Te Awaroa: Walking the Land, Mapping the Memory
🥾 A New Chapter in New Zealand’s Great Walks
As the newest addition to the Department of Conservation’s Great Walks, the Te Awaroa Walk offers something truly special. Spanning rugged coastlines, lush native bush, and sweeping ridgelines, it’s not just a trail—it’s a cultural journey through the story of Aotearoa.
At Tides Out Maps, this walk resonated deeply with us. So much so, that we took our memories of the trail and translated them into something lasting: a handcrafted NZ Topographic Map designed to capture the land, the moment, and the mana of the journey.
📍 Our Te Awaroa Experience
We walked Te Awaroa not just with hiking boots, but with mapmaker eyes. From the moment we hit the track, we were drawn to:
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The elevation changes that tested our legs and rewarded us with epic views
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The quiet pockets of bush, where the air feels older than time
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The Māori place names rich with history and meaning
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That sense of walking with the land, not just over it
Each bend of the trail whispered stories—about whenua, whānau, and wairua. And when we returned to the studio, we couldn’t help but bring those stories home with us.
🗺️ Turning the Walk Into a Map
Our NZ Topo Map featuring the Te Awaroa region started as a simple idea: how can we remember this feeling?
So we:
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Studied the terrain data from LINZ and satellite bathymetry
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Marked key points along the walk—lookouts, huts, landmarks
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Layered elevation lines to mirror the real movement of the land
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Created a design that felt as grounded and flowing as the trail itself
The result is a topographic wall map that blends science, memory, and meaning—a tribute to one of Aotearoa’s most beautiful new trails.
🧭 For Walkers, Lovers of Place, and Gift Givers
If you've done the walk—or plan to—you know the feeling it leaves with you. Our map is:
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A keepsake to remember the journey
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A gift for someone who walked it with you
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A planning tool and piece of art in one
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Customisable with names, dates, quotes, or even the trail route marked
This is more than wall décor. It’s a way to keep walking—mentally and emotionally—even once the boots come off.
📅 Great Walks Booking Season Is Here
DOC bookings for the 2025/26 season open May 2025, and Te Awaroa is sure to be a high-demand track.
If you’re:
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Planning to walk it
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Booking huts and campsites
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Looking for gear or a gift idea
…now’s the perfect time to mark the occasion with something that lasts longer than a pack of dehydrated meals.
🗓️ Check Great Walks booking dates →
🛒 Bring the Walk Home
👉 Shop NZ Topographic Maps →
👉 Add a Bespoke Touch – Mark Your Trail or Dates →
🌿 Final Thoughts
Walking Te Awaroa felt like being part of something bigger—a landscape steeped in meaning and movement. That’s exactly what we aim to capture in every map we make.
So whether you’ve done the walk or dream of it, we invite you to hang that journey on your wall—and keep its story alive.