Rakiura - southern circuit, New Zealand: what it is and when to go

What it is and where

Rakiura - southern circuit is a hiking trail in New Zealand (Oban, New Zealand).

Can add Southern Circuit to North West Circuit. Or get a boat to Freshwater or Freds Camp Hut. Southern Circuit is a remote, challenging tramping experience and requires a high level of fitness, good route-finding skills, and backcountry experience.

It is in Oban, New Zealand, where this site lists 46 more places to see, 26 km from the centre.

Its coordinates are -46.95227, 167.84081; the nearest main airport is Queenstown Airport (ZQN, Queenstown), 226 km as the crow flies. How to get around New Zealand (train, car, bus) is covered in its country guide.

Where it is (opens in a new tab)Directions (opens in a new tab)

Trail network

Regional

Distance

71.5 km

Run by

Department of Conservation

It is one of the Hiking places in New Zealand. In Kokai it is already on your trip map next to the places you save yourself, and it goes into a day's plan with one tap.

When to go

The best time to visit Rakiura - southern circuit is October to April.

In December there are 15 h 40 of daylight, and in June, 8 h 20. Daylight hours are calculated from the site's latitude for the 15th of each month; when planning a full day on foot they matter as much as the weather.

When to go to New Zealand in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in its country guide.

Before you go to New Zealand

To enter New Zealand there are 8 things to sort out before you leave, starting with “Car, ferry and huts, booked well in advance”: they are all, with their deadlines, in the New Zealand checklist. Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD); plugs: Type I · 230 V · 50 Hz (two flat pins in a V: adapter essential); emergencies: 111.

In Kokai you tick off the checklist inside your trip, and each item reminds you when it is time to do it.

What is nearby

• Mount RakeahuaMountain on Stewart Island, New Zealand3.2 km
• Big SandhillHill in New Zealand4.3 km
• Rakeahua HutHiking4.5 km
• Homestead Hunters HutHiking4.8 km
• Mason Bay HutHiking5.4 km

Distances are as the crow flies. Everything else is in the New Zealand guide.

More in New Zealand: Hiking

• Kepler Track: a three- to four-day tramp in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
• Queenstown Hill: mountain in New Zealand
• Tongariro Alpine Crossing: tramping track in New Zealand
• Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk: Hiking trail in New Zealand's North Island
• Tongariro Northern Circuit: a three- to four-day tramp in Tongariro National Park, New Zealand
• Abel Tasman Coast Track: walking track in New Zealand

Every New Zealand place under Hiking, each with its season, is on its page.

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

• Oban, New Zealand46 places to see in and around Oban, New Zealand, New Zealand: Mount Anglem, Rakiura Track, Halfmoon Bay. Best time: October to April.
• Hiking1141 places for hiking in New Zealand, from Kepler Track to spots hardly anyone knows. Best time: October to April. Each with its own season by altitude and daylight.
• New ZealandBefore travelling to New Zealand: 8 things worth sorting out, each with its deadline. You need the NZeTA before flying (a visa waiver, not a visa), and the IVL tourist l…
• Where to travelPick what you fancy (mountains, beaches, museums…) and the months you have free, and Kokai tells you which countries to go to and what to see there.