Adventure 222

N E W Z E A L A N D 

ADVENTURE 

INTO THE WILD 

EXPLORING OUR BACKYARD 

SOUTHERN ALPS 

TONGARIRO 

TARAWERA 

STEWART ISLAND 

ISSUE 222 

OCT/NOV 2020 

NZ $10.90 incl. GST

FOR THE ADVENTURE 

#222 

GET outdoors 

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Dogs always make you get outdoors 

EDITOR & ADVERTISING MANAGER 

Steve Dickinson 

Mob: 027 577 5014 

steve@pacificmedia.co.nz 

The next person who tells me that they 

have really enjoyed lockdown, and that 

COVID has been like a forced holiday, is 

going to wish that they hadn’t. We have 

seen millions of dollars evaporate and the 

adventure industry struggle to cope. 

Travel businesses that have been a 

backbone of New Zealand tourism have 

closed and many folded for good. Many 

people have lost their jobs or feel that they 

could at any moment. Sure we have to 

learn to live with it; really there is little we 

can do except follow the rules and keep 

our country as safe as we can, but also we 

need to recognize that it is stressful, and 

for many that stress is bringing them to 

breaking point. 

You might not be able to make your job 

more secure, you might not be able to 

travel or have that wedding or keep your 

aged parents safe but there is something 

you can do to help deal with the stress. 

Here is the quick fix, ‘get outdoors’ 

Open the door: It has been clinically 

proven that the simple process of getting 

outside, actually outside anywhere, helps 

lower stress levels. If you add into that 

exercise and New Zealand’s glorious 

environment, be that beach, mountains or 

bush, it is going to help. 

Buy a dog: Apart from the companionship, 

the days when you don’t want to go for a 

walk there will be a fluffy face to remind you 

of the value of it, sunshine or rain. 

Rein in your digital life: When you are 

outside, leave your phone at home if you 

can. On longer trips, if you feel you need to 

take it, turn it off and put it at the bottom of 

your pack. Everything can wait. 

Do one thing at a time: Multi-tasking is a 

myth, if you are walking, walk. If you are 

talking, talk. If you are writing the next great 

New Zeland novel or cleaning the garage 

- do that. 

Get dirt under your fingernails: Having 

your hands in soil has proven to be good 

for you, it’s good for your microbiome 

(whatever that is) and that in turn has 

proven good for your mood. Plant a 

tree, pull out some weeds, grow some 

vegetables. 

Sleep outside: By the pool or in a tent 

does not really matter. Could be an all-night 

trip or a snooze in the afternoon but the 

important part is that it is outside and that 

you sleep. 

Steve Dickinson - Editor 

ART DIRECTOR 

Lynne Dickinson 

design@pacificmedia.co.nz 

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NZ Adventure Magazine is published six times a year by: 

Pacific Media Ltd, P.O.Box 562 

Whangaparaoa, New Zealand 

Ph: 0275775014 

Email: steve@pacificmedia.co.nz 

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Contributions of articles and photos are welcome and must be accompanied by a stamped 

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publication, it is a condition of purchase of this magazine that the publisher does not assume 

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or omission in this publication, or from the use of information contained herein and the 

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contained herein. 

HOMEGROWN TAIAO 

TAIAO 

ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ 01

page14 

Image by Dylan Foote Image by Mike Dawson Image compliments of Aspiring Guides 

Image by Expedition Earth 

page 20 

page 24 

page 56 

#222 

contents 

08//Mt Aspiring 

New Zealand's Matterhorn 

14//Expedition Earth 

Exploring New Zealand 

20//Rabbit Pass 

A Kiwi's bucket list tramping experience 

24//Stewart Island 

Documenting the circumnavigation of the Island 

32//Mid-winter Tramping 

Hot water beach, Te Ariki Bay, Mt Tarawera 

40//Planning your summer tramp 

With Mountain Safety Council 

42//Saving the Mountain Guides 

Post-covid 

44//Home Grown 

Tongariro Alpine Crossing 

56//Rising Star 

Jess Blewitt 

60//Vote the arsehole out 

The rise of the political and environmentally aware 

outdoor companies 

66//Adventure Van Life 

Forget the Mercedes, I wanna be a vanlife lady 

84//Adventure travel 

• Papua New Guinea 

• New Caledonia 

• Vanuatu 

plus 

72. gear guides 

83. subs 

96. active adventure 

FOLLOW US ON 

www.facebook.com/adventuremagnz 

adventuremagazine 


Nzadventuremag 

JOIN THE CONVERSATION 

#ADVENTUREMAGAZINE 

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BEHIND THE COVER 

As Steve says in his editorial, "It has been clinically proven that the 

simple process of getting outside, actually outside anywhere, helps lower 

stress levels." We felt this picture by Joel & Jasmin @theforestbirds, 

captured the feeling perfectly. 

COCKTAIL ON THE ROCK 

Trek, explore, climb, learn, upskill and adventure your way 

to new heights this summer with the AC Team. 

• Alpine Adventure – 4 days 

• Mt Aspiring, Course & Ascent 

• Aoraki Mt Cook 

• Mt Madeline, Brewster, French, Barth, Mitre Peak 

• First Tracks Wanaka Geo Domes Heli Camp 

• Remarkables Guided Climbing, Trekking 

• Brewster Glacier, Gillespie Pass 

• Luxury Backcountry Trek 

• 7,10,12 day Mountaineering Instruction Courses 

• 3 day Technical Rope Skills Course 

This recipe was a similar 

template to the Kiwi Birdsong 

that was enjoyed so much. 

Made with Two Tone release, 

it is a gold medal winning NZ 

whisk(e)y. Two Tone refers to 

the two kinds of casks used to 

mature the whisky, European 

oak and American white oak. It 

is 40% ABV with no colouring 

added. The fruity and spicy 

notes made this whisky the 

perfect companion to the 

tangelo liqueur, which is made 

by distilling tree ripened local 

tangelos and NZ pure spring 

water. A smooth, luxurious, 

and sumptuous serve. 

To make: 

2 jigger (60mls) 

@thomsonwhisky Two Tone 

Release whisky 

20mls Te Kiwi Tangelo liqueur 

20mls freshly squeezed lemon juice 

3 dashes Angostura bitters 

Egg white 

Reverse shake, by shaking all ingredients except the egg white with 

ice, dump out the ice, add in the egg white, shake, and pour into a 

#glassfromthehospiceshop, and garnish with a dehydrated lemon 

wheel. 

Approx 6g carb per serve 

Follow Sue on Instagram: @cocktailontherock 

To sign up for the weekly newsletter: www.cocktailontherock.co.nz

70,000 followers can't be wrong 

JOIN THE CONVERSATION 

06//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#222 

@ adventuremagazine 

@ adventuretraveller @ adventurevanlifenz

Mt Aspiring 

NewZealand's Matterhorn 

By Derek Cheng 

Climbing ropeless up a steep snow and ice 

face is never enhanced by mental images of 

your helpless body falling to its death. 

High on the vertiginous slopes of Mt Aspiring, 

the only thing keeping me from this fate were 

the front points of my crampons and my two 

ice axes. I was calm and focused, but could 

do nothing to stop these mental flashes of 

my flailing body being gobbled up by white 

oblivion. The face wasn't steep enough to worry 

an accomplished alpinist, but in the absence 

of such skill, competence, and general good 

looks, the 40 to 50 degree-slope was more 

than enough to unsettle me. 


Sunrise on Mt Aspiring

"Mt Aspiring, New 

Zealand's Matterhorn, 

is an aesthetic pyramid 

of splendor that masks 

a malevolent side that 

can emerge suddenly 

and swallow anyone 

trying to scale her 

heights." 

A hard kick of the crampons. A 

strong strike of the ice axe. After 

a dozen or so movements, I 

paused to gather my composure, 

re-focus, before setting out for 

another dozen moves. 

Why do such images always 

flash through my head when 

I'm soloing? Does every climber 

have to deal with this? 

Mt Aspiring, New Zealand's 

Matterhorn, is an aesthetic 

pyramid of splendor that masks 

a malevolent side that can 

emerge suddenly and swallow 

anyone trying to scale her 

heights. At 3027m, her beauty 

and grandeur attract many. 

Katelyn and I had wanted to 

follow in the footsteps of the first 

ascent of the North West Ridge, 

climbed in 1913 by Samuel 

Turner, Harold Hodgkinson, Jack 

Murrell and George Robertson. 

The group succeeded in a 60- 

hour push, despite horrendous 

weather and constant bickering. 

Turner, on returning, not only 

overstated the feat in saying that 

it would be "the first climb and 

probably the last of Mt Aspiring's 

east precipices", but also 

showed a lack of orientation; 

they were on the northern, not 

eastern, slopes. 

During that epic battle, they 

endured an uncomfortable, 

unplanned and unwanted night 

in a storm high above the ridge's 

most prominent and intimidating 

feature: the rock buttress. 

10//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#222

It's a long trek but it's worth the effort 

Most who take on the peak known to 

Maori as Tititea, meaning Glistening 

Peak, take a chopper to Bevan Col and 

walk an hour or so to Colin Todd Hut, at 

the base of the northwest ridge. But we 

instead shouldered heavy packs and 

opted for the steep incline of French 

Ridge, which offers you branches, tree 

roots, and all manner of flora to help you 

ascend the track. 

The French Ridge Hut is perched 

just below the snow line and basks 

in evening sunlight. When the alarm 

sounded at 2am the following morning, 

we were so excited that we were already 

up and preparing breakfast. 

We strapped on crampons, unleashed 

our ice tools and roped up, moving 

up a boot track and negotiating the 

remains of a small - but disconcerting - 

avalanche on our way to a crest called 

Quarterdeck. We had a short snack 

break, taking in the view to the north 

for the first time. Keeping a close eye 

on crevasses, we crossed the glacier 

and made good time to the spot called 

Kangaroo Patch, on the ridge just below 

the rock buttress. 

- 

But then we lost our way. Katelyn's 

crampons disagreed with the loose 

scree on the ramps leading up to the 

buttress, and the unsteady nature of the 

climbing made us question if we had 

wandered off-route. At one point, we 

were reminded of our vulnerability when 

I accidentally bumped my helmet from 

my head. It somersaulted off the ridge to 

the northern slopes, where the Therma 

Glacier accepted it without question. 

Eventually, we decided to head down 

to Colin Todd Hut. That evening, there 

were several guides in the hut who 

told us that the rock ramp with the 

loose gravel was the most common 

route, despite frazzling the nerves of 

many climbers. We had to leave the 

following day, but with a perfect morning 

forecast, I decided to push for a quick 

summit before walking all the way out to 

Raspberry Flats in the Matukituki Valley. 

It was pitch black when I downed two 

muesli bars and left the hut at 240am. 

Weary and with my eyes half closed, I 

made my way across steep snow to the 

boot-track, as clouds hung snugly to 

the ridge. Concentration was a strain, 

but I soon found my flow on the way up 

to Kangaroo Patch. Conditions were 

glorious. Hard, crisp, solid snow. So 

good, in fact, that I left the boot-track at 

one point and climbed straight up to the 

ridge. 

I was soon in the same predicament 

as yesterday - an exposed position on 

steep ramps of loose rock. But with 

my crampons removed and a sense 

of purpose, I moved confidently, often 

preferring steeper, more solid rock to 

looser terrain at a friendlier angle. At one 

point I put my foot on a small ledge and 

the schist rock crumbled as I weighted it, 

but I kept my balance and pushed on. 

I passed some rock protection wedged 

between two boulders - a sign of other 

climbers on the same route - pulled onto 

a rock step, and was soon on top of the 

buttress. The ridgeline narrowed and 

became rocky once again. With snow 

conditions so good, I stayed low on the 

west face. It steepened sharply. And 

then steepened some more. 

Without realising it, I had traversed 

onto the top of the Ramp. The Ramp 

is the quickest way up and down the 

mountain, but also the most dangerous. 

Several people have died - mostly losing 

their footing on the descent - after the 

afternoon sun had made the Ramp less 

stable. 

Progress slowed. Focus intensified. 

Images of my falling body cascaded 

through my mind, no matter what I did 

to try and block them out. As I climbed 

higher, the vertigo increased, but near 

the top the angle relaxed, and I gained 

the ridge once again. A rush of relief 

flooded my insides. 

