Te Araroa: The Long Pathway, New Zealand
(This page is still under construction and being added to. Any feedback is welcome, please send it through FB Messenger. Rinda Scheltens).
Te Araroa (The Long Pathway) is a 3.000 km trail from the northern tip of North Island to the southern tip of South Island. When I started planning for this epic journey, I bought Geoff Chapple’s ‘Walking guide to New Zealand’s Long Trail Te Araroa’. But while the descriptions of the trail made my hiking heart go pitter-patter, the book was not very helpful in the practical planning the trail. So I started collecting information myself from all over the Internet, various blogs and de TA-community. I want to share it here. It is not my intention to tell anyone how to plan their hike, but I hope this page can serve as a gateway to useful information, so that you don’t have to scour the Internet yourself to find the answers to your questions.
As it has become a rather long page, I have made the following index:
1. When to go 6. Safety
2. Which direction 6.1 Intention forms & hut books
3. How long does it take 6.2 Distress beacons
4. Visa & Permits 6.3 Safe Text
4.1 Visa 6.4 River Safety
4.2 NZeTA 6.5 River Hazard Zones
4.3 Queen Charlotte Track 6.6 Estuaries
4.4 Te Araroa donation 6.7 Landslides
4.5 Trail registration 6.8 Potable water
4.6 Back Country Hut Pass 6.9 Wildlife
5. Getting around 6.10 Weather sites and apps
5.1 Soutbound 7. Cell phones & wifi
5.2 Northbound 8. Resuply strategy
5.3 South Island - North Island 9. Cultural do's and don'ts
5.4 Picton - Queen Charlotte Track 10. General do's and don'ts
5.5 Hitchhiking
1. When to go
Spring in New Zealand starts in September and as such, the window for starting Te Araroa southbound seems to be from September to December, with January for swift trampers only. As some tracks close between April and October and the weather can be severe, Te Araroa Trust recommends not starting earlier than mid/late September and finishing no later than April. Going northbound a November-January start is recommended. The safest option is to aim for the middle of the travel window. Most southbound trampers start in the beginning of November.
2. Which direction
Most trampers hike Te Araroa from North to South. Several websites mention the advantage that you'll be on South Island in the summer, when the mountain passes are free of snow and the rivers are low. However, several kind kiwi's have informed me this is an incorrect assumption. While it is less likeley there will be snow, they have seen snow in summer and rivers might not be as low as you'd hoped.
Another argument in favor of going southbound or sobo is that you will be going downriver on the Whanganui River section on North Island. But northbound or nobo is also doable, according to teararoanobo.net.
One of the reasons I will be going sobo, is the bonus-hike on Stewart Island, the Rakiura Track. Due to unfriendly weather conditions that can often play havoc with transport and plans Stewart Island is not part of Te Araroa. However, it is one of the Great Walks, the well maintained tracks through spectacular landscapes. And finally as a avid, very amateur photographer, I also like to pay attention to the sun. Having the sun in your back during a hike, makes taking pictures much easier. Although I couldn't figure out the sun chats, kiwi's tell me the sun is in your back if you go sobo.
One question to help you determine your direction is whether or not you are a people-person. As most hikers start sobo, you might find yourself in a 'bubble', a group of hikers traveling at about the same pace in the same direction. If you prefer solitude, going against the grain might be the solution. You'll meet the sobo-bubble for a short period every day and spend the rest of the time relatively alone on trail.
Other reasons for going nobo? If you're going sobo, you will most likely reach Cape Blufff somewhere in March or April, so you'll reach the coldest part of the country towards the fall. North Island is warmer than South Island, giving you a lager window to hike the whole of Te Araroa. In April the average temperature in Invercargill can range from 8.4 tot 14 C. where in Cape Reinga in that same month the temperature can range from 14.4-19.6 C. So going nobo you are hiking towards the warmer weather. I coulnd't find many other reasons for going nobo, so I would love to hear from nobo hikers why they chose this direction.
3. How long does it take?
This is a very personal question and the time it takes depends on your fitness, experience, possible side trips and extra time for blogging/vlogging etc. On average a thu-hike takes about 4-6 months. North Island is about 1600 km and South Island just under 1400 km. With an average pace of 25 km a day, that takes 120 days. But in reality it will be quite a bit more, as you will take zero's (restdays) and will have to resupply on occasion. Sometimes you will have to wait for low tide, outwait bad weather or arrange transport around a dangerous river crossing or land slide. Give yourself plenty of leeway. This is the time to relax and enjoy yourself. You don't want to skip an interesting side trip because you ran out of time. I do sometimes suffer from get-there-itis, but hopefully not this hike.
