This is a personalised breakdown of the South Island into section's using information from a table I found on-line at:
Section which I have completed are marked in RED, there will also be a Blog post about that section.
Section 1 – Picton to Pelorus Bridge (7 days)
Queen Charlotte Track Dates:Completed March 2016
Day 1 Ferry, Ship Cove to Head of Endeavour Outlet, 18km, 7-8 hours
Day 2 Walk Head of Endeavour to Bay of Many Coves Campsite, 22km, 6-7 hours
Day 3 Walk Bay of Many Coves to Cowshed Bay Campsite, 15km, 5-6 hours
Day 4 Walk Cowshed Bay to Mistletoe Bay Campsite, 10km, 4 hours
Day 5 Walk Mistletoe Bay to Anakiwa, 11 km, 4 hours
Day 6 Walk Anakiwa to Havelock.17km, 4-5 hours
Day 7 Walk Havelock to Pelorus Bridge 20.7km, 5 hours (Completed October 2021)
Section 2 – Pelorus Bridge to St Arnaud (9 days)
Road Connector to Pelorus River Track, Pelorus River Track, Richmond Alpine Track and Road Connection to Waiau Pass Track
Dates:
Day 1 Walk Road Connector to Pelorus River Track, Road end to Captains Creek Hut, 21.5km, 7-8 hours
Day 2 Walk Captains Creek to Roebuck Hut, 10km, 5 hours
Day 3 Walk Roebuck Hut to Hacket Hut 15.7km, 6 hours
Day 4 Walk Hacket Hut to Slaty Hut, 6 1/2 hours
Day 5 Walk Slaty Hut to Rintoul Hut 14.5km, 10 hours
Day 6 Walk Rintoul Hut to Mid Wairoa Hut 14.5km, 8 1/2 hours
Day 7 Walk Mid Wairoa Hut to Hunters Hut, 17.5km, 9 ½ hours
Day 8 Walk Hunters Hut to Red Hills Hut, 19.5km, 9 hours
Day 9 Walk Red Hills Hut to St Arnaud, 16.1km, 4 ½ hours
Section 3 – St Arnaud to Boyle River (8 days)
Waiau Pass Track (1990-2017)
Dates:
Day 1 Walk St Arnaud to John Tait Hut, 21km, 7-8 hours (Completed 2017)
Day 2 Walk John Tait Hut to Upper Travers Hut, 10 km, 3 hours
Day 3 Walk Upper Travers to West Sabine Hut, 7 km's, 8-9 hours
Day 3 Walk Upper Travers to West Sabine Hut, 7 km's, 8-9 hours
Day 4 Walk West Sabine Hut to Blue Lake Hut, 6 km, 3 hours
Day 5 Walk Blue Lake Hut to Upper Waiau Forks Campsite, 7km, 6-8 hours
Day 6 Walk Upper Waiau Forks Campsite (completed Waiau Pass to Lake Rotoroa in 1990 as part of an Army exercise) - Ada Homestead to Anne River Hut, 35km, 10-12 hours (2015)
Day 7 Walk Anne River Hut to Boyle Flat Hut, 19 km, 6 hours
Day 8 Boyle Flat Hut to Boyle Village, 11.5 km, 4 hours (Completed 2015)
Day 8 Boyle Flat Hut to Boyle Village, 11.5 km, 4 hours (Completed 2015)
Section 6 – Boyle River to Near Otira SH73 (5 days)
Harper’s Pass Track, NOBO, including Deception Flood Track
Dates:
Day 1 SH73 Near Otira to Kiwi Hut, 12km, 4-5 hours
Day 2 Walk Kiwi Hut to Cameron Hut, 17km, 7-8 hours
Day 3 Walk Cameron Hut to Hurunui Hut, 15km, 6-7 hours
Day 4 Walk Hurunui Hut to Hope-Kiwi Lodge, 19km, 5-6 hours
Day 5 Walk Hope-Kiwi Lodge to Windy Point, 15km 5-6 hours (2016)
Section 7 – Near Otira SH73 to Lake Coleridge/Rakaia (6 days)
Deception-Mingha Track, Klondyke Track, Harper River Track, Lake Coleridge Connection, Lake Hill Track , Road Connector to Arboretum Track and Arboretum Track
Dates:
Day 1 Walk SH 73 to Goat Pass Hut, 16km, 4-5 hours
Day 2 Walk Goat Pass Hut to Bealey Hotel, 17km, 7-8 hours
Day 3 REST DAY- Arthurs Pass
Day 4 Walk Bealey Hotel to Hamilton Hut, 18 km, 7-8 hours (Completed 2014)
Day 5 Walk Hamilton Hut to Harper Road Campsite, 5-6 hours
Day 6 Walk Harper Road to Lake Coleridge Lodge, 27.5km, 7-8 hours
Section 8 – Rakaia to Rangitata/Mt Potts Lodge (4 days)
Dates:
Day 1 Walk Glenrock Stream to Comyns Hut, 15.7km, 4-5 hours
Day 2 Walk Comyns Hut to Double Hut Junction, 17km, 6-8 hours
Day 3 Walk Double Hut Junction to start of Clearwater Track, 18.4km, 4-5 hours (January 2023)
Day 4 Walk Clearwater Track to Mt Potts Lodge, 24.4km, 5-7 hours
Section 9 – Mt Potts Lodge to Lake Tekapo (4 days)
Dates:
Day 1 Walk Rangitata Gorge Road to Crooked Spur Hut, 10 km, 5 hours
Day 2 Walk Crooked Spur Hut to Royal Hut, 15 km, 6 hours
Day 3 Walk Royal Hut to Camp Stream Hut, 14.5 km, 8 hours
Day 4 Walk Camp Stream Hut to Lake Tekapo, 28 kms, 8-9 hours (Completed 1990)
Section 10 – Lake Tekapo to Lake Middelton camp (3 days)
I am investigating the option to cycle these gravel road sections, probably NOBO with an overnight stop in Twizel and possibly one other night camping.