Nothing makes you feel more alive 

than climbing a ridgeline as the dawn 

light cloaks the surrounding peaks 

in a soft blue. Complete solitude in 

the mountains concentrates all the 

wonderful things about mountaineering. 

Self-sufficiency. Embracing the moment. 

That resounding sense of perspective 

that comes from being dwarfed by a 

cirque of mountains as far as the eye 

can see. 

Reaching the summit at the same 

time as the sun's first rays summons 

a unique euphoria. It's as if you're 

witnessing the birth of the world - 

unspoiled and perfect and infinite. 

Mt Aspiring towers hundreds of metres 

above undulating, glaciated terrain 

and a jagged skyline. I stared in awe 

and then swiveled towards the west to 

behold a sight that made me sink to my 

knees - the magnificent shadow of Mt 

Aspiring, a dark triangle commanding 

the landscape. It was the kind of sight 

that is greater than just the view, 

because it awakens a blazing sense of 

the sublime that words or photos could 

never aptly describe. I remained there, 

entranced, in the kind of silence that 

only mountains can provide, trying to 

bottle this feeling so I could come 

back to it later. 

Aspiring's shadow grew starker as 

the daylight became stronger. It 

started to shrink as the sun rose and 

I started my descent. I avoided the 

Ramp and stuck to the ridgeline, 

removing my crampons whenever 

there was an absence of snow. 

Just the beginning 

I made it back to the hut exactly 

five hours after leaving it, and on a 

high that only a perfect summit can 

bring. Katelyn and I had a relaxing 

breakfast and then trudged back over 

the glacier to the Quarterdeck, and 

down to French Ridge Hut. Every so 

often, we heard tonnes of snow and 

ice collapsing from the Breakaway, 

a steep and broken part of the 

glacier and the preferred approach 

to Mt Aspiring before it became too 

unstable. 

It was almost 830pm before we made 

it to the carpark. The final, flat stretch 

of valley floor was a benign end to a 

weary day of almost 40km, including 

about 1800m of vertical gain and 

nearly 3000m in vertical drop. I could 

not keep a conversation for the 

final hour, my face glazing over in a 

zombie-state. 

But I was smiling on the inside, 

lit up by the fresh memory of the 

dawn light brushing the summit, her 

gentle slopes inhaling the warmth, 

her striking shadow stretching out 

towards the horizon. 

dirtbagdispatches: https://www. 

instagram.com/dirtbagdispatches 

How to: 

The easiest way up Mt Aspiring is the 

North West ridge from Colin Todd Hut. 

Either take a helicopter to Bevan Col 

and walk across the Bonar Glacier to the 

hut, or hike in from the carpark (one to 

two days either via French Ridge, or the 

more direct approach via Bevan Col). 

There are variations of the ridge that can 

be climbed. The Ramp is the quickest 

route, though bergshrunds can make it 

impassable, and even if conditions are 

good, the ramp bakes in the afternoon 

sun and has been the scene of many 

fatalities after climbers had lost their 

footing on the descent. 

Guided parties mainly opt to climb 

slopes to Kangaroo Patch, and then 

gain and climb a rock buttress on the 

ridge. Note that the Mt Aspiring Region 

guidebook says that the buttress can 

be bypassed on the north side on easy 

snow and rock terrain. This is possible, 

but guided parties usually gain the 

buttress via rock ramps on the northern 

side that turn towards the south just as 

the rock gets steeper, and then climb 

the buttress proper. This is considered 

an easier route and can be easily 

downclimbed or rappelled. 

After the buttress, stick to the ridge, 

occasionally skirting to the northern 

or southern side as common sense 

dictates, as it gently climbs to the 

summit. The ridge is not technical 

climbing, but can be very exposed. 

A guided expedition usually involves a 

helicopter ride in to Bevan Col. Costs for 

one person are around $3650 for one 

person, or $2530 each for two people. 

The North West route can be climbed all 

year round, but the best time of year to 

do it is November to January. 

-- 

https://dirtbagdispatches.com 

https://www.facebook.com/ 

12//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#222 ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ 13

Expedition Earth 

Exploring NewZealand 

By Bridget Thackwray 

When Kiwi's Bridget Thackwray and 

Topher Richwhite found themselves landlocked 

in New Zealand with their trusted 

Jeep left at Moscow Airport, they take to 

exploring their own backyard. 

Having spent the majority of our 

relationship on the road, the idea of 

being locked down in New Zealand was 

quite foreign and daunting to us. The 

one thing we’ve always thought that 

could jeopardize our relationship is the 

prospect of having our freedom to travel 

crippled. It’s now been five months since 

we left our Jeep in Moscow Airport and 

our time in New Zealand has been far 

from what we had feared. 

Above: Kiwis, Bridget Thackwray and Topher Richwhite start their exploration of New Zealand in the far north. 


Chasing waterfalls 

The Nevis Road offers spectacular scenery. 

With no idea of when we’d be able to return to Moscow to 

continue Leg 3 (from Russia to New Zealand), we decided 

we’d get stuck in and make the most of the southern 

hemisphere winter! 

We contacted Jeep New Zealand who kindly supplied 

us with a JL Wrangler which we subsequently named 

‘Heaphy’. Charles Heaphy was not only a well-known 

explorer but a painter who would go onto promoting New 

Zealand’s natural beauty to the rest of the British Empire. 

All of a sudden, we were back on the road and with our 

new four wheeled companion, began an impromptu New 

Zealand journey we called the ‘Intermission Expedition’. 

We started in the far north on Rawawa Beach before 

weaving our way down country. Because of the weather 

at the time, it wasn’t long before we found ourselves in the 

familiar backcountry of the Southern Alps. 

When planning our routes during Expedition Earth, we 

are always looking for landscapes and environments that 

challenge ourselves and the vehicle. The Southern Alps 

has some of the most stunning 4x4 terrain on the planet. 

Whether you’re submerging yourself in the Rees Valley 

or rock crawling in the high-country stations, it’s a great 

place to master off-road driving. 

Before starting Expedition Earth, Topher and I believed 

that New Zealand was deprived of any exciting and exotic 

wildlife. But from so far driving 5 continents and visiting 

some of the world’s most concentrated natural habitats, 

including the Galapagos Islands, we have grown a much 

bigger appreciation of New Zealand’s wildlife. On our 

mini adventures around the South Island we were so 

happy to be reconnected with the cheeky alpine Keas and 

inquisitive seals of Kaikoura and Catlins. The experience 

one can have with these wild animals is as good as it gets 

on a global level. 

"The Southern Alps has some of the 

most stunning 4x4 terrain on the 

planet. Whether you’re submerging 

yourself in the Rees Valley or 

rock crawling in the high-country 

stations, it’s a great place to master 

off-road driving." 


Left: Heliskiing with Over the Top Helicoptors - image bySean Beale / Above right: crossing the Rees River / Bottom right: Skiing at Treble Cone 

Main photo: Ski touring at the Remarkables 

Since it was the snow season, we worked with HEAD Ski 

on a campaign to trial their new seasons ski hardware and 

sportswear. Because of all the driving to date, our bodies 

were far from being in athletic condition. So apart from the 

challenge of learning the art of ski photography, the physical 

challenges of touring were immense. On one of our first 

missions, on the back side of the Remarkables, we bumped 

into Pete Oswald who with his partner Sophie are running 

‘Ski for Trees’, a charity that plants a tree for every meter he 

climbs while skinning. Pete gave us some good advice on the 

best spots to climb and ski in the area. 

Working with some of the local businesses gave us the 

incredible opportunity to go heliskiing with Over the Top 

Helicopters who took us for a few runs out the back of Mt 

Aurum. Topher’s always been inspired by the Art of Flight 

movie and was keen to emulate some of the chopper footage 

which made it so epic. Without a monumental budget from 

Red Bull, he settled for flying his drone from the front seat 

while the Squirrel flew acrobatically between snowcapped 

peaks. It was a great finale to our time in the snow! 

As we begin our drive north, we are excited to reexplore parts 

of our country that we have in the past taken for granted. 

It is in our DNA as a country to look abroad, but from our 

experience of exploring supposed greener pastures, we 

can confidently say we have it so damn good here in New 

Zealand! 

JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON 

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Jeep Wrangler look. Embracing the ‘Go Anywhere, 

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as an outstanding off roader, who’s capabilities 

mean it can tackle the toughest of terrains when 

required. 

‘Heaphy’ has been fitted with over ten of the most 

capable genuine Mopar accessories available 

for this model. This ensures ‘Heaphy’ has what it 

needs to take on the tough New Zealand terrains 

during the winter months with ease. 

With over 70 safety features available on the 

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system, the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon continues the 

legacy of the original Willys MB and marking the 

next stage in the history of the world’s first 4x4. 

www.jeep.co.nz 


Rabbit Pass 

AKiwi’s Bucket List Tramping Experience 

Story and images compliments of Aspiring Guides 

If you’ve lived in New Zealand for any length of time, 

chances are you’ve ticked off a few backcountry 

adventures. After all, about a third of the country’s land 

mass is protected land, and at least 10% is national park, 

so you don’t have to go far to find a wild and scenic patch 

of earth to explore. 

But once you’ve mastered your backyard routes and you 

need to step up the challenge, what’s next? It’s time to get 

off the beaten track and away from the crowds of the Great 

Walks, and one of the most prized routes for adventurous 

trekkers is Rabbit Pass, located in a remote area of Mt 

Aspiring National Park. 

The Rabbit Pass smile 


ORIGINAL 

Clockwise from top left: Approaching Waterfall Face which leads to Rabbit Pass / Heading over Rabbit Pass is a big day, this pic 

shows the walk before starting the descent into the East Matukituki Valley / A well earnt picnic lunch after heading up Waterfall face, 

onto Rabbit Pass / Exploring the Upper Wilkin Valley - one of the most stunning areas we go hiking in 

Longtime mountain guiding outfit Aspiring 

Guides, based in Wanaka, knows the 

route well, having led capable clients over 

the pass for more than two decades. A 

rigorous screening process during the 

booking phase ensures that clients have 

the proper experience, fitness, and footing 

to make the journey safely. It’s not a route 

for trampers new to the backcountry, but 

its appeal draws queries from all levels of 

hikers. 

“It's a remote part of Aspiring National 

Park and you really have the sense of 

getting away from the crowds and into 

true wilderness,” says trekking guide 

Jessica Marriott. “It’s a challenging trip, 

not to mention the scenery is absolutely 

stunning.” 

So it’s basically everything that a keen Kiwi 

tramper is looking for - but those in the 

know realise that “challenging” doesn’t just 

mean you need endurance. 

“The trip involves more than just hiking,” 

Jessica notes, “It requires route finding, 

a good head for heights, river crossing 

and scrambling skills. People need to be 

physically fit and have the knowledge to 

complete it safely.” 

The crux is, of course, the pass itself, 

which tops out at 1430m. An improbable 

scramble up Waterfall Face is a feat in 

itself. The face is comprised of snowgrass, 

small footholds and handholds, and 

significant exposure to the valley far below. 

The effort is rewarded with a unique view 

of the valley below. 

The descent provides a new set of 

challenges, as you follow a steep rock 

gully into the next valley over and enter 

a new landscape of native herb gardens. 

While the most technical aspect of the trip 

may be behind you, the journey’s physical 

challenges carry on. Once past Bledisloe 

Gorge, the climbing begins again, from 

open river flats through ancient forest and 

up to the alpine with views across to Mt 

Aspiring herself, before descending again 

and winding through the forest back to 

river flats. 

Aspiring Guides take four days to 

complete the traverse, starting with a 

flight into Jumboland and hike to Top 

Forks Hut. They run a longer trip over 

eight days which includes Gillespie Pass 

first. The eight day option is the ultimate 

backcountry experience, often referred to 

as “New Zealand’s hardest guided hike.” 

This option has no helicopters, you simply 

take what you can carry on your back and 

start walking! 

In this sense, having a guide not only 

provides an increased level of confidence 

and comfort, it also eases the pressure 

of tricky decision making and logistics. 

No need to worry about having a vehicle 

at each end of the route. Having weather 

updates and contingency plans is the 

guide’s responsibility, as organising great 

backcountry meals. The guides cannot, 

however, keep your boots dry -- wet boots 

from side streams and river crossings is 

just part of the NZ wilderness package. 

