5 Days: West Coast Wilderness Loop, New Zealand
Drive New Zealand's most remote and moody coastline—a tight loop through temperate rainforest, past active glaciers, and along turbulent grey-sand beaches. Perfect for budget-conscious adventurers who thrive in raw weather and empty roads.
What to expect
- Hike to Franz Josef Glacier's gravel terminus through beech forest.
- Walk the Punakaiki Rocks' limestone Blowhole Trail at high tide.
- Explore pancake-like Pancake Rocks formations and caverns.
- Drive through dense rainforest on the Haast Pass road.
- Soak in natural thermal pools near Ross (rarely crowded).
- Watch coal trains and walk Hokitika's gold-rush heritage beachfront.
Day by day
Arrive in Greymouth; pick up rental car and fill fuel (last reliable stops here).
Drive south along the coast; stop at Lake Brunner for a short walk.
Settle in Hokitika; explore the gold-rush-era shops and Art Deco streetscape.
Drive south; detour to Okarito Lagoon for a guided kayak tour (herons and bitterns).
Continue to Whataroa; hike into matai and rimu rainforest at Whataroa River Reserve.
Stay in Whataroa; dinner at local pub; prepare for early glacier day.
Early drive to Franz Josef village; book glacier hike (start 8 am to avoid crowds).
Guided walk to the glacier terminus across the valley; return by 2 pm.
Relax at Glacier Hot Pools; dinner with glacier views from the lodge.
Drive Haast Pass; stop at Gates of Haast waterfall and scenic lookouts.
Continue north to Punakaiki; hike the Blowhole Trail (time arrival for high tide).
Walk the Pancake Rocks limestone formations at sunset; lodge near Punakaiki.
Drive north via the Buller River gorge; short stop at Punakaiki Caverns.
Detour to Ross village; walk to old gold-mining sites and soak in hot springs.
Return to Greymouth; return rental car.
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