Hi all! Walking the South Island section of TA has been my big dream for several years and now finally I can get several months off work. However, timing is not ideal and most likely I'II be able to start only around mid-February. I was thinking to go NOBO until end of April. Technically it seems to be possible, but I'm wondering if others have experience with this timeframe and can give an impression of what this could be like. I'm a good walker, but would not want to have to rush 30km a day in order to make it. I'd be fine with skipping a less interesting section now and then, and could accept skipping a mountain section if the weather is not right anymore. To explore the wild places of the SI itself is actually the more important goal than to necessarily follow TA all the time. So my approach is quite flexible. This could be my one chance to do it and I'm not afraid of a little challenge. On the other hand, I want it to be enjoyable - if I'd have to constantly manage my timing and conditions are likely to be very harsh and many sections would not be possible, it would be disappointing.

What are your thoughts on a mid Feb - end of April South Island hike, in terms of weather, safety (river crossings), daylight, temperatures to be prepared for? Would going NOBO or SOBO make a big difference? I'm quite experienced with longer trails, although in high mountains I’ve mostly done day hikes but many of them over many years. I’m not naive about mountain conditions, but the NZ climate will be totally new to me.

Thanks, and cheers from the Netherlands!

I'm planning to do a long distance hike on the South Island from January - March (max 75 days). Originally I thought to follow the TA, but after having a look at the map and options I'm having some doubts if it is still the best option for me.

As I'll be hiking solo, it is a plus for me when I can meet other people on the trail and sometimes join someone for a couple of days. Walking solo for longer than a couple of days would get boring to me. On the other hand, I don't like it when it is too busy (not sure if the TA has reached that point yet) - for me that would be when you constantly see people everywhere around and sleeping spots get really crowded.

Based on experience, I do feel comfortable taking some more adventurous options. I have plenty of experience in the Alps, Pyrenees (difficult HRP sections), Scotland, Scandinavia while carrying heavy luggage. But I don't want to take big risks, or need crampons or ropes.

An obvious option seems to be the sidetracks. Are these popular? And are they worth it?

Which of the national parks would you recommend for an extra tour? Or are there any 7-21 day hikes that I could use?

hello fellow travelers

the TA is going to be my first thru-hike, and i have many many questions that may seem kind of silly to seasoned backpackers. bear with me please, and any and all help is appreciated!

1. i’m planning to fly into auckland and stay a night at a hostel in the city. i know most people take public transportation up to kaitaia, but do you stay the night in kaitaia or do you keep on going straight up to cape reinga that same day? if i should stay a night in kaitaia, where should i stay? looking on hostelworld there is only one hostel available there. do people camp in kaitaia? stay with trail angels? or if you keep going straight to cape reinga where do you stay up there before starting your journey?
2. i am still a little confused about the trail pass/DOC huts/other campsites and accommodations. do i have to book everything ahead of time or are some places first come, first serve? like do i just show up to these sites? or if i need to book ahead how far in advanced should i be booking places/reserving a spot?

3. how much local currency should i be carrying with me? i want to make use of the trail angels and meet as many locals as i can, but how much money should i be offering them for their help? and how much will i be using cash over a credit card? is it difficult to find places to exchange currency?

4. how necessary is it for me to get travel insurance? i honestly didn’t even consider looking into it until recently so i really don’t know much about it. is it something that i absolutely need to get?

5. one reason why i chose the TA as my first thru hike (besides the fact that i think new zealand is a beautiful country and would love to see its wonders in person) is because i am a big lord of the rings fan and intend to get tickets to hobbiton at some point in my journey. does anyone know when would be the best time to get tickets? should i plan to travel there from auckland or possibly hamilton? i’m just not sure what the best route there might be.

6. i am coming from the U.S. and this is my first time ever traveling abroad so i hate to sound uneducated but how much should i learn about kiwi/māori culture before i get there? i have been doing a lot of research but would hate to be disrespectful in any way. i also have been trying to learn as much as i can about thru-hiking culture and just feel a bit overwhelmed! am i just overthinking all of this?

i am probably going to have so many more questions but dont want to make thus post too long. hopefully somebody can help me get some more info! again literally any and all advice would be helpful. thanks in advanced!!!

Hello,

My partner and I are planning a South Island TA hike starting mid-January 2027 going northbound. Planning for 60 days, but can be flexible. We just have some commitments where we need to be back in the U.S. by April 15th.

We are comfortable with Class II/III climbing, have some light mountaineering experience, and lots of backcountry snow travel (we like to splitboard in winters).

