Te Araroa Trail One of the World’s Dream Hikes

Long-distance tramping route, New Zealand’s new 3000km Te Araroa Trail, is considered one of National Geographic’s best hikes in the world.

This year, the publication asked 20 outdoor luminaries – from trail runners to CEOs to beloved authors – about the trails they dream about.

“What puts the Te Araroa on the top of my dream list is the variety,” American filmmaker and canyoneer Dan Ransom said. “New Zealand is famous for its diverse landscapes, and the Te Araroa links up close [3000km] of coastal sand, alpine ridges, and jungle bushwhacks traversing through national parks, rural farmland, and past volcanoes.

“After bagging the Triple Crown of long trails in the US, the Te Araroa would be the obvious target for that next big thru-hike.”

Original article by Doug Schnitzspahn, National Geographic, December 2014.

Photo by Andy Belcher.