Guiding rugged tracks is Aspiring Guides’ 

specialty, appealing to NZ’ers and visitors 

alike with three to eight day itineraries that 

offer authentic backcountry experiences in 

unique locations. 

For Jessica and many guides, the reward 

isn’t just being in new landscapes each 

day, but the satisfaction of taking people 

into places where they might never have 

gone without a guide. For the Kiwi tramper 

who’s feeling restless on their usual trails 

and ready to push their limits, the Southern 

Alps, with assistance and knowledge 

from local guides, might be just the right 

challenge. 

OUT-OF-THE-BOX 

HIKER 


Documenting the cirumnavigation of 

Stewart Island 

By Mike Dawsom 

It’s big, really big. The wind is beating us 

down, 40kts of bitterly cold Southerly right 

in the face. Massive rollers moving in from 

the South-West smashing our laden boats 

around, before crashing into the West 

Coast bluffs and refracting back creating 

a turmoiled mess of water. The Southern 

Ocean was alive, and we were in our 

element, running the gauntlet trying to pass 

10 km of relentless exposed coastline as 

we approached the South Cape and safe 

harbour, between two storm systems – a 

must make move to get South. 


Feeling insignificant in this wild place as we arrive into Doughboy Bay after a long and physical 65km day. 

Clockwise from Top left 1. Camped out in ‘Easy Harbour’ waiting out some big storms before our attempt on the Southern 

Cape of Stewart Island. 2. Fresh fish, staple diet on Stewart Island. 3. Yankee Hut at the mouth of the Yankee River, a place 

we were stuck for 2 days waiting for the wild westerly to subside. 4. The salt water was a bit different for the whitewater 

paddlers ripping their hands to shreds. 5. Taking in the wildlife, Lords River - Stewart Island. 

8 Days earlier the ferry docked in Oban, the capital 

– Or really only town on the island. Adventure was 

waiting & it was time to go. The Half-Moon Bay 

beach, in the centre of town, became a sprawling 

mess of equipment, Radix food and kayak kit as the 

team readied itself to embark on a 12-day journey 

to attempt a circumnavigation of Stewart Island. 

Barely 12 hrs later, as the sun began to peak over 

the horizon from the East, 4 kayaks launched and 

headed West. We departed unsure of when we 

would be back. 

Heading West along the edge of Foveaux Strait 

with Bluff hill silhouetted in the dawn sun in the 

distance. Our progress was fast, and within minutes 

all signs of civilisation were left behind, and we were 

off. Rounding out of the bay the ocean began to 

play ball, the currents of the Foveaux Strait quickly 

dragging us out towards the North Cape and onto 

the West Coast. But it was daunting, with a huge 

amount of kayaking experience all on rivers we 

weren’t sure what we would find out here – in the 

ocean. 

As the days progressed is became obvious our 

biggest challenge was time. The roaring Westerly 

had picked up and our progress was slowed 

almost to a standstill. We hoped for great weather 

but planned for the worst. It was mid-winter after 

all. Day 1, 2, 3 & 4 saw slow progress along the 

Northern Coast, constantly pushed back by the 

gusting Westerlies. Eventually seeking shelter at the 

aptly named Christmas Village Hut to wait out the 

storm, recalculate our timeframe and continuously 

count our food. And waiting was easy on Stewart 

Island, the endless hunters and DOC huts littered 

throughout the conservation area made for a quick 

respite from the wintery weather throughout the 

adventure. 

Finally, the waves and wind subsided, and we went 

for it – Rounding the North West Cape and heading 

South, a massive day as we passed by beautiful 

remote Stewart Island. Pre-made Radix meals 

safely tucked into our lifejackets as we pushed 

ahead to the DOC hut in Doughboy Bay – A safe 

harbour for the night. This Coastline is relentless. It’s 

rugged and wild. Constantly bashed by the roaring 

40’s combined with giant waves reaching their first 

landmass since being drummed up in Antarctica. 


Landing on the majestic beach in Doughboy 

Bay, the Southern end of the Nor-Western 

Track, our last sign of life before heading 

around the Southern coast of Stewart Island. 


PHIL’S SEA KAYAK 

Stewart Island 

Locked and loaded, Pat De Jong setting a quick pace in a loaded kayak 

fully supplied with 10 days worth of food and equipment. 

There’s a reason it’s an isolated in inhospitable place. Leaving 

Doughboy Bay, we entered the most exposed section of the 

circumnavigation – The 10km of coastline before Easy Harbour. 

Rocky bluffs meant there was no safe place to head back to shore 

until a large channel gifting access to the shelter of Kundy Island. 

Here we found out what it is like to battle the Southern Ocean 

swells. The wind picked up and the swell began to build, soon 

a few kilometres out to see we found ourselves taking on huge 

breaking swells, combined with refraction swells bouncing off the 

bluffs. It was an intense few hours drawing on all our white-water 

experience. 

From here it was the waiting game for the swell to subside 

before making an attempt on the Southern Cape. 1 day later the 

conditions looked good – Variable 5kts with 2.6 SW Swell. We 

went for it and 7 hrs later we arrived into shelter and beauty of 

Port Pegasus, in the shadow of the giant granite domes of Gog 

& Magog. We rested up after what was a fairly massive day 

paddling past the most epic coastal landscape imaginable. 

From there it was plain sailing – Heading North, the end in 

sight – Pegasus to Lords River – Lords River to Oban. 2 big but 

achievable days saw our fatigued and broken bodies steer our 

boats to a rest on the beach we’d set off from 12 days prior. The 

boats up to their final resting spot – We weren’t the first and we 

won’t be the last, but we’d got it done. 


Capturing the expedition – This trip was shot 

on the Canon R EOS with 70-200 f2.8 RF 24-105 

f2.8 RF Lens. 

It’s a challenge balancing capturing the expedition 

to tell the story of being out there without taking 

away from the authentic experience of just 

enjoying it. Alone. Isolated. In nature – Exploring 

somewhere new, untouched and beautiful. For 

me the question is always – What camera set-up 

to add to the monstrosity of equipment packed 

into the boats? Ultimately, in the wild world of 

adventure photography less is usually more. A 

set up that gets the shot but doesn’t slow the 

team down, that’s accessible to shoot and quick 

to get shooting ensures the ability to capture the 

moment. 

Shooting from a kayak is a dangerous game. 

There’s nothing quite as daunting as taking off the 

spray deck of your kayak far out in the Southern 

Ocean. Sacrificing the only thing stopping the icy 

cold sea water from rushing in, sinking my bright 

little kayaking just to get the shot – To access my 

camera, balanced precariously between my legs. 

And there were plenty of shots missed. Magical 

moments on the water where I couldn’t dare get 

my camera out, let alone take a hand off the 

paddle. Scary moments where the sole focus 

was survival – But that’s all part of the game, of 

sharing the story. 

Explore the pristine clear 

waters of Stewart Island 

with it’s amazing marine 

life, bays and sandy 

beaches. 

Experience paddling paradise! 

Stroll golden sandy beaches and take in the rich cultural history. 

Full/half day/2 1/2 hour and sunset excursions available. 

Registered owner/guide; passional sea kayaker. 

Kayak rental available (some conditions apply). 

PHIL@ SEAKAYAKSTEWARTISLAND.NZ | 027 4442323 

WWW.SEAKAYAKSTEWARTISLAND.NZ

Mid-winter Tramping 

Hot Water Beach Te Ariki Bay, Mt Tarawera 

By Erik Skilling 

To be honest I was keen to get out of the city after all 

those weeks stuck in Covid19 lockdown. A weekend 

away in the bush sounded appealing. 

Hot pools. If you are going to tramp this time of year with 

its mud, short days, and cold nights pick somewhere 

that allows you to camp by a hot pool. Preferably also 

convince a close friend with benefits like a love of 

camping, starry nights, and my company. In the middle of 

winter. Not easy. 

On an earlier pre-Covid mountain-biking trip to Rotorua, 

apart from being too early to come across Michael 

Clarke, we had heard of a 5-hour track to Hot-Water 

beach at Te Rata Bay on Lake Tarawera. The thought of 

soaking in a hot pool at this time of year was just enough 

to persuade a friend to join me. The weather forecast at 

the time was a bit dodgy but as often happens when you 

commit, the trip would turn out to be the perfect choice 

with some unique and memorable experiences. 

True to form it felt good to be back in lush New Zealand 

bush again. The undulating track wound its way through 

thick native bush, stands of manuka and gullies full of 

tree-fern standing several metres high. There are enough 

hills to get the heart rate going with the reward of several 

stunning views of the lake. There are two options for 

a lunch stop, both with a table and toilet nearby. We 

chose to stop next to the crystal-clear Wairua stream, 

about two-thirds of the way to Te Rata Bay. Despite DOC 

advice not to drink the water because of the thermal 

activity nearby, we helped ourselves with no adverse 

effects. And no wet feet - all the streams were bridged. 

Te Rata Bay is one of those places that you just want to 

keep to yourself. When you can set up tent a few meters 

from the lake edge, on ground naturally heated, with 

views across a steaming lake to the mighty Mt Tarawera 

itself, this is 6-star camping. Don’t think too much about 

why that that ground is so warm. Just enjoy the perk. 

We got to share the bay with Jason the local caretaker 

and one other couple who camped out of view. So much 

for needing to book. The whine of an outboard motor 

momentarily invaded the stillness (I say more waka, less 

motor) as we set up camp, but mid-winter is the perfect 

time to enjoy this place. 

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The much-hyped long soak in the hot-pool 

met all the expectations of my gracious fellow 

tramper – although sipping port helped a bit. 

Okay, a lot. Asking her to join in for the quick 

dip in the lake was a quick sprint too far, but it 

was a very contented and hot companion that 

emerged from the pool in time to settle down 

for dinner. 

Jason had a cast-iron pot of wallaby stew 

gently cooking away in the near 90C hotwater 

stream metres away from our tent. 

Excellent use of an Australian pest that had 

been trapped earlier. One of the many perks 

of being the caretaker here. The two of us 

settled down to the decadence of the new Go- 

Native butter chicken and vegetable curry and 

enjoyed the vista as the sun set. Then, to add 

to the mood the clouds cleared, and we were 

able to enjoy the milky way. Cosy. 

Next morning, I woke from possibly the best 

night’s sleep I have ever enjoyed in a tent 

thanks mostly to the underfloor heating. The 

intention had been to wake-up slightly before 

dawn with the hope of seeing Matariki, but 

the sky was bright by the time I woke up 

and unzipped the tent flap. The view was 

stunning. An elegant looking black swan was 

tracking its way across the lake in front of us, 

and to one side, a cloud of steam hung in the 

air. Otherwise just a glassy-calm lake with a 

distant Mt Tarawera silhouetted against the 

rising sun. 

Eventually Jason emerged from his catamaran 

which was beached on the lake edge and 

wandered down to check on his wallaby 

stew. Next time I will remember to bring some 

stewing steak and a few veges and stay an 

extra day to really enjoy the place. 

We sipped freshly brewed hot coffee and 

gazed out at the lake and across to Mt 

Tarawera which was now shrouded in dark 

misty cloud. The lake itself was still glassy 

calm, the swan having moved further down 

the bay. We imagined the scene nearly 150 

years ago as tourists described as “moneyed 

foreigners” were rowed across the bay in 

front of us to the Kaiwaka river at the end 

of the bay and onto the Pink and White 

Terraces. The tourists got to enjoy a meal of 

potatoes and Koura (freshwater crayfish) and 

a swim at the terraces before being rowed 

back, all for the princely sum of Stg2, which 

provided a decent income for the local iwi 

back in 1880. 

Sometime later the whine of the water-taxi 

broke the tranquillity which also seemed 

to be the signal for the breeze to pick up. 

Before long white caps were appearing on 

the lake. Time to get organised and head 

home. It was quite late by the time we left 

but I think we can be forgiven – and no issue 

anyway with just 5 to 6 leisurely hours of 

tramping ahead. 

