Te Araroa Trail – Day 38

Sunday, December 10, 2023
Distance/ Total: 21.9 km / 13.6 mi

It was good sleeping in my tent last night. I’d almost forgotten how good I sleep in my own little cocoon. I was up and on the trail by 7:00.

I didn’t have a real long day today but I knew it was going to be mostly trail and you never know what that means in New Zealand. It started out climbing upwards out of the forest into some open farmland. A short section through farmland and I was back on a road.

The roadwalk lasted for a couple of kilometers before turning back into some farmland. There were lots of grassy hills at first, but it soon turned off into a nice forested area.

This area was actually one of the nicest forest trails I’ve encountered. The trail was well trodden, mostly free of mud and nice open areas under the trees. I made pretty good time through this area.

The trail was on an old logging road that circled the side of a mountain and provided some nice views into the valley below. As I was walking the trail I came across a few wild goats, which are considered a nuisance animal in these forest. I stopped at one especially good view and enjoyed my lunch overlooking the forest below.

Back on trail I soon left the forest and returned to a roadwalk into the town of Waitomo. The trail walked right past the Glowworm Caves, but I continued on, I had my caving plans already set for tomorrow.

I stopped at the General Store to drink a cold Coke and pick up an additional days food for my time in Waitomo. It was another 1.5 kilometers (1 mi) to the Juno Hall Backpackers Hostel where I would be staying the next 2 nights.

I checked in, cleaned up, and spent the afternoon working on my Christmas shopping – online of course.