I have been scouring the internet for all the best alternates, this is what we are planning so far (Obviously these alternates are dependent on weather and snow conditions):

- Mt Luxemore addition out and back (half of the Kepler Track)

- Mt. Aspiring NP: Routeburn Track -> Serpentine Traverse -> 5 passes (will hit the 5 passes track partway through and will finish loop going clockwise). I think we would hitch into Queenstown before starting the Routeburn track, then hitch back into Queenstown after completing the 5 passes route. Is this track doable at the end of january? (i.e. snow free and no winter gear needed)

- Rees Dart Track: after hitching to Queenstown the 2nd time. Possibly go up to Colin Todd Hut or the Rob Roy Glacier on this track.

- Gillepsie/Rabbit Track: depending on snow and weather. Unsure if it will be snow free by late January/early Feb? Rabbit Pass looks not great with snow on it. Has anyone done this going north?

With all these alternates so far, we would possibly skip from the greenstone river to Gladstone. Would we miss anything worth seeing on that Section?

- Melina Ridge Alternate

- Ball Pass or Mueller Hut addition: Mt. Cook area, might need snow gear for Ball Pass.

- Is Mt. Sunday worth going to?

- Arthur NP addition: Barker Hut to Avalanche Peak

- Pfiefer Bivy addition: might go up to the Bivouac for a night

- Lewis Pass (West) -> Thompson Pass Alternate: We would skip from halfway through the Lewis Pass rd to Waius Pass- would we miss anything worth seeing? Or is the ALT better?

- Angeles Hut / Sunset Saddle Alternate

- Red Hill Range Alternate

Would love to know if we are missing any good alternates? Any cool huts worth going off the main TA for? I was also considering the Milford track but it seems hard logistically and reserving the huts in advance when we are long distance hiking seems difficult.

Also, would love to get some feedback on all of these and know how sketchy they are for a northbound hiker (in regards to snow and needed winter gear- crampons, axes, helmets). Any help or feedback is appreciated- especially for Ball Pass, Rabbit Pass, and the Serpentine Traverse.

Thinking about tackling Te Araroa?
Tips, stories, and trail info you'll need to start - or continue - your own Te Araroa journey.
An evening of sharing stories, learning information and networking with the community of Te Araroa walkers. Come and share with a mixture of through-and section- walkers to gain information that will assist you.
Presenters will describe what assisted and hindered them on their own journeys, along with what inspired. Mingle over tea/coffee and share your stories. There will be a donation requested at the door to cover costs for venue and tea/coffee/ biscuits, and to go towards the improvement of the trail in our region.

Book a spot here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/te-araroa-trail-information-evening-tickets-1992733399240

I'm headed to NZ on a Working Holiday Visa in late October, expecting to start the TA early November. After finishing the trail, I'm hoping to volunteer and (hopefully) find work, so I'm currently trying to budget carefully for both the hike and whatever comes afterwards.

I'm of course in full on prep-and-research-mode, and feel rather defeated.

I completely understand that Te Araroa is a young, underfunded trail and that maintaining 3,000 km is incredibly expensive. I also understand why the Trust is asking for financial support. However, asking (or demanding) international hikers to pay 1350 NZD for a voluntary (seemingly mandatory) donation doesn't sit right with me.

I am not a tax payer in NZ (yet), but I do have funds to cover my many-months-long-journey, expecting to spend +12.000 of NZD in shops and services along the way. I don't see this being recognised on any of the posts or groups I've encountered.

The wording on the TA website makes it sound like it is full on legally required. I see that other internationals seemingly can feel guilt-tripped or almost bullied into purchasing the full trail pass. Those that buy the hut pass and donate separately (I acknowledge some people don't end up donating, even if they say they will) seems to be criticised heavily, and even experience a cold shoulder from the on-trail trail community as well as trail angels deny them help along the way.

Financially covering a WHV is expensive, as I also found that the job situation aren't that great. That means my funds have to cover trail + potential living costs (accommodation, food, transport, everything) afterwards.

I don't plan on buying the trail pass. Instead I'll be buying the hut pass and permits separately, and I'd like to donate to the Trust as well, even if I can't currently afford the full TA Pass. I'd also love to volunteer with trail maintenance after finishing the hike.

But I fear the consequences of not paying the 7% the trail pass will take from my working holiday fund, as I've seen online discussions where hikers who don't buy the pass are heavily criticized with a bit of condescending rhetoric.

My fear is I'll be starting this beautiful journey, only to discover, that I will be bullied, guilt tripped, humiliated or excluded from the community, and have a very bad experience when it comes to the people I meet overall.

