No permits, no registration, no big commitment. Te Araroa runs past more towns and cities than most people realise, so a stretch of New Zealand’s trail is probably closer than you think, and you can walk it before dinner.
Before you go
Day walks still cross real country. Take water, food, a warm layer and a raincoat, tell someone where you are going, and check the forecast. Conditions change fast, and some sections cross rivers or tidal flats where timing matters. Our walker safety page covers the essentials.
Most sections below are one-way, so plan how you will get back before you set out. Times are a guide for a reasonably fit walker and do not include stops.
Day walks, north to south
49 of 49 sections
Northland 7
Auckland 13
Mangawhai to Pākiri
Mt Tamahunga (Te Hīkoi O Te Kiri) Track
Govan Wilson to Puhoi Valley
Puhoi Track
Puhoi to Wenderholm Kayak
Wenderholm to Stillwater
Okura to Long Bay – Low Tide crossing
North Shore Coastal Walk
Coast To Coast Walkway
Onehunga to Puhinui
Puhinui Stream Track
Botanic Gardens to Mangatāwhiri
Mangatāwhiri to Mercer
Waikato 8
Whanganui 1
Manawatū 2
Wellington 9
Pukeatua Track
Kāpiti Coast
Escarpment Track
Ara Harakeke (Flax Pathway)
Rangituhi / Colonial Knob Walk
Ngaio
Wellington City
Wellington South
The Interislander Connection
Marlborough 1
Otago 3
Southland 5
Ready for something longer?
If a day out leaves you wanting more, a multi-day section is the natural next step: several days on the trail, sleeping in huts or a tent, at a pace that suits you.