How much does Te Araroa cost?
Please note: The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and is based on my own personal research and experiences. Your own budget may differ.
Walking the length of New Zealand on Te Araroa is a life-changing adventure — but it’s not free. So you might be asking yourself, “How much does Te Araroa cost?” From gear and food to transport and unexpected costs, budgeting smartly is one of the most important steps you can take to figure how much your personal journey will cost, and to ensure a successful thru-hike. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you build a realistic, personalized budget for Te Araroa.
Included On This Page:
🏕️ Step-by-Step: Building Your Budget
1.Decide How Long You’ll Hike
- Walking Te Araroa takes 4–6 months, depending on how fast you walk.
- Section-hiking can be much shorter (and cheaper)
➡️ Multiply weekly spending by the number of weeks you plan to be on trail.
2. Set a Gear Budget
If you’re starting from scratch, gear is your biggest up-front cost.
- Ultralight setup: $2,000–$5,000
- Budget setup with second-hand gear: $1,200–$1,800
- Already have gear? Reuse what you can!
🧠 Pro Tip: Don’t forget to budget for replacements — trail runners, socks, filters, etc. My full Te Araroa Budget Calculator helps you calculate those cost in detail!
3. Plan Your Resupply Costs
Food will be your biggest ongoing expense. Plan around $15–$30 per day depending on how you eat.
- Budget hikers: instant noodles, oats, bulk dehydrated meals
- Mid-range: mix of grocery store food + meals out
- Lux hikers: cafe stops, extra snacks, more trail-town meals
🛍️ Factor in town food — many hikers splurge on hot meals, coffee, and bakery stops. My full Te Araroa Budget Calculator let’s you choose how many days you will spend in town and calculates your costs automatically!
4. Accommodation Budget
While you’ll camp most of the time (free!), some towns and weather may require shelter.
| Type | Cost per night (NZD) |
|---|---|
| Campsites | Free – $30/night |
| DOC Huts | Free – $15/night |
| Hostels/Motels | $30 – $90/night |
📌 Staying in huts? The Trail Pass covers 71 huts and campsites on public land ($195). the Te Araroa Budget Calculator includes the expected costs for all your accommodation!
5. Transportation
You’ll need to get to the trailhead, move between sections, and possibly get back to the airport.
- Intercity buses, regional shuttles: $30–$100 per leg
- Hitchhiking is common and legal in NZ (use caution)
6. Trail Registration and Trail Pass
New Zealander residents (anyone living, working, or studying in New Zealand):
- Registration: $60 NZD (includes trail updates and support)
- Trail Pass: $250 NZD (covers 71 DOC huts and campsites)
International Walkers:
- Full Trail or South Island: $1,350 NZD (includes trail updates, support, accommodation & trail contribution)
- North Island or Section Walks: $605 NZD (includes trail updates, support, accommodation & trail contribution)
🔒 The Trail Pass is mandatory for South Island or full trail thru-hikers and optional for North Island or section hikers.
7. Donation to Te Araroa Trust
While not mandatory, donations support trail maintenance:
- Full Thru-Hike: $850 NZD
- Single Island: $500 NZD
- Section Hikes: $250 NZD
8. Visas & Insurance
- Visa: NZD $17–23 (NZeTA) or ~$350 (Visitor/WH Visa)
- Insurance: Highly recommended. Expect $500–$1500 depending on duration and provider.
🔒 Choose a policy that covers hiking, accidents, theft, and trip interruption.
9. Build an Emergency Fund
Things go wrong. Weather delays, gear breaks, you get sick.
✅ Add a buffer of $500–$1,500 to cover emergencies, hotel stays, or a few days off trail.
Budgeting Tips from Past Hikers
There’s not a one size fits all to the question of how much does Te Araroa cost. If you’re goal is to keep costs low, here are some tips from fellow budget hikers:
- Say yes to experiences, but set spending limits in towns
- Track all your spending before the hike so you know your habits
- Plan for one “zero” (rest) day per week in a trail town
- Use apps like Trail Wallet or a simple spreadsheet
- Buy food in bulk and bounce boxes ahead of time to save
📊 Sample Budget for a 5-Month Thru-Hike
While costs vary based on your style (ultralight vs comfort, fast vs slow), here’s a rough estimate in NZD:
| Category | NZD (Conservative) | NZD (Comfort) |
|---|---|---|
| Gear | $2,000 | $5,000 |
| Food | $3,000 | $5,800 |
| Accommodation | $1,500 | $5,000 |
| Transport | $500 | $1,000 |
| Registration & Trail Pass | $255 | $255 |
| Donation | $250 | $850 |
| Visa & Insurance | $400 | $2,000 |
| Emergencies | $500 | $1,500 |
| Total | $8,005 | $21,405 |
✍️ Create Your Own Budget
Ready to figure out how much Te Araroa will cost for you? Here’s what to do:
- Download the Te Araroa Budget Calculator
- Edit the yellow cells ONLY, including:
- Average KMs/day & the number of KMs you are walking
- The frequency you will be in towns
- Gear Costs
- Clothing costs
- Electronics costs
- Food costs
- And other costs (visa, trail pass, camping, huts, etc)
- The spreadsheet will atomically calculate costs based on your inputs
- Add your buffer/emergency fund
- Round up to create wiggle room
📥 Want the downloadable budgeting spreadsheet? Access the Te Araroa Budget Calculator here.
BONUS! The spreadsheet also includes space to add in each item’s weight so you know how much your pack will weigh!
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