JEO

JEO Kiwi walking Te Araroa 2025/26. Chose different. Writing, wellbeing, lived experience.

Last November, I thought for my first hike I’d give walking a country a go.So in less than 30 days, I sourced all the ge...
02/04/2026

Last November, I thought for my first hike I’d give walking a country a go.

So in less than 30 days, I sourced all the gear, booked a plane ticket, and made my way to Cape Reinga to begin the Te Araroa Trail - New Zealand’s 3000km thru-hike.

I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.

From never walking more than 9km, I was suddenly asking my body for 28km by day two. By day three, my body was breaking down.

I limped into Ngapē Holiday Park and took my first zero, dealing with blisters, large and small.
“It can’t be over here,” I said.

So I carried on.

The beach was brutal. The forests were brutal. The roads were brutal. Through the North Island and into the South, my body slowly started to work - but I was in pain every single day until about KM2370, the Two Thumb Track.

By then I’d seen it all - blistering heat, sleet, storms, snow. Mud, sand, gravel, and mountainous rock.

I met hundreds of chirpy travellers all heading for Bluff. I’d roll into camp last after another excruciating 20km, while they’d done 30–45km and still had energy.
“I’m not fit like them… why can’t I do that?”

But they were experienced, fit - some athletes.
And I was a 30 year old first-time hiker asking a lot from my body.

Over time, it adapted. Knees got stronger. Achilles settled. By Two Thumb, I was finally moving well.

But something else was calling - home.

After nearly four months, I’d done what I came to do. Learned what I needed to learn. Overcome what I could.

So after 2000km and 126 days, I’ve decided it’s time. At least for this season.

Hiked: 2000km+
Sections skipped: 7–8
Tent nights: 50
Hut nights: 15
Days off (injured/sick): 47
Kilos lost: 14.5
Tan slices found: 4
Enjoyment: 20%

Te Araroa Trail - thank you for the safe passage, and for changing my life. I’ll be back next season to tick off the missing bits.

24/03/2026

Day 122-123 On Te Araroa: From Top Timaru Hut, the alternative route follows the Timaru River downstream instead of the marked sidle track.

Travel is mostly in the riverbed: boulder hopping, shallow crossings, and picking lines through braided sections. In low flows this can be more direct than the track, avoiding climbs and eroded sidles.

Progress becomes slower where the valley narrows. Sections of steep banks, fallen trees, and short gorges force detours or brief climbs onto higher ground. One narrow gorge section requires leaving the river entirely and rejoining the marked track.

Navigation is constant — there’s no defined trail, just route choice based on conditions. River level is critical; higher flows make this option unsafe.

The route rejoins near Stodys Hut after multiple crossings and uneven travel.

A practical shortcut in the right conditions, but more technical and committing than the official track.

22/03/2026

Day 120-121 on Te Araroa.

From the East Ahuriri Track, the route climbs out of Lake Ōhau over the range and drops into the remote Ahuriri Valley, following riverbeds, marker poles, and long unformed sections to the Ahuriri River — the largest unbridged crossing on the South Island TA. After fording, the trail continues through high country farmland via Longslip Station, climbing steady 4WD tracks toward Tin Hut, where this stretch finishes.

A mix of navigation, river crossings, and exposed high country travel — long miles with not much in between, just classic South Island backcountry.

Day 119-124 of walking the country on Te Araroa.Day 1: leaving the Mackenzie district behind with a 32km walk from Twize...
22/03/2026

Day 119-124 of walking the country on Te Araroa.

Day 1: leaving the Mackenzie district behind with a 32km walk from Twizel to Lake Middleton camp - views of lake Ōhau on the way!

Day 2: 18.5km to East Ahuriri hut. An abandoned 1800’s musterers DOC hut in the middle of nowhere. The last registered maintenance was in 2020 when they left 2 mattresses there. Somebody has been in and done repairs regularly since, with a new door - and replacing the fallen down toilet. a kind soul no doubt!

Day 3: a 21km walk over tussock-y farm land and across the widest river crossing on Te Araroa, the braided Ahuriri river. The path leads you on to longslip station (full of cows) where there is a privately owned hut called Tin Hut.

Day 4: 19km to the waterfall campsite. This track took us up to 1700m on the Martha Saddle - mountainous, scree slopey steep stuff, which then turned to riverbed walking after Top Timaru hut. An option for good weather.

Day 5: continued riverbed walking. it was supposed to be a longer day which wound up being about 8km. some navigational issues led to a very steep climb up the riverbank to re-join the trail. Another very steep climb up to Stodys hut followed, taking it out of us for the day.

Day 6: continue the breast hill track with a morning climb up to the peak at about 1600m. It then takes you down 1000m to reach lake Hāwea, punishing on the knees!!.

Total Elevation Gain = 4,516
Total Elevation loss = 4,691
Total KM = 110(ish)
Sandflies = 1,398,562.00

Day 113-116, The Two Thumb track. Probably my favourite hiking on Te Araroa yet. Day 1 begins with a hitch all the way t...
15/03/2026

Day 113-116, The Two Thumb track. Probably my favourite hiking on Te Araroa yet.

Day 1 begins with a hitch all the way to Bush Stream car park, then you walk up the river (with multiple fast flowing crossings) for about 8km before a 2km climb to Crooked Spur hut.

Day 2 was very scenic, about 16km with lots of climbing to Royal Hut. One of my fav places.

Day 3 was the near 1000m climb up to Stag Saddle (the highest point on ) where we came down the other side and wild camped.

Day 4 was a fantastic scenic highway like track out to the road end, nearly 20km, lucky there was a couple from W/A waiting at the bottom for a hitch to Tekapo!!

mountains nztrails hikingadventures outdoors explorenz nzmustdo nature teararoa teararoatrail

08/03/2026

Day 105 — Te Araroa Trail

From West Harper Hut the trail continues down the Harper River valley through Craigieburn Forest Park, linking rough river flats and old 4WD tracks with several river crossings along the way. The route then enters Glenthorne Station, travelling the true left of the river beneath the dramatic rock formations of The Pinnacles. After fording the Avoca River, the trail reaches Harper Road and the free Trustpower / Manawa Energy Campsite near Lake Coleridge.

Distance: ~19 km
Time: 5–6 hours
Terrain: river flats, farm tracks, and multiple river fords through the upper Harper valley.

Day 104-106. Arthurs Pass to Methven.Day 1: involved a walk through Cragieburn Forest park to the 80-year-old West Harpu...
06/03/2026

Day 104-106. Arthurs Pass to Methven.

Day 1: involved a walk through Cragieburn Forest park to the 80-year-old West Harpur hut. It was a very cold night so we lit the fire.

Day 2: rising to the snow was a bit of a shock, we got moving by about 8 and walked through the sleet & rain. River crossings making our feet go numb with just enough time to get the feeling back before doing another one!

Day 3: the sun came back! Walked a decent stretch to Powerhouse Lodge & hitched a ride out to Methven then back to the trailhead on the other side of the Rakaia river.

Address

National Park

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when JEO posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to JEO:

Shortcuts

Share

Category