(NOBO Guide)
This is a post describing my Te Araroa (TA) Tramp Nov 2017 to Feb 2018
I spent nearly 60 days walking this trail - there are 6 posts describing in detail my adventures along the way... check them out here...
In addition to TA South Island I also did some walking along TA in Northland (90 mile beach and Whananaki to Whangarei), 4 of the Great Walks (Kepler, Routeburn, Abel Tasman, Heaphy) and the Pouakai Circuit in Taranaki. Click the links to see the details.
I spent nearly 60 days walking this trail - there are 6 posts describing in detail my adventures along the way... check them out here...
New Zealand - Te Araroa Days 1-9
In addition to TA South Island I also did some walking along TA in Northland (90 mile beach and Whananaki to Whangarei), 4 of the Great Walks (Kepler, Routeburn, Abel Tasman, Heaphy) and the Pouakai Circuit in Taranaki. Click the links to see the details.
Te Anau and The Kepler Track
Greenstone-Caples and Routeburn Tracks
The Heaphy and Abel Tasman Tracks
Taranaki Tramp
Before leaving the UK I invested a fair amount of time researching. The official website has tons of trail stories with great tips - go through several of them and refine your logistical plan as finely as you can!
Greenstone-Caples and Routeburn Tracks
The Heaphy and Abel Tasman Tracks
Taranaki Tramp
Before leaving the UK I invested a fair amount of time researching. The official website has tons of trail stories with great tips - go through several of them and refine your logistical plan as finely as you can!
Route
I decided to tramp the South Island only and did it northbound (NOBO). I thought long and hard about doing both islands and did a fair amount of research so the decision to do the south only wasn’t taken lightly.
I read many blogs where trampers were not happy about the amount of road walking that has busy traffic (ie state highways and main roads as opposed to gravel/forestry roads which are generally very quiet) I know www.teararoa.org.nz have done their best to get as much track as they can off road in the North Island but I decided against doing the North Island TA. This decision was borne out by the many SOBO’s I met who had hitched significant distances or done a personal re-route. Sure there are people out there who walked every North Island step and I take my hat off to them but it wasn’t for me.
Other reasons for doing South Island only were my time frame which would have necessitated a very fast tramp to do both islands. It was my first major thru-hike and I didn’t want to over commit myself.
I was lucky enough to have a friend (Barbara) who lives in Whangarei and acted as a "basecamp" where I left my normal travel backpack while I tramped. I also did my 8 day Northland "test tramp" from there which was great to work out what worked for me kit & food wise and also very handy when I wanted to send stuff back that I didn’t want to carry! So if you have a Kiwi friend make good use of them like I did!
I went NOBO so I could book The Kepler and Routeburn Great Walks on predictable dates. I think it would have been more difficult to get to the start point of those tracks on time if I had been going SOBO.
Couple of other NOBO notes… Firstly there are very few people doing it! The split is probably 95% SOBO’s and 5% NOBO’s! So if you enjoy the mountains to yourself and prefer total independence then it’s highly recommended. Until I got to Arthur’s Pass there were barely 2 or 3 people in the huts most nights and often in the first month I had them to myself. Also if you don’t want to get caught up in a tramping “bubble” - walking with and seeing the same people every day it’s ideal - there are not enough people to create a bubble!! On the other hand if you feel more comfortable tramping in a group then NOBO might not be for you..
Also the toughest part of the south island TA is generally from Tekapo onwards - by that time you will have tramping for a month and will be fitter and more experienced for the difficult parts to come. Another plus is that the Queen Charlotte Track is a nice way to finish - as opposed to Invercargill to Bluff ;-)
I started from Bluff in mid November - pretty early in Southern New Zealand. I got lucky and it was a dry, warm spring. Of course as I moved north it got warmer but I had no crazy heat to tramp in which was good. In fact most of my weather issues were in January - heavy rains from the tail ends of Pacific cyclones created a few zero days but overall I was pretty pleased with the weather NZ dished out!
I started from Bluff in mid November - pretty early in Southern New Zealand. I got lucky and it was a dry, warm spring. Of course as I moved north it got warmer but I had no crazy heat to tramp in which was good. In fact most of my weather issues were in January - heavy rains from the tail ends of Pacific cyclones created a few zero days but overall I was pretty pleased with the weather NZ dished out!