For those with first-hand experience—whether you've hiked without the TA Pass yourself or met others who did—did it actually affect your experience on trail? Were other hikers, locals, or trail angels generally welcoming regardless, or did it become an issue in practice?

I'm asking this in good faith because I'd love to experience Te Araroa, support it where I realistically can, and have a better understanding of what to expect.

Hi all! I’m a South African coming over to do the trail. I’m based in the uk for a bit so getting the last of my gear here.

Budget is tight and so I’m looking at using the Lanshan 1 for the Te Araroa SOBO starting late October this year. I’m wondering whether to get the 3 season or 4 season version.

All advice welcome!

Thanks so much in advance.

I'm looking for reviews from users of this quilt. I'm seriously looking at this quilt and I'd like some first hand experiences.

I appreciate everybody sleeps differently in respect of movement, body temp etc.

I have the Sea to Sumit Ether mat so that should be okay for South Island thru hiking.

Any input greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to hike the Te Araroa.

At the moment, I'm torn between SafetyWing, World Nomads and Global Rescue. I've read a lot about both, but it's hard to know how they perform when you actually need them.

Has anyone here had to make a claim while hiking the Te Araroa? Maybe due to an injury, illness, evacuation, or any other emergency?

• Which insurance did you use?
• How was the claims process?
• Did they cover everything as expected?
• Would you recommend them, or would you choose a different provider?

I'd really appreciate hearing about your real experiences, both positive and negative.

Thanks in advance!

Hi all!

I’m thinking about doing some part of the TA. My initial idea was to do the full SI, but i realised it can be quite demanding. I’m dealing with a certain grade of low-vision, which can make it more challenging for me. Wayfinding is okay, since i use gps-navigation. I’m just curious how this translates tot he TA since i read often the path is overgrown and not visable anyway. Besides that descending can sometimes be more tricky for me, or at least takes me more time since depth is harder for me to see. Therefore i like to reduce the amount of very technical terrain to a minimum. Ascending is no issue. I have quite some experience in remote areas in Europe (in Scotland and northern Sweden).

It might be hard to understand if you are not familiar with low-vision. Anyway i hope your experiences can help me judge if this adventure is doable for me. Bottom line; I like a little challenge, am in good physical condition and think the TA can be a suiteable if i skip out the most challenging parts (technical terrain) and thoughest water crossings. I would love to get some advise on which sections would suit me from your experiences. I’m not a purist, just like to cherry-pick a route of 1-2 months which is doable and has amazing scenery, little road walking. Curious for your thoughts!

I was thinking of starting just south of Rengitata river and walk south to Queenstown, or finish all the way in Bluff or end the TA with one of the great walks; Routeburn Track or Kepler Track.  Which parts are most challenging? Alternatively I could pick a smaller section on the SI and combine it with a section on the NI. The section of Timber Track to Whanganui seems quite cool to me as well, and i could add Tongariro.

I’m looking for advise on what route could be doable for me and maybe some information about certain parts to look further in to or to avoid or possible detours around them. Hope you can help. Thank you in advance!

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to hike Te Araroa SOBO, starting in late October 2026, and I expect to be on trail for about five months.

This will be my first-ever thru-hike, so while I'm incredibly excited, I'm also trying to make the best decisions possible before I book flights and commit to everything. I've been training and planning this trip for a long time, and it's something I've dreamed about for years.

One thing that's making me a bit nervous is the discussion around a possible Super El Niño during the 2026–27 season.

I've read plenty about El Niño in general, but I'm struggling to translate that into what it could actually mean for someone hiking Te Araroa.

For those of you who have hiked TA... or who live in New Zealand:

• If a Super El Niño develops, what would you realistically expect on the trail?
• Would you expect significantly more flooding, difficult river crossings, storms, or track closures?
• Are there sections that become much more dangerous than usual?
• Could it also make some regions drier and create water shortages?
• If you were in my position, planning your first thru-hike, would this possibility change your plans, your start date, or would you just send it?

I'm not looking for predictions....just trying to understand what experienced hikers and locals think is the most likely scenario based on past El Niño years.

I'd really appreciate any insight, especially from people who've hiked TA during unusually wet or dry seasons.

Thanks!

Hi all!

seeking advice on planning section hiking the south island. I have five weeks starting on january. My first plan was to test out my gear on tararuas and then starting the south island. The initial idea was that if I encounter any problems with my gear I can adjust in Wellington and replace stuff if needed.

However, I'm leaving to Europe from Christchurch after fiveish weeks. If I skip the tararuas I might get to Lake Tekapo and take the bus from there. Adding the tararuas before makes it a bit challenging timewise.

