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Missed out on securing a Great Walks pass? Own the backyard instead.
Trade Me Property reveals the gateway towns where you can swap a Great Walks hut pass for a lifetime of backyard access
Last updated: 13 May 2026
AI summary
Missed out on a Great Walks pass? Trade Me Property highlights an alternative: buying your own "basecamp" in a gateway town for lifetime access to Aotearoa's premier tracks.
Secure a permanent hub for your adventures in key locations:
- Te Anau: For the Milford, Kepler, and Routeburn Tracks.
- Motueka: For the Abel Tasman Coast Track.
- Ohakune: For Tongariro and the Whanganui Journey.
- Stewart Island: For the Rakiura Track.
With properties available from around $420,000, you can swap the annual booking scramble for your own backyard wilderness.
Missed out on securing your pass for the Milford track? Why not buy basecamp? Trade Me Property reveals the most affordable gateway towns where you can swap a 4-night hut pass for a lifetime of backyard access, starting from just over $400 thousand.
Bookings for New Zealand’s Great Walks, essentially the Glastonbury of tramping, opened for the season this week with the booking scramble a fixture in the calendar of many outdoor enthusiasts, both within and outside of Aotearoa.
These in demand, multi-day walks through some of the country's most pristine wilderness are incredibly popular, with the most well-known tracks such as the Routeburn, Milford, Kepler and Abel Tasman tracks, booking up fast.
The triple threat gateway, Te Anau
Te Anau, the gateway to the Milford, Kepler, and Routeburn tracks
Serving the Milford, Kepler, and Routeburn Tracks, Te Anau is the undisputed capital of the Great Walks. These listings allow you to own some of that Basecamp lifestyle.
The big family basecamp
Architecturally designed, this 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom property offers sweeping views across Lake Te Anau and framed by the majestic Fiordland mountains beyond, all without having to leave your couch.
Price by negotiation.
The retreat, with all the creature comforts
Modern 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home. This is for the hiker who wants a hot rain shower and a wine on the deck after finishing the Kepler loop.
Asking price: $920,000.
The entry-level shack
Pretty as a picture in Te Anau
A compact 1-bedroom starter. Why pay for a DOC hut when you can have your own permanent bunkroom?
Enquiries Over $665,000.
The coastal escape, Motueka and Riwaka
The golden sands of the Abel Tasman national park
Serving the Abel Tasman Coast Track and for those who prefer golden sands and kayaks to mountain peaks.
The solid base
Three bedrooms on a massive 1,201m² section with plenty of room to park the boat and dry the gear.
Enquiries Over $725,000.
The heritage hub
Riwaka, Motueka on the doorstep to the Abel Tasman
A 3-bedroom character home right at the doorstep of the park.
Enquiries Over $769,000.
The volcanic adventure, Ohakune
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing can see more than 3,000 hikers per day during the peak season
Serving the Tongariro Northern Circuit and Whanganui Journey with Dual-season value: skiing in winter, walking in summer.
The alpine chalet
A cozy 2-bedroom sunny chalet, the ultimate lock-and-leave for weekend warriors hitting the Tongariro Crossing.
Enquiries Over $490,000.
The garden paradise
A tidy 2-bedroom home at an accessible price point for first-home buyers looking for a lifestyle shift.
Enquiries over $615,000
The island sanctuary, Stewart Island/Rakiura, the third motu
Stewart Island, home to the Rakiura Track, the southernmost of the Great Walks tracks
The island icon
Four bedrooms with spectacular views, it’s entirely possible to see more Kiwi birds from your deck than you on the actual track.
Asking price $720,000
14 Kaka Ridge Road, Stewart Island offers commanding views
The coastal seclusion
A secluded waterfront section, for those who truly want to get away from it all.
Enquiries Over $420,000.
The new frontier, in Tuatapere
Trampers on boardwalk arriving at Okaka Hut on the newest Great walk, Hump Ridge Track.
The family find
Room for the whole crew in Tuatapere, the entry to the Hump Ridge Track
A 4-bedroom home with room for the whole whanau on the edge of the wild south coast.
Enquiries Over $420,000.
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