Two Private Tracks - One Remarkably Varied North Island Journey

Keen to explore somewhere new, away from the crowds, in great company and with an experienced guide? These two North Island tracks each stand on their own, and work beautifully together if you have the time for both.

Nuku Track

5 Days / 4 Nights  ·  Moderate  ·  Auckland or Hamilton

The King Country is one of those corners of New Zealand that most visitors simply drive past. The Nuku Track takes you right into it - onto a large, privately-owned working station along the remote black-sand coast, south of Raglan on the wild west side of the North Island.

Over three days, you walk through native bush, across open farmland, past an extinct volcano (Mt Whareorino), along coastal ridgelines and down to Nukuhakari Bay. The landscape shifts constantly - dense forest one moment, wide sea views the next, then a sunny meadow beside a clear creek. In total it’s around 30 kilometres, graded Moderate+ because of the mixed terrain. Parts can be slippery when wet and there are some steep sections, though there’s always the option to be driven past the steepest bits at the start of each day.

The station hosts live here and they provide all the catering - dinners, breakfasts, and picnic lunches that go with you on the track. It’s remote in the best possible sense: no phone signal, no crowds, just the land, the sky, and good company.

Before and after the track, there are two extras that add a lot to the trip - a visit to the Kiwi House in Ōtorohanga on the way in, and a private 2.5-hour glowworm tour through two very different caves at Waitomo on the final morning. We go with Spellbound, a small operator we’ve known for years - it’s a peaceful boat ride through a cave lit by thousands of glowworms, quiet and rather special. Very different from the big commercial cave experience down the road.

👉 Full details and dates - Nuku Track

Coromandel White Star Track

4 Days / 3 Nights  ·  Moderate  ·  Auckland to Auckland

The Coromandel Peninsula is well known - but the White Star Track on its eastern side is something else entirely. It’s a private track that only recently opened to small guided groups, and very few people have walked it yet. That, in itself, is already worth something.

Over three days, the track takes you through landscapes that change constantly: open farm slopes, nikau palm groves, small waterfalls, stream crossings, and wide ridgelines with views across both sides of the peninsula. The terrain is mostly old farm and forest tracks - wide and manageable - with some uneven ground and the occasional steeper section. Good boots and hiking poles will serve you well.

The hosts look after you from the moment you arrive. Each night you sleep somewhere different and a little unique - the first night in a beautiful old farmhouse, the second in an eco-bush cabin set in the back of the farm, and the last in a purpose-built cottage. The food is wholesome, generous, and eaten together. Our guide Belinda was on the very first group and came back with a simple verdict: outstanding hospitality, wonderful walking, and a track that deserves to be known.

On the first day, before the walking begins, a two-hour glass-bottom boat trip takes you along the Whitianga coastline - Cathedral Cove, sea caves, blowholes, and the volcanic shoreline. There are spots where you can jump straight off the boat into the water if you’re feeling brave. On the final day, a ride on the Driving Creek Railway - a quirky hand-built narrow-gauge train that winds through native forest to a hilltop lookout - brings the trip to a gentle close.

👉 Full details and dates - White Star Track

Combine both tracks - and make it a nine-day North Island adventure

In February 2027, the dates are set so that the Nuku Track and the White Star Track run one after the other. Two very different regions, two completely different walking environments, and everything organised. Do allow for one night near Auckland airport between the two tours - you’ll be dropped off there in the afternoon and picked up again the next morning at 9am, so a nearby hotel makes things simple and easy.

Nuku Track:  7 – 11 Feb 2027     + 1 night near AKL airport     White Star Track:  12 – 15 Feb 2027

Both tracks also run on other dates throughout the season - visit the tour pages for the full calendar, or get in touch and we’ll help you find what works.

As always on our tours, luggage travels separately so you only carry a day pack on the track. Small groups, everything organised, and great women to walk with.

Questions? Just write to us at women@sidetracks.co.nz - we’re happy to help you figure out whether one or both of these tracks are the right fit for you.