By the way: the fastest known times are 49 days, 14 hours and 27 minutes by George Henderson and 57 days and 12 hours and 16 minutes by Brooke Thomas.
4. Visa & permits
Almost all hikers who want to thru-hike the entire trail will need a regular visitor visa. Only if you're from the UK or if you want to hike only a section of the trail AND are from an exemption country you can get away with an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority), an easy online visa-light, see 4.2.
4.1 Visa
So you are not from the UK or section hiking and have to actually get a visa. With a visitor visa you can stay in New Zealand up to 9 months in a 18 month period. You can even apply for a 3 month extension if you need more time to complete your tourist itinerary. You have to have a ticket out of New Zealand and have enough money to support yourself. You will also need a photo that is less than 6 month old and meets strict requirements with regards to the size and amount of pixels. You can read those here under the header of 'preparing for a visa application'. Be aware: once you have the visa, you still have to apply for entry permission upon arrival in New Zealand. You can do this by completing an arrival card, which you are given on the way to New Zealand. You can be refused entry permission if:
- you do not meet the character requirements, like being part of a gang, convicted etc.
- your circumstances have changed since you were granted a visa
- you refuse to let customs take your photo or to provide them with fingerprints or an iris scan, if asked for them
- you are unable to provide evidence of any onward travel or funds required by the conditions of your visa.
A visa will cost about 190 NZD (Pacific 150 NZD), with an added 21,- NZD and 35,- NZD levy for immigration and IVL (International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy). This fee is not refunded if your application is denied. You can apply for a visa here. In order to do so you have to make a RealMe-account, which is a form of secure online identification that allows you to use a wide range of New Zealand Government digital services using a single username and password.
Make sure you apply for a visa well in advance. According to the website 50% of the applications are completed (approved or rejected) within 45 days, 75% within 85 days and 90% within 5 months. I am not sure how much of that delay is due to the agency and how much is because they're waiting for the correct documents in the correct format. You can check the application status online, so I'm not sure if you are informed if information is missing or that you have to check the status and find out for yourself.
As I have no actual date yet, I have not explored the actual application process any further. Will update when I get going myself. Feedback and imput from hikers is welcome. Be aware information may change. Although I will try to keep this page updated, do verify the information for yourself.
4.2 NZeTA
With an NZeTA you can stay in New Zealand up to 3 months (6 months for UK citizens). So if you only want to hike a section of Te Araroa or if you're British, an NZeTA is the option for you. You will need to hold a NZeTA before you travel. Processing the request can take up to 72 hours and costs 9,- NZD on the app and 12,- NZD online. You will also have to pay an International Conservation and Tourism Levy, which costs 35,- NZD. There are a number of criteria for obtaining an NZeTA:
- Your passport must be valid at least three months after you plan to leave New Zealand
- You must have a ticket out of New Zealand
- You must have enough money to live on while you’re in New Zealand.
- You cannot have a criminal conviction or be associated with a gang (be of good character).
To obtain a NZeTA you must present a valid passport, debit of credit card and a passport style photo. The photo must be less than 6 months old and must meet strict requirements. You can read those here under the header of 'preparing for a visa application'. With this link you can aply as well.
As I have no actual date yet, I have not explored the actual application process any further. Will update when I get going myself. Feedback and imput from hikers is is welcome. Be aware information may change. Although I will try to keep this page updated, do verify the information for yourself.
4.3 Queen Charlotte Track
At the top of South Island Te Araroa runs along the Queen Charlotte Track. For a short section of this trail (between Kenepuru Saddle, Torea Saddle, Te Mahia Saddle or Anakiwa) a permit is required. A day pass costs 12,- NZD and a multi-day pass 25,- NZD. You can buy a day or multi-day pass online at the Q.C.T.L.C. (Queen Charlotte Track Land Cooperative). Or at:
i-Site: Visitor Centre (Picton closed on Saturday)
Beachcomber Cruises
Cougarline Cruises
The Villa Backpackers
Wilderness Guides
Malborough Sounds Adventures Co
4.4 Te Araroa donation
With the exception of the Queen Charlotte Track, there is no permit required for hiking Te Araroa itself. However, Te Araroa Trust relies on donations and grants to maintain the trail and it’s many facilities. In order to preserve the trail for future generations of hikers, current hikers are kindly invited to support the trail with a donation. Personally, I believe it’s a hiker’s duty to give back to the country which welcomed them so graciously and think every hiker should make a donation. if you can't afford to make a donation, can you realisticallly afford to hike Te Araroa? Suggested donations are:
- 500,- NZD for those hiking the whole of Te Araroa
- 250,- NZD for those hiking only North or South Island
- smaller amounts for specific tracks
4.5 Trail registration
Hikers are kindly requested to register their plans at Teararoa.org.nz before heading out. The organization uses this information to understand who is hiking the trail and improve the trail for everyone. They will also send you an email with helpful information about Te Araroa. Bear in mind, though, that registering is not the same as filling out an intention form (see Safety).