Kit
Again I did a lot of research using blogs on teararoa.org.nz Most people have kit lists on their blogs which was very useful. This is the kit I used - I am not going to go into individual weights but my final Base Weight (ie not including food, water, worn clothing and poles) was around 10 kg which I was pretty happy with.
Shelter
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Tent
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Vango F10 Helium 100
| I think this tent might only be available in the UK . Was plenty of room for me and my backpack - fortunately I had no nights of lashing rain or wind so it didn’t get a test in my hands but reviews are good. I can confirm it’s very quick to put up and down - it erects inner and fly in one. Also dries quickly. Was very pleased overall tinyurl.com/y9ljjycz |
Sleeping bag
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Mountain Equipment Xero 350
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I think this has been discontinued but it is a 3 season down bag with a lower limit of 0C - weighs about 800g I was pleased with this - never got cold and rarely had to open the zip because I got too warm. I used it with a liner.. I replaced the bag’s stuff sack with a drybag - you don’t want to get a down bag wet!!
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Liner
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Silk Liner
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Bought on eBay - good prices on liners from Vietnam. Adds warmth and keeps the inside of the bag getting soiled with sweat/dirt
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Sleeping pad
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ThermaRest NeoAir ¾ length
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Pretty comfy but in retrospect wish I’d had the full length version
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Backpack
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Backpack
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Osprey Exos 58
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Definitely a popular pack. Overall I was happy with it - was very comfortable and fitted me well - saw lots of other trampers with pack sores. I debated long and hard whether to go 48L or 58L but glad I took the bigger bag - not much heavier but the extra space meant I could get everything inside the bag which I think is nice.
Negatives - the mesh front and side panels are not robust enough and snag/tear easily on TA’s many trees/rocks. The straps on the bottom were too widely spaced apart when I had to carry a wet tent outside my pack - the tent tended to slip from the grip of the thin straps - not good! But overall the good outweighed the bad and I’m sure there is no perfect pack!
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Cover
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From my other backpack
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There is not a cover supplied with the Osprey so you have to supply your own - mine wasn’t up to the job - showerproof only - would advise a decent waterproof one
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Packliner
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Heavy duty thick black plastic bag
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Called "trash compactor bags" in the US - however small wear and tear holes developed - luckily I had no major downpours to walk through. Probably would go for a branded packliner next time
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Drybags
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Various sizes and colours
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Had about 5 or six of those in various sizes (0.5l to 5l) and colours for various bit of kit - different colours are useful for finding different bits of kit easily
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Umbrella
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EuroSchirm Trekking Umbrella - silver
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Did save me from a thorough soaking on a few occasions - also was useful as a sunshade a couple of times - would I take it again - probably
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Hiking poles
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Black Diamond Ergo Cork
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Great poles - never felt they were going to fail me - most TA hikers (about 90%) use poles even the Kiwis! The extra stability and support while crossing rivers, descending steep slopes, muddy tracks, scree etc etc is priceless
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Clothing
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Boots
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Probably my longest deliberation before I went - boots or trail runners. I went for my existing worn in leather boots as I already had them. Happy with my choice? Difficult to tell - the track is rough in NZ so the protection afforded by a boot was welcome. Everyone stumbles now and again - a number of times I went over on my ankle and wondered how it would have been in a trail runner. But yes they were heavier and drained less well after getting wet. If I could choose again I would probably go lighter weight but something with a more robust outer and higher ankle support than a trail runner. I've just bought a pair of Salomon X Ultra LTR's to replace my worn out boots - we'll see how they work out...
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Gaiters (ankle)
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RAB
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Not so much for keeping water out but sand and gravel. Some people advocate longer gaiters for protection against speargrass but there's really not that much of it - if you see it just it just walk round it!! :-)
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Socks Darn Tough and Injinji
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I thoroughly recommend this combo - the Injinji toes socks were great - I wore them under the Darn Tough - both lasted 1500km and I had very few foot issues Had 2 pairs of Darn tough - one as hut socks one as tramping socks
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Underpants
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2 pairs
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Lightweight and quick drying polyster/elastane mix
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Trousers
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Craghopper Convertibles x 2
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One for tramping and the other for hut/town wear
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T-shirt
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Merino
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Smartwool Brand - read reports about merino not being hard wearing - this has 87% merino 13% nylon - lasted the whole trip and looks like it will last several more. Had all the properties of merino that we look for...