We arrived back at the car park (which is 

secured at night) just as low-lying wintery 

sun was beginning to set. The legs ached 

just enough to make you feel like you had 

had a decent workout. We confirmed that 

tramping can be just as enjoyable at this 

time of year as they can be in the summer 

months. The hot-water beach tramp had 

so much to offer – thermal hot pool to 

enjoy at the end of the day, superb native 

bush and spectacular vistas. The track is 

clearly signposted and well maintained with 

beautiful lakeside camping and spotlessly 

clean amenities, which all made for a 

memorable weekend trip away. 

This is a remarkable region, rich in 

New Zealand history. Our thanks to the 

Tuhourangi people who have made it so 

easy for us to enjoy.

Author, Erik Skilling, enjoying a mid-winter's hike and camp 

SIDE NOTE: 

This is the sort of trip you want to keep to yourself, 

but Tarawera has justifiably been a “tourist magnet” 

since late 1870 when the entrepreneurial chief Aporo 

Te Wharekaniwha built the 25-bed Cascade Hotel and 

charged international tourists Stg2 each to be taken to 

view the world famous Pink and White Terraces. 

Violence, both man-made and natural have taken a 

big toll on the local inhabitants over the last few 100 

years. 

Many years ago a local chief Umukari was killed and 

decapitated by the Apumoana iwi. His head was found 

in a cave on the small peninsula facing the Landing, 

an area now dotted with baches and moorings 

about 20 minutes into the tramp. The cave itself was 

submerged when lake-waters rose after the Tarawera 

eruption. 

Umukari’s son Wahiao and Tutanekai - of Tutanekai 

and Hinemoa fame, led a war-party to Moura Pa 

sited on the peninsula just across the water from the 

campsite at Hot Water Beach. The attackers entered 

the Pa via the “back-door”– attaching ropes to an 

overhanging tree and scaling the cliffs. All of the 

Apumoana iwi were either killed or taken prisoner. 

In June 1886 Mt Tarawera exploded and the ensuing 

eruption took the lives of 107 people and buried the 

Pink and White Terraces. Twenty-nine of those who 

perished were living at Te Rapa Bay. Many of the local 

iwi were forced to leave the area with the associated 

collapse of the tourist industry that had been providing 

them with an estimated Stg6,000 income annually. 

Today Tuhourangi have returned, and their 

entrepreneurial flair revived. We certainly appreciated 

the effort put in to keep the track maintained and the 

bay and campsite so pristine. 

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Athletes: Billy Meaclem & Sam Minnell 

Location: Canterbury, New Zealand

Safely plan your summer tramp 

By New Zealand Mountain Safety Council 

The sun is shining; the days are getting 

warmer and longer; summer is the time for 

the outdoors. It’s a Kiwi’s rite of passage 

to get amongst the nature that surrounds 

us all, however, it can be just that 

carefree summer vibe that gets outdoor 

enthusiasts into trouble. Whether it be 

a day bush walk or a multi-day tramp, 

being prepared this summer could be the 

biggest factor that saves a life. Mountain 

Safety Council (MSC) Chief Executive 

Mike Daisley hopes all Kiwis who plan 

to make the most of the outdoors this 

season will take the time to carefully plan 

and prepare for each excursion. 

Each summer, about one million Kiwis 

head outdoors for a bushwalk or an 

overnight tramp. However, a concerning 

number of them are being rescued each 

year due to being unprepared. 

importance of thorough planning, then 

we can reduce the number of incidents,” 

Daisley says. 

To be prepared is quite simple, he says. 

“It’s basic things like researching the 

area you are going into, it’s about 

being prepared for possible changes in 

weather conditions, and to always have 

warm clothing, a waterproof jacket and 

emergency shelter in your backpack 

regardless of the forecast. 

of these issues go hand in hand with 

trampers not being prepared for the 

conditions, not having essential gear such 

as warm clothing, a waterproof jacket or 

even a torch. 

Being summer, many Kiwis don’t consider 

the possibility of the weather changing 

or needing warm clothing. Annual figures 

show that being underprepared occurs 

all year round, however, it’s very much 

happening in summer as well, he says. 

Other safety tips Daisley suggests 

considering is the abilities of everyone in 

your group based on the slowest member 

and to allow extra breaks, get out on the 

track early and don’t waste valuable time, 

and sticking to schedule is as important 

as stopping regularly to check your 

location and to re-group. 

“Getting into trouble in the outdoors has 

the potential to really ruin your summer 

holiday, but it can be prevented,” Daisley 

says. 

One in four New Zealand adults go 

tramping every year. However, the 

concern is that more than 300 of them are 

rescued annually. Many of these rescues 

are due to trampers being unprepared for 

the weather, conditions or difficulty of the 

track, according to MSC research. 

“It’s a concerning figure because the 

majority are preventable, highlighting the 

“Safety is the outcome of good planning 

and good decision making,” he says. 

A common theme identified by MSC is 

that many day trampers only prepare for 

the day walk they’re about to embark on, 

rather than thinking ahead, and asking 

themselves ‘what if’ when they’re packing 

for the trip, he says. 

The most common reasons for day 

tramper rescues are navigation errors 

and inexperience, and the walk taking 

longer than expected to complete. Many 

The NZ Mountain Safety Council's 

website is an excellent resource for online 

free resources to support planning for 

any outdoor adventure. You can learn to 

prepare for your chosen activity, learn 

skills such as navigation and watch videos 

on popular tracks and how to explore 

them safety. No time like the present to 

start your upskilling now and make for the 

best possible summer adventure. 

Sourced from The New Zealand Mountain 

Safety Council (MSC) – A Walk in the 

Park - 2018 

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#MOVEYOURWORLD 


“I found that getting outdoors was good for me, so I wanted 

to share that kaupapa (mission) with other people”. 

for attendees who are predominantly citydwelling 

young professionals, then using 

Facebook to appeal to people. 

Bruce, who with no prior qualifications in 

the outdoors, become a NZOIA qualified 

Bush Leader, Mountain Bike Leader, 

NZSurf Paddle Board instructor and even a 

heavy-truck and passenger service driver, 

all in one year. 

which Bruce and other operators have 

accessed, but most of these have now 

finished and “when that happens you 

realise you are quite alone”. 

Having to buck the trend of ‘men asking 

for help’, Bruce has recently asked for 

assistance from his clients and staff to get 

through Covid-19, which he says was not 

easy to admit to needing 

By Robert Bruce 

In an ironic and cruel twist of fate, 

many mountain guides and adventure 

operators in New Zealand are now 

the ones in need of saving. Today's 

hazard for outdoors experts is not just 

falling ice or rocks, rather the invisible 

economic impacts of Covid-19 keeping 

customers away and drying up income. 

Adventure Magazine speaks to Robert 

Bruce, managing director and head 

guide of Got To Get Out, about the huge 

effect of ‘lock down’ on his socially good 

guiding business. Bruce shares how his 

community has “helped the mountain 

guide survive”, and he hopes this 

experience can help other operators to 

survive Covid19 too. 

Saving the Mountain guides 


It’s well documented that Kiwi men are 

often reluctant to ask for help. Mountain 

guides in particular are often trained to rely 

on their practical skills and resilience to 

‘get through’ tough situations. For most, the 

thought of asking clients or staff for help is 

simply not an option. 

In 2020, Covid-19 is causing a huge storm 

for many guiding businesses; with borders 

shut, limits on trip sizes, and enforced 

social distancing, it has bcome a battle 

for survival for many. The livelihoods of 

mountain guides is of course bringing 

people close together. 

One outdoor professional affected by 

the sudden downturn is kiwi social 

entrepreneur Robert Bruce. 36 year 

old Bruce is founder and head guide of 

adventure group Got To Get Out, which 

is a bold new type of adventure guiding 

company. Got To Get Out was founded 

by Bruce in 2015 to “get the communities 

of New Zealand outdoors, healthy, into 

nature and connected”. His enterprise has 

rapidly grown into a national organisation 

with a huge online following and numerous 

staff and volunteers. Bruce’s group 

has arranged hundreds of group hikes, 

mountain bike rides, paddle boarding, 

camping and ski trips that are designed 

to create income to fund free activities for 

those less fortunate. The social enterprise 

has featured in awards events like ‘best 

community contribution’ at the Aucklad 

Westpac Busness Awards, and Bruce 

personally is a New Zealander of the Year 

semi finalist. 

“The idea of Got To Get Out came to me 

during my first trip to Nepal, trekking to 

Mt Everest Base Camp” says Bruce. “I 

had left the corporate world and decided 

I wanted to apply my skills of marketing, 

events, and social media for a far more 

socially-good cause, to try and improve the 

bad mental and physical health statistics of 

New Zealand. I found that getting outdoors 

was good for me, so I wanted to share that 

kaupapa (mission) with other people”. 

The premise of Got To Get Out is to do 

the heavy-lifting of adventure planning for 

attendees, by arranging the routes, maps, 

transport, guiding and even gear rental 

“We are really good at making safe 

enjoyable outdoor trips that are accessible 

for people regardless of skill level. We try 

to make it easy for busy people to find our 

trips on social media, and just click “going”. 

It’s about removing the barrier to entry for 

people joining a group guided trip”. 

Each year since Bruce founded Got To Get 

Out in Nepal the has returned with growing 

groups of New Zealanders, each eager to 

follow the footsteps of mountaineers like 

Edmund Hillary, Rob Hall and other Kiwi 

pioneers to see the tallest mountains on 

earth. In December 2019 Bruce hosted 

his largest group yet, with thirty mostlykiwis 

trekking to Mt Everest Base Camp. 

He had his leadership tested managing 

an emergency evacuation of four trekkers 

with altitude sickness, from around 5000m 

above sea level. 

“Despite the hundreds of adventures I’ve 

guided or arranged, including the situation 

in Nepal this year, you just can’t plan for 

something like Covid-19” says Bruce. 

“We’ve seen our income dry up overnight, 

but the overhead bills remain. We’ve had 

our ability to travel and get close to people 

severely restricted, which is exactly what 

we do. It’s an extremely hard time to be in 

the guiding business right now”. 

There have been some support 

mechanisms like wage subsidy schemes 

After the second lockdown cancelling his 

events, and with no end in sight, Bruce 

asked his followers and staff online to 

donate to keep his social enterprise afloat. 

Bruce titled the email and social media 

call-out “help us to survive covid-19”, and 

he has been amazed at the outpouring of 

support via his now-closed Givealittle page. 

In just two weeks Bruce raised over $6,000 

from nearly two hundred donors to help 

cover his most pressing business costs, 

which he says will help keep Got To Get 

Out afloat and helping the community 

for a little while at least. The money is 

appreciated but it was messages of support 

that were most heart-warming. 

“Hundreds of people messaged us 

alongside their donations, telling us how 

important our mahi (work) is to them, and 

to not give up. It really touched me and was 

a great motivation”. 

Bruce is extremely grateful to each person 

who donated to him, and recommends to 

other guides or outdoors companies feeling 

the effects of Covid-19, to reach out to their 

customers and even staff for help. 

“Like me you may be touched by the 

love and support that comes from your 

community to keep your business or at 

least morale afloat a wee bit longer. Give 

it a go”. 

BOOK NOW 

WILDWIRE.CO.NZ

HOMEGROWN 

TONGARIRO ALPINE CROSSING 

MORE THAN ICONIC 

TONGARIRO 

ALPINE 

CROSSING 

By Craig (Spud) Crosse 

Simply put the “Tongariro Alpine 

Crossing” is more than iconic. 

Having trekked and climbed on 

seven continents I feel privileged 

to live next to what many regard 

as the best one day walk in New 

Zealand. The dramatic landscape 

you experience throughout the 

19.4km trek is simply second to 

none. 

The Park – The Tongariro National 

Park is not only the oldest 

National park in New Zealand but 

in fact was the fourth National 

Park established in the world. Now 

days the Tongariro National Park 

is a UNESCO dual World Heritage 

Park, listed for its cultural and 

geological significance. 

The mountains, the rivers, the 

peaks all have strong ties to 

the local iwi. You do not really 

appreciate this area to you begin 

to understand theses ties and the 

amazing foresight of Horonuku 

Te Heuheu, the paramount chief 

of Ngati Tuwharetoa. It was his 

foresight in 1887 which is formed 

“The Gift”. 

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing, possibly the most 

talked about trek in New Zealand ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ 45

Left: Emerald Lake, not for swimming! / Above: Looks like a scene from Lord of the Rings, which it is! 

