Whanganui man walking Te Araroa trail for rescue helicopters

Ryan Cvitanovich is walking the Te Araroa trail in an effort to raise money for Phillips Search and Rescue Trust. Photo / Logan Tutty

Whanganui local Ryan Cvitanovich is about to embark on a marathon journey across the country in an effort to raise money for charity.

On Tuesday, he will start walking the 3000km long Te Araroa trail from Whanganui as he looks to raise money for Phillips Search and Rescue Trust.

Due to the current Covid-19 situation in the upper North Island, Cvitanovich has decided he will start the walk from Whanganui. By the time he reaches Bluff, he hopes the country will have opened up and he can complete the rest of the trail.

After noticing some walkers along the highway driving to work jobs, Cvitanovich clicked on to what they were doing and was inspired to give it a crack himself.

Off the heels of completing his apprenticeship, he said it was perfect timing for the walk heading into the summer.

Being a keen hunter, Phillips Search and Rescue was a very worthy and logical choice to raise money for.

"They help not only trampers and hunters, but everyday people too. They pick people up from car crashes or fall off your skis on the mountain, they do great work."

He made the most of the recent lockdown, using it to prepare both mentally and physically.

"It will be painful for the first few weeks, but it is what it is."

He will be leaning into all that experience he has in hunting to get through, but hasn't done anything of this scale.

"I've never been out for more than three days."

He is already well on his way to his $3000 goal, raising over $2000.

He aims to be at Queenstown for Christmas so he can fly back and spend it with his family before heading back down to complete the trail in the new year.

"Three months is really quick to do the whole thing. Five months is taking it slow."

To follow Ryan along his journey, check out his social media accounts. Instagram at ryans_ta_ and his Facebook page Ryan's Te Araroa

You can donate at the Whanganui Garden Centre or on his social media pages.