Plan

I am walking the route on my own, but as about 700 people are on the TA trail each year and this is the “high” season, I won’t be alone. I am aiming to take about two and a half months, finishing around the end of March 2020. Overall that averages out at about 17km every day, but with waiting out weather and rest days, most days will be more than that. The longest stretch in the wild without access to supplies is around 8 days. So the food logistics are the real determinant of pack weight. Accommodation will mainly be DOC huts but the route requires camping in some sections, and anyway, a quiet tent is often preferable to a full hut.

Below is a table of major waypoints and date estimates. I will keep this updated as I progress. Changes are likely due to weather and river levels.

Estimated Date	Location	Notes
9 Jan 2020	Start Ship Cove
12 Jan	Havelock
21 Jan	St Arnaud
29 Jan	Boyle River	Rest days in Hanmer Springs
8 Feb	Arthurs Pass
13 Feb	Lake Coleridge
18 Feb	Mt Sommers
22 Feb	Lake Tekapo	Bike to Twizel
24 Feb	Twizel
2 Mar	Wanaka
7 Mar	Queenstown
11 Mar	Te Anau
19 Mar	Colac Bay
20 Mar	Invercargill
21 Mar	Bluff