What is the Te Araroa Trail?

So what is Te Araroa??

Great question! I certainly wondered the same thing when I first heard about this trail.... let's jump into it!

1. Te Araroa, means 'The Long Pathway' and is a hiking trail spanning the length of New Zealand.

2. The trail is just over 3,000km long and is one of the world’s most diverse long-distance walking trails, winding its way through mountains, forests, rivers, cities and even volcanoes!

3. Each year approximately 2,000 people complete the trail as a continuous thru hike whilst others walk smaller sections over many seasons.

4. Te Araroa needs to be walked in summer as much of the trail closes seasonally for snow and lambing.

5. The trail usually takes between 3 1/2 - 5 months to complete.

6. Te Araroa can be walked either north to south OR south to north but I would strongly recommend starting at Cape Reinga and walking southbound.

Te Araroa is a fairly new trail in the thru hiking world (when compared to the likes of the PCT or Appalachian Trail) and is continually growing in popularity, infrastructure and resources. I competed the trail southbound over the 2024/2025 summer hiking season and have put together this guide to help answer your questions and get you started towards your own Te Araroa journey.