A Guide to Planning a Te Araroa Journey
As long-distance hiking grows increasingly popular, thru-hikers are beginning to expand out from the classic hikes (AT, PCT, CDT) and are starting to get on more trails. Many of these trails are smaller, less traveled trails in the United States, but international hikes are steadily becoming a popular option for thru-hikers. No international route has gained more popularity and numbers of hikers over the last few years than Te Araroa, New Zealand's Trail. This 3,000-kilometer walk along the length of New Zealand offers hikers a chance to experience Kiwi culture, explore some of the most stunning backcountries in the world, and take advantage of following summer to the southern hemisphere and enjoy a second hiking season.
As TA grows in popularity, particularly to American and Canadian hikers with experience on North American trails, it's essential for hikers interested in walking TA to know what to expect. This trail is not the PCT, not even close. Having been lucky enough to have walked TA last year, I now offer this Guide to a TA thru-tramp. What to expect, how to plan for it, and how to properly respect the differences between a TA walk and what you may have already experienced on a thru-hike in North America.
It's already mid-September, the TA tramping season is about to begin. Even though many folks who may have been planning a TA thru-tramp this year won't be able to due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it's still the perfect time of year to offer up this planning guide. Also, keep in mind that the current, official Alert Level 2 in New Zealand has some extra restrictions in place. If you were planning on a TA tramp this year and have had to postpone it, I hope this Guide will help you prepare for next year. If you didn't already have plans to walk TA, I hope that this Guide may inspire you to do so, while still maintaining respect for the trail, the people, and the country to which it means so much.
Tararua Mountains - North Island
Kiwi and TA specific terms and places used in this article
Don't let New Zealand being an English-speaking nation lead you to believe that you'll understand every word you come across on a TA tramp! Maori influence on names of places and terms and just Kiwi specific slang may lead to some words that aren't too familiar. Here's a shortlist of words and phrases that may be helpful, especially in reading this article. I've also included some places that I'll mention and where they're located in New Zealand to help provide a reader unfamiliar with its geography.
Te Araroa - The name of the long-distance trail that this article is all about. It is Te Reo Maori and roughly translates to "The Long Pathway." I'm often going to abbreviate it as just "TA."
Maori - the name for the indigenous, Polynesian people of New Zealand. They arrived in the early 1300s, and their history and culture still have a tremendous influence and importance to the nation to this day.
Te Reo Maori - "The Language of the People" - is used for words given in the Maori language. In general, when naming places in this article I will give the English word, followed by the Te Reo Maori word in parenthesis.
Aotearoa - Te Reo Maori for New Zealand - translates to "Land of the Long White Cloud."
Tramping - Just Kiwi slang for hiking!
Cape Reinga (Te Rerenga Wairua) - the Northernmost tip of the North Island; where TA begins
Bluff (Motupōhue)- the Southernmost tip of the South Island; where TA ends
Auckland (Tāmaki Makaurau) - the largest city of New Zealand. It is located on the North Island, about 600km south of Cape Reinga.
Wellington (Te Whanganui-a-Tara) - New Zealand’s capital city, it is the end of the North Island for a SOBO TA tramper. It is a beautiful and unique city and a good rest spot for a thru-tramper before taking the Cook Strait Ferry down to the South Island.
The Route
The traditional, most logistically sound way to hike Te Araroa is to begin at Cape Reinga in the Springtime (October-November) and hike Southbound to Bluff. In general, that is the route and direction that this Guide will help provide information for, but it should still help walkers who may intend to hike TA in different ways. A Northbound hike from Bluff to Cape Reinga can begin anytime in the mid-summer (January), and trampers who want to hike the South Island, a popular, shorter option, can walk it in either direction throughout the summer months (January-March).
Typically each island will take 2-3 months to hike, so if a tramper wants to walk the whole trail, they can expect to take 4-6 months. It can certainly be done faster, but this is probably a trail that you're not going to want to rush. More so than any other trail, the many opportunities to do some fun, exciting, and exciting extracurriculars are sure to tempt you. Classic New Zealand tourism, exploring parts of the country that TA doesn't quite get to, and enjoying other non-hiking activities are well worth taking a bit more time to do this hike than your fastest possible pace.
