Intro

The trail 

For the unfamiliar, Te Araroa is a route that allows one to walk the length of New Zealand; from the tip of the North Island, Cape Reinga, to the bottom of the South Island, Bluff. Roughly 3000km long, taking 4-5 months of walking to complete. As a relatively new thru hiking trail, formalized in 2011, Te Araroa has its growing pains. Unlike thru hikes in America where vast expanses of wilderness are abundant, New Zealand is small island nation where this is harder to find. As such Te Araroa is more of a connection of many already established tramping paths via stretch’s of roads fields and towns. This theme is more prevalent on the more densely populated North Island. Hitching a ride on the road sections is common and considered a part of the trail. I will try keep this to a minimum, but am open to the possibility. New Zealand roads are fast, windy, and have no shoulders. 

 

Why?

So know you’re probably asking your self who wants to endure 5 months of walking and sleeping in tents. What kind of idiot does that! To answer that, I’m not entirely sure. I’m spending time and money to walk this trail and if I wanted to see the best of New Zealand walking Te Araroa is not the way to do it. 

Sounds stupid, but perhaps that’s why I’m doing it. To do something that pushes my limits mentally and physically. To live simply, the pure act of walking. Each day take in new scenery at a pace where I can appreciate it thoroughly. Complete a ridiculous life goal for the challenge, and see what I’m capable of. But really I have no idea what I’m getting myself into. 

The success rate of the TA is debated, and different because sections can be hitched complicating manners. But I’d put it, from talking to people on the trail, somewhere around 50% if you’re doing nearly everything. A trail as long as this is tough physically, and even tougher mentally. Reasons for those don’t succeed are injury, running out of money, and more common than not, boredom. Thru hiking is a mental game more than a physical one.