When should I hike and how long will it take?

When to walk Te Araroa:

When exactly you start your journey on Te Araroa will depend of factors like how fast you plan to walk and whether you intent to complete the entire trail, one island only or individual sections of the trail.

There are some sections of TA that may be completed year round however for thru hikers the trail must be walked in the warmer months typically starting the North Island in late spring and walking the South Island in mid to late summer when the mountains are clear of snow and river levels should be lower making them safer to cross.

South bound thru hike - both islands:

Earliest start: late September
Latest start: December
Latest finish: April

North bound thru hike - both islands:

Earliest start: November
Latest start: January
Latest finish: May

I walked south bound from Cape Reinga starting on 19th October 2024.

How long does Te Araroa typically take?

As a rough guide the Te Araroa Trust suggests your journey will take between 50 and 80 days per island.

These numbers vary greatly between hikers and will be influenced by factors like how fast you walk, the weather and how long you choose to stop at places along the way.