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

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.

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.

28/02/2026

Day 100 - 103. Westport to Arthurs Pass.

I hitch-hiked the rugged and wondrous west coast on my diversion from Te Araroa trail over 2 days. Taking me from Westport, past Punakaiki / pancake rocks to Greymouth and eventually, Hokitika.

I set up camp in the Kiwi Holiday park - a state of the art facility in Hoki, knowing that the Arthurs Pass National Park awaits me. My Achilles reminding me that they need rehabilitation, not a huge push.

This diversion meant skipping some of the most beautiful sections of Te Araroa: the Richmond Ranges, Waiau Pass and Boyle, around 300 kilometres all up.

That’ll be a great section hike next season.

With my supplies for 5/6 days in hand, I leaned out for one more hitch to Arthurs Pass. Thankfully, after not even 10 minutes a pair of friends travelling together from Quebeck stopped. They asked “where are you going,” It just so happened, we were all going to the same place.

We talked about the ups & downs of travel, NZ’s beautiful scenery, and what makes you mad enough to attempt walking the whole country.

Arthurs Pass is a funny little village. The post shop has had a bit of fame in the trail community lately, and the Kia’s will actually steal your s**t. The first picture it was looking majestic, the second - it was attempting to take the bumper bar right out from my grip.

I stayed the night at Mountain House after negotiating a deal to make some beds for them. A friendly place with good facilities and beds, I recommend.

Now, after waiting for some trail folk to do the river crossings with, I begin the next leg of the trail. There are streams, rivers, rocks and mountains all in one.

Ill see ya soon,
J.

27/02/2026

Hitchhiking in the West Coast. Westport to Hokitika! To everyone that stopped, thank you so much.

3 months ago, i never would have tried this - but after hitching in the North Island i realised something - New Zealand (and the world) is full of amazing people! More than you would expect.

Super super grateful that you welcome me into your world for that short amount of time, and its awesome sharing stories along the way. Chur!

26/02/2026

Bro it’s coming right at me 🥸

22/02/2026

Day 91-95, Havelock - Nelson.

A couple of big days from Havelock (with a rest day) to Nelson.

1: Walked 23km from Havelock to Pelorus Bridge. Lost the group because i stayed at a different camp. Beautiful Marlborough scenery, Havelock was also really nice. We stayed at the Rutherford.

2: Walked 26km from Pelorus bridge - Captains Creek Hut. A gruelling 14km road walk followed by tracks into the Richmond Ranges, it was a yell at the ground type of day but being back in the forest felt really good. I had the hut to myself - a lovely 6 bunk country hut.

3: I got up before sunrise and pushed 20km from Captains Creek hut past Middy & Rocks Hut to arrive at Browning hut by 3pm. I felt stronger than usual - and came across fellow hikers that later described me as “fast & strong” - that felt good as I have been somewhat an underdog on this hike.

4: Walked to Hacket hut then out to get to Nelson, unfortunately i went the wrong way walking 10km down a forestry road instead of out to Hacket Car park. When I got to the road, a bit beaten up from the past few days, i put my thumb out for the first car - and they stopped. I couldn’t believe my luck, but you know what? i somehow knew i would be lucky. A lovely lady from Japan took me all the way to Nelson, legend.

Now i rest in Nelson for a few days and see a physio for my aggrivated Achilles, woo!!

15/02/2026

Day 86-90 on Te Araroa, The Queen Charlotte Track. Beautiful start to the south island. Wekas, possums, bioluminescence, rays - sandflies!

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