Te Araroa Trail – Day 13

Saturday, November 11, 2023
Distance/ Total: 37.2 km / 23.1 mi *

* includes 10.9 km (6.8 mi) skipped due to tides not being sufficient to kayak from Opua to Waikare

Several of us traveled together today in order to get a taxi to take us around the inlet that we were unable to kayak due to the tides being too low at this time.

We left the hostel about 7:15am and hiked the 6.3 km to Opua to meet our taxi driver at 9:00 am. This section of trail was very interesting since we were hiking it at high tide and the waves were lapping at the rocks as we worked our way around the first point of the beach. From there the trail became better defined and cut into the side of the hills rising from the beach. The trail was mostly gravel and the views out to the bay were amazing.

The trip around the inlet via taxi was mostly non-eventful but the road was narrow and twisty and the driver made pretty good time considering the road conditions.

We started walking again about 10:00 am with 19 km to get to The Farm. This was all road walk mostly on gravel roads with little traffic. The road twisted its way through the edge of the Russell Forest and included some views and passed by numerous large Kauri trees.

We reached The Farm about 3:00 pm, checked in and set up our tents quickly as rain was threatening to start anytime. We then hung around the patio and visited into the evening.