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Long sleeve Top
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Merino
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Bergans of Norway brand - got it 2nd hand on eBay - nice and warm as a 2nd layer on cooler days
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Polo Shirt
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For Town - lightweight easi dry material
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Down Jacket
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Got a no name brand from eBay
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Essential kit - even if the weather is hot in the day it cools right off in the evening and early mornings are cold. Stuck it on most days as I got out my bag if I was camping. The huts can be cold too if you are above 1000m
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Rain Jacket
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Outdoor Research Helium II
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Didn’t walk in anything torrential so not really tested - did the job in light rain though
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Rain Kilt
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Made this out of Tyvek
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Very light - I did some Te Araroa artwork on it - came in useful for hitching! Also useful when walking thru high wet grass. Much cooler than wearing overtrousers
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Towel
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Standard Travel Towel
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Cut it down to about 50cm x 40cm which was fine
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Flip flops
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Used them as hut shoes - light and easy to pack
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Hat
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Wide brimmed cotton
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Better than a baseball cap - you need the wide protection
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Sunglasses
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JSR Forceflex from Amazon
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Very tough and good UV protection which you need
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Cooking
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Pot
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Primus 1.0l ETA Pot
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Was pleased with this pot - was wide enough to fry food - which was a good option to have - see food section later
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Spork
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Sea to Summit Longhandled Titanium Spork
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Probably would just go for a spoon - didn’t use any commercial freeze dried meals and no food I ate really needed a fork
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Mug
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Titanium Mug from eBay
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Gas stove
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MSR Pocket Rocket 2
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Worked well
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Scotchbrite
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2cm square
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Useful for pan cleaning
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Multitool
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Came in useful on a few occasions
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Lighter
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X 2
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Standard BIC type - thought a spare was worth carrying
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Stuff Sacks Food
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Got most of my food packed away in a couple of stuff sacks - useful to be able to pull it all out rather than having it all over your pack in different places
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Plastic Bag
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For trash
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Couple of supermarket bags are useful to pack away the trash - pack it in pack it out!
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Platypus Water Bladders
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3 x 1 litre
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I chose those over a camelback - just drank on natural breaks. They get a lot of wear and tear - took 3 to be sure
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Sterilising Liquid
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Iodine liquid
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Used hand sterilising liquid called Pevidine 1 drop in a litre
As opposed to a filter - didn’t have any issues
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Spices
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Salt Chilli Powder Lemon Pepper etc - extra weight but boy do they liven up the food
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Chopping Board
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Cut a small piece of plastic out which sat in the bottom of my pot mesh container - useful for food prep when camping
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First Aid
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Blister Plaster
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Zinc Oxide
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Very useful to pop on when you feel a rub
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Plasters
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2 or 3
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Vaseline
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Useful if chaffing is an issue
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Meds
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Steroid Cream
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For sandfly bites
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Tinadazole
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For Giardia
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Ibuprofen
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For aches-pains-hangovers
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Ampicillin
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General antibiotic
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Tiger Balm
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For sandfly bites
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Repair
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Sewing kit
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Essential - you will have some repairs to make for sure - worth taking some heavy duty thread
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Duck Tape
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I never leave home without it - used Gorilla brand this time - amazing stuff Wrap it round something plastic - I had a couple of tupperware boxes to hold all the small bits and bobs - I wrapped it round those
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Cable ties
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A couple - came in handy
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| Elastic Bands | Very handy to close up open packs of milk powder, dried fruit etc | |
Toileteries
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Nail Clipper
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Unless there are scissors on your multitool
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Toothbrush
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Toothpaste
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Used small 15 ml tubes
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Dental Floss
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Sun Lotion
Lip Protector |
I took about 50ml SP30 for 2 months which was fine - also a lip protector as they take a beating
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Deet
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95% - maybe not super healthy for me but it repelled the sandflies
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Soap
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Took a small tupperware packed with soap about 5cm diameter by 1cm deep and topped it up when I was in town
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Ear plugs
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Don’t leave home without them - useful even in the tent as it’s noisy when the wind blows and you need them for the huts
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Toilet Paper
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Brought ⅓ of a roll and topped up in town when I ran low
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Poo Trowel
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MSR Blizzard Tent Peg
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Instead of a trowel I took a large titanium tent peg - worked well and doubles as a spare peg obviously
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Nailbrush
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All sorts of stuff gets under your nails!!
