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The Taramakau River runs through a broad mountain valley on the West Coast of New Zealand, surrounded by the Southern Alps and dense native forest. This 18-minute walking video follows the river through the Taramakau Valley, moving between grassy flats, rocky riverbed sections and natural tracks.

The walking is mostly flat, but the ground changes constantly. Some sections are easy grassy or compact tracks, while others become much rougher with stones, rocks and uneven riverbed surfaces. The forest and scrub also come close to the river in places, giving the walk a good mix of open and enclosed scenery.

The Taramakau Valley is part of the wider Arthur’s Pass landscape, where steep mountains rise above broad valleys and glacial riverbeds. The river is the main feature of the walk, with the open stony flats creating a strong contrast with the dense native vegetation along the edges of the valley.

The video is set at around 5 km/h with a 0% treadmill incline. This suits the generally level nature of the valley, although the treadmill obviously can't replicate the effort of walking over loose stones and uneven riverbed. A 1% incline can be used for a little extra effort, but keeping it flat gives the walk a more natural feel.

The Taramakau Valley also forms part of the historic Harper Pass route across the Southern Alps. The route passes through a mix of river flats, forest and open valley, giving it the same varied character seen in this short section of the walk.

At just 18 minutes, this is a short virtual walk rather than a long hiking session. The changing riverbed, grassy flats, native forest and surrounding mountains provide plenty of scenery despite the relatively short distance.