Hanmer Springs Travel Guide

Let me first start off by saying, if you are on a time constraint... DO NOT MAKE HANMER SPRINGS A PRIORITY. This is basically a place for Kiwis to get away from the tourists to their "holiday" homes. It is beautiful, as is all of New Zealand, but it is nothing out of the ordinary that you can't get anywhere else in the country. The hot springs are the main attraction, but if you're looking for a relaxing time in the springs, think again. It's practically an over-priced heated swimming pool. It costs $24 for adults and is only really worth it if you have kids. If you're looking for more natural springs, I recommend some of the spots in Rotorua in the North Island or if you want the chlorine but with beautiful views, Tekapo Springs is a must. Now, what is great about Hanmer Springs? The best part I would say, personally, are the hikes. The town is within walking distance to a lot of beautiful hikes. Here are my top 5 things to do in Hanmer Springs:

1. Waterfall Track

Time: This hike takes about 1.5 hours return if you're moderately in shape.

How to Get There: If you're heading there from downtown, take Jollies Pass road east then take a left onto Mclntyre Road and follow it all the way down which will be about a mile. When I went, we didn't have a car so we walked the woodland path which is a nice easy flat path through the forest near the road that leads there. However, I do recommend driving if you can because this took us a lot longer than we anticipated.

The Hike: The majority of the hike on the way to the waterfall is uphill. You might need a few short breaks here and there but the steepness is definitely bearable compared to some other New Zealand hikes. The path is more on the rugged end but it is still laid out well enough to find your way. When you start getting closer to the waterfall, there are some paths that lead to other trails so make sure you're on the right one. Once you're at the end, you'll realize how worth it the hike was. It was much taller than we expected!



If you don't have the time or you want something not as physically demanding, I recommend Conical Hill.

2. Conical Hill

Time: About 20-30 minutes one way.

How to get there: If you just head north from downtown on conical hill road, you'll be there pretty quickly. This path is accessed in the middle of a neighborhood and is just a staircase on the side of the road with a sign. There is no parking lot so you'll have to park on the side of the road or walk from downtown like we did.

The Hike: This is a nice and easy path with a wide walkway of pine needles. The whole way up is switchbacks but if you want to make it more intense, you can cut through the trees and walk directly up (this also makes getting down much faster). I also recommend this hike if you have kids since it is at a good grade for them and it's just short enough that they won't get bored! The walk is filled with those giant red mushrooms which makes it a fun game to see who can find the biggest one. When you get to the top, you'll see a pavilion which you will see amazing views from. There is also a huge boulder next to it which we climbed onto and watched the sunrise from. If you can, I recommend making this an early hike since it is unlikely anyone else will be there. If you're lucky, you'll also be able to see New Zealand's long white cloud like we did.

This next one is for more serious hikers with a whole day free.

3. Mount Isobell

Time: 4-6 hours return depending on the track taken

Clarence Valley: 4 hours return

Waterfall Track: 6 hours return

Combined: 5 hours total

How to get there: There are a few different ways to start this hike. If you plan on walking from downtown, take the waterfall track instead since the start is closer. This way is not recommended though if you can avoid it since walking to the start will eat up the first part of your day. The most common track is from Clarence Valley Road. 

Clarence Valley Road Start: If you're coming from downtown, turn onto Jack's Pass Road, which can be found by the hot pools, then turn right onto Clarence Valley Road which is about a half-mile down. Follow it up for a little more than a mile until you see the carpark. 

There are also much steeper trails, in which, I won't even mention since they are hard to access or for the very experienced. 

The hike: It all depends on which path your taking. It would be ideal to start at the Clarence Valley carpark and end at the waterfall side of it but this might be difficult if you're driving yourself. The Clarence Valley side is more scenic with the second half of the hike being along the ridgeline and an open view. It does get a bit rougher towards the top but if you've made it that far, you might as well keep going.  I also would not recommend the Clarence Valley side if you are hiking in the winter since it can get very windy and exposed on the ridgeline. The waterfall route is a bit steeper and more slippery since it is in the forest. However, this can be nice if you're hiking in the middle of the summer since it will be a bit cooler in the forest.

4. Fish n' Chips

As always in New Zealand, you can't get enough fish n' chips! There are a couple of places in Hanmer Springs. There is a stand on the corner across from the hot springs but it closes early. We ended up going to Hanmer Fish n' Chip shop which was just a few feet down the road. I really can't give a bad review on Fish n' Chips since it all tastes the same to me.

5. Mini Golf

Hanmer Springs for some reason has a few mini-golf places which are a great option if you don't have a lot of time to do some of the hikes. All three of them are within walking distance from downtown so pick your thunder. Alpine Crazy Put is the simplest, A-Maze-N-Golf is the most intricate, and Hanmer Pitch 'N' Putt the biggest.