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Electrical
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Head Torch
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From eBay
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Essential - mine was a USB charging one so no need to carry batteries
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Mobile x 2
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Samsung S5
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Used this for GPS Music Movies and some photography I carried as spare as I considered it my most essential piece of kit - worth the extra weight
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Lifeproof Case
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Got this from eBay - worked well initially but then cracked - I’m suspicious I got a fake. Anyway some kind of waterproof case is essential in my opinion - lots of ways to get your phone wet
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Earphones
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If you like to listen to stuff while you walk or in the huts - I used the sports ones with the loop over the ear
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Powerbank
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I took a 22,000 MAh which was overkill - probably a 10,000 -15,000 MAH would have been enough for the longest stretches between charging it
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USB Charging Cables x 4
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So I could charge multiple devices (powerbank, phone, Kindle, USB headtorch) at once when I got to town - plus I usually find at least one cable stops working sooner or later
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Selfie Stick
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I made a daily talk to camera video when I was on the trail
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NZ USB Plugs
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X 2
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Each plug had 2 USB slots so I could charge up to 4 items at once in the hostel
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Personal Locator Beacon
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McMurdo Fast Find
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You’re certifiable if you don’t take one of these! Not that expensive and can be resold for 80% of the cost price if you don’t need it after TA. There are lots of ways to injure yourself on the TA - a lot of the tracks are remote with not many people on them. Even if you are walking in a group it’s essential. Carry it in your pocket and not in your pack!
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Luxuries
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Things that I took that some people probably wouldn’t! :-)
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Coffee Sock
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I like real coffee - this Central American item did the job
www.ineedcoffee.com/brewing-coffee-coffee-sock
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Kindle
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Paperwhite
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I like to read...
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Camera
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Canon SX600 plus spare batteries SD cards, back up thumb drive, OTG cable and reader
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Compact camera - I like to take a decent photos and this produced images better than my camera could take. Plus the bits and pieces to backup pictures
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Not Taken
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Things I didn’t need which are commonly on peoples packing lists
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Thermal Top Thermal Leggings
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Never got cold enough during the day that I needed these - at night I had a warm bag.
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Gloves
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Again never cold enough to require them
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Fleece Hat
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As above
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Solar Charger
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Powerbank is enough
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Navigation
Again I did a lot of research. I went with GPS navigation only on my Samsung 5 Smartphone - I had a spare phone in case one went down. You can open the back on these phones so I took spare batteries as welI. I loaded up both smartphones with the same apps and info.
On the Smartphone I had the Guthook Te Araroa app and also the maps.me app with the TA.org gpx files loaded.
The Guthook app was useful but not essential. A nice addition but worth the money...I’m not so sure. The maps were very slow to load and for some sections not up to date - although they claim to have all the updates from TA.org. The GPS was also slow to load. The GPS was It also stopped working completely at one point. When you zoom in beyond a certain level the maps became fuzzy rather than re-focusing.
Maps.me was in many ways better - the map does not need to load so fast start up and the GPS is much faster
I also had the pdf maps and trail notes loaded on my phone plus all the info I had gathered on my research such as resupply, trail transport, river crossing info, DOC pdf brochures etc
Most of the route is pretty well way marked but they can't be relied on totally.
Most of the route is pretty well way marked but they can't be relied on totally.
Communication
Got a Vodafone SIM - minimum load is $20 I was in NZ for 4 months and loaded twice. Instead of having a monthly plan I used a combination of PAYG (pay as you go) and their Fantastic Friday Deals which often gave data and international calls at very good prices. Not all backpackers gave free wifi especially south of Tekapo so mobile internet was useful to have. Signal varied but most remote places had none - I used flight mode most of the time to conserve battery anyway.
Weather
Getting good weather reports are an important part of your walk. I used apps on my phone YR (Norwegian - a lot of people used it) and MetService (NZ National Meteorological Service) A couple of times I delayed departures leaving supply towns due to very bad weather coming in. Another option would be to call or go to local DOC offices for an update - this is something I didn’t do at Arthur’s Pass (no signal in the area where you head up to Goat Pass) I should have hitched up to the village and gone into the DOC office - result was 3 days stuck at Goat Pass Hut! Learn from my mistake!
Resupply and Food Parcels
Again do the research on food - see what worked for other people. Food is a very personal thing so the following is what worked for me but it might not work for you!
I prepared all my own meals - I'm proud to say I didn’t eat one Backcountry Cuisine in the whole of my TA! It would be an expensive way to eat as they retail at about $NZ 12-14 - you can feed yourself all day for $NZ 10!