The Crossing has long been one of 

NZ’s “Great Walks” and pre Covid saw 

numbers peaking at over 140,000 a 

summer. It has been regarded as one 

of the top ten things for international 

backpackers to do. Yes, it is popular 

and at 8am at the start of the track at 

Mangatepopo you were overwhelmed 

with trekkers. 

But don’t be put off by these numbers as 

now in the Covid time we live in the track 

won’t be reach these numbers again 

for sometime. But even on during these 

busy days you can still find peace and 

solitude to enjoy the magic by starting 

early or later than the masses. Nothing 

can beat standing on the summit of 

Red Crater as the sun appears over the 

Kaimanawa range and there are just you 

and the mountains. 

For most people who trek over the 

Crossing it will the hardest and furthest 

they have ever walked and probably 

ever will. The day encompasses two 

significant climbs and ends with a 

relentless descent. 

But for what you see in one day is it 

worth it?...The answer…HELL YES..! 

While traditionally “Kiwi’s” prefer to 

freedom walk our Great Walks for those 

who opt for guided experience there 

comes a massive satisfaction and sense 

of security. To be able to understand 

the fascinating geology and gain a 

great understanding of the cultural 

significance while trekking across an 

active volcanic landscape lets you really 

enjoy the magic of Tongariro on another 

level. It is only on a guided walk will 

you understand why the alpine lakes 

and peaks of the mountains are sacred 

to the local Māori tribe Ngāti Hikairo 

ki Tongariro and why now they ask 

respectfully, that peaks are not climbed 

and waterways are not to be touched. 

Hearing how Maori legends like how 

Ngatoroirangi brought volcanic activity to 

the Aotearoa. 

While you can walk the track in either 

direction, the majority of people walk it 

Mangatepopo to Ketetahi, minimizing 

the ascent. There is now a 4 hour 

parking restriction at Mangatepopo road 

end to allow for those doing short walks. 

However, if you are intending on hiking 

the entire Tongariro Crossing, there are 

many shuttle options available who can 

accommodate a range of drop off times 

and pick up times. 

The dramatic landscape changes 

throughout the day which makes this 

walk so special. The track begins at the 

Mangatepopo carpark and for the first 

1.5hrs you wander up the valley towards 

Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe. 

Following the Mangatepopo Stream 

(note – this is not suitable for drinking) 

and walking over old lava flows that 

have spilled out of Mt Ngauruhoe. Soda 

Springs is a great place refuel adjust 

layers and prepare for the first ascent of 

the day. 

From Soda Springs at the head of the 

valley the climb up the Devil’s Staircase 

(approx. 45min) zig zags up to South 

Crater allowing for stunning views out to 

the west towards Mt Taranaki. The climb 

up to South Crater takes you over the 

lava flow from 1954 out of Mt Ngauruhoe 

which is considered to be the most 

continuously active of the volcanoes 

in New Zealand. Having erupted more 

than 70 times since 1839. 

The walk across South Crater is to 

enjoyed is to be enjoyed as not only 

are the views magical but this is one 

of the only flat pieces of track you will 

encounter all day. 

The last major climb for the day is up 

Red Crater ridge past Cathedral rock 

and Shelter rock. This section is a lot 

more exposed and provides no shelter 

from the elements. It is here you get 

panoramic views down to the Rangipo 

Desert and across the Kaimanawa 

Range, the rewards for a hard climb 

are well worth it. 

Red Crater (1886m) the high point of 

the journey simply put is breath taking. 

The smell of Sulphur and steaming 

vents reminds you are on an active 

volcano while looking into Red Crater 

it is easy to see where lava spewed 

out in 1850’s pouring into the Outere 

Valley, South and Central Craters. 

The spectacular red colour due to 

the presence of oxidised iron in the 

rock makes for dramatic viewing. For 

the unprepared and inexperienced 

trekkers this can be at times totally 

unpleasant. As a rule of thumb Red 

Crater on a calm day is 10c colder 

than National Park Village or Taupo 

and if you happen to have a 50km/ 

hr wind it will be 20c colder. This spot 

holds a massive sense of beauty but 

must be respected as it can as hostile 

as it is majestic. 

The descent down off Red Crater 

is via a scree slope to Emerald 

Lakes known as Ngā Rotopounamu 

(greenstone – hued lakes) which are 

in fact old explosion pits and ever 

changing brilliant colours are formed 

the minerals from the surrounding 

environment. Some days these 

lakes are green in colour and some 

days blue. Emerald Lakes marks the 

halfway point in the trek and ideal 

place to refuel as it is often sheltered. 

From Emerald Lakes there is a short 

trek over to Central Crater to Blue 

Lake The lake is Tapu (sacred) and 

it is disrespectful to touch, enter, eat 

or drink around its shores. before the 

track heads north to the flanks of Mt 

Tongariro. The track finishes 350m 

lower than the start at Mangatepopo 

so expect a long descent zig zaging 

down past massive alpine tussocks. 

But the views across Lake Rotoaira 

and further north east to Lake Taupo 

make up for long descent ascent 

ahead. The last 1hr of the day is spent 

descending through Native Beech 

forest, a vast contrast from the lava 

flows, lakes and craters from earlier. 

THE GIFT 



NGATI TUWHARETOA PARAMOUNT 

CHIEF, TE HEUHEU TUKINO IV 

(HORONUKU) GIFTED THE PEAKS 

OF RUAPEHU, TONGARIRO AND 

NGAURUHOE TO THE PEOPLE OF 

NEW ZEALAND IN 1887, WITH THE 

INTENT THE CROWN WOULD STAND 

ALONGSIDE NGATI TUWHARETOA 

TO ENSURE THE CONTINUED 

PROTECTION OF TONGARIRO. 

THE GIFT FORMED THE NUCLEUS OF 

THE TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK. 

THE MOUNTAINS OF TONGARIRO ARE 

RECOGNIZED AS CENTRAL TO THE 

LIVES OF NGATI TUWHARETOA AND 

IWI OF THIS AREA. 


Welcome to Tongariro Guided Walks 

Author, Craig (Spud) Crosse, prepared for a big day 

Great Gift Idea 

Join us to find out why this is often referred to as the best one day walk in 

New Zealand, (if not the world), with a Guide who will reveal some of the 

secrets of this stunning area. Now that Aotearoa has closed borders, we are 

operating small tours with special pricing for the rest of 2020. 

The Weather on the Crossing can be incredible 

unpredictable and relentless as you are exposed to 

elements for long periods. In 2007 the crossing was 

called the "Tongariro Crossing", but this was changed 

to the "Tongariro Alpine Crossing" to emphasize the 

extreme weather on the exposed terrain. 



Built by fiery eruptions and sculpted by glaciers, learn about the significance 

of Tongariro to those who live nearby, and the history of this, the first Dual 

World Heritage National Park in New Zealand. 

Tongariro Guided Walks offers quality guided walking experiences on tracks 

in and around the Tongariro National Park, Aotearoa New Zealand's very first 

World Heritage site. 

With the international borders closed we have some special deals operating, 

we know that there are still plenty of people keen to get out and explore. 

Specialising in small groups and Private tours, our knowledgeable, caring 

guides can also manage large groups in a way that makes each person, on 

every trip, feel that they have gained insights into the landscape, its people 

and its history. We have your comfort and safety in mind. 

Trip Advisor 

2020 

Travelers 

Choice 

winner 

While the Crossing can be walked anytime of the year 

a winter journey requires alpine travel experience 

and being competent with ice axe and crampons at a 

minimum and is best done with a guide. 

The Outdoor Safety Code 

1. Plan your trip 

2. Tell someone 

3. Be aware of the weather 

4. Know your limits 

5. Take sufficient supplies 

THE STATS 

LENGTH 19.4KM – ALLOW 6-8HR 

DESCRIPTION: CHALLENGING 

ASCENT: 776M - DESCENT: 1126M 

Don’t just do a good walk...... 

do a GREAT one! 

www.greatwalksofnewzealand.co.nz 

info@greatwalksofnewzealand.co.nz 

0800 496 369 

0800 4 A WALK | +64 273 089 689 | tongAriroguidedWALKs.nz 

Fully organised & supported self-guided & guided walks. 

Bringing the New Zealand outdoors 

......a step closer to you!

"The dramatic landscape 

changes throughout the 

day which makes this walk 

so special." 


The crossing's magestical beauty

Mt Ruapehu 

The managebale challengea 

For those who want to head away from the crowds, who want a real mountain 

experience, who want that manageable challenge, then take full day Ruapehu Guided 

Walk with Adrift Tongariro is just right for you. 

TONGARIRO ALPINE 

CROSSING TRANSPORT 

Mt Ruapehu is the largest active volcano in New Zealand, it is the highest point in the 

North Island and has three major peaks: Tahurangi (2,797 m), Te Heuheu (2,755 m) 

and Paretetaitonga (2,751 m). There is a deep, active crater is between the peaks 

which fills with water between major eruptions, known as Crater Lake (Māori: Te Wai 

ā-moe) and is considered sacred. 

return transport 

Summit Shuttles ‘park n ride’ located 

at 1 Ward St National Park Village – 

next to The Station Café 

PICK UP TIMES 5.45AM, 7.00AM, 

8.15AM, 9.30AM 

Other transport options: 

NORTHERN CIRCUIT 

WHAKAPAPA SKI AREA 

SIGHTSEEING 

MOUNTAIN BIKING 

TARANAKI FALLS 

SILICA RAPIDS 

BUS / TRAIN TRANSFERS 

ROUND THE MOUNTAIN TRACK 

With no international visitors 

this summer, now is the time to do 

the world famous Tongariro 

Alpine Crossing. One of the best 

one day hikes on the planet. 

Mountain bike hire and Transport to 

FISHERS TRACK 

OLD COACH ROAD 

42ND TRAVERSE 

MARTON SASH & DOOR 

NZ highest Stand up 

paddleboarding 

Walking distance to the top is around 10 

km return or 7 km return when the chairlift 

is utilised. Walking time is about 6-7 

hours. This walk requires a good level of 

fitness. The terrain is often uneven and 

can be steep in places. It is possible to 

take the walk as far as Knoll Ridge Cafe if 

you are concerned about your fitness. 

During winter and times of snow, surface 

conditions will vary from day to day as 

you would expect. So to be safe you want 

to make sure you go with a local guide, 

someone to keep you safe and who can 

give you insights about the environment 

and where you are. Crampons and ice 

axes are required, but it is all part of the 

alpine experience and your guide will 

provide instruction on how to use them 

correctly. 

Summiting Mt Ruapehu, with Adrift Tongariro 

Mt. Ruapehu. There may be an option 

of taking a chairlift or the Gondola up 

to Knoll Ridge cafe. This option will 

depend on the group on the day and 

if the chairlifts are operating. The lifts 

close at 4.00 pm daily, should conditions 

deteriorate during the day the lifts may 

have to be closed earlier. So you need to 

be prepared to walk down. 

There are transfer options from all the 

local towns. If you are inexperienced in 

alpine conditioned, we strongly advise 

you to take a guided tour, you will be safe, 

well equipped and entertained. 

Your world-famous backyard awaits you… 

Explore the mighty Tongariro National 

Park the way it used to be; with no 

crowds! 

0800 828 294 

summitshuttles@gmail.com 

info@mykiwiadventure.co.nz 

summitshuttles.com mykiwiadventure.co.nz 

Any transport options available! Bookings essential! 

There is something special to have lunch 

on top of the North Island highest volcano 

from where you can gaze down into the 

geothermal waters of the crater lake and 

look down from the North Islands highest 

point. 

But it is worthy to note this is not the 

Tongariro Crossing, there are not the 

same boundary markings, no nicely 

chiselled steps and permanent lines to 

hold on too, that is why it pays to take 

a guide! The track is alpine and is less 

stable walking than on the Tongariro 

Alpine Crossing. 

The walk begins at the Whakapapa Ski 

area at the top of the Bruce Road on 

Currently, there are some great ‘specials’ 

to take advantage of and you can 

postpone your trip at any time up until 30 

April 2021 at this special price. 

