While I absolutely love hiking, I do not enjoy the planning. Information feels fragmented, there are a lot of choices to make and sometimes all I need is just a starting point.
As I can’t be the only one with this frustration, I built this tool. It won’t be for me, I finished my trail, but I hope it will help many of you for future adventures.
I built this as a hobby project to help my fellow hikers. It is not meant to replace any official information or guidance put out by the TA Trust.
The Te Araroa Planner covers all known-to-me stops along the trail — every DOC hut, campsite, trail host, town, and road access point. It calculates real distances between stops, adjusts for terrain difficulty, and generates a complete day-by-day itinerary. You can plan the full trail or just a section, go southbound or northbound, and customize dozens of options including rest days, alternative routes, and hitchhiking preferences.
The tool runs entirely in your browser. No account is needed, and your itinerary stays private. Plus, it’s completely free!
How is this tool built?
The planner is built on Te Araroa Trust’s official 2025–26 trail data, GPS coordinates verified against official KML files, and distance calculations based on actual trail GPS tracks. It’s updated each season as trail conditions and hut information change.
Who made this?
This site is an independent project, not affiliated with Te Araroa Trust. It was built by a hiker who has walked on the trail and wanted a better planning tool. If you find an error or have a suggestion, get in touch — details below.
Disclaimer
Trail conditions change. Huts close. Rivers flood. Always check the official Te Araroa Trust website and DOC for current conditions before you go. This planner is a planning aid, not a substitute for good preparation and judgement on the trail.