What does it mean to be out walking in the landscape or in a city - on a pilgrimage?
Pilgrimages Aotearoa is an Aotearoa, New Zealand response to a global resurgence in the medieval practice of pilgrimage.
This website is designed to encourage pilgrimage in Aotearoa/New Zealand and provide people with some ideas for creating their own pilgrimages.
Walking with intent has a power to clarify what may be going on in your life. Walking with others can be even more helpful. Walking itself will enable you to get to know places in a new and fresh way. It provides a chance to get in touch with and reflect on the special history of this country, both Māori and non Māori. The landscape we are walking through gives us important information and the opportunity to bear witness ourselves to important events in our history that have the power to change us.
This leads into the bigger question of where we may be going as a nation.
Pilgrimages Aotearoa
Pilgrimages Aotearoa are a small, ever-evolving, welcoming group of people dedicated to the spiritual practice of walking with intent. Pilgrimage reminds us that without the recognition of the sacred in life, we risk becoming solely transactional with each other, with our land and with, however we understand, God.
Upcoming Pilgrimages
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Waikato Pilgrimage Series
Wiremu Tāmihana - The Peacemaker
Saturday 8th August - 2026
Bookings are essential as places are limited to 30
( This pilgrimage is one of a series of pilgrimages into the Waikato planned and started in 2024 and continuing through 2025 and 2026. )
We will meet at 8am - at St Georges Church, Ranfurly Road, Epsom, Auckland and plan to return there about 5pm
Our drive and walk will take us into important places in the life and faith of Wiremu Tāmihana.
We will hear stories en route from Archbishop Sir David Moxon and Mana Whenua and others about their ancestors’ lives in the Waikato at the time of the New Zealand Land Wars.
We will finish this pilgrimage at around 3pm and return to Auckland for around 5pm. Please be prepared to commit the whole day to this journey.
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NZ LAND WARS 1863 - 1881, Pilgrimage to South Taranaki and Parihaka.
Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th October 2026
Bookings are essential as places are limited to 20
We will gather on Friday 2nd Oct at 5pm in the evening at the Oakura Holiday Park for whakawhanaungatanga and a shared meal. Oakura was the site of the outbreak of the second phase of the Land Wars. We will take an evening walk along the beach to Hauranga Pā, an historic gathering point for Taranaki iwi.
On Saturday morning we will be led into South Taranaki by mana whenua, Tihikura Hohaia, looking at some landmarks central to the events leading to the invasion of the Parihaka community.
In the afternoon we will spend time at the Parihaka gardens planting natives in the food forest there, and learning of the community’s history , philosophy and future aspirations.
On Sunday we will finish our pilgrimage at Te Whare Hononga with lunch at the Sir Paul Reeves Centre in New Plymouth.
Please book your own accommodation as soon as possible at https://www.oakurabeach.com/
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The Sea Path
From the Ferry Building to Long Bay, Auckland ( about 20kms )
8.00am Saturday 10th April - 10.00am Sunday 11th April 2027
Bookings are essential as places are limited to 20
Our walk begins at the Ferry building, at the bottom of Queen Street at 8.00am on Saturday morning ready to catch the Devonport ferry. We will then follow the coastal pathway north to Vaughan Park Retreat Centre in Long Bay.
As we walk, we will explore some of the history of Aotearoa that is still visible in this coastal landscape especially Rangitoto, Torpedo Bay, Fort Takapuna and Rahopara pa; these are significant sites for Tangata Whenua.
At the end of the walk we have a celebratory meal at Vaughan Park Retreat Centre. In the morning, return rides to Auckland can often be found with fellow pilgrims or a bus is available nearby.
Please be prepared to book accommodation at Vaughan Park for the night stay over.
Contact Us
This website is designed to encourage pilgrimage in Aotearoa, New Zealand and provide people with some ideas for creating their own. Contact us if you’d like more information or to share pilgrimage ideas of your own.