4.6 Back country hut pass/hut tickets
Even those camping will undoubtedly stay in a hut on occasion, due to weather, fatigue or the pleasant company of fellow hikers. The Department of Conservation (DOC) manages about 950 huts in New Zealand. Depending on the type of hut, there is a fee. Huts are divided in the following categories:
Great Walk Huts Comfortable, mattresses, water supply, toilets, hand washing facilities, heating with fuel. They may have solar lighting, cooking facilities
with fuel and a hut warden.
Serviced huts Mattresses, water supply, toilets, hand washing facilities and heating with fuel. They may have cooking facilities with fuel and a
warden.
Standards huts Mattresses, water supply and toilets. Wood heaters only at huts below the bush line.
Basic huts/bivvies Very basic shelter with limited facilities
Alpine huts Non-DOC hut on DOC land. Mattresses, water supply, toilets and hand washing facilities. They may have cooking facilities. Some require
booking.
4.6.1 Hut fees
Fewer facilities mean a lower fee. While Basic huts are free, Great Walk Huts can cost up to 110,- NZD per night for an adult. The Great Walk Huts also have different fees for international visitors and all huts have weekend/seasonal variations. There is also a fee to camp at Serviced huts, while at Standards and Basic Huts this is free. Best is to check in advance at the individual hut pages.
4.6.2 Backcountry Hut Pass
The Backcountry Hut Pass gives hikers unlimited use of most Serviced and Standard huts as well as most campsites outside Serviced Huts for the period you buy the pass for. For adults the pas costs 108,- NZD for 6 months. Some discounts are available for members of various New Zealand organizations, like the NZ Alpine Club and Scouts NZ. The list of huts the Backcountry Hut Pass does not cover or only covers in a specific time of the year is quite extensive. Check the exclusions here: (backcountry hut pass exclusions). Note: you can buy the Back Country Hut Pass online, but as the first hut you can use it in (southbound) is Pahauta Hut on Pirongia, after Hamilton, you can delay your purchase until you get to Hamilton.
4.6.3 How to use the Back Country Hut Pass
Hikers can use the Backcountry Hut Pass both in bookable and non-bookable huts. For bookable huts you log in or create an account on the online booking system. The system will calculate the fees and if everyone has a pass, the fee will be shown as zero. After booking, hikers will receive a confirmation email, which they will need to be able to show along with their hut pass. Non-bookable huts operate on a first-come first-served basis. The pass does not give priority. On arrival hikers will need to register by entering their name and pass number in the hut book. Proof of a Backcountry Hut Pass must be shown on request, either print or digital.
4.6.4 Campsite Pass
Along with the Backcountry Hut Pass the DOC also offers a Campsite Pass. This does not seem beneficial to hikers however, as there are 7-, 30,- and 365-night passes to choose from and the passes are for consecutive nights from the nominated start date. So you need to be sure in advance you will be staying at a number of DOC-camp sites in a row. The costs for an adult are 55,- NZD for a 7-night pass and 80,- NZD for a 30-night pass. Again there are discounts available for members of several New Zealand organizations, like the NZ Alpine Club and Scouts NZ. As it doesn't seem beneficial to hikers, I have not delved into this further. More information on the Campsite Pass here.
5. Getting around
For the purpose of this next bit I'm assuming you're an international traveler. I would think kiwi's know their way around their beautiful country and don't need my help.
5.1 Southbound
For most if not all international travelers Auckland International Airport will be the first stop on the way to Cape Reinga. From Auckland there are several options:
- fly to Kerikeri + tourist bus or transport service to Cape Reinga
- fly to Kaitaia + tourist bus or transport service to Cape Reinga
- bus to Kaitaia + tourist bus or transport service to Cape Reinga
- bus to Paihia + tourist bus or transport service to Cape Reinga
Check the Northland trail notes for the transport providers.
