is quite rare, and we were finally able to spot 3 of them with our flashlights in the dark. As the island is not very busy, it's easier to observe animals in the wild, and the hike is actually inside the Rakiura National Park, which is very well preserved.

As for the itinerary, we passed through Port William Hut then Lee Bay before arriving in Oban at around 4pm to take a ferry back to the South Island.

Anne & Olivier