Literally hiking from one ocean to a completely another ocean

Part of the 3,000-kilometer Long Pathway (Te Araroa) of New Zealand, the Coast to Coast Walk allows you to hike across Auckland in a matter of hours. You start from one ocean and end at a completely another ocean.

Do you love taking long walks?

Follow the trail of Auckland’s Coast to Coast Walkway. It’s a 16-kilometer lightly trafficked hike that stretches from the Waitemata Harbour in the north and east coast to the Manukau Harbour in the south. It leads you through various landscapes shaped by long Māori occupation, natural and man-made heritage sites, and spectacular views.

What to expect

You start the walk from the Viaduct Harbour on Customs Street. From there, the path leads you along reclaimed areas, parks, historic suburbs, volcanic cones, and a lot more points of interest, including:

• The historical buildings of the University of Auckland
• The modern train and bus terminal, Britomart Transport Centre, in downtown Auckland. It was once the city’s NeoClassic Post Office building.
• The historical Auckland Ferry Terminal that stands tall in its Edwardian Baroque design. This building has served the city since 1912.
• The city’s oldest and largest 75-hectare Auckland Domain.
• The massive 183-meter volcanic peak Maungakiekie. Popularly known as One Tree Hill, this peak is an important memorial place for Māori and other Kiwis.
• The summit of the 196-meter towering Maungawhau, or Mount Eden. From here, you get a 360-degree breathtaking sight of Auckland and its harbours.
• Onehunga Catholic Cemetery, the burial place of many of Onehunga’s early settlers. You will find here tombstones dating as far back as 1853.

The Coast to Coast trail takes about five to six hours to complete or depending on your pace. You need not worry about food provision when you take this hike because there are several refreshment shops along the way.

In 2012, the Coast to Coast Walkway earned the top post in the Ten of the World’s Best City Walks given by the online travel guide, BootsnAll. The walkway is part of the uninterrupted 3,000-kilometre Te Araroa, or The Long Pathway of New Zealand, which covers from Cape Reinga in the North Island to Bluff in the South Island.