With some stretches between resupply towns of up to 9 days - food can get heavy. I’m lucky that I can feel satisfied with quite small volumes of food and calories but I know other people struggle…
In the big towns you can go to Pak’n’Save, Countdown or New World but smaller places tend only to have a FourSquare where prices are higher. Watch out for some early closing times ie 6pm in some small towns.
Food
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Approx Price NZ$
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How long did it last?
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Notes
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Camping Gas 230g
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6-8
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2 weeks
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The 460g are better value but bigger initial weight
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Cocoa 400g
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4
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4 weeks
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Great for a high energy warm drink
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Coffee (ground) 200g
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7
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10 days
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My luxury - can’t do without it!
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Cranberries 100g
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2
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5 days
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Added to my morning oats
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Dates 400g
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2.50
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10 days
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Find them in the bakery section - cheap for the energy provided
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Energy Bars Mother Earth x 6
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3-4
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Anzac was my favourite!
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Muesli Bars x 6
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2-3
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Milk Dehydrated 400g
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4-7
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20 days
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For coffee and added to morning oatmeal
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Miso Soup x 12 sachets
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2-3
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Most stores had these packs of thick Miso paste you can make into a tasty soup
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Oatmeal Sachets x 10
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3 - 4.50
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The sachets were less messy and bulky compared to the boxes
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Oil
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1-2
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I transferred it into a 250ml plastic bottle with a screwtop lid I had a pot that was wide enough to fry stuff in - oil is high calorie and fried food is tasty!!
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Instant Onion Flakes
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2
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Great for added flavour - garlic flakes also good but you need to find a “Bin Inn” for those
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Pasta 500g
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1
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20 days
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Universally cheap - I presoaked it in a used peanut butter jar with onions, mushrooms and peas overnight - then next evening it cooked up in a minute or too - saves time and gas
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Peanut Butter 400g
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2.50 - 3
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20 days
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Tramper essential
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Peanuts 400g
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3
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10 days
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I often found the products in the plastic bins to be more expensive than pre-packed on the shelves - the basic or value brands are cheapest
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Peas Dried 100g
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20 days
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Potato Flakes 230g
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3
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20 days
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Became my go to staple along with pasta - mix with tinned salmon or tuna and fry - delicious fish cakes
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Couscous 500g
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3
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20 days
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Moved onto using potato flakes as couscous only comes in 500g boxes and seems to get everywhere!
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Sunflower seeds 2590kJ/100g
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1.20
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Good inexpensive nut found in most stores
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Tortillas 6-8
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2.50 - 5.00
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7 days
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It was a wrap for lunch most days
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Tomato Puree
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1-2
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20 days
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Useful for wraps and to add flavour to other dishes
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Dried Shitake Mushrooms
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Often found in the Asian section - great flavour for low weight
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Tuna/Chicken
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1-3
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My protein staple - mix of sachets and small cans - the cans create heavier/bulkier waste to carry out but gives you more variety options
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Olives 70g
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2
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Parmesan 100g
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4-5
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The only cheese that keeps decently - get the grated type
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Salami 100g
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3 - 3.50
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Keeps decently for 4-5 days if the weather is not too hot
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Chocolate/Sweets
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Varied
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When you’re knackered and there’s still 5k to the hut you’ll need these..:-)
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And if you’re a pizza lover there’s no need to miss out...I bring you “Tramper’s Pizza” - you heard it here first!
Take a wrap - spread it with tomato paste in the middle - add chopped salami, chopped olives, onion flakes and some grated parmesan. Fold up into a rectangular envelope and press down to stop it springing open. Fry in your pot with some oil - eat and be the total envy of the other trampers or keep it for lunch the next day - still tastes great cold!
Towns I resupplied in were
Te Anau - Freshchoice
Queenstown - Countdown on the walk out of QT - I also spotted a Pak’n’Save a little further on
Twizel - 2 Foursquares - 1 is significantly bigger than the other
Tekapo - the Foursquare there has been upgraded and is fine for complete resupply
Methven - Foursquare and a Supervalue
Havelock - Foursquare - quite small and a bit limited (closes 6pm) but you only need a 3-4 day resupply for QCT
I only sent one food package - to Boyle River - did that using NZ post using one of their large $9 for 3kg prepaid mail envelopes. An option would have been to get out to Hamner Springs to resupply but it was nice to have the option to forge on if I needed to.
