In the summer of 2023/24, I travelled to Aotearoa/New Zealand and walked the entire length of the country on Te Araroa, The Long Pathway. Although I had completed many multi-day trails in the past, I had never attempted something of this magnitude. Traversing the entire country over the course of 4.5 months and 3000 km, I experienced an adventure that blew away my expectations.
When you think of hiking in New Zealand, the last thing on most people’s minds is walking through Auckland, the country's largest city. And yet that’s exactly where the TA led me, although not before traversing some pretty muddy terrain and slowly meandering down a river. Once inside city limits, I was treated to a peaceful coastal walk, several green parks, extinct volcanoes, and a whole lot of road walking. It wasn’t always an enjoyable experience, but I’m still glad I did it.
My blog of my journey along Te Araroa: a-dangerous-business.com/
Thumbnail and location artwork done by Eli Southward: eli-southward.myportfolio.com/
Auckland skyline used in location card: www.freepik.com/
Drone footage taken by Matt Tomkins: matt.tomkins
Music:
IamDayLight - Sunday Afternoon
Beneath The Mountain - Forest by the Sea
Doug Kauffman - Songbird
Beneath The Mountain - North Sea