Do I need a pass or permit to hike TA?

Do I need a pass or permit to hike TA?

The short answer is no, you do not need to apply for a permit to hike Te Araroa. This means you don't need to apply for anything well in advance like on other long distance trails, for instance the PCT.

What you will have to do is register your walk. To do this you can head to the Te Araroa Trust website and click on the 'Register to walk' tab. Registrations for the upcoming season currently open in August.

The Trail Pass:

In addition to registering you will need to purchase 'The Trail Pass' which is not so much a pass to walk but rather a camping and huts pass to cover your Department of Conservation campgrounds and huts along the way. The cost of this will depend on if you are a local or international walker.

Note: If you are only walking sections or want to do just a weekend walk on the TA you can just book the necessary huts/campgrounds on the DOC website, you don't need a full trail pass.