5.2 Northbound
For international travelers Queenstown International Airport will be the first stop on the way to Cape Bluff. From Queenstown you can take a bus to Invercargill. And from Invercargill there are several transport options to Cape Bluff. Check the Southland trail notes for those.
5.3 North Island - South Island
The journey across Cook Strait can be made by ferry only. There's the Interislander and Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries. The crossing takes about 3.5 hours and costs about 70-81,- NZD for the Interislander, depending on the ticket choice. Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries costs about 58-63 NZD depending on the ticket. Strangely enough, you can also book Interislander ferry tickets at the bus company and they appear to be slightly cheaper, about 55,- NZD. There is no bus service between Wellington and Picton.
5.4 Picton - Queen Charlotte Track
From Picton to the Queen there’s a ferry service, see www.cougarline.co.nz. Costs are 60,- NZD. You can also buy a Round Trip Track Pass, hike with a day pack and have daily transfers to and from the trail. This costs 110,- NZD.
5.5 Hitchhiking in New Zealand
While some travel sites advise against hitchhiking in New Zealand, I get the feeling they are not fond of hitchhiking in general. To my surprise, there's a whole hitchwiki and they state hitchhiking in New Zealand is easy and comparatively safe. I hardly ever hitchhike, so cannot speak from personal experience. I did find a FB group dedicated to hitchhiking in New Zealand however, so if you know in advance you'll need a hitch, you might post it there rather than stand by the road side.
The New Zealand Police encourages hitchhikers to use the Safe TXT message service, number 7233 (see 6.3 Safety), to let people know where they are and what they are doing. It's also a good idea to record the license plate of the car.
6. Safety
Most hikers make it safely back to civilisation, but unfortunately that is not always the case. There are many things you can do to ensure your safety, both before and during the hike. Of all the things on this page and of all your preperations, your safety is the most important.
6.1 Intention forms & hutbooks
Among the many safety tips, leaving your itinerary with a trusted contact, who keeps an eye on your progress and whereabouts, is a big one. The outdoor intentions form on the website www.adventuresmart.nz, managed by the New Zealand Search and Rescue Council (NZSAR) includes all key information Search and Rescue will need, should you not arrive at an expected location at the specified time. You can print the form or fill it out online and receive it as an email to be forwarded to your trusted contact.
Alternatively you can also register your intentions at www.planmywalk.nz, a site maintained by the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council. With an account you can save draft trips and access them later, plan across multiple devices, and share your plans with others. You can receive notifications about weather warnings and updated weather forecasts. It seems that you have to register for each individual track that makes up Te Araroa and there are many. However, this could give your trusted contact a more accurate picture of your whereabouts than filling out just a single intention form beforehand.
It is also important to set a 'panic date', a moment in time when the authorities should be alerted if your trusted contact hasn't heard from you. See also this rescue for why that matters.
Apart from filling out the form, I recommend sending your trusted contact the digital copies of the following:
- individual pictures of all your gear
- individual pictures of your clothes
- individual pictures of the soles of your shoes (for tracking)
- medical information, like allergies, blood type, stance on organ donation
- a copy of your insurance information
- a copy of your will
- a list of all your (social media) passwords
- your trailname as soon as you get one
Many trampers will replace gear, and certainly their shoes, along the way. Make sure to send your trusted contact updated pictures after a gear change.
Most huts will have a hut book. Even if you do not stay there, it is highly recommended you fill out your name, date of arrival and plans for the next few days. Even if you have a personal locator beacon, filling out those books is advisable. You might lose the PLB in a fall or not be able to activate it. A hut book will be one of the places Search and Rescue look if they're trying to find you and they have saved lives. More over, sometimes family members reach out to the community before contacting Search and Rescue. A quick look through the hut book by a hiker could set your loved ones at ease.
6.2 Distress beacons
Should you get an accident or not arrive at your expected destination, it could take some days before someone realizes you are in trouble. And if your exact location is unknown, a search and rescue operation can take some more days on top of that. In order to execute a rescue operation more quickly and more safely for both the hiker and the (volunteer)rescuers, I highly recommend carrying an distress beacon of some kind. Hikers will typically use one of the following devices:
- PLB - Personal Locator Beacon, example ACR ResQLink and RescueMe
- SEND - Satellite Emergency Notification Device, , example Garmin InReach, Spot Tracker.
