When we’re at home, working out is relatively easy as we have access to a gym and a more structured schedule. Work outs usually happen after we finish up our work and before we make dinner.
We’re about one week into our road trip across New Zealand and I’ve actually felt healthier and more fit than I do at home. Why? I’ve discovered some of my favourite hikes of all time… and they are all 16km or longer.
Tongariro Crossing
Round trip distance: 19.4km
Elevation gain: 800 m gain (1125 m loss)
Level: Difficult
Highlights: Deep green lakes, otherworldly landscapes, volcanoes!
Tongariro Crossing is located on the North Island (aka the island everyone told us to skip for some reason) and is hands down the craziest landscape I’ve ever seen in my life. We went from scree slopes to alpine lakes to what looked like a crater from Mars within the span of a few hours. This variation in landscape also resulted in massive fluctuations in temperature, and I mentioned several times how happy I was to be
wearing my Nike One Luxe tights as opposed to the shorts I had originally planned to wear.
Roy’s Peak Track
Round trip distance: 15.6km
Elevation gain: 1,251 m (2.5 hours one way)
Level: Difficult
Highlights: The famous view of the valley that put Wanaka on the map!
Another favourite hike so far has been Roy’s Peak, a gruelling uphill slog that we decided to do for sunrise which meant hiking up in the dark. This was actually fine as the cool darkness balanced out the crazy stair master workout we were getting from the steep incline. When we arrived at the top, however, we were so sweaty and exhausted that the shivering really started to get bad. Again, so happy to be wearing my Nike tights!
Here is one of the many scenic viewpoints from Roy’s Peak. Side note: this very famous spot is not actually located at the peak, it’s about halfway up where there is a sign that points to the right that states “View Point”. Very easy to miss in the dark 😉 You can read our full Roy’s Peak blog post here
Tasman Glacier
The last hike I have to mention isn’t really a hike, so much as a viewpoint that we scrambled down from. It’s called Tasman Glacier and it really put into perspective for us just how gigantic glaciers and icebergs really are. As you can probably already tell from the description, this was a chilly hike once we stopped moving. My Nike tights regulated my temperature so well that I was comfortable the entire time, even as the sun dipped below the mountains.
New Zealand Hikes
In summary, the hikes in New Zealand are mind blowing and the weather can be super unpredictable. Packing well and wearing the right layers can save you from less than ideal conditions.
(The Nike One Luxe 7/8 tights I brought with me on this trip have been amazing for not only the hikes and the crazy weather but they’ve been perfect for just lounging around in the camper van, exploring the gorgeous countryside on sunny days and even visiting with the local wildlife.)
To snag yourself a pair of these amazing adventure tights, click here.
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