🗓️ February 04, 2026

🏁 Kilometers : 2178

Hitchhiking was much easier today, and even though there were few vehicles on the road at 7:30 this morning, it only took me about twenty minutes to find a car that, luckily, took me directly to my destination. The weather was still overcast from yesterday's rain, but the skies cleared quickly during the morning. This four-day hike will take me to Arthur's Pass.

Right from the start, I have two rivers to cross. The previous day's rain had slightly swollen the water, although the level is still quite manageable and the water is clear. The trail then plunges into a series of thorny bushes and quickly becomes a maze in which I get lost a few times. There are numerous marshy areas to cross, and I know I won’t get dry feet today.

In the second part of the hike, the trail becomes easier to follow as it crosses forests and fields of tall grass. I stop walking around 5pm; I have planned to go a little further, but the soles of my feet are painful, perhaps due to the rest days and the fact that the body is relaxing? I meet up with Jolly and Matteo, as well as other hikers, and we spend the evening playing Codename, as someone have left the board game freely available in the hut.

🗓️ February 05, 2026

🏁 Kilometers : 2214

I wake up around 6:15 this morning without any particular plan for the day other than to walk and stop whenever I feel like it. The temperature is quite chilly this morning, with numerous patches of mist dotting the plain, and as if that wasn’t enough, I have to cross an icy stream five minutes after setting off, followed by several marshy areas where my feet sink into a mixture of water and mud; the walking warms my body, and the cold is quickly forgotten.

The trail then enters a forest and begins a gentle descent, with occasional glimpses through the trees of Lake Sumner, which is about ten kilometers long and azure blue. Unfortunately, the trail doesn't pass directly alongside the lake, and it's only at the very end that I get a more comprehensive view of it. Spanning the entire width of the valley, its vibrant blue contrasts with the yellow of the summer grasses and the various shades of green on the forested hills across the lake. I want to pause and admire it, but my moment is cut short by swarms of sandflies buzzing around my face.

As a reminder (for those who might have missed a previous post), sandflies are midge-sized insects that bite like voracious mosquitoes, sometimes even through clothing. Here in the heart of the South Island, they are swarming and a real nuisance for hikers. It's impossible to imagine taking your time lying down in the grass or even taking a nap: meals are eaten in huts or tents, and only brief breaks are possible before they become too numerous. Fortunately, they don't attack while we're walking.

After lunch (eaten in a hut), I continue up the valley and arrive at a natural hot spring on the edge of the forest, about twenty meters above the river level. A pool has been created for bathing. I put on a kind of mosquito net over my cap, which allows me to enjoy the hot water without being bothered by sandflies. The water isn’t just lukewarm, it is actually hot! What a pleasure to be here alone in nature, with this superb view, enjoying such a rare treat! After a few minutes, I go down to the river to cool off.

Refreshed, I continue my hike and stop around 6 p.m. when I find a suitable spot to pitch my tent at the edge of the forest and the river. After bathing in the river, I go straight to the tent and don’t go outside to avoid being eaten. Sandflies aside, pitching my tent here in this beautiful and secluded corner of nature is an extraordinary feeling. I'm sleeping alone tonight; I have the place all to myself!

🗓️ February 06, 2026

🏁 Kilometers : 2248

I had a very good night, lulled by the sound of the river. The weather this morning is clear with a few white clouds, but the sky quickly clouds over, so that from 11:00 AM onwards, a light drizzle begins to fall, intensifying from mid-afternoon and ending in showers in the evening.

The first few kilometers are uphill along the last part of the valley, then after crossing a pass at 950 meters altitude, the trail descends on the other side into another valley. This one seems to have suffered enormous damages from repeated episodes of rain, as its slopes are completely eroded, with immense masses of rocks and uprooted trees littering the valley floor, transforming the trail into a sort of obstacle course for about twenty kilometers. Most of the time, the best option is still to walk in the stony riverbed, which is sometimes about 200 meters wide, the river flowing here and there, occasionally splitting into several branches, changing its course after each new storm.

Walking on rocks and pebbles is tiring; the ankles are under a lot of strain, and you have to be careful with every step not to sprain them. Reaching the bottom of the valley, the path curves, following the bed of another river, also very wide and covered with stones. The route forks one last time for the day, plunging into a third valley, this one also covered across its entire width with immense masses of rocks carried down by previous storms.

The heavier rain makes the rocks slippery, and after covering 34 kilometers that day, my ankles are screaming for help; I'm tired and soaked. I find a suitable patch of short grass to pitch my tent and slip inside. Some of my things are wet, but I have the satisfaction of having a little cocoon that's more or less dry in the middle of the rain for the night.

🗓️ February 07, 2026

🏁 Kilometers : 2266

This morning the sky is still overcast but is slowly clearing. I have 18 kilometers to hike today, continuing to climb the valley to Goat’s Pass and then descending into another valley to reach the hamlet of Arthur's Pass. The trail often runs alongside the river and is very technical; the stones are slippery, and I have to use my hands most of the time. The scenery is quite somber, with mountains all around rising and disappearing into the mist and masses of grayish rock.

Reaching the summit after four hours of scrambling over 9 kilometers, the view opens up, and the Goat’s Pass unfolds before me with its high, grassy surrounding mountains. The contrast with the gray, narrow valley I came up through is striking. The descent is much easier, and I take advantage of the sunshine to take a break and try to dry my things!

Upon reaching the roadside, I have to hitchhike five kilometers to Arthur's Pass, where a package of supplies I had sent from Wellington is waiting for me. There I meet up with Natalie and Yvan, who had started a day earlier from Hanmer Springs.