- Starlink (Vodafone)
PLB
A PLB lets you signal for help instantly and shows rescuers your location with only a small margin for error. A PLB costs between 300-500,- NZD and are regularly offered for sale in the TA Facebook Group by hikers who have finished their thru-hike. Hiring is also an option. After purchasing the beacon, you must by law register it with the Rescue Coordination Centre NZ. This is what happens when you activate a PLB from a father's perspective. This is what happens when you activate a PLB from a rescuer's perspective. Michael Coyle's story contains usefull tips about where to activate the PLB and what to do afterwards.
SEND
A Send device allows hikers to send and receive text messages. The Garmin InReach and Spot also have a mapping-feature where you can plot your location on a map which is accessible online for your trusted contact, family and friends. Apart from the costs of the device itself, there’s also a service plan. The more expensive the service plan, the more text messages one can send and receive, although preset messages can be free. Both the Garmin and the Spot have an SOS-function. This connects you to an International Emergency Respons Coordination Center (IERCC). They will assess the situation and contact search and rescue near your location if needed. Hiker Kristen Fuller wrote about her experience activating the SOS-button on her Garmin due to a nearby fire. Interestingly her calling for help did not result in an evacuation. She was able to hike out herself with the advice the IERCC provided.
This article explains the differences between PLB and SEND in more detail and might help you choose what's right for you.
Starlink
Starlink is a fairly new device that should turn your phone in an emergency device, connecting to satellites. As it's so new, I have not seen any reviews or experiences from users. ONTZ Canterbury however, recommends not using it instead of a personal locator beacon. Their objections are that phones are more fragile, batteries may run out and screens may crack and they are generally unreliable as a beacon. ACtual beacons are built to withstand an emergeny and are fully waterproof. Their signals are received by reliabl e satellites and send an additional signal, which rescue helicopters can use to home in on your exact location.
When to activate a PLB/SEND
I think in many situations it's quite scary to activate a PLB or SEND. Unless you've actually broken a bone, I imagine you have to justify your decision to yourself. After all, calling for help sets a huge operation in motion and takes volunteers away from their jobs and families. I would feel like a burden. The DOC advises to call early however, as situations can deteriorate rapidly and minor injuries can lead to greater danger if a hiker or a group of hikers decide to self-rescue. I found these scenario's by the Nelson Area Locator Beacon Trust very helpful as well. They are based on real events and are meant to help users decide if, when and where to activate their distress beacons and what to do afterwards.
6.3 Safe Text
New Zealand’s mobile phone providers Telecom, Vodafone and 2degrees Mobile offer a text messaging service. You can text about your location
and travel movements to 7233 (SAFE). These details are kept in a central database, which can be accessed on request by police to help find you. While this may be impractical on many parts of the trail where there is no service, in town and while hitchhiking it's smart to shoot of a quick text with the license plate number of the car you're about to get into and where you're aiming to go.
These and other tips about safety you can find on the NZ police's website, in no less than eight different languages. There's also a map with the phone numbers of all the (major?) police stations and ISites in New Zealand.
6.4 River Safety
There is 180.000 km of rivers in New Zealand and Te Araroa crosses many rivers and streams. New Zealand rivers are changeable, powerful and unpredictable. Drownings occurred so frequently throughout New Zealand’s history that they were referred to as ‘the New Zealand Death’. River crossings are the second highest cause of hiker fatalities in New Zealand. Since 2007 there have been 21 river crossing fatalities (news article July 2021). Of these 14 where related to hiking, 14 were hunters and one was related to trail running. Another website states that for the past 5 years there have been an average of 32 drowings a year in rivers.
For this reasons I will be taking a river safety course upon arrival in New Zealand. In the course hikers will learn to make the decision whether or not to cross at all, where and how to cross.
Southbound hikers can check out Outdoortraining.nz, which offers courses in Auckland and Wellington, among others. The one-day course costs 50,- or 60,- NZD per person and is specifically designed for Te Araroa Trail Walkers. The Auckland course is from 9.30-16.00 in the Karangahake Gorge. Course dates can be found on Facebook and you can email questions to auckland@outdoortraining.nz.
Northbound: I was unable to find a river safety course in or near Queenstown. I did find one in Arthur's Pass, but thought that would be impractical. However, if a large group of hikers are in the area simultanously, they could enquire about a private course closer to Christchurch. But again, is that likely? So nobo's: did you do a river safety course and where? Let me know!
For people unable to do a river safety course, you can also read up on river safety or watch this short NZ-specific YouTube video or this more extensive and informative (American) video. This link contains an interesting personal story of a group of hikers who chose not to cross a river when confronted with safety concerns.