I didn’t send one to St Arnaud as I left TA at that point and did Heaphy then Abel Tasman and resupplied in Nelson.
A handy tip is to write down the contents of your food packages before you mail them - several months later you will have forgotten what you packed - like me!
A handy tip is to write down the contents of your food packages before you mail them - several months later you will have forgotten what you packed - like me!
Money
Paid mostly by card wherever I went - but you will need some cash - probably $150 will be fine for a couple of months. ANZ bank didn’t charge a withdrawl fee. Worth having a few low denomination notes. Occasionally places will surcharge you for a credit card but it’s not common.
Accommodation
I used a combination of camping, back country huts, (I bought a DOC Hut Pass) and backpackers when I was in town
Transport
Apart from Shank's Pony I used some track transport (lots of companies out there) but by far the best was the great NZ public (and also a lot of tourists) - a massive thank you to all those kind people who stopped when I stuck out my thumb - probably one of the last countries on earth where hitch hiking is very easy...
And finally something from the gut...
I wrote this late one night in town - had just completed a tough section and had downed a bottle of New Zealand's finest Pinot Noir (well the finest you can get for $9.99!) When I read it in the light of day I could tell that wine had clarified my mind and I had truly got what walking ( or tramping if you will is all about...) These are my words...
Walking long distance is life deconstructed and simplified - its the slowest you can go...
In a world where being fast or doing things at speed is thought to be the pinnacle - you realise that being slow is better - you miss nothing...
After a while you start to dislike speedy things - cars - speedboats - aeroplanes - they are noisy and disruptive - they are arrogant - they occupy the space that is rightfully mine...
My passage is a soft footfall - perhaps a cracked twig - no one can hear me miles away - I don't send up plumes of dust on gravel roads - but I do leave scars on the landscape - my feet and those before me have created a path - but like all scars the path tells a story and it leads me to special places - so it's a scar worth having...
Walking equals Freedom. To a greater or lesser extent we are all enslaved - mostly on our own volition - we conform to our society's rules and expectations - but who says we have to...?
Walking is you and nature - to begin with it feels like it's you versus nature - Why that fallen tree? Why that steep hill? Why that boggy marsh? But soon you realise it's not spite - it's just there - it's up to you to deal with it - as in most walks of life it's better to be philosophical - accept the hardship and enjoy the reward - with walking it's looking back and seeing how far you have come - on your own two feet - how good does that feel? You'll never know until you do it..
If you have any questions about doing the TA South Island NOBO feel free to contact me!
iain.mcallister@googlemail.com
Accommodation
I used a combination of camping, back country huts, (I bought a DOC Hut Pass) and backpackers when I was in town
Transport
Apart from Shank's Pony I used some track transport (lots of companies out there) but by far the best was the great NZ public (and also a lot of tourists) - a massive thank you to all those kind people who stopped when I stuck out my thumb - probably one of the last countries on earth where hitch hiking is very easy...
And finally something from the gut...
I wrote this late one night in town - had just completed a tough section and had downed a bottle of New Zealand's finest Pinot Noir (well the finest you can get for $9.99!) When I read it in the light of day I could tell that wine had clarified my mind and I had truly got what walking ( or tramping if you will is all about...) These are my words...
Walking long distance is life deconstructed and simplified - its the slowest you can go...
In a world where being fast or doing things at speed is thought to be the pinnacle - you realise that being slow is better - you miss nothing...
After a while you start to dislike speedy things - cars - speedboats - aeroplanes - they are noisy and disruptive - they are arrogant - they occupy the space that is rightfully mine...
My passage is a soft footfall - perhaps a cracked twig - no one can hear me miles away - I don't send up plumes of dust on gravel roads - but I do leave scars on the landscape - my feet and those before me have created a path - but like all scars the path tells a story and it leads me to special places - so it's a scar worth having...
Walking equals Freedom. To a greater or lesser extent we are all enslaved - mostly on our own volition - we conform to our society's rules and expectations - but who says we have to...?
Walking is you and nature - to begin with it feels like it's you versus nature - Why that fallen tree? Why that steep hill? Why that boggy marsh? But soon you realise it's not spite - it's just there - it's up to you to deal with it - as in most walks of life it's better to be philosophical - accept the hardship and enjoy the reward - with walking it's looking back and seeing how far you have come - on your own two feet - how good does that feel? You'll never know until you do it..
If you have any questions about doing the TA South Island NOBO feel free to contact me!
iain.mcallister@googlemail.com