A Southbound tramper will start at Cape Reinga - the Northern tip of New Zealand, and begin their hike with about four days on a remote beach - 90-mile beach (the beach is only 90 kilometers, about 60 miles). After working their way across the island over to the East coast, the tramper will walk through small towns, forests, and other beaches on their way to Auckland.
Auckland to Hamilton (Kirikiriroa) is entirely road and urban walking, and many trampers elect to skip this section. After leaving Hamilton, a tramper will slowly work their way back into the bush. The rest of the North Island provides some fantastic backcountry, including the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Whanganui River float, and Tararua mountain range. The North Island tramp ends in Wellington, from which a thru-tramper will take the Cook Straight Ferry to the South Island at Picton.
The view of 90-mile beach from Cape Reinga
Auckland Skyline, with Rangitoto Island in the distance
A view of the Marlborough Sounds from the Queen Charlotte Track
The South Island begins with the Queen Charlotte Track, a popular and sometimes crowded stretch winding through the Marlborough Sounds. After this, the route soon finds remote bush and stays there for most of the South Island. The trail goes through the Richmond Ranges, which are immediately followed by Nelson Lakes National Park. From there, you'll enter the Southern Alps (Kā Tiritiri o te Moana) and some of the most stunning scenery in the world.
The South Island offers many opportunities to explore extra parts of New Zealand and popular tourist destinations like Milford Sound (Piopiotahi), Christchurch (Ōtautahi), and Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park. Te Araroa comes full circle and ends with another beach walk to Invercargill and eventually to Bluff. Many trampers' journey doesn't end there, however, as it's relatively easy to take the ferry down to Stewart Island (Rakiura) and explore it after finishing.
North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) vs. South Island (Te Waipounamu)
Mount Ngauruhoe, as seen from the highest point of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, North Island
Walking the North Island is a front-country experience. There will be some backcountry sections (the Whanganui River float is one of the most remote parts of the backcountry you'll be in on the whole trip). Still, for the most part, the North Island offers a TA tramper a chance to experience countless New Zealand towns, cities, history, and culture. This is not a National Scenic Trail in the way that the AT or PCT is for America. It is a combination of a scenic, historic and recreational trail. The North Island is where you'll find most of your history and culture - an essential part of the TA experience.
I experienced some of the most fantastic hospitality of my life on the North Island. Town after town that I passed through, I was welcomed by Kiwi's who were happy to have walkers come through. The Trail Angel network on the North Island (the whole TA really but especially the North Island) is awe-inspiring for such a young trail.
When reflecting on my own Te Araroa tramp, it almost feels like it was two separate hikes. The differences between the North and the South islands in terrain, culture, and overall experience often feels like night and day. You may have heard that it's all about the South Island - and if you have to only choose one, then that is the clear and obvious choice. While the South Island is utterly fantastic (which I'll get to in just a bit), I'm also here to make the North Island case. It's an integral part of a TA thru-tramp, and part of what makes it so unique. Ultimately, the differences between the two islands contribute to the overall TA experience.
Lake Tekapo, as seen from Stag Saddle, the highest point of TA, South Island
The South Island is where you'll get your real backcountry experience. The mountain sections in the Richmond Ranges, Nelson Lakes National Park, and the Southern Alps will challenge you as much as any North American range. The lakes in the Otago region are beautiful, glacial-fed lakes, giving them a unique, pewter-blue color.
There are still opportunities to explore some of the most fun, interesting towns in Aotearoa on the South Island. A trip to Christchurch, either from Arthur's Pass or after the tramp ends, is well worth it. Queenstown is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, and TA will walk right through it.
In general, the South Island tramping will be much more remote than that of the North Island. Some sections walking through the Southern Alps in the Canterbury region are the most remote places I've ever been to. The South Island will also offer more backcountry challenges, including steep, rugged, and sometimes dangerous mountain traverses, and the notorious river crossings from the Southern Alps' glacial flow.
