One Year – Five Continents

Perhaps a no brainer but your trail does not start the day you set foot on the trail. It starts much earlier and depending on what kind of planer you are more ore less intense and time consuming. I would call myself the “have-the-basics-down-but-what-happens-happens” type.

For me have the basics down means: know the route/have a proper map with trail notes and try to figure out where you are going to sleep, in case you have to book in advance.

The rest normally falls into place once you are there. At least for me.

With the Te Araroa it is similar but there are a few things you should know in advance, even before you fly into New Zealand if you come with already used gear.

Let’s start with the amazing resources that are being provided from the Te Araroa organisation (https://www.teararoa.org.nz). I have never seen such a comprehensive and detailed resource for a trail ever before. Tons of material, advice and service!

If you are hiking the trail, you need to sign up. There are different choices. You can sign up for the complete trail or just parts of it. I decided to only do the South Island for which I paid a registration fee of approx 670 € which might seem expensive but most of the campsites and huts on the South Island are for free with this one and there are trail partners that give you a discount.

I think that is pretty amazing considering that I could be on trail until June, if I wanted to.

The Te Araroa organization also connects your trail pass with the Department of Conversation where you book campsites and huts. (https://www.doc.govt.nz).

On top of that they send you a little package to a chosen pick up station in New Zealand, in case you live abroad.

Downloading the trail app helps you planning and has all relevant trail notes, as well as a link to the weather services, if you have cell phone coverage. My backup is the garmin in reach mini which also connects to a gps weather service but hiking a trail like that, it should be a standard to have one of those or a similar device.

The Trail App and the Te Araroa website will be your main source and it makes sense to acquaint yourself with it in advance.

Before you go….

I took a flight from Japan and not from Germany and it was extremely cheap so I am not sure what prices might be from Germany.

You will need to get a NZeTA for New Zealand if you are from Germany . (https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/new-zealand-electronic-travel-authority-nzeta/). It is cheap and easy to access.

But that is only the first legal step to enter the country. What you also need is to fill out is the NZTD or New Zealand Travel Declaration.

There is an app that explains itself.

No biggie except if you bring food and used hiking gear into the country.

Let’s start with the food: don’t bring anything, that makes your life easier. Anything that you might want to use on trail you can find in New Zealand, also freeze dried meals. I took the chance anyways and in the end I was lucky and only one was taken away because honey was one of the list of ingredients. Here you find an explanation why.

Now let’s talk about your gear. If it is dirty it can cost you a lot of money and time. Period. There are some people that are ranting about paying fines or missing flights but let’s be honest, if you do not inform yourself, it is your problem.

I was lucky enough to have been forewarned by my amazing friend Eva and while I was spending my last two days in Japan at her place I used the good weather on one of the days and her garden hose to give my gear a thorough scrub. And there were no complaints. I was done in record time.

One last thing that you have to have if you travel with a NZeTA: proof of your flight out of the country. I did not have to prove that I have enough money but it seems that that might happen as well.

While I am writing this, I am only a day away to board the ferry and start my hike on the South Island. Although I have hiked a number of longer trails, it feels as if I am hiking for the first time, because every trail is different and has its very unique ups and downs.

Looking forward to find out about this one!