Te Araroa Trail

The idea of a walk the length of New Zealand has been circulating since the 1970s, when the New Zealand Walkway Commission was established. It soon abandoned the goal of producing a single trail, and opted to establish shorter trails throughout the country. These trails still exist today, often near urban centres, and commonly crossing private land.

The Te Araroa Trust was founded in 1994 to revisit the original idea, and it is working with local organisations and land owners to incorporate existing tracks and establish new tracks as needed.

The best source of information about this trail at present is the Te Araroa Trust website, where there are guides and maps, as well as reports from people who have walked the trail.

The trail is divided into a series of shorter tracks that may be walked individually or as a whole. Individual tracks are closed or rerouted from time to time: the Te Araroa website shows which tracks are open. The tracks are as follows:

Northland

• Cape Reinga Coastal Walkway
• Ninety Mile Beach
• Ahipara Connection
• Herekino Forest Track
• Takahue Route
• Raetea Forest Track
• Mangamuka Connection
• Omahuta Puketi Forest Track / Jacksons Wet Weather Bypass
• Mangakaretu Track
• Kerikeri River Track
• Kerikeri Connection
• Waitangi Forest Track
• Paihia - Opua Coastal Walkway
• Waikare Connection
• Russell Forest Track
• Mokau Connection
• Helena Bypass
• Morepork - Onekainga Track
• Whananaki Estuary Track
• Whananaki Coastal Walk
• Woolleys Bay Connection
• Matapouri Bush Track
• Ngunguru Connection
• Mackerel Forest Track
• Pataua North Connection
• Taiharuru Estuary Route
• Kauri Mountain Track
• Ocean Beach Walk
• Bream Head (Te Whara) Track
• Whangarei Heads Connection
• Reotahi Track
• Bream Bay Walk
• Waipu River Walk / Waipu Connection - High tide dry bypass
• Cullen Brynderwyn Walkway
• Bream Tail Mangawhai Walkway

Auckland

• Mangawhai Connection
• Te Arai Beach Walk
• Mt Tamahunga (Te Hikoi O Te Kiri) Track
• Western Tamahunga Track / Matakana Connection Bypass
• Govan Wilson to Dome Track
• Dome to Moirs Hill Route
• Dunns Ridge Track
• Puhoi Track / Ahuroa Connection
• Puhoi to Wenderholm Kayak
• Hibiscus Coast Route
• Whangaparaoa Crossing
• Okura - Long Bay Route
• North Shore Coastal Walk
• Coast to Coast Walkway
• Mangere Bridge Walk
• Mangere Foreshore Track
• Auckland Airport Road Walk
• Puhinui Stream Track
• Totara-Brookby Connection
• Kimptons Track
• McNicol Road Connector
• Wairoa River Track
• Hunua Ranges Track
• Lyons Road Connector
• Mangatawhiri River Track
• McIntyre Connector
• Mercer / Koheroa Bypass

Waikato / King Country

• Whangamarino Redoubt Track
• Whangamarino Wetlands Track
• Meremere - Rangiriri Track
• Rangiriri - Huntly Track
• Huntly West Road Walk
• Hakarimata Walkway
• Ngaruawahia to Hamilton
• Hamilton City Traverse
• Waipa Walk
• Kapamahunga Walkway
• Pirongia Traverse
• Pirongia South Walk
• Mahoe Forest Track
• Pehitawa Track
• Mangaokewa Reserve Track / SH30 Connection
• Mangaokewa River Track / SH30 Connection
• Mangaokewa Road Walk
• Toitoi & Hauhungaroa Tracks
• Taumarunui Roads
• 42 Traverse
• State Highways 46 and 47

Whanganui

• Tongariro Alpine Crossing
• Mangatepopo Track
• Whakapapaiti Mangahuia Track
• National Park Connection
• Fisher Track
• Retaruke Rd-Mangapurua Landing
• Whanganui River
• Whanganui City Connection
• Santoft Route

Manawatu

• Bulls Bridge To Feilding Summer Route / Bulls Bridge to Feilding Farm/Winter Bypass
• Feilding to Fitzherbert Bridge
• Fitzherbert Bridge to Burttons Track
• Burttons Track
• The Mangahao-Makahika Track
• The Arapaepae Lookout Track

Wellington

• Tararuas
• Pukeatua
• Kapiti Coast
• Paekakariki Escarpment
• Centennial Highway
• Araharakeke
• Colonial Knob
• Ngaio
• City to Sea

Nelson / Marlborough

• Queen Charlotte Track
• Linkwater Track
• Road Connection to Daltons Track
• Daltons Track
• Road Connection to Pelorus River Track
• Pelorus River Track
• Richmond Alpine Track
• Road Connection to Waiau Pass Track
• Waiau Pass Track

Canterbury

• Harper Pass Track (including the Tui and Flood Tracks)
• Mingha - Deception Track
• Klondyke Track
• Harper River Track
• Lake Coleridge Connection
• Lake Hill Track
• Road Connection to Arboretum Track
• Arboretum Track
• Rakaia River Hazard Zone
• Clent Hills Track
• Road Connection to Clearwater Track
• Clearwater Track
• Rangitata River Hazard Zone
• Two Thumb Track
• Road Connection to Tekapo-Twizel Track
• Tekapo-Twizel Track
• Lake Ohau Track
• East Ahuriri Track

Otago

• Breast Hill Track
• Gladstone Track
• Hawea River Track
• Outlet Track
• Glendhu Bay Track
• Road Connection to Motatapu Alpine Track
• Motatapu Alpine Track
• Big Hill Track
• Wakatipu Track (including the Millbrook Track and Frankton Walkway)
• Lake Wakatipu Hazard Zone
• Mavora Walkway

Southland

• Mararoa River Track
• Takitimu Track
• Woodlaw Track
• Road Connection to Island Bush Track
• Island Bush Track
• Road Connection to Longwood Forest Track
• Longwood Forest Track
• Road Connection to Tihaka Beach Track
• Tihaka Beach Track
• Oreti Beach Track
• Estuary Walkway