A typical wire bridge crossing, very common on TA especially on the South Island
Differences and similarities between TA and other trails
As I already mentioned, one of the defining characteristics of Te Araroa is that it is a historic, scenic, and recreational trail. Something that seems to give trampers a challenging experience every year on TA is having expectations that they are entering a total wilderness experience. The wilderness areas will be there, but they're only going to be a part of the experience. It's important to remember that this is almost better described as a walking tour of New Zealand rather than a thru-hike.
Still, as TA continues to grow more popular, one aspect of the experience similar to a more traditional thru-hike will be the social aspect. The community that forms on TA is really special, and the relationships that are made will be some of the most special you've ever had. Meeting people from all over the world and walking the length of a remote, distant land with them creates incredible bonds. Sharing fun experiences in the front country gives a unique twist to the classic tramily dynamics. However, you'll still get the intimate, once-in-a-lifetime memories that come with spending days at a time in the backcountry with your friends.
Even though it's only about five days of a multi-month trip, I'd like to talk a little extra about the TA's Whanganui River float portion. For roughly 100km on the North Island, just after Tongariro National Park, the route follows the Whanganui River through Whanganui National Park. This forest is so dense and has such demanding terrain that no one has ever really bothered carving trails through it. Besides, why bother when there's a lovely, big river to follow the whole way down!
The Whanganui River
Logistics are made easy, with multiple canoe rental companies in the nearby town of Taumaranui offering thru-hiker specific services. They include food storage, food/boat dropoff at Whakahoro (where the float begins for most trampers) and easy boat dropoff at the end of the float in Whanganui. The 5-7 days you spend floating down the river, depending on where you choose to begin, will be some of the most unique and memorable days you've ever spent on a thru-hike. The remote, tall canyons that the river winds through make it clear how far away from civilization you are. Spending those days relaxing, floating down the river, and having fun with your friends makes for a truly fantastic time. I love talking about the Whanganui River float when talking to potential TA walkers because it highlights how different and unique this walk is.
Challenges specific to hiking in New Zealand
As with any new trail, one can expect specific challenges to be different from their previous hikes. Just as the PCT challenges will differ from those on the AT, TA will present a tramper with many new challenges that they have likely never seen before.
A section of trail in the Tararuas, showing how rugged and difficult terrain can be in Aotearoa
Easily the most unique challenge to New Zealand tramping is the difficulty of backcountry trails, specifically in the forests. The topography of the mountains in New Zealand is aggressive and challenging to cut switchbacks into. When hiking through mountain ranges like the Tararuas and the Richmond Ranges, a tramper will experience steep climbs, often with dangerous ridge walks with severe drop-offs. Underestimating the treachery of these trails can be a severe issue.
Perhaps the most famous challenge of the New Zealand backcountry is the weather. Being an island nation, it is susceptible to weather patterns coming from both coasts. Mountain ridges are often entirely exposed for many kilometers at a time, and the threat of a storm blowing in out of nowhere is always serious. Being sure of one's plan in case of severe weather is imperative whenever entering the New Zealand backcountry. Fortunately, the Department of Conservation (DOC) has an incredible system of backcountry huts. A six-month or one-year access pass to these huts is very affordable, and any thru-tramper should consider it necessary. Not only are these huts clean, comfortable, and spacious, they will often save you from that infamous Aoteara weather.
Double Hut - a fairly typical example of a DOC backcountry hut, South Island
Inside of Double Hut, exemplifying the amenities a tramper may expect in an average hut
If you've already done some research on a TA thru-tramp, chances are you've come across the challenge and danger of river crossings. Particularly on the South Island, the route crosses some incredibly mighty and dangerous rivers. These rivers are mostly braided, glacial flows coming directly from the peaks of the Southern Alps. They are no joke - and unless you've done some serious backcountry river crossings in Alaska, chances are you do not have the proper experience to know how to cross these rivers safely. Fortunately, as TA becomes more popular, it is getting easier to find courses on how to cross braided rivers safely. In general, always listen to DOC, the Te Araroa Trust, and their recommendations for which rivers to cross. Know how to identify when it is safe to cross and how to do so safely.
