Te Araroa Te Waipounamu = The Long Path South Island

Kia ora to all who will take the time to read this ongoing story of the adventure we are  about to embark on. We will be walking Te Waipounamu, the South Island from the 20th December 2022 until about the 13th March 2023 on the Te Araroa Trail - South Island. (It will definitely depend on what happens along the way as to how long it takes us!)

   

This long-distance trail was officially opened in 2011. It runs for about 3000km from Cape Reinga to Bluff, crossing both islands in length. We will be doing the South Island staetingvat Ships Cove.

​The Te Araroa has many different terrains from beaches, to forest, to marshland areas,  to mountain ridges. There will be multiple river crossings and probably unpredictable weather to navigate. For most of the South Island we can stay in DOC backcountry huts or campgrounds. 

It was time to sort what to take, what to send ahead of ourselves, what to pack for the campervan that will meet us three weeks into the trail and what to discard. 

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