Hi Jamie
I would not recommend Auckland as a backpacking/tramping venue. You will need to head South.
You could easily spend 8 days in Tongariro National Park in the middle of North Island doing the Round Ruapehu Mountain track and Tongariro Crossing.
If you are looking for real adventure you need to head to the South Island. I wouldn’t recommend tramping alone to anyone, especially on a long trip, but thats your choice. Make sure you leave detailed plans of your intentions with the Department of Conservation (www.doc.govt.nz).
Areas for long tramping trips – Dusky Track (Fiordland), Around Stewart Island, Wangapeka – Karamea – Leslie River – Tablelands (Kahurangi National Park). Check out the Lonely Planet Guide to Tramping in NZ as a starting point. There are plenty of backcountry guidebooks available in NZ (might be hard to get hold of elsewhere but try http://www.fmc.org.nz and http://www.nzac.org.nz) that cover areas away from the tourist routes. Examples include Moirs Guides (North and South editions) which cover Fiordland and up to Mt Aspiring National Park. There are also two books covering the main divide between Mt Cook and Arthurs Pass by Sven Brabyn.
If you’re looking for alpine areas then head for the Mt Cook region and the main divide north and south of that area.
October is our Spring so be prepared for changeable weather, equinoxal winds and rain.
Happy tramping