A tramper crossing the Otira River
The Rakaia River - a large, braided river that is not recommended to be crossed
Some fun side trips to take in New Zealand!
Supposing you're investing the time, money, effort, and resources into going all the way to New Zealand to tramp TA, chances are you're going to want to take advantage of the opportunity to see some of the many extra things Aotearoa has to offer. It is a global tourist destination for a reason. Here are a few additional side trips one can take when tramping TA. This list will be mostly limited to more accessible trips to go on when following the TA route. Keep in mind, though, that getting around New Zealand is pretty straightforward. Renting a car or taking advantage of the Intercity bus system before or after a thru-tramp to explore the rest of the country can take your journey to even more places in this fantastic land.
Auckland area - not only will you in all likelihood be flying into New Zealand's largest city, but the route walks right through it. This bustling metropolitan area has a wealth of cool places to explore. Taking a few extra days at some point in Auckland to enjoy the beaches on either coast, check out the city, or take a Rangitoto Island trip is well worth it.
A trip to the Shire, just outside of Matamata is well worth it for any LOTR fan!
One of the many, beautiful beaches on the North Shore of Auckland
Rotorua - It is a pretty comfortable bus ride, car rental, or hitch to Rotorua from various parts of the route on the North Island, including Auckland, Hamilton, and even further south in Taumaranui. This popular tourist destination offers natural thermal activity in the form of hot springs and mud pools. It is also a city rich with Maori history and culture and gives a traveler an excellent opportunity to learn about the first people to discover Aotearoa. It's also easy to pair a trip to Rotorua with one to Matamata to see The Shire!
Coramandel Peninsula - this is a popular alternate many trampers will take instead of doing the multi-day road walk from Auckland to Hamilton. This peninsula offers gorgeous coastal views to the Bay of Plenty (Te Moana-a-Toi) and the Pacific Ocean (moana whaipara). A 2-3 day cycle down Coromandel will bring a TA tramper back to the Hamilton area where they can pick up the official TA route again as it begins making its way back into less front-country areas.
The views from the Tararua Southern Crossing are well worth the extra kilometers of difficult tramping
Tararua Mountains - the official TA does make its way through this stunning, dangerous, and technically challenging range - but only for a small portion. There are many options to extend one's kilometers in the Tararuas if they're looking for extra challenges or more time in the mountains. This is the most mountainous, remote section of most of the North Island, and by this point, many trampers are more than ready to get lost in the mountains for a few days!
Abel Tasman National Park - one of the most popular side trips for TA trampers. It is relatively easy to get to the park once you are on the South Island and also provides an opportunity to stop in the beautiful coastal town of Nelson (Whakatū). The park itself is one of the shining stars of New Zealand. Featuring the Abel Tasman Coastal Track for tramping and a wealth of opportunities to explore the rivers and coasts on a kayak, the park is a dream come true for outdoor enthusiasts. The park's wildlife is some of the best in New Zealand and one of your best opportunities to see penguins while in Aotearoa.
The West Coast of the South Island - once you cross the divide of the Southern Alps in Arthur's Pass, it's an easy hitch to either coast. Heading East will bring you to Christchurch, a vibrant, artistic city. If you choose to take a trip West, you can explore the West Coast. Beach towns like Greymouth (Māwhera) offer more beach day opportunities, and further south, Fox Glacier and Franz Josef provide access from the West side to some of the most incredible tramping routes in the Southern Alps.
Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park - taking a side trip to the land surrounding Aoraki, the highest point in New Zealand at 3,724 meters, is as close to a must-do as there is for anyone traveling Aotearoa. This mammoth of a mountain will call to you as you walk by Lake Pukaki and see the distant peak towering over it's North side. The park itself offers world-class tramping through the Tasman and Hooker glacial valleys, all with excellent views to Aoraki, of course. It is a fantastic opportunity to see plenty of Kea, a fascinating mountain parrot native to New Zealand.
