Te Araroa Budget
How much does it cost to hike Te Araroa
The short answer; it cost me $11,897.41* (NZD) in 2022/23. For a more detailed answer keep reading.
*This is just ‘on trail’ costs, I haven’t included any gear purchased before hiking, since I already had most of it from the CDT. I also haven’t included the cost of flights to New Zealand, Visas, Insurance, etc as these will vary depending where you’re coming from. Unlike most other thru hikes in the world the Te Araroa trust also asks for a donation for walking the trail (they recommended $750 for the 22/23 season); this isn’t included in the $12k above either.
At this point, I should emphasize that the amount people spend while thru-hiking varies A LOT! Personally, I enjoyed good food in town, often paid for a hostel bed, and indulged in a few beers along the way too. It’s challenging to predict what you’ll spend on the trail, but I will say that if you’re budget-conscious, you can certainly do it for less than I did. I’ll break down my expenses below to give you an idea of what to expect. All figures are in New Zealand Dollars.
On Trail Costs
Accommodation - $2,993.13
If you’ve completed any of the long trails in the United States, you might be surprised by how much you spend on accommodation along the TA. This is because freedom or wild camping is much more restricted in New Zealand, meaning you’ll have to pay for camping or accommodation more frequently, especially on the North Island.
This figure includes the cost of a hut pass ($153 for 12 months). I purchased a 12-month pass since I stayed in New Zealand after hiking the trail, but a 6-month pass would have been a cheaper (Currently $120).
You could definitely spend less here, as I often opted for a dorm or private room in town, where staying at campsites would have been cheaper.
Trail Food - $2,571.17
This is what I spent on resupplying for the trail and doesn’t include the cost of food bought in towns or at cafes, etc., along the way. I’d say this is a pretty average amount. I don’t have any dietary requirements, and I’m not very particular about my food. However, I’m not willing to eat ramen for every meal just to save a few dollars.
Town Food - $2,485.29
You could definitely save some money here! I was more than happy to grab a burger, pizza, ice cream, anything I could find in town to try to satisfy the hiker hunger.
Gear - $1,072.24
The cost of gear I had to replace/buy on the trail, which includes: 2 pairs of shoes (I used a total of 3 pairs), a sun hoodie, pack cover, pillow, seam sealant, repair patches, Tenacious Tape, and a few other miscellaneous items. It’s important to consider that gear prices are very high in New Zealand, so if you’re coming from overseas, I’d recommend bringing everything with you. Thru-hiking can be tough on gear, so it’s likely you will have to replace some items along the way. This is hard to predict, but I’d say I was probably below average since I didn’t have to replace any big items.
Beer - $873.59
Pretty self explanatory and completely avoidable. Don’t underestimate the value of a nice cold beer after a long hard day’s hiking though.
Cash - $500
This is hard to account for but I withdrew $500 in cash at the start of the trail and most of it had gone by the end. I recommend carrying some cash for the following; some of the campsites are payable in cash only, for giving Koha (donations) to trail angels and to make splitting costs with other hikers easier. Try and get small bills if you can.
Miscellaneous - $483.86
I’ve broken this category down into a bit more detail:
- $54.98 Farout – if you’ve hiked any long distance hikes before you’ve probably used Farout (Guthook) before. If not, I strongly recommend using Farout for navigation and for getting up to date information from fellow hikers.
- $29.99 Haircut
- $8 OP shop Hawaiian shirt – To celebrate Christmas in style.
- $132.93 Hayfever tablets – Surprisingly expensive would have brought more from home if I’d have known.
- $100 Medical Centre – I dislocated my thumb on the trail.
- $117.96 Pharmacy – other pharmacy costs; prescriptions for dislocating my thumb, ibuprofen, leukotape, etc
- $25 Queen Charlotte track permit
- $15 resupply box pick up fees
Transport $336.51
This includes the bus from Auckland to Cape Reinga, ferry from Devonport to Auckland, Ferry between islands, water taxi to Queen Charlotte track and a shuttle from Glenorchy to the start of the greenstone track.
Canoe Hire $275
For the Whanganui river
Phone $205.34
I got a SIM card and data plan with Skinny which cost $40 for 4 weeks.
Bike Hire $80
I rented a bike to cycle from Tekapo to Twizel. You could hike this section if you wanted to, which would save you $80.
Total “on trail” cost $11,897.41
For some context, I walked the whole trail SOBO in 2022/23, starting 26/10/22 and finishing on 19/03/2023 so it took me 145 days. Giving an average cost of $82/day. I took 28 Zero days (rest days) which definitely added to the cost but I wanted to travel New Zealand a bit along the way. It would be cheaper if you took less Zero days and hiked faster!
I’d say I was probably slightly above average with the amount I spent, it could definitely be done for less. Having said that, I’d budget a minimum of $10,000 for the whole trail. If your planning on only hiking the South Island it’s worth noting that its much cheap than the North. For a start the North Island is longer than the South, so takes longer to hike. There are less huts and freedom camping options on the North Island, meaning you’ll be paying for accommodation more often. You’ll also pass through towns more often which means more opportunities to spend money.
Other costs to consider:
Donation to the Te Araroa Trust
The Te Araroa trust asks for a donation from hikers to help maintain the trail you can find further details here: https://www.teararoa.org.nz/about-us/donate/
Getting to New Zealand
Flights into and around New Zealand aren’t cheap! Obviously the cost is going to vary widely depending where you are coming from.
Visa
Depending where you come from you’re likely to need a visa, as the visa waiver only lasts for 3 months which isn’t long enough to hike the whole trail (The visa waiver is 6 months for fellow Brits). Your best options are likely to be a Tourist visa or a Working Holiday visa depending where you’re coming from and how long you want to stay.
Insurance
If you have an accident on trail you may be covered by ACC in New Zealand, more details here: https://www.acc.co.nz/im-injured/what-we-cover/if-youre-a-new-zealander-injured-overseas/
However travel insurance would be smart for anything not covered by ACC. Side note, UK and Australian citizens are covered by reciprocal healthcare agreements.
Gear
As I mentioned above, gear in New Zealand is expensive and you won’t find as many brands as you do in Europe or North America. So I’d definitely recommend getting all your gear sorted and trying it out before you leave home. The cost is going to vary a lot depending on how much gear you already have.
Want more information on Te Araroa?
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