One thing none of them adressed though: remember to make sure your distress beacon is attached to your body and not to your backpack, as you might have to ditch your backpack if things go wrong.
6.5 River hazard zones
Three rivers on Te Araroa, the Waipu, the Rakaia en the Rangitata are considered hazard zones and not part of the trail. The trail stops at their banks and there is a road bypass around them. Each river is dangerous and should not be crossed. For instance, the Rakaia River is about 4 km wide and can take up to 4 hours to cross, but can flood in 1 hour. Hikers Nicky & Cooky did cross the Waipu River after an unusual dry spell. However, on their website they describe the water level as being ‘just above the belly button’. This suggests that normally the river is too deep to cross safely and even quite deep during a dry spell. The Rangitata River is used for rafting and every year people have to be rescued after attempting a crossing. At this website you can check the flow per second for the Rangitata River. Hiker Jessy recommends not trying to cross if the flow is higher than 80m per second. Check his website for the challenges the rivers on South Island posed and a list of every (major?) river Te Araroa crosses.
The safest course of action is to get a ride around the river to the trail head on the opposite bank or ferry across if possible. Check the trail notes for transport options.
There's a flowchart for 155 rivers and lakes here.
6.6 Estuaries
Te Araroa crosses several estuaries in the North Island. It is important not to cross those at high tide, as you can easily be swept out to sea. Do check the timetables for North Island and South Island.
6.7 Landslides
Landslides or 'slips' as the kiwi call them, occur with some frequency in New Zealand and are actually more dangerous than earthquakes. In the past 160 years GNS Science has counted 1800 fatalities caused by slips, which is significantly more than earthquakes have claimed in the same period. New Zealand has steep mountains with rocks weakened by earthquakes and hillsides of soft rock. The most common kind of slip is shallow and fast, flowing like wet cement. Slips often happen after a rainstorm. On Te Araroa slips can lead to trail closures until the situation can be assessed and the damage repaired. Check the Trail Status page for updates regarding landslides, trail damage and other important information. Although some hikers try to navigate or cross a slip, this is very dangerous. If there is a slip, the safest and only viable option is to find an alternative route around it.
6.8 Potable water
New Zealand has some of the highest rates of Giardia in the world, more than 5 times higher than Great Britain and 4 times higher than the US. Giardia, of course, is a tiny parasite that causes the diarrhoeal disease giardiasis. It is found on surfaces or water that has been contaminated with excrement from infected people or animals. It is therefore advisable to filter all water. And that includes the rainwater provided at huts. Nearly all huts in New Zealand have systems to collect rainwater in large cisterns. Although rain water is potable, several hikers reported dead rodents in the cisterns on their websites.
The availability of water rarely seems to be an issue, except in a few more isolated areas, above the tree line or during a dry spell. On North Island water seems to be plentiful. In South Island the stretches between towns are longer, but the hut system is more developed. Apart from rainwater at huts or straight from a source, you can also buy water at a lot of Dairies (market/gas station).
6.9 Wildlife
While New Zealand is blisfully free of poisonous plants, animals and insects, there are animals who can make your hike difficult. This site has made a list of the various animals you may encounter, like rats, possums and the enquisitive Kea, and how they will affect your hike. Especially in the huts it's important to hang your food, as mice and rats will chew through your backpack to get to your food. If there are Kea around, do not leave anything out, including your shoes. They are curious creatures and will play with (read destroy) anything they find or even fly off with a shoe.
Two things the list does not mention are feral dogs and cows. Near Cape Reinga there's a pack of feral dogs that has become a nuisance. In April 2021 the DOC actually had to close the first three stages of Te Araroa and some other tracks for a while out of concerns for hikers' safety. Check the trail notes for the current situation with regards to the feral dogs.
Te Araroa crosses a number of pastures and I remember a few FB-posts of hikers who dared not cross in between a herd of cows. Although cows may seem like gentle, placid animals, they are huge compared to humans and can be agressive. Death by cow is certainly not unheard of. In the US cows kill about 22 people a year, which is more than where struck by lightning (39). A UK hiker wrote an article about hikers and cows: The dangers of cows: how to avoid being trampled to death. Another useful article about how to behave around cows is this one.
6.10 Weather
New Zealand can have 4 seasons in a day and even in summer many a hiker has experienced a delay having to outwait bad weather of wait for river levels to recede. Before and during a hike it is very important to be aware of the weather forcast, especially when approaching exposed areas or preparing for a river crossing. I found a number of websites and apps that seem useful.