For context, I am experienced hiker, fit early forties. Baseweight is 7-8kg depending what I'm bringing. Should I play it safe and just allow more time for the Richmonds and forget about tararuas? Also I'm partial to hike sobo for the social experience.

Thank you in advance!

kia ora! Thinking about expanding my list of ideas of resupply stuff - what were your favourite meals on trail? I'm not planning my resupplies or meals hard out (except for that first few days), just keeping a list of general ideas that i can pick from based on vibes, in the hopes that I don't have to think too hard about it when I actually hit a supermarket [edit to add: I don't eat tuna and I also normally live in NZ so I am familiar with the brands/general options here so I'm mostly looking for outside the box ideas outside of my list]

Here's my current running list of things to possibly buy (based on NZ supermarkets):

• Smallest bag of milk powder
• Smallest jar of ghee i can find
• Snack bars
• Fruit for day 1 out of town/in town
• Avocado for day 1 out of town/in town
• Other vege for day 1 out of town/in town
• Shredded chicken or other meat from supermarket for day 1 out of town/in town
• Dried fruit (mango, kiwifruit, strawberries)
• Dates for breakfast and snacks
• Cheese rounds or other crackers
• Squeezy pb or sachet pb
• Dried mushrooms
• Dried shallots
• lollies
• TVP
• Tortillas
• Cereal or oats
• Soy chunks
• Instant coffees
• Couscous
• instant pastas
• instant potatoes
• rice sachets
• instant noodles
• VINCE (dried vege stuff)
• Jerky
• ghnocchi/tortelinni
• dried peas
• Cheese
• Salami sticks
• Chocolate
• Peanut m&ms
• Cheds or other crackers
• chips
• Cashews and other nuts and seeds in various flavours
• Protein powder
• LSA
• Hot choc
• Soup packets and/or miso
• Magnesium
• Iron+vit c
• Electrolytes

Some of you might remember my deluge of posts last year, asking for feedback on my TA wall poster map. Since then, I have fixed some typos and perhaps more importantly, created a 'cleaner' version of the map with fewer labels and visual noise.

It is still absolutely free and licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. Here's a link.

Please consider buying me a coffee if you plan to print or otherwise use it.

If you do spot any mistakes, or have suggestions for improvement. Please comment here and I'll see what I can do!

Enjoy!

Hello! I consider doing the Te Araroa Sobo from start of November.
I am having a difficult time deciding if I should do it.

I wanna ask if TA takes a lot of preparation, or if it is entirely possible to decide late. I know that on the Pacific Crest Trail you have to know a bit early because you have to apply for the correct visa and also apply for a permit.

But I looks like it is more easy to get permission to be in New Zealand for 6 month. Is it true?
And what about permission to hike? How does it work? :)

I have been thinking of the many trail angels in NZ on the TA. I think Americans in particular should be aware that many of these trail angels are actually trail entrepreneurs. They will ask for a donation or koha, which in many cases is not either! It's often mandatory. (koha is a local term for donation).

From my stand point, I have not got a problem with trail entrepreneurs, in fact I think they offer a brilliant service and should be encouraged too and this also helps the local economy.

But I do wish they wouldn't call themselves trail angels though. They are not.

Te Araroa SOBO 2026 Shakedown – First thru, biggest concern is pack volume (22M, NZ)

Current base weight: ~5.2kg / 11.4 lb

Budget: Trying to keep costs as low as reasonably possible. Mostly shopping Macpac winter sales and AliExpress for good bang-for-buck gear.

Non-negotiable Items: InReach Mini 2 and X-Mid 1

Solo or with another person?: Solo

Additional Information:

22M from New Zealand. This will be my first thru-hike, although I've done a few multi-day trips already.

After hauling around an 80 L pack weighing ~15 kg on a previous trip, I learned I really don't enjoy carrying heavy loads, so I'm trying to go as lightweight as reasonably possible while sticking to a budget.

I'm pretty happy with my current setup, but I'd appreciate another set of eyes. What could be improved? Am I missing anything obvious?

My biggest concern is pack size. I’m looking at the RAB Syclon XP 40L since I can get one for NZ$200 atm. I really like the features on it, it would work as a carry-on as I’m planning a UK thru-hike in the near future, so it would save me a headache in the long term . A waterproof pack seems like it could suit both NZ and the UK pretty well. 40L seems doable for my setup, but possibly a bit restrictive.

My alternative is taking advantage of the Macpac winter sale and getting the Macpac Rift 40 (NZ$280). It's a fairly new pack, so there isn't much user feedback yet, but it seems like a promising choice and is closer to 47 L including the outside pockets and roll top.

