Te Araroa Trail

Hakatere Conservation Park, Ruataniwha Conservation Park, Lake Sumner Conservation Park, Pureora Forest Park, St James Conservation Area, Hunua Ranges Regional Park, Mount Richmond Forest Park, Arthur's Pass National Park, Lewis Pass National Reserve, Te Kahui Kaupeka Conservation Park, Craigieburn Forest Park, Pirongia Forest Park, Nelson Lakes National Park, Tongariro National Park, Whanganui National Park, Tongariro National Park World Heritage Area

  • 95 days one way
  • Medium
  • Bookings required

Te Araroa is a walking trail running the entire length of the North and South Islands. The trail opened 3 December 2011.

Sunset • By chris1.
Te Araroa Trail: Key information
Walking time
95 days
Distance
3,000.0km
Type
One way
One way
Grade
Medium
Alpine passes with alpine weather conditions, several rivers that should be bypassed using transport. Grade reflects the Tararua Ranges and Waiau Pass. Grades explained
Bookings
Bookings required
Required
Huts, campsites, and transport must be booked in advance at various points.
Te Araroa Trail: Find it
Starts
Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga Wairua, Cape Reinga Road SH1
()
Ends
Stirling Point, Marine Parade, Bluff
Maps
NZTopo50-CC09
NZTopo50-AZ31
NZTopo50-CG09
NZTopo50-BN32
NZTopo50-BY17
NZTopo50-CE08
NZTopo50-BQ28
NZTopo50-BC33
NZTopo50-BD33
NZTopo50-BP31
NZTopo50-AY32
NZTopo50-BR24
NZTopo50-BU23
NZTopo50-CB12
NZTopo50-BM34
NZTopo50-CH10
NZTopo50-BQ27
NZTopo50-BL32
NZTopo50-BH34
NZTopo50-BX18
NZTopo50-BP29
NZTopo50-BQ31
NZTopo50-CF09
NZTopo50-BA32
NZTopo50-BZ15
NZTopo50-AV29
NZTopo50-BF33
NZTopo50-AV25
NZTopo50-CC11
NZTopo50-AX30
NZTopo50-BL33
NZTopo50-AT24
NZTopo50-CG10
NZTopo50-CA13
NZTopo50-BX21
NZTopo50-BV20
NZTopo50-BJ32
NZTopo50-BX20
Altitude
Sea level – 1,870m
Altitude change 1,870m
Te Araroa Trail: More information
Link
www.teararoa.org.nz/http://www.teararoa.org.nz/

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.

Waiau Pass towards Thompson Pass • By apurdam. Licence: cc by.

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 to Ahipara 
  • The Northland Forests
  • Mangakaretu to Kerikeri
  • Kerikeri to Waitangi  
  • Paihia to Opua Coastal Walkway 
  • Waikare Connection  
  • Russell Forest to Whangarei Heads
  • Bream Bay Walk  
  • Cullen Brynderwyn Walkway  
  • Bream Tail Mangawhai Walkway

Auckland

  • Mangawhai to Pakiri  
  • Mt Tamahunga (Te Hikoi O Te Kiri) Track  
  • Govan Wilson to Puhoi Valley  
  • Puhoi Track  
  • Puhoi to Wenderholm Kayak
  • Wenderholm to Stillwater  
  • Okura to Long Bay  
  • North Shore Coastal Walk 
  • Coast to Coast Walkway 
  • Onehunga to Puhinui  
  • Puhinui Stream Track  
  • Totara Park to Clevedon  
  • Hunua Ranges  
  • Mangatawhiri to Mercer

Waikato / King Country

  • Mercer to Rangiriri  
  • Rangiriri to Huntly  
  • Hakarimata Walkway  
  • Ngaruawahia to Hamilton  
  • Hamilton City  
  • Waipa Walk  
  • Pirongia Traverse  
  • Pirongia to Waitomo 
  • Pehitawa Track  
  • Te Kuiti to Pureora  
  • Hauhungaroa Track  
  • 42 Traverse

Whanganui

  • Tongariro Alpine Crossing
  • Mangatepopo to National Park 
  • National Park to Whanganui River  
  • Whanganui River 
  • Wanganui to Bulls

Manawatu

  • Bulls to Feilding  
  • Feilding to Palmerston North  
  • Palmerston North  
  • Massey to Levin  

Wellington

  • Tararua Ranges  
  • Pukeatua  
  • Kapiti Coast  
  • Paekakariki Escarpment Track
  • Ara Harakeke  
  • Colonial Knob  
  • Ngaio  
  • Wellington City 
  • Wellington South​​​​​​​

Nelson / Marlborough

  • Queen Charlotte Track
  • Anakiwa to Pelorus Bridge 
  • Pelorus River Track  
  • Richmond Alpine Track  
  • Waiau Pass Track

Canterbury

  • Boyle to Arthur's Pass 
  • Arthur's Pass to Rakaia River  
  • Rakaia River Hazard Zone  
  • Rakaia River to Rangitata River  
  • Rangitata River Hazard Zone  
  • Two Thumb Track 
  • Tekapo to Lake Ohau
  • East Ahuriri Track
Lake Emily and the Mount Somers Range • By matthew. Licence: C.

Otago

Southland

  • Mararoa River Track 
  • Takitimu Track  
  • Birchwood to Merrivale  
  • Longwood Forest Track  
  • Long Hilly Track  
  • Tihaka Beach Track  
  • Oreti Beach Track  
  • Invercargill to Bluff​​​​​​​
Map
ID 2794

About this track

Added 26 March 2008 by matthewmatthew. 8 revisions, most recently 19 July 2017 by matthewmatthew.
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