Websites:
www.weatherwatch.co.nz
www.metservice.com
www.checkitsalright.nz (check for fire risks and fire bans)
Apps:
MetService NZ Weather: a very thorough app which gives a forecast by hour and even advice about the wind chill and how many layers one might use.
New Zealand Weather: decent app with hourly temperature, rain odds and wind direction.
Rain Radar New Zealand: actual radar images of rain showers.
7. Cell phone / wifi
A recurring question in the TA FB-group concerns cell phone coverage. As you will be spending many months in New Zealand, the ability to call hostels, trail angels and arrange transport means you need to buy a New Zealand sim-card and phone number. As roaming is apparently extremely expensive in New Zealand, a hostel owner or trail angel will not want to call you back if you have an overseas phonenumber.
Tip: Make sure to unlock your phone before you go, so it can take another sim-card. Also, if you are using a banking app, check with your bank how a change in sim-card/phonenumber will affect the app.
There are three cellphone networks: Spark, Vodafone and 2 Degrees. Other providers, such as Skinny, Kogan, Slingshot or Warehouse Mobile, use one of those networks. Hikers mention repeatedly the providers which have the best coverage are Spark and Skinny, as they are the same company and use the same network. Other providers apparently do not have (as many?) towers. According to hikers coverage is no issue on North Island, where the trail hits a town every 3-4 days. Exceptions are the Tararuas, the Whanganui River and Ninety mile Beach. South Island is a different story and coverage is intermittent. Check this website for your options.
Phone plans
Spark has a Travel Pack which lasts for 3 month, after which you can buy a prepaid or pay monthly plan. It is not possibly to buy a second Travel Pack.
Skinny too has travel plans, which last up to 30 or 60 days, after which you can buy top up vouchers or a Skinny Plan.
Spark has wifi phone booths that allow for 22 GB of free daily wifi if you’re nearby. But apparently the internet there is quite slow.
Wifi
New Zealand currently has limited access to free WiFi services. Free WiFi hotspots are found predominantly in urban areas and are not common in small towns or rural regions. All of New Zealand’s public libraries have a free WiFi service. Many i-SITE Visitor Information Centres provide free WiFi service. There's also free wifi in central Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington and Dunedin.
8. Resupply strategy
Whether or not to resuppply is a very personal choice, but a time consuming one you will have to figure out beforehand. Basically there are three options: resupply on the go, sending food boxes/ bounce boxes or a combination of those three. Each option has it’s pro and cons.
Strictly speaking, it appears to be possible to hike the entire trail without sending food or bounce boxes. By buying local, you would support the community and enhance support for the trail. However, buying food locally may be more expensive, there might not be much choice and it can be stressful, having to buy and plan your meals while you’re taking a rest day. One hiker writes on his website (can't remember/retrace which): “I’d watch other hikers frantically rushing to the store in the short amount of time they had in town, and feel glad that the most I had to do was to unpack my box and repack everything in my food bag.”
Food boxes can be convenient or a necessity if you have allergies or diet requirements. However, they require planning ahead and you might not feel hungry for the food you thought would be tasty weeks ago. Some pick up points are a bit further from the trail and if you cannot make it for whatever reason, you will have to inconvenience the host by asking them to bounce the box onwards or arrange pickup by someone else. When questions are asked in the FB-group about where to send food boxes, these three locations keep coming up as a good option: St. Arnaud (Alpine Lodge), Arthurs Pass (YMCA) and Boyle River. (Boyle River Outdoor Education Center) The last one is optional though, because many hikers will hitch 55 km to Hanmer Springs, which, as the name suggests, has thermal pools to easy your weary bones and a full range of supermarkets. Also note that the YMCA in Arthurs Pass is closed from 13-28 December and is opened from November-March only. Contact them at apoec@ymcachch.org.nz for details.
Bounce boxes, I think, are mostly useful for gear rather than food. They are boxes that travel along with you along the trail. After picking them up and taking out what you need (or putting something back in you no longer need), you send them on to your next big destination. For example: I will probably be bringing multiple pairs of shoes, spare clothes and such and stick ‘em in a bounce box. I am sure there’s plenty high quality gear to be found in New Zealand, but especially for something as important as shoes, I prefer to stick with the brands I’m familiar with in my home country.
At this point I’m still gathering information and have not yet decided on which combination will work best for me. I was planning to compile a list of resupply points and people who accept food and/or bounce boxes, but it appears several hikers have already done so and I can benefit from their experience instead.