Adrift Tongariro guided trips will deliver 

a friendly, informative and unforgettable 

experience. The breath-taking scenery 

speaks for itself and our guides will 

constantly monitor the weather and 

conditions for your safety and time your 

customised pickup. They will explain the 

geography and history of the Tongariro 

National Park and New Zealand along 

with details on the flora, fauna and 

geology of the area. Clothing, footwear 

and any essential equipment required 

for the walk can be hired from Adrift 

Tongariro. www.adriftnz.co.nz

STAY AT ADVENTURE LODGE, NATIONAL PARK 

TONGARIRO CROSSING SPECIAL 

• 2 x nights accommodation in a lodge budget room 

($220 each) or self contained apartment ($275 each 

person) – min two persons! 

• 2 x cooked breakfasts 

• 2 x breakfasts on the run (bacon, egg and cheese in 

an English muffin) orange juice and breakfast biscuits 

– perfect to take to the crossing – sit on a rock and 

look at the views!! /2 x cut gourmet cut lunches and 

all the water you can carry! / 2 x complimentary shuttle 

rides to the crossing – return trip! / 2 x hot spa’s 

after the Crossing! 

• Free unlimited wifi! 

Facilities include: Bar fully licienced on premises, room 

service of a meat, cheese and bread platter after the 

crossing (extra cost of $45 per platter or $75 platter with 

a bottle of wine included) to be paid upon ordering. 

Dual Heritage 

Tongariro National Park 

plateaulodge.co.nz 

info@plateaulodge.co.nz 

+64 7 8922993 

Tongariro Crossing 

Packages starting at 

$234 per couple 

Breakfast /Lunch/ 

Shuttle/Spa time/Wifi 

Comfortable Accommodation: 

Dorm beds to private double rooms with ensuite 

Indoor Climbing Wall: 

Open daily 9am to 8pm 

Tongariro Crossing Shuttle: 

Right from our doorstep all summer 

“Why Wait? 

Adventure starts here” 

Tongariro National Park Villages 

Dual Heritage Tongariro 

National Park 

www.tongariroalpinecrossing.org.nz | www.nationalpark.co.nz 

Central Taupo Motel accommodation 

searchers look for the best central location, 

quality reviews and great service. 

Welcome to Acapulco Motor Inn, the best 

affordable Taupo Motel. 

This Taupo Motel is a kiwi family run 

business that loves their job and takes pride 

in presenting the best choice for a Taupo 

Motel. A short walk to central Taupo with an 

array of shops and eateries. Try some local 

kiwi flavours and some Must Do activities to 

maximise your Taupo visit. 

Acapulco Taupo Motor Inn has a range of 

accommodation choices that can sleep from 

1 to 8 guests. Some Motel rooms have a spa 

Pool or spa bath. All Motel rooms have air 

conditioning. 

Bed and Breakfast 

Budget Lodge Accommodation 

Self-Contained Motel Units 

Packages available for skiing and Tongariro Crossing 

adventurenationalpark.co.nz | 0800 621 061 


4 Findlay Street, National Park 

www.npbp.co.nz | 07 892 2870 | nat.park.backpackers@xtra.co.nz 

Check through our accommodation choices 

to match your needs to the best Acapulco 

Motor Inn room or apartment. 

A: 19 Rifle Range Road, Taupo 3330 | T: +64 7 378 7174 | F: +64 7 378 7555 | M: +64 21 800 118 

E: stay@acapulcotaupo.co.nz W: www.acapulcotaupo.co.nz

Jess riding high during the South Island's summer months 

Jess in ski-race action 

Rising Star 

Jess Blewitt 

Images by Dylan Foote 

18 year old Jess Blewitt grew up in the 

surf town of Mount Manganui, where 

she found her love of the outdoors in 

the ocean. But it was a move to the 

South Island that flamed her passion for 

the mountains. Jess has been creating 

a stir in the world of downhill ski racing 

and now mountain biking. We caught up 

with Jess for a quick chat… 

Can you tell us a little bit about how you 

found your love in the outdoors? I lived in 

Mount Maunganui and was a competitive life 

saver at Omanu Surf Club in the summer. I 

was a life guard during the holidays for the 

2016/17 summer. But the lure to the snow 

in the winter was greater than the surf. So as 

you can see I have always had a competitive 

nature and been in competitive sports from a 

young age. 

Mum and dad were keen skiers. They 

never ski raced, but wanted to pass on their 

passion for the sport of skiing to us. My first 

race was a “Friday fun race” at Sunpeaks 

in Canada. My Mum and her friend Jan, 

were keen to get the local primary school at 

Mount Maunganui, Omanu Primary school 

involved in ski racing. So the Omanu Ski 

team was formed and we trained and raced 

for our primary school at Mount Ruapehu. 

Fed up with travelling to the North 

Island, and most events being 

affected by weather, in 2013, Mum 

and dad decided to relocate the 

family for the winter to Queenstown. 

Both my brother and I attended the 

local primary school, Queenstown 

Primary school and learnt to ski race 

with QAST (Queenstown Alpine Ski 

Team.) We did the winter relocations 

for 5 years, before deciding in 

January 2017 that we would make 

a permanent move to Queenstown, 

because “ why not”. Mum and dad 

said if we didn’t like it, then we could 

always move back. So I started my 

Year 11 at Wakatipu High School with 

my younger brother in Year 9 and 

haven’t looked back. 

I got introduced to downhill 

mountain biking in 2018 and started 

competitively in the 2019 season. 

There are obviously a lot of 

similarities between downhill ski 

racing and downhill mountain 

biking. Can you tell us about 

the similarities and differences 

between the two sports. Do you 

have a preference? They are both 

adrenalin sports involving high speed 

and risk. The only difference is ski 

racing is a “set course” with just snow 

to land on, whereas mountain biking 

has rocks, roots and dirt ! I definitely 

prefer mountain biking as there is 

always something different in terms 

of tracks. 

You have had successes in both 

disciplines. What are some of 

the highlights of each? Skiing: 

Second overall in New Zealand in 

my last year of Ski racing U16. Being 

selected to race in Whistler Cup for 

New Zealand in Canada in 2017, 

even though I didn’t go. 

Mountain Biking: NZ National 

Championships 2020 and Oceania 

Champ 2020. | No. 1 Junior at 

Crankworks in 2020 and 2nd fastest 

time overall, second to Tracey 

Hannah, from Australia who is 

currently No. 1 Elite Female ( 2019 

overall World Cup series winner ) 

You planned to attend two world 

cups this year, but Covid 19 had 

other plans. What was supposed 

to be happening and where? I had 

intended on traveling to Maribor, 

in Slovenia and Losinj, Croatia in 

April/May 2020 with my family to 

compete as a Junior and represent 

New Zealand at these two World 

Cups, and then following selection 

for the NZ team for World Champs, 

and then Covid 19 arrived and 

Losinj, got cancelled and Maribor 

got postponed until October. But 

then everything got taken out of my 

hands when an announcement was 

made on the Cycling NZ website that 

NO JUNIORS would be selected 

for World Champs and unless you 

were on a “trade team” that you 

could not enter any of the remaining 

World Cups. These Junior races 

are so important in actually getting 

“recognised” by the rest of the world 

to get on these trade teams, so I was 

really gutted that this decision had been 

made. 

What have your experiences 

been like in a predominately male 

dominated sportor is that perception 

changing? It is difficult, and especially 

in New Zealand where there are not 

many female riders. I truly want to ride 

and race internationally where there are 

a lot more female riders, inparticular I 

would like to go to Canada and base 

myself there. 

When you are not mountain biking, 

what would we find you doing? 

Skiing for fun. 

Best/worse/funniest thing about 

your life/sport? The first year I moved 

down permanently to Queenstown for 

Year 11, I tried my hand at Rowing 

competitively. My coach told me I 

wasn’t allowed to mountain bike, as I 

kept getting injured. I was constantly in 

the dog box….… My rowing days were 

numbered anyway as the sport didn’t 

appeal as it didn’t have the adrenalin 

buzz or speed of which I love about my 

sports today. 

How would your friends describe 

you? Determined, focused, 

competitive. 

Local places you like to ride. I 

would really like to promote the sport 

of Mountain Biking in Queenstown 

and give a plug for riding at Skyline, 

Coronet Peak, Heli Biking New 

Zealand, Queenstown Bike Taxis ( for 

shuttling up Rude Rock, Coronet Peak 

and Clyde, Alexandra and TrailConnect, 

based in Wanaka. Also the local enduro 

trails at Five Mile, Queenstown and 

Sticky Forest, Wanaka. 

Where to in the future? The 

immediate future is focusing on the 

New Zealand 2021 racing season, as 

my first year as an Elite racer. 

The season kicks off at 440, MTB 

Park in Auckland on the 24th January, 

followed by the second round , at Dome 

Valley, North of Auckland on the 31st 

January. 

The 3rd Round is at Jentree, in 

Marlbourgh, Blenheim on the 7th Feb, 

with the final round at Coronet Peak, 

Queenstown on the 13th February 

The National MTB Championships 

are to be held in Christchurch and the 

Christchurch MTB Park on the 27th and 

28th February. There has been no date 

or venue set for Oceania’s for 2021 

which will be in Australia in 2021. 

With the uncertainty of racing next 

year, due to Covid, I am going to start 

University in 2021 in Wellington. I 

have applied to do Architecture. My 

dream is to transfer with a scholarship 

to a Canadian University in 2022, and 

continue my studies in Architecture 

over there and ride and race as an Elite 

female in the hopes of being in the top 

10 in the world. 

Have you had any significant 

mentors/sponsors/parents who 

have helped along the way? What 

role have they each played in your 

success or even your love of the 

outdoors? NZMTB coach - Gavin Key 

who is based in Wanaka and volunteers 

his time to the youth sport of mountain 

biking has been a great support and 

mentor for me, especially in relation to 

the mental preparation for this sport. 

Tracey Hannah - Number one Female 

Elite DH Mountain Bike World Cup 

series winner for the 2019 season 

(AUSTRALIA). I was lucky to be 

introduced to Tracey earlier this year 

in Queenstown, when she was training 

with her factory team, Polygon UR. 

I got to do some training runs with 

her at Skyline and Coronet Peak (of 

which is now open for mountain biking 

with a DH track and a XC track). This 

year Coronet Peak, hosted one of the 

National rounds and will again host 

round 4 of the Nationals on the 13th 

and 14th February 2021(XC and DH). 

And of course my parents - they 

have supported me financially and 

emotionally through the ups and downs 

of this sport. 


posure 

X 

AFTER THE 

THRILL 

COMES TIME TO 

CHILL. 

When you’re done exploring our beautiful backyard, there’s nothing better than coming home 

and relaxing in the spa or in front of the fireplace. Choose from over 2,000 Bachcare holiday 

homes across New Zealand as base for your next adventure. Use code: ADVENTURE50 for an 

exclusive $50* off your next booking on bachcare.co.nz. Ts&Cs apply. 

*Terms & Conditions: Voucher is vaild from 

01.10.2020 to 30.11.2020 for stays from 

01.10.2020 to 30.11.2020. Voucher can only be 

redeemed on www.bachcare.co.nz. Voucher can 

not be used with other vouchers or promotions. 

Red Bull Illume Energy Category Entry 

Photographer: Robin O'Neill 

Athlete: Chris Rubens 

Location: Pemberton, BC, Canada 

Category finalist at the Red Bull Illume 

58//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#222 Photo by Christian Heilwagen 


This label went viral on Twitter, 

but it was only the latest anti 

-Trump call to action from 

Patagonia. The company has 

responded aggressively and 

openly to the US government’s 

environmental changes with 

increasingly outspoken crusades 

to protect the country and 

indigenous public lands – is the 

label protagonistic? Yes. Is the 

message clear? Yes. Is it obvious 

who it is aimed at? Yes. 

But the question remains, 

is this a real concern for the 

environment or an extremely 

subtle calculated form of 

marketing. 

Outdoor companies are not 

known for their subtly, but they 

are known for what they believe 

in. I honestly have to say it gave 

me a certain feeling of pride 

that some outdoor companies 

are leading the way with these 

controversial issues; not just with 

recycled clothing and acceptable 

employment conditions but also 

being vocal in the political arena. 

Basically as New Zealander’s we 

are level-headed, and most of us 

when we look at what is going on 

in American politics, have gone 

past being horrified and now we 

just shake our heads and mutter 

WTF. It has got to the point that 

Vote the arseholes out 

By Steve Dickinson 

any logic attached to any US 

political decision seems twisted. 

