#31 The Abel Tasman Coast Track

On Thursday we started a 4-day-hike trough the Abel Tasman National Park, the smallest and simultaneously the most popular national park. 

Day 1: A water taxi dropped us off in Totaranui were we did a 1 h loop hike without backpacks to fill the day since we only had to walk less than 7 km. The first night we pitched a tarp at a campground which we had to ourselves.

Day 2: In the Morning we had to cross Awaroa Bay at low tide and walked another 13.5 km to the Bark Bay Hut which we had booked for the night. A hut with running water, electricity in the kitchen, an oven and flush toilets, pure luxury!

Day 3: On the third day we had 11.5 km ahead of us. In addition to that we did several little explorations away from the main track without our backpacks, for instance to Sandfly Bay or Cleopatras Pool. Close to the hut we couldn't do the tidal crossing because high tide (which is shifting by 45 min every day) was coming in already, so we had to walk around Anchorage Bay.

Day 4: The last 12 km were challenging. Although our backpacks became lighter and lighter by each day (since we ate the food we brought), we could really feel our legs by now. Happy to be back at Mārahau where we had parked the car, we stopped at the Burger place "The Fat Tui" to have some non-freeze-dried food again.