The Dart Glacier, as seen from the Cascade Saddle route
A view of the Hooker and Tasman Rivers, flowing into Lake Pukaki, from the Mount Wakefield Ridge in Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park
Mount Aspiring National Park/Cascade Saddle Alternate - for trampers wishing to avoid the long hitch/bus ride around Lake Wakatipu just past Queenstown (Tāhuna), the Cascade Saddle alternate solves that issue while taking a tramper through some of the most unique backcountries they'll see in all of New Zealand. After a challenging climb up to the Saddle, you'll get right next to the Dart Glacier, and can choose to follow the Dart or Rees rivers back down to the lake where you can pick up the official TA route again.
Rakiura/Stewart Island - though not an official part of Te Araroa, nearly every TA thru-tramper finishing at Bluff will take the ferry down to Rakiura to explore its pristine, remote beaches and hope for a chance to see its unique wildlife. The island is nearly pest-free, so seeing some of Aotearoa's more endangered native species, particularly the Southern Brown Kiwi, are high. The Northwest Circuit Track is a grueling, muddy, steep 6-10 day tramp but well worth it. You'll be hard-pressed to ever find another hike quite like it.
One of the many remote coastlines on Rakiura
A Southern Brown Kiwi, photographed on Rakiura
What TA means to the people of New Zealand
I think the most important thing to keep in mind when going to tramp TA is that you are a guest in New Zealand. The Kiwi people are hands down, some of the friendliest I've ever met. They will be more than welcoming wherever you are in the country. This makes it all the more critical that TA trampers remember their role as a guest.
It's a hard truth that the long-distance hiking community deals with issues of entitlement. On every trail, there are, unfortunately, some hikers that disregard their responsibilities to the communities that trails pass through and lack the respect for those communities that we should all have. This shouldn't be acceptable anywhere, but established trails like the AT or PCT have the resources to address and deal with these issues.
TA is a much younger trail, in a country that long-distance hiking is still new to. Remembering that you are but a traveler in a country with citizens who are incredibly proud of it is not only the right way to go about this trip, it will ultimately contribute to a better experience. If you show up in New Zealand with an entitlement attitude rather than a sense of wonder and respect, you are surely just setting yourself up for disappointment.
Lake Wanaka, South Island
Showing up with a humble, respectful attitude for the nation you will walk through will open you up to more positive experiences with the Kiwi people and ultimately make you feel closer to the country when it comes time to leave. Try not to have too many expectations for how you think the trip is going to go. It will not be anything like your PCT thru-hike and expecting it to often leads to disappointment. Remaining open and allowing your TA tramp to be what it will be will indeed give you the most authentic, pleasant experience.
I very much recommend learning a bit about the history of New Zealand and Te Araroa before embarking on this journey and remaining open to learning as much as possible while you are there. It will help align your perspective going into it rather than having to do that on the fly in the middle of the journey.
More resources for planning
You will find a wealth of free information on the official Te Araroa website. Detailed notes for every section of the trail and a free guide app are available. Additionally, there is plenty of information on the history of the trail, the Te Araroa Trust, how it works, and how to plan a Te Araroa journey.
If you want a great book that will not only be an excellent planning resource but also a great history of TA, New Zealand, the land, and the people, consider getting Geoff Chapple's guide book. Chapple is the founding father of Te Araroa and was the first person to walk the route officially. His book is unmatched in the detail it goes into on every single section of the route.
The NZ Topo maps for both the North and South Island are very affordable apps that provide extreme detail for the entire country. Guthook's Guide is available for TA, but it is often much less accurate and useful than Guthook's Guides for American trails. If you plan to use the Guthook's Guide, consider also purchasing the NZ Topo maps to get a more accurate idea of where you are at all times. They also serve as an ideal tool for planning side trips off of TA.
A Weka, photographed on the Queen Charlotte Track, South Island
Good luck!
I hope that this article may have served you well in answering some questions you may have as a potential TA thru-tramper. It is a truly incredible journey, special in so many ways and unique from every other long-distance trail. Aotearoa and its people will blow you away with their beauty inside and out. Having taken this journey myself, I invite anyone reading this who is seriously considering a TA thru-tramp in the future to email me with any further questions they may have.