And as the rest of the world in 

union shakes its head, there 

are a limited number of outdoor 

companies (along with others) 

trying with limited resources, to 

make a difference. 

Outdoors enthusiasts are not a 

one size fits all group. They will 

include mum and dad shopping 

for a tent before the summer 

holidays, fishermen picking gear 

before a week at the coast, 

skiers buying gloves before they 

head up the mountain or people 

buying boots for that longawaited 

tramp. They cover all 

political opinions and all political 

diversities. But what they all have 

in common is a propensity to 

want to protect the places they 

love and that is as evident in 

New Zealand as it is in the US. 

Just in the US, like most things in 

America, it is a lot bigger and it 

is a lot more evident as elections 

loom. 

Environmental activism and 

advocacy is hardly new to many 

outdoor companies, the industry 

is becoming increasingly vocal 

on specific topics; climate 

change, land preservation, 

indigenous rights, social media 

‘stop hate’, ‘time to vote’ and 

more recently BLM. 

What is less clear is whether 

this type of support from retail 

companies actually changes 

people’s minds or do they even 

care. 

It is becoming more apparent 

that customers, clients, and 

employees are now looking 

to companies to reflect values 

alongside their products and to 

actually make an open stand 

on issues that are important to 

them. We have seen clearly in 

the BLM protests that the option 

to stand still and do nothing is a 

vote for the status quo and that 

no stand or no participation is no 

longer seen as an option. 

The outdoor companies are very aware of 

their customer base, and in most cases, 

they know that their customers feel the 

same way they do about key issues. But 

is the company’s reaction to those political 

agendas good salesmanship on the part 

of the outdoor company, or a real unity of 

vision? Unlike handbags and baked beans, 

customers of key outdoor brands have a 

deep and bonded relationship and loyalty 

built on awareness, quality and in some 

cases life and death situations. You buy a 

Patagonia jacket or climbing rope because 

you know it will do what it says it will do. 

And out of that relationship comes loyalty 

and trust which is now being leveraged 

as a joint agreement to address some key 

political ideas. 

No outdoor retailer has been more 

outspoken and leading the way other than 

Patagonia. The Ventura-based company 

has never been slow to throw the first 

punch in a political fight. Founder Yvon 

Chouinard is well known for his black and 

white approach, he is the author of “You are 

part of it’ and ‘The responsible Company’ 

and has been involved in several books 

related to the environment, climate change 

and politics. 

Since the 1980s Patagonia has given 

1% of all sales revenue to environmental 

causes and awarded over $89 million in 

cash and in-kind donations to domestic 

and international grassroots environmental 

groups who are making a difference in their 

local communities. 

The company’s disapproval of the 

Trump administration began early in his 

presidency. 

Patagonia had pushed for the 

establishment of Bears Ears 

National Monument in Utah, 

supporting a campaign led by 

Native American tribes seeking 

to protect their ancestral lands. 

President Obama created the 

1.35-million-acre monument 

in late 2016. Eleven months 

later, in early December of 

2017, Trump reduced Bears 

Ears by 85 per cent, an action 

supposedly that Utah officials 

and some residents wanted. 

His rollback followed a uranium 

firm’s concerted lobbying. It 

was the largest reduction of 

a national park in American 

history and as you would 

expect there was outrage. 

The day after Trump announced 

his decision to reduce Bears Ears 

and Grand Staircase-Escalante 

monuments, Patagonia replaced 

its home page with an all-black 

background and the stark message, 

“The president stole your land.” 

The ‘rollback’ is still in the courts – 

including through a lawsuit filed by 

Patagonia. 

Knowing it’s not just enough to 

complain, in 2018 Patagonia 

helped found a campaign called 

‘time to vote’ which resulted in 

more than 1,000 companies 

across the U.S. economy (both 

inside and outside the adventure 

industry) committing to giving their 

employees enough time to vote on 

election day. As not having time to 

vote was given as the main reason 

for not voting. It was their way of 

getting the people activated. 

Currently, Patagonia is also urging 

customers to “make a plan to vote,” 

offering an app that uses home 

addresses to help find a polling 

place or learn how to vote by mail. 

REI’s website features a similar 

page. 

Is this political stand, this 

outpouring always good for the 

company? There have been 

several ‘backlash’ incidents in such 

a divided political environment, and 

yes as with all political issues there 

is always two or more side and 

there is certainly a risk involved. 

An example is Dick’s Sporting Goods, 

a hunting and fishing store in the US, 

that in the wake of the Parkland school 

shooting in 2018, announced it would 

restrict its gun sales. Unfortunately 

there was a harsh backlash from 

some customers and anti-gun control 

agencies. Walmart also received 

the same backlash when it reduced 

gun sales. In 2015 Walmart removed 

assault-style semi-automatic rifles from 

its shelves. Then in 2018, two weeks 

after the Florida Parkland high school 

shooting where 17 people were killed, 

Walmart changed the minimum buying 

age from 18 to 21, and once again 

there were severe backlash, protests 

and calls for boycotts by customer and 

anti-gun control groups. 

There are plenty of voices among 

conservatives to boycott Patagonia 

as well, after the message that was 

posted on their website which said ‘the 

President stole your land’. 

The official Twitter account of a U.S. 

House committee used its platform to 

bluntly accuse the outdoor clothing 

retailer of lying to the public about 

President Donald Trump's decision 

to significantly reduce the protected 

land of two Utah national monuments. 

The House panel is chaired by Rep. 

Rob Bishop, who has openly received 

hefty donations over the years from the 

oil and gas industry, according to the 

Centre for Responsive Politics. Bishop 

is also a staunch supporter of Trump's 

agenda and votes in line with it roughly 

94 per cent of the time. 

The industry is becoming increasingly vocal on specific topics; 

climate change, land preservation, indigenous rights, social media 

‘stop hate’, ‘time to vote’ and more recently BLM. 


STRONG & LIGHT 

Recently a handful of the biggest 

names in outdoor gear suspended 

ads across Facebook and 

#Instgram for the month of July 

as part of #StopHateforProfit, 

an accountability campaign 

demanding a set of changes 

from Facebook around racism, 

misinformation and other harmful 

content on its platform. Over 1200 

companies have been demanding 

accountability, decency, and 

support. You can read more about it 

here https://www.stophateforprofit. 

org/demand-change 

The campaign issued a set of 

actionable demands for the company, 

calling for Facebook to stop collecting 

ad revenue from “misinformation and 

harmful content,” demanding more 

resources for users targeted by racism 

and other forms of hate and asking 

the company to provide moderators 

for private groups. It almost the next 

level of activism where companies are 

trying to now get involved and using 

the weight of their dollar investment 

to prevent issues from developing or 

getting worse. 

Whether it is a subtle statement on a 

clothing tag or protests over land rights 

in a courtroom, outdoor companies are 

leading the way for more than just how 

they deal with manufacturing, product, 

and chemicals to slow down climate 

change. They have now rolled up their 

sleeves to be part of the battle to ‘make 

real change’ for the better and that is 

something to be proud of. 

One thing you will not find on Patagonia’s 

website. The shorts with that provocative 

tag. They are already sold out. 

R A V E N 3 G T X 

Designed to make light work of tough alpine terrain in variable conditions 

b obo.co.nz/salewa

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a thirst for 

adventure 

The quintessential drink after a hard 

day out in the cold is a ‘wee dram’, 

whether out of a hipflask by the 

campfire or sitting in a chair with a 

crystal cut glass savouring a great day 

with an equally great drink. 

Whisky distilling in New Zealand was 

born with the arrival of Scottish settlers 

in the 1830s. Many Scots settled in 

the Otago region and the industry 

flourished here until the 1870s, when 

onerous government regulations 

effectively shut it down. 

Things have changed now and there 

are a range of great distilleries here in 

Aotearoa, we have manged to create 

some stunning products, we thought we 

might share a few. 

Milford Single Malts 

The Milford range of Single Malt 

were available in a 10, 15, 18 and 

20-year-old, aged in oak casks. 

Created in the splendid, remote 

South Island, among the echoes 

and reflections of the Scottish 

Highlands and Western Isles, 

Milford Is one of the world’s great 

single malts. 

High Wheeler 

21-Year-Old 

A of 70% single malt, and 30% 

premium grain whisky made from 

unmalted barley in the Dunedin 

distillery. Aged for 21 years in 

American oak, ex-bourbon casks. The 

whiskey has a sort of sweetness to it 

exceptionally smooth and clean body. 

The distiller refers to it as having a chilli 

pepper warmth giving way to a long 

salty and sweet finish. 

posure X 

Cardrona Just Hatched 

Solera Single Malt 

Whisky 

The Cardrona Single Malt Whisky 

"Just Hatched". A marriage of 

ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, 

this "Just Hatched" Whisky 

reveals Cardrona's underlying 

character of borage flower honey, 

vanilla, spice, it tastes great, it is 

young but is an indication of the 

adult whisky to come. 

www.cardronadistillery.com/ 

Oamaruvian 100 Proof 

18-Year-Old 

A Blend of 70% single malt, and 30% 

premium grain whisky produced from 

unmalted barley. Aged for 6 years in 

American Bourbon barrels, before 

finishing for 12 years in French Oak NZ 

wine barrels, giving ruby colour and longlasting, 

rich flavours. Plus it is in a very 

cool bottle. 

Thomson Manuka Smoke 

Single malt 

Made from 100% New Zealand grown 

malted barley, smoked using Manuka 

wood, and distilled through a hand 

beaten copper pot still, Manuka Smoke 

release in its youth. This ‘work in 

progress’ bottling offers natural smoke, 

cinnamon, clove, and Manuka oils. 

No chill filtering No colouring – it is 

absolutely delicious – and won few 

prizes Silver New Zealand Whisky 

Awards 2018 -Silver Outstanding medal 

winner IWSC UK 2017 Gold Medal 

winner San Francisco World Spirit 

Competition 2016. 

www.thomsonwhisky.com/productrange 

Thompson TWO TONE WHISKY 

Silver New Zealand Whisky Awards 2018 

Silver Outstanding medal winner IWSC UK 2017 

Gold Medal winner San Francisco World Spirit 

Competition 2016 

Two Tone refers to the two kinds of cask used for 

the maturation of this whisky; European oak which 

formerly held New Zealand red wine and American 

white oak used exclusively for whisky. No colouring 

won a few awards as well Silver New Zealand 

Whisky Awards 2018, Silver Outstanding medal 

winner IWSC UK 2017, Gold Medal winner San 

Francisco World Spirit Competition 2016 

www.thomsonwhisky.com/productrange 

Category finalist, Red Bull Illume 2020 

Photographer: Christian Heilwagen

THE VANLIFE HIKER VIRUS 

By Jessica Middleton 

"Sometimes in life, the little moments amount 

to be the biggest, and when jet-setting you miss 

out on all the details in between." 

Vanlife and any form of adventure go hand in hand, or foot and foot if you want to refer that 

back to hiking. This is a perfect combination that just so happens to be peaking right now and 

for good reason. Due to the effects of Covid-19, holidays and activities have been urged to be 

taken locally and many people have seen this as a blessing in disguise. Money is being put 

back into the economy and the environment is taking a break from the pressures of human 

activity. 

Is there such a thing as a good virus? One that's symptoms include spreading happiness, 

elevated fitness, feelings of accomplishment, uplifted spirits, a clear head, and simply a pretty 

sight for sore eyes? If so I'm calling it the TVH virus. 'The Vanlife Hiker'. A bug you might not 

ever shake off but one you'll certainly want to keep in your system. 

Many of our incomes have been affected by the other virus that shall not be named, and luckily 

with the TVH combo, you can plan a getaway without breaking the bank. Are you starting to get 

itchy feet? Now is the perfect time to be a tourist in your own country. When you travel by van, 

a whole new world opens up to you, little hidden tracks and sparkling blue pools are waiting 

to be discovered. Sometimes in life, the little moments amount to be the biggest, and when 

jet-setting you miss out on all the details in between. On your next hiking spree do good by 

supporting the locals and small businesses by checking out markets, cafes, or any other hidden 

gems or activities on the way. 


Although you and your van are BFFS, like any healthy 

relationship it's imperative to have balance. Spending too much 

time behind the wheel calls for a pitstop for both the vehicle and 

you. It's time to stretch those legs, get the blood flowing, and 

immerse yourself deeper into the wilderness. 

