Love this trail! It gave me total Tasmania vibes with the alpine plants and moody mountains. Key Summit is actually part of the Routeburn Track, so it’s a solid way to get a little taste of one of NZ’s Great Walks without doing the full 33km mission.

The hike is about 8km return with around 400m of elevation, so it’s a steady climb but nothing too hectic. You’ll walk through lush forest, then pop out above the tree line with some proper stunning views of the surrounding peaks, alpine tarns, and valleys. I did it in a few hours and hung out at the top for ages, bring snacks, it’s a great summit to chill at.