2700km down… and the journey continues
12 March 2026
Since leaving Lake Tekapo the trail has delivered everything Te Araroa Trail is famous for — long days, huge landscapes, remote huts and moments we’ll never forget.
We left Tekapo in the dark with headtorches and walked a massive 55km day beside the canals all the way to Twizel. The day finished with the sun setting across the Pukaki flats and the incredible silhouette of Aoraki / Mount Cook glowing above Lake Pukaki.
From there the trail climbed back into the high country — through cold camps, frozen tents and big alpine saddles. The route traversed spectacular ridgelines above Lake Hāwea, then continued through Wānaka and across the rugged Motatapu high country to Arrowtown, bringing us to more than 2700km walked.
There is also a change to our journey. After receiving news that he is needed by his family at home, Aldo has made the decision to pause his Te Araroa walk at Frankton and return to Auckland. He plans to come back and finish the trail at a later stage. From here the blue dot will keep moving south toward Bluff with Mark continuing on.
Through all of this, the generosity of our supporters has been incredible. We set out hoping to raise $10,000 for Totara Hospice, and thanks to you we have now reached $11,240.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who has donated and followed along.
While we’ve reached our original goal, the need for hospice care never stops — and neither does this journey.
Thank you for walking alongside us. 💙