Resupply guides
Brad McCartney's guide includes everything from small take away food stores and large supermarkets to places that sell hiking gear and gas canisters. It also details which Post Offices will receive bounce boxes with their address.
Michael Deckebach writes he didn't plan his resupply beforehand and didn't resupply as often. His list seems to be missing some options Brad McCartney does mention, although those options could be off trail maybe? (RS: Will update/ammend later). Still usefull information though.
Longwhitegypsy I do love myself a nice spreadsheet, although this is North Island only. Hopefully South Island will follow soon! She does detail which options are off trail and provides a page with options she used and a page with all options.
Letstrekit Sound advise about sending boxes and what to put in them. Also a (I suspect incomplete) list of resupply locations, without a kilometer count of where they are on trail.
TreksTravelThoughts offers a resupply plan for both nobo's and sobos, South Island only.
A Burfield Te Araroa Trail Index 2021.xlsx I can't remember where I got this spreadsheet from (FB probably), but it's very thorough and complete. Especially the detailed kilometer count should be helpful in planning. Both North and South Island.
Resupply options
One hiker, Jonathan Moake, has kindly detailed the resupply options along the way, documenting the supermarkets in great detail. These are the pages I found (so far):
Havelock
St. Arnaud
Lake Tekapo Village
9. Cultural do's and don'ts
New Zealand is a country with a rich history and a culture which differs from mine significantly. As a guest I intend to respect these cultural differences and learn everything I can.
Sacred places
Many of the places you will see and traverse on your Te Araroa journey are sacred to the Mãori. Treat the land as you would a church or mosque, with the utmost respect.
Do not eat or drink at Cape Reinga
Cape Reinga / Te Reinga Wairoa (leaping place of the spirits) is the final destination for spirits making their journey into the underworld to return to the land of their ancestors, Hawaiiki-A-Nui. Out of respect no food or drink is to be consumed beyond the car park.
Do not climb the peak of Mount Ngauruhoe
The peak of Mount Ngauruhoe is sacred to the local iwi (largest social units in Mãori society). Not only that, all the mountain peaks and waterways on Tongariro are sacred to the local hapū Ngāti Hikairo Ki Tongariro (translation/meaning not found). They consider the mountains their ancestors and the peaks their ancestor’s heads. Hikers should treat the entire area with respect and not try to climb the peak of Mount Ngauruhoe. To summit a peak is to stand on the head of an ancestor. The DOC actually removed signage to the top in October 2017. And finally, don’t call it Mount Doom, even if it’s easier to pronounce and you’re a die-hard LOTR-fan like me. 😉
Do not sit at table tops
Mãori believe in the tapu (a spiritual restriction?) of bodily fluids and the need to keep them separate from food and surfaces that will be likely to have food on them at some point. It is not done to sit on table tops and also avoid putting backpacks, clothing and hats on them. Like your bottom, it is also simply considered unhygienic.
What is Koha?
Koha is the Mãori term for a gift. It is a way in which you can express gratitude in the form of a physical gift. Many times, when a trail angel offers their back yard for camping on Facebook, it will mention ‘koha appreciated’. This usually means a monetary donation, although depending on the host, skill sharing and labor might also be welcome.
10. General do's en don'ts
Te Araroa crosses private property and without the generosity of locals the trail would not exist. Be respectful, so future hikers may also look forward to a beautiful trail:
- stick to marked routes
- do not disturb livestock
- leave gates as you found them, open or closed
- do not wild camp where it is not allowed
Leave no trace
This should be an obvious one and I expect all hikers to be familiar with the most important principle of hiking, Leave no trace. And I don't mean the 2018 movie about off grid living. I mean the 7 principles for hiking with a minimum impact to the environment. Although I have only recently packed out toilet paper for the first time, I fully intent to do so more often in the future until it becomes habit. I have also bought a Kula cloth or pee-rag to further reduce my impact. As many hikers will attest, there's nothing that clashes with the enjoyment of the outdoors as much as seeing toilet paper scattered about.
Wild camping
Being a relatively young trail, Te Araroa relies heavily on the good will of the community. As such, hikers should behave respectfully and not wild camp where it is not allowed. Unfortunately, along Te Araroa wild camping is rarely allowed and often simply not possible. Large parts of the country are privately owned or belong to farmers, who must first be asked for permission to camp. Often you won't know whom to ask. Therefore, especially on the North Island, paid camp sites or trail angels are the best and only option for hikers.
To be continued....