TREK FOR LIFE

aotearoa/nz charitable trust

STAGE 5

8th - 16th March, 2025

Blue Duck Station to Gentle Annie

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Register now

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2024 Photos are LIVE !

Our talented photographers, Jade and Selena, have worked hard, and captured some AWESOME shots! Please support these awesome ladies who volunteered their time to capture memories of the trek.

To check out the photos please click on the buttons below. Purchasing copies or prints is easy (same process as last year) and are very reasonably priced!

Jade

Selena

~ An Annual Affair ~

Trek for Life Aotearoa/NZ

Explore. Dream. Discover.

Do you love exploring? Have you dreamt about discovering New Zealand?

Well, look no further than this unique way to experience our country.

If you love horse riding, mountain biking or walking/hiking then this annual, week-long adventure is for you - while also helping us to raise funds for the First Response and Rescue Services in the community.

Around March every year, we traverse a clearly marked route for 6 days, with a rest and relaxation day in the middle. Most days, the distance from camp to camp is between 25 and 35km, trekking through places that many travellers generally do not have access to - so expect some amazing, untouched and unique perspectives of New Zealand’s stunning landscapes and scenery.

Our Charity

We developed the Trek for Life Aotearoa/NZ Charitable Trust with the aim of empowering local communities.

Despite it’s size, some areas of New Zealand can be very remote, and with our innate Kiwi sense of adventure the chances of finding yourself in the wilderness needing assistance is great. So we thought what better way to give back to local communities than to support the First Response and Rescue Services in the areas that we travel through by donating a portion of the proceeds.

So far our journey has taken us from Te Paki Station (near Cape Reinga) in 2020 to Taumarunui in 2024 and we have proudly donated $94,000 to the First Response and Rescue Services in the areas we have trekked through!

Trek Life

How it Works

Life on the Trek is not a typical camping adventure.

We travel in style - supplying hot showers, flush toilets and great food!

Camp Life

In order to make this Trek a success, we travel with a large support crew of volunteers with a variety of roles including medics, vets, farriers, quad bike support, lunch stop ladies, track marshalls and tail-end Charlie’s who make sure everyone is safe and healthy.

You choose the pace at which you travel, following the trail that is clearly marked with ribbons, arrows and signs to direct you to the next camp. While you are enjoying the trail, our volunteers are busy dismantling, moving and setting up the next camp to await your arrival!

Typical Morning

Wake up with the sunrise.

The breakfast buffet will be served between 6.30am and 7.30am. There is also a lunch bar set up for you to pack your own lunch to enjoy along the trail or at our designated lunch stop.

Gather your gear for the day, pack your belongings and load them into a luggage truck to be taken to the next camp, and be ready to head out around 8.30am!

Lunch Break

Approximately halfway along the trail we will have a designated lunch stop, with water, tea and coffee, toilets and a Coffee Cart!

Our medics, farrier and vet will also be around to deal with any issues that may have arisen that morning.

For any walkers or bikers that may need it, you can catch the shuttle bus from the lunch stop on to the next camp with the lunch volunteers.

Evening/Socialising

Most trekkers will make it back to camp around 4pm. This gives you time to set up your tent, have a shower, and relax any aching muscles. Our lovely masseuse’s will be on hand for those who need it (extra cost) - this is an additional luxury that is well worth it!

Muster is at 6.30pm, this will tell you what to expect for the next day’s trail and we encourage everyone to come early and socialise - a cash bar will be available.

Dinner is served at 7pm and some nights, entertainment will be provided! We encourage our trekkers to spend time together in the marquee, socialising, making new friends and becoming part of the trek whanau.

Logistics

End Camp Shuttle: There will be a shuttle service on arrival day (Saturday) from the End Camp back to the Start Camp. If you have a vehicle that you will not need to use during the week we ask that you drop your gear (e.g luggage and tent - including your bike or horse if necessary) at the start camp, before travelling to the end camp. You will then be shuttled back to the start point. Generally, the Shuttle leaves early afternoon in order to have you all back in time to register and attend Muster.

This is a great option if you are camping. Don’t worry, all your gear will be transported daily from campsite to campsite by a designated luggage truck.

So to clarify if you are camping you will set up your tent after the days trek; the next morning you will take down your tent and gather all your belongings to load into a luggage truck which will then be transported for you to the next camp site for you to do the same thing.

If you wish to sleep in your truck/ float we suggest you bring your own support person - ideally they would be able to Volunteer as well! This person does not walk, bike or horse ride but instead is there to support you by driving your vehicle from campsite to campsite. We will not be offering a daily shuttle service - at this stage we need all our volunteers in order to be able to move camp quickly and efficiently. See our FAQs for more information.

Donations To First Resonse units

The amount donated after each event is influenced by registrations, donations, funding received (if any) and expenses. To date, from our 4 treks we have donated a total of $94,000

Stage 1, (Our inaugural event) began at Cape Reinga in March 2020. We ran a successful Trek for walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders and proudly donated $33,000 to 10 different Far North Rescue Services.

Stage 2, 2021 saw us traverse from Rawene and Pouto Point and we proudly donated $26,000 to 10 rescue services in this region.

Stage 3, 2023, we biked, walked and rode from Port Waikato to Kawhia over 7 days and we donated $15,000 to 10 first response services in this region. Unfortunately, many of our trekkers had to withdraw from our 2023 trek due to the devastating effects of Cyclone Gabrielle which put huge financial stress on our event this year.

Stage 4, 2024 started in Kawhia and finished in Taumarunui donating $20,000 to 7 different rescue services.