Think you need to be super fit before you start hiking? Think again. The truth is that hiking fitness isn't built in a gym or achieved overnight. It's built one walk, one hill and one adventure at a time.

Whether you're returning to the trails after a break or taking your first steps into the outdoors, there are simple ways to build strength, endurance and confidence without turning your life upside down.

In this article, I share the lessons I've learned from thousands of kilometres of hiking across New Zealand and beyond, along with practical tips to help you prepare for the trail.

You'll discover how to train for hiking in a way that fits real life, so you can spend less time worrying about whether you're fit enough and more time enjoying the journey. 🌿🥾

Two years ago I walked the full length of Aotearoa, from Cape Reinga to Stirling Point in Bluff, covering more than 3,000 kilometres over 133 days.

What I expected was a physical challenge and a long-held adventure ticked off the list. What I did not expect was how profoundly the trail would reshape my understanding of rest, simplicity and coming back to myself.

The lessons did not arrive dramatically. They accumulated slowly, step by step, day by day, until something essential had quietly shifted.

Whether you are a long distance hiker or simply someone craving a proper reset, I think some of what Te Araroa taught me might resonate with you too.