I am investigating the option to cycle these gravel road sections, probably NOBO with an overnight stop in Twizel and possibly one other night camping.
Tekapo – Twizel Track Dates:
Day 1 Walk/bike 35km to Hayman Rd, 8/4 hours
Day 2 Walk/bike 35km to Twizel Backpackers, 8/4 hours
Day 3 Walk/bike 31km to Lake Middelton Camp, 8/4 hours
Day 4 Walk/bike 30 km to Lake Tekapo township, 8/4 hours
Day 4 Walk/bike 30 km to Lake Tekapo township, 8/4 hours
Section 11 – East Ahuriri Track to Lake Wanaka (5 days)
Date:
Day 1 Walk East Ahuriri Track, 25km, 6-8 hours
Day 2 Walk Birchwood carpark to Timaru Hut, 22.8km, 7-8 hours
Day 3 Walk Timaru Hut to Stody’s Hut, 14.2km 6 1/2-8 hours
Day 4 Walk Stody’s Hut to Lake Hawea, 23.1km, 8-10 ½ hours
Day 5 Walk to Wanaka - 24km 5 – 7 ½ hours
Section 12 – Wanaka to Queenstown (5 day)
Glenhu Bay Track and Date:
Day 1 Walk Wanaka to Glenhu Bay Camp, 15km, 4 hours
and Big Hill Track
Day 2 Glenhu Bay to Creek Hut, 16km, 7 1/2 hours
Day 3 Walk Creek Hut to Roses Hut, 11km, 5-6 hours
Day 4 Walk Roses Hut to Arrowtown, 22km, 8-10 hours
Day 5 Walk to Queenstown 26km, 5-6 hours
Section 13 – Queenstown to Ohai (9 days)
Dates:
Day 1 Shuttle via Glenorchy, Walk to Taipo Hut, 21km, 7-10 hours
Day 2 Walk Taipo Hut to Careys Hut, 17km, 5-6 hours
Day 3 Walk Careys Hut to Mavora Lakes Camp Site, 8 kms, 3 hours
Day 3 Walk Careys Hut to Mavora Lakes Camp Site, 8 kms, 3 hours
Day 4 Walk Mavora Camping area to Mavora Lakes Road, 25km, 8 hours (hitch to Te Anau)
Rest Rest day in Te Anau
Rest Rest day in Te Anau
Day 5 Walk Te Anau-Mossburn Highway to Lower Pinchester Hut, 6km, 3 hours (2018)
Day 6 Walk Mavora River Track to Aparima Hut, 17km, 5-6 hours
Day 7 Walk Aparima Huts to Telford Burn camp, 21.1km, 8+ hours
Day 8 Walk Telford Burn camp to Birchwood, 17km (hitch to Ohai)
Section 14 – Struan Flat Road to Bluff (9 days)
(This is the final section of the trail to be walked after completing all the other sections)
Woodlaw Track, Road Connector to Island Bush Track, Island Bush Track, Road Connector to Longwood Forest Track, Longwood Forest Track, Road Connector to Tihaka Beach Track and Tihaka Beach Track
Dates:
Day 1 Walk Woodlaw Track, 25km, 6-8 hours
Day 2 Walk End Woodlaw Track to Martin’s Hut, 28km, 5 ½-6 hours
Day 3 Walk to Colac Bay Tavern and Camping Ground 28km, 10 ½ hours
Day 4 Walk Colac Bay to Riverton, 9km, 3-4 hours
Rest REST Riverton
Day 6 Walk Riverton to Otatara, 28km
Day 7 Walk Otatara to Invercargill, 8km
Bluff Estuary Walkway
Day 8 Walk to Bluff Trail end, FINISH, 28km, 6 hours
Section 15 – Stewart Island extension: Bluff to Stewart Island (2-3 days)
This is not a part of the official track but a new extension a lot of TaT hikers are adding to their journey. If you wanted to be pedantic about it, you should really be walking the 5+ day Rakiura Southern Circuit, which is the furthest South you can go on foot in New Zealand. Unfortunately, that is probably the most heinous, mud drenched stretch of track in the whole country.
I think doing the Rakiura Great Walk Track is more than adequate!
Date: January 28th - Feb 1st 2020
Day 1 Walk Oban to Port William Hut, 18.1km, 4 hours
Day 2 Walk Port William Hut to North Arm Hut, 11 km, 6.5 hours
Day 3 North Arm Hut to Oban, 13km, 5 hours (Completed January 2020)
Day 3 North Arm Hut to Oban, 13km, 5 hours (Completed January 2020)
Maps
Maps showing the Te Araroa route I am following.
