This was my first overnight hike in NZ, and honestly, I can’t recommend it enough. I loved it. It’s a popular one but doesn’t get nearly enough hype, so here’s me giving it its flowers. Angelus Hut is tucked in the mountain ranges, surrounded by two stunning lakes. The spot itself is seriously stunning.

Now, the hike. It’s a solid overnight walk, being about 12 km each way with roughly 1070 meters of elevation gain. Definitely not a walk in the park. It takes 5-7 hours each way. For context, it took me 6 hours to get there and 4 hours to get back. You start from the car park on the Pinchgut Track, which gives you views of Lake Rotoiti. I wasn’t a fan of this first bit, it’s a long, steady uphill through the forest that feels like it drags on forever.

Once you break out of the treeline, you join the Robert Ridge Route. From here you follow the same track as you summit Mt Flagtop and Julius Peak. It’s a tough climb through alpine terrain, with loose rocks and lots of sun exposure, so only tackle it in good weather.

After 12 kms you’ll hit Lake Angelus and the hut which is actually pretty fancy. It sleeps 28, needs to be booked online in advance, and costs around $30–40 a night. Mattresses and toilets are provided, and there’s a hut warden too. The hut sits between two lakes, the big one’s for drinking water, so no swimming, but the smaller one you pass on the way is perfect for a cold dip after all that walking.

There are a couple of other routes to get here, but they’re less scenic and more challenging. And only do this one in summer, as it gets seriously cold (sub-zero) outside of those months.