Wellington Botanic Garden trails

Length

4.8km

Uses

Walking/Running

Walking difficulty

Easy: Walking track

Profile

126m highest point

Dogs

Yes (on lead)

Looking through a flower garden as two people walk along a path in the Botanic Gardens.

About the trails

Stroll through Wellington Botanic Garden ki Paekākā and enjoy 25 hectares of unique landscape, protected native forest, plant collections, floral displays, and views over Wellington city.

Only minutes away from the city centre, the garden offers beauty and intrigue year-round. Whether you have 10 minutes or two hours, there are walking tracks for everyone to explore.

Trail highlights

Downhill Path

From the top of the Cable Car, venture downhill and stop to enjoy the garden’s main collections. Choose from gardens themed from areas of the world like the Mediterranean, Australia, India, China, and many more.

Kowhai Walk

Explore the top of the garden and walk between the Dominion Observatory, Space Place at Carter Observatory, and Krupp Gun.

Sculpture Trail

The Sculpture Trail is a loop that starts at the Lady Norwood Rose Garden where you can spot six works among the flora.

Bush Walk

The Bush Walk meanders through native New Zealand bush from the Cable Car downhill or reverse the trail to end with the harbour vista. You can often spot a range of native birds in the garden skies.

Sensation Trail

Also known as the Louis Braille Trail, this walk takes 20 minutes and features tactile markers. Pick up a braille brochure from the Treehouse Visitor Centre to venture through the gardens and find the tactile markers on the ground that direct you to braille signposts nearby.

View from the Botanic Gardens looking over trees and out to the Wellington harbour.

View from the top of the Botanic Garden, looking across the city to Wellington harbour.

Trail maps

For detailed Botanic Garden track and walkway maps:

check out the Wellington Botanic Garden website
download the Wellington Botanic Garden map brochure [PDF, 4.4 MB]

A view of Wellington Harbour/ Port Nicholson at golden hour with Matiu/Somes Island in the centre of the image.

Mātiu/Somes Island

Ramble around this stunning nature reserve that sits right in the middle of Wellington Harbour.

The view overlooking Wellington and the harbour from the summit of Mount Kaukau on the Skyline Walkway.

Northern Walkway

Take a journey through Wellington’s outer green belt and discover abandoned railway tunnels and expansive views.

The bright blue water and rugged coastline at Red Rocks on Wellington's south coast.

Red Rocks Coastal Walk

Waimapihi Reserve, Brooklyn Turbine and Te Kopahou ReserveExperience the wildest part of Wellington’s rugged south coast, where you might encounter a colony of fur seals and catch views of the South Island.

Two people take a selfie together at the Mount Victoria Lookout overlooking Wellington.

Southern Walkway

Start near Wellington’s city centre and follow the Town Belt through to Island Bay.

Eastern Walkway

Enjoy sweeping views over the south coast of Miramar Peninsula while walking through native bush on the Eastern Walkway. Loop back with an easy stroll along the coastline from Breaker Bay.

Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush

There’s a wide variety of walks available at Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush, ranging from gentle 10-minute strolls to 2.5-hour hikes. Original forests and native botanic gardens attract plenty of native birds.