Our Work

Te Araroa Walker Survey

December 3, 2025

From an estimated 350 hikers in the 2015/16 season to more than 2,000 registered walkers this season, Te Araroa trail is one of the newest and fastest-growing thru-hikes in the world. For the last 3 seasons we’ve conducted extensive walker research. We’re sharing a snapshot and some of the insights we’ve gained from that data so far. Te Araroa Trust is working to improve the survey and share data and interesting insights in the future.

Notes on this data can be found here or feel free to contact us on info@teararoa.org with your queries.

Imagine Te Araroa as a village of 100 people. Instead of percentages, we’ve scaled the data down to show what it would look like if every percentage was one person in that village. This makes it easier to picture who’s walking the trail, where they’re from, and how they experience Te Araroa.

Walking Direction

79 people walked Te Araroa SOBO (walking south).
21 people walked NOBO (northbound).

Walk Type

47 people walked the entire trail, of which 43 walked SOBO and 4 walked NOBO.
20 people walked only the South Island and 5 walked only the North Island.
28 people walked sections of the trail.

How They Walked

56 people walked the trail alone.
11 people walked it with their partner or a friend.
15 people walked in with their families.
10 people walked it with a group of friends.

Demographics

53 were male, 46 were female, and 1 was gender diverse.
65 people were international visitors and 35 were from Aotearoa.

Of The 35 From Aotearoa

31 were European, 3 Māori or Pasifika, 1 was Asian and 1 was of other ethnicities.
One in three New Zealand walkers was from Auckland or Wellington.
Walkers from Aotearoa and Australia were older on average than those from other countries.

How They Sourced Information

96 people used our official Trail App.
56 people used our website.
48 people reached out to someone who had walked the trail before.
64 people used the FarOut App.
55 used the Department of Conservation (DOC) website.
28 walkers visited an iSite or DOC Visitor Centre.

How They Connected

70 people used our Te Araroa Facebook groups.
62 people used messaging groups like the Te Araroa Walker What’s App chat.

The Walking Experience

What’s it like to walk Te Araroa? Our village of 100 helps us understand the real walker’s experience on the trail. From how long they spend walking to what challenges they face and what they love most, these insights bring the journey to life.

How Long They Walked For

People doing the entire trail took an average of 132 to complete their journey
People doing sections of Te Araroa walked for a median of 31-36 days.

What It Cost Them

The average amount spent by a Te Araroa walker varies every season and is dependent on a range of reasons including time spent on the trail, whether you are section or thru hiking, among other factors. Below is a snapshot of the range of spend when walkers were asked to estimate the total amount of money they spent (excluding any cost of travel to Aotearoa/New Zealand):

Walk Type	2018/19	2024/25
Section Walk	$2,200-3,400	$3,800-5,300
Full Trail	$5,700-7,700	$8,400-12,200

Note: these amounts are in NZD and meant as an indication as they’re based on walker’s estimates only.

Previous Walking Experience

Ten walkers had never done an overnight hike in the 12 months before walking Te Araroa
20 walkers had completed another long-distance trail before:
- Six people had done the Pacific Crest Trail
- Five had done Camino de Santiago
- Four had done the Appalachian Trail
- Three had done part or all of Te Araroa previously
- Two people had walked the Bibbulmun Track
- Two had walked the Continental Divide Trail

Trail Challenges

Every journey has its ups and downs. In our village of 100, each person reflects how walkers experienced the trail – what felt easy, what tested their limits, and where the adventure truly began.

Those walking the full Te Araroa

Of the 47 people who walked the full trail

They ranked the three most challenging sections in the North Island as the Tararua Ranges, Northland Forest and Te Kuiti to Pureora.
The 43 people who walked SOBO ranked the most challenging sections in the South Island as Richmond Alpine Track, Breast Hill Track and Waiau Pass Track.
Of the four people walking NOBO they ranked Breast Hill Track, Richmond Alpine Track and East Ahuriri Track as the most challenging in the South Island.

Those Walking The South Island Only

The 20 people walking the South Island only ranked the most challenging sections as the Richmond Alpine track and Breast Hill Track.

Use of Satelite Communicators

All walkers are encouraged to carry a satellite communication device in case of an emergency. 80 people last season carried one on their journey. This was 10 more people than the season before.

Looking Ahead

Te Araroa is more than a trail. It’s a community of walkers, each with their own story. By sharing these insights, we hope to make the journey more accessible and enjoyable for everyone. We’ll continue to refine our research and share new findings as the trail evolves.

Got questions or ideas? We’d love to hear from you at info@teararoa.org. Together, we can keep Te Araroa one of the world’s most unforgettable adventures.

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