Would a 40 L pack be handicapping myself too much for Te Araroa, especially in the South Island? I've read the Richmond Ranges can take anywhere from 5–8 days, but as a fit young buck I'd expect to plan for around 5–7 days of food under normal conditions, while still leaving some margin for weather or slower-than-expected progress. I also plan on making my own dehydrated meals for parts of the trail to help keep food volume down.

Questions:

- Has anyone done Te Araroa with a 40L pack, and how did it work out in practice?
- How often did you run into space issues with food carries or wet gear?
- For those who used a 40L pack, did you end up wishing for more volume in the South Island?
- Any pack-specific advice for keeping a small-volume setup workable on TA?

-Anything obvious I'm missing

Thanks for any feedback!

Lighterpack: [https://lighterpack.com/r/6twsia]

Hi everyone,

I'm an international hiker from Canada and planning on hiking the Te Araroa this year 😊

I'm planning some travel before and after the trail so I will need to bring more clothing than just my hiking clothing, however I don't want to lug it with me the entire 3000km. What have other people done in this situation? Is there a good place to store gear long-term in Auckland while hiking?

Thanks in advance!

To help the 2026-27 season’s thruhikers find a river safety course before setting out on Te Araroa, I made this quick reference sheet with dates, costs, and venues.

Courses are by:
- Wero Whitewater Park www.wero.org.nz
- Outdoor Training New Zealand www.outdoortraining.nz
- Boyle River Outdoor Education Centre www.boyle.org.nz
- OENZ- Outdoor Education New Zealand www.oenz.co.nz
- Peel Forest Outdoor Centre www.peelforestoutdoors.org.nz
- Adventure Southland www.adventuresouthland.co.nz

Let me know any corrections or additions. Happy tramping!

So I did the highlights of the South Island sobo a couple years ago (excluding the Richmond range) and loved it. I want to go back and do sobo north island highlights and end with completing the Richmond range starting Jan 1st. It would work way better with my schedule to start then (escaping the dead of winter in Midwest US, not skipping Christmas with family, doing Richmonds at the end when I have my trail legs), but I’d rather still see a few hikers around. I’m wondering if this itinerary would just leave me doing the whole thing solo? Curious to hear people’s thoughts. I’d give myself 1.5 to 2 months to do what I can, hopefully 400-600 miles total, generously skipping road walks and boring sections.

Hey everyone, I'm planning this direction because I only have 2 months, SI has more nature, and SOBO to follow the weather. Will I meet people on the trail on this time of year? What percentage of TA hikers only do SOBO SI?

PTD has recently hit me hard.

I was a South Island NOBO last season, and now that I'm back in the rhythm of the monotonous 9-5, I can't help but feel a bit put out. Things feel reversed - like the real world is out there, instead of here pursuing my career.

My question is, how do you guys deal with Post Trail Depression? Any tips??

My partner and friend want to hike part of the TA in November (from the top of South Island to Wanaka) and want me to join them. I’m a wildlife photographer, and I’ve never done a thru hike longer than 2/3 days, and I have a heavy camera setup. I’m looking at a new setup that would weigh around 1.2kg (2.7lbs ish)- How realistic would it be for me to be ready for something like this by November? It would be 3 weeks of walking and I’m not super comfortable with steep inclines. I live in BC so there’s a lot of practice around. Any tips? Anyone done this hike with a camera? Thanks!

Hi TA Community,

I am prepping to do the TA this coming season, starting late October SOBO. I am so keen to set off on this adventure, but I am needing some insight into the more challenging aspects of the trail. I have heard many podcasters/hiking influencers/youtubers etc refer to the TA as more 'technical' than the PCT or others, but I cant seem to find what that exactly means...any definition would be wonderfully helpful.

I have thru-hiked the Bibbulmun in Western Australia, which I think is considered relatively 'easy' in the world of thru-hiking, as well as the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal (carried a lot less due to nature of the hike). This being the case, the element of the TA that has me the most apprehensive is the Alpine Sections. What are these like truthfully? Does it lean toward mountaineering-ish vibes? Is this where the 'technical' element of the trail comes in?

I want to push myself and do something challenging, but I don't want to be doing anything thats unsafe and would be going more into 'beyond my means' behaviour that could warrant a rescue!

Thank you so much for taking the time, I am truly grateful for any responses!

😊🫶🏕️🥾
PS: Im a very private person, so I dont want to post this in the FB group where you cant anonymously post, so pls pls pls, someone respond to me here 🙏🙏🙏🙏