Journey of a lifetime
Tsewang Nuru Sherpa spends two months walking New Zealand’s 3000km Te Araroa Trail.
On my last day on Te Araroa, my 118th day, I marched to Bluff surrounded by seven mighty walkers, all strangers, just a few weeks ago.
Now, with deep excitement or perhaps a profound sense of relief, all lifelong friends, we marched through a clearcut Foveaux Walkway behind the big rustic steel-framed Bluff sign. Emerging at Bluff’s Stirling Point, mainland New Zealand’s southernmost point, I stood there in utter exuberance.
“We did it; we walked 3000km from Cape Reinga to Bluff,” exclaimed Linus, an ambitious German who yearned for long days and night-time walking.
I started the trail from Cape Reinga on November 24, 2023, and reached Bluff on February 22, 2024. Between these two months, my physical endeavour surpassed 3300km of walking through nine national parks, five Great Walks, 11 side quests – and four pairs of shoes.
Since its official opening in 2011, Te Araroa – New Zealand’s trail – has gained in popularity, with more than 2300 walkers this season. The beauty of the trail lies in its uniqueness; it is not your average longdistance trail. With frequent changes in terrain, the trail provides opportunities for kayaking, canoeing, biking and even ferries across Cook Strait.
Te Araroa perfectly blends urban, rural and wilderness areas, naturally showcasing New Zealand's diverse landscape. With the trail's design and how it’s laid out, I never encountered boredom or got accustomed to it; in fact, I always looked forward to the following sections.
From forested ridgelines, farmland and volcanoes in the North Island to traversing magnificent national parks and mountain passes in the South Island, Te Araroa always intrigued me, pushing me to keep walking.
The widespread, growing network of trail angels along the route, generously offering food, warm beds, showers and lawns for pitching tents, makes it a lifetime journey.
The culture of the angels, who provide services to weary hikers, is entwined with the Māori concept of koha and is an excellent example of how walking Te Araroa connects people, community and culture, and transfers knowledge. Huts form a more significant part of the journey. Primarily a sanctuary to spend a warm night and enjoy hot meals, huts on the trail embody many things – a place for celebration and connection, self-reflection, and memories formed through stories.
The huts are also a great way to pass on information to fellow hikers, as the hut book is used regularly to record your stay, track your friends and leave a message.
Weighed against the joy and wonder I experience on my walk, the reasonable risk becomes a part of the equation I accepted wholeheartedly. The weather in New Zealand is very changeable. My main concern was the rain. A night of rain can turn a tiny flowing river uncrossable. At Arthur’s Pass I waited three days for the rivers to calm.
Te Araroa is also challenging. Scrambling a 1700-metre peak on the Richmond Ranges, followed by endless climbs in the Tararuas, Nelson Lakes and Harper Pass, are physically demanding and dangerous, requiring proper planning and intense focus.
Te Araroa is about living in the present, a wonderful indulgence. However, the future demands notice – 10% of the walk involves road walking, even more so this year due to weather, congestion in huts in the South Island, and increasing pressure on track infrastructure.