This is where hiking in turn compliments a vanlife lifestyle. 

They say "get your head out of the clouds" as if coming from a 

negative context. Well, I recently had the pleasure of hiking to 

the top of Mount Walsh in Queensland, Australia where my head 

was so deep in the clouds I couldn't think more clearly if I tried. 

There were no distractions, just the fresh air and my thoughts to 

process. Which got me thinking it's vital for humans to be out in 

nature, it puts thoughts into perspective as we are spending too 

much time indoors. Hiking is a perfect activity to get involved in 

whilst adhering to social distancing as there's plenty of land to 

explore while avoiding populated areas. If you could fly your van 

on top of mountains or deep into the valleys would you? Yes, so 

why not let your feet do the walking, you'll seriously be surprised 

at how wonderful a wanderlust lifestyle is. 

Vanlife travel provides constant opportunity for reaching epic 

destinations and hiking is one of the best ways to soak them all 

in. Now, that's a perfect cocktail just waiting to be made for your 

next holiday plans. 

Hiking is a worldwide sport loved by many people and we are so fortunate in both New 

Zealand and Australia to home some of the most renowned and iconic hiking trails. The 

amazing perk to hiking is it requires minimal gear making this a low-cost expedition. 

With a range of different levels of difficulty, it caters for all abilities appealing to almost 

anyone. 

This is where Vanlife takes your hiking experience up a notch. Sure it transports 

you to your hiking destinations but it also provides a home base in-between. I don't 

blame some people for not wanting to hike sometimes, driving back long distances 

after an adventure fuelled day can take its toll. Knowing your van is equipped with 

all your favourites takes the edge off and turns what could be a daunting experience 

into an enjoyable one. Having a van nearby your excursion brings comfort, whether 

that be simply squeezing in a snooze in-between locations, cooking a meal to refuel, 

or charging your electronics such as your camera battery to ensure good moments 

are being captured. We installed a TV into our van and can honestly say after hiking, 

cracking open a well-deserved drink and watching a movie is seriously rewarding. 

Have you ever found you arrive at a hike to be enlightened that there are plenty more 

trails to uncover? For instance, when we travelled to Karijini there were 5 gorges, we 

definitely could not complete all 5 in a day, and paying for expensive accommodation 

throughout that time was not viable either. 

"It's vital for humans to 

be out in nature, it puts 

thoughts into perspective 

as we are spending too 

much time indoors." 

Our van allowed us to discover each gorge in unpressured time and return to our van 

Dusty to refresh, stoke the fire and watch the stars emerge upon twilight. It would 

have been unnecessary paying for expensive accommodation regardless as we were 

spending the majority of our time outdoors anyhow. Travelling via van extends your 

holiday allowing you to achieve more with your time, no having to return home to 

restock supplies. Want to get more bang for your buck? To put it into perspective, one 

of our 6 week vanlife holidays cost the same as one of our trips 10 days abroad. 


FEED YOUR ADDICTION 

Like a ‘perfect storm’, we have seen a dramatic growth and 

development in online stores over the past 5 years. Now as we are 

made to keep our ‘distance’, online, ecommerce takes on a whole 

new meaning and value. We are dedicating these pages to our client’s 

online stores; some you will be able to buy from, some you will be able 

drool over. Buy, compare, research and prepare, these online stores are 

a great way to feed your adventure addiction while you are still at home. 

Ultra lightweight running shoes, made by runners. No 

matter where the trail takes you, Hoka One One will 

have you covered. 

www.hokaoneone.co.nz 

Earth Sea Sky has more than 25 years experience 

in New Zealand’s outdoor clothing industry. Their 

experience in design, production and sales fills a 

growing need in the market for outdoor clothing that 

combined comfort, style and performance. 

www.earthseasky.co.nz 

Never have a dead phone 

again! Because now you can 

charge straight from the Sun 

with SunSaver. Perfect for 

that week-long hike, day at 

the beach, or back-up for any 

emergency. Check us out at: 

www.sunsaver.co.nz 

A leading importer and 

distributor of snow and 

outdoor products in New 

Zealand. Stock includes 

Salewa, Lange, Dynastar, 

Spyder and more. 

www.bobo.co.nz 

Bivouac Outdoor stock the latest in quality outdoor 

clothing, footwear and equipment from the best 

brands across New Zealand & the globe. 

www.bivouac.co.nz 

Shop for the widest range of Merrell footwear, apparel 

& accessories across hiking, trail running, sandals & 

casual styles. Free shipping for a limited time. 

www.merrell.co.nz 

The ultimate sandals 

with core concepts like 

durability, pull through 

strap design and the ability 

to re-sole. 

www.chacos.co.nz 

Full-service outfitter selling hiking 

and mountaineering gear and 

apparel, plus equipment rentals. 

Specialising in ski & snowboard 

touring equipment new & used; 

skis, boards, bindings, skins, 

probs, shovels,transceivers & 

avalanche packs. 

www.smallplanetsports.com 

Whether you’re climbing mountains, hiking in the hills 

or travelling the globe, Macpac gear is made to last 

and engineered to perform — proudly designed and 

tested in New Zealand since 1973. 

www.macpac.co.nz 

The ultimate in quality outdoor clothing 

and equipment for travel, hiking, camping, 

snowsports, and more. Guaranteed for life. 

www.marmotnz.co.nz 

Developing the pinnacle 

of innovative outerwear for 

50 years. Shop now and 

never stop exploring. 

www.thenorthface.co.nz 

Gear up in a wide selection of durable, multifunctional 

outdoor clothing & gear. Free Returns. Free Shipping. 

www.patagonia.co.nz 

Offering the widest variety, 

best tasting, and most 

nutrient rich hydration, 

energy, and recovery 

products on the market. 

www.guenergy.co.nz 

Fast nourishing freeze dried food for adventurers. 

www.backcountrycuisine.co.nz 

Stocking an extensive range 

of global outdoor adventure 

brands for your next big 

adventure. See them for travel, 

tramping, trekking, alpine and 

lifestyle clothing and gear. 

www.outfittersstore.nz 

Specialists in the sale of Outdoor Camping Equipment, RV, 

Tramping & Travel Gear. Camping Tents, Adventure Tents, 

Packs, Sleeping Bags and more. 

www.equipoutdoors.co.nz 

Jetboil builds super-dependable 

backpacking stoves and camping 

systems that pack light, 

set up quick, and achieve 

rapid boils in minutes. 

www.jetboilnz.co.nz 

Supplying tents and 

camping gear to Kiwis 

for over 30 years, Kiwi 

Camping are proud to 

be recognised as one of 

the most trusted outdoor 

brands in New Zealand. 

www.kiwicamping.co.nz 

MTOUTDOORS 

Outdoor equipment store specialising in ski retail, ski 

rental, ski touring and climbing. 

www.mtoutdoors.co.nz 

Making great gear for the outdoors, 

right here in New Zealand: high 

quality items that have been 

crafted with care to include all the 

features that are important, nothing 

superfluous and, above all, that 

are more durable than anything out 

there in the marketplace. 

www.cactusoutdoors.co.nz 

Choose your perfect holiday accommodation from the 

largest selection of pre-serviced holiday homes, baches, 

and apartments available for rent in New Zealand. Book 

instantly online with Bachcare's real-time availability. 

www.bachcare.co.nz 

Excellent quality Outdoor 

Gear at prices that can't 

be beaten. End of lines. 

Ex Demos. Samples. Last 

season. Bearpaw. Garneau. 

Ahnu. Superfeet. 

www.adventureoutlet.co.nz 


Back Country Cuisine 

CHICKEN CARBONARA: A freeze dried 

chicken and pasta dish, served in a creamy 

italian style sauce. Available in small serve 

90g or regular serve 175g sizes. 

MUSHROOM BOLOGNAISE - VEGAN: 

Mushrooms with tomato in a savory sauce, 

served with noodles. Available in small 

serve 90g or regular serve 175g sizes. 

RRP $9.29 and $13.89 

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE PUDDING: Our 

take on chocolate self-saucing pudding, 

with chocolate brownie, boysenberries and 

chocolate sauce. Gluten Free. Available in 

regular serve. 

RRP 150g $12.89 

WWW.BACKCOUNTRYCUISINE.CO.NZ 

Jetboil Flash 2.0 

BOIL IN SECONDS, NOT MINUTES 

Blistering boil times come standard on 

our industry-leading Flash. By modelling 

the combustion and selecting materials 

to optimize efficiency, we were able to 

create the fastest Jetboil ever — cutting 

a full minute off our best boil time. 

RRP $249.95 

WWW.JETBOILNZ.CO.NZ 

Jetboil MiniMo 

It's about cooking. MiniMo 

delivers UNMATCHED simmer 

control, metal handles, and a 

low spoon angle for easy eating! 

Starting with the innovative new 

valve design, MiniMo delivers 

the finest simmer control of any 

upright canister system on the 

market. 

RRP $329.95 


Back Country Cuisine 

ICED MOCHA: Our mocha is made with 

chocolate and coffee combined with soft 

serve to give you a tasty drink on the run. 

Gluten Free. 85g. 

RRP $4.09 

WWW.BACKCOUNTRYCUISINE.CO.NZ 

FUELING EPIC 

ADVENTURES 

FOR 21 YEARS 

Wherever your next 

adventure is about to 

lead you, we’ve got 

the goods to keep you 

going. 

Deep creek harvest 

Hemp Hash IPA 

6.5% ABV 

Seasonal release for the NZ 

referendum. Cannabis and hops 

are actually related. Both come 

from the cannabaceae family. 

They do share some physical 

traits, such as appearance and 

similar aromas. However they 

differ on the chemical level. Both 

produce terpenes; cannabis 

terpenes are psychoactive, where 

hops are purely for flavour, aroma 

and bitterness. Hemp is a variety 

of the Cannabis Sativa plant, 

and has high concentrations 

of CBD, the non psychoactive 

cannabinoid.Hops and Hemp 

oils have been shown to help in 

relaxation, when consumed in 

moderate levels. 

Chill, drink, & chill. 

RRP $8.99 

WWW.DEEPCREEK.CO.NZ 

Deep creek haze 

Hazy Pale Ale 

4.7% ABV 

Meet the newest member of 

the Deep Creek team. 

Haze is beautifully balanced, 

with low bitterness and a ton 

of juiciness. It's light bodied 

and easy drinking with 

tropical flavours of mango, 

stone fruit and orange. 

Sunshine in a can! 

RRP $22.99 (6 PACK) 

WWW.DEEPCREEK.CO.NZ 

Gasmate 3L Watertech Portable Hot Water 

System 

Heats up to 3 litres per minute and features 

adjustable temperature and water flow settings. 

Handheld showerhead, gas fitting, automatic 

ignition, and LED temperature display screen. 

RRP $499.00 

WWW.KIWICAMPING.CO.NZ 

Jetboil Summit Skillet 

Our new non-stick Summit Skillet packs the performance 

of your kitchen pans into a trail-ready solution. Not only 

does it improve your backcountry cooking versatility, the 

turner nests into the handle for compact and lightweight 

travel. After all, your meals on the trail deserve to be just 

as good as your adventures. 

RRP $119.95 


KIWI CAMping Illuminator Light 

with Power Bank 

Light up the campsite with a bright 1000 

Lumen LED with 5 lighting modes. The 

hanging hook, built-in stand, and tripod 

mount provide versatile positioning 

options. Charges most devices. 

RRP $89.99 


Est. 1998 Back Country 

Cuisine specialises in 

a range of freeze-dried 

products, from tasty 

meals to snacks and 

everything in between, to 

keep your energy levels up 

and your adventures wild. 

backcountrycuisine.co.nz 

 

 

Sunsaver Classic 16,000mAh 

Solar Power Bank 

Built tough for the outdoors and 

with a massive battery capacity 

you can keep all your devices 

charged no matter where your 

adventure takes you. 

RRP: $119.00 

WWW.SUNSAVER.CO.NZ 

Sunsaver Super-Flex 14-Watt 

Solar Charger 

Putting out over 2.5-Amps of output 

on a sunny day you’ll charge your 

phone and devices in no time at all, 

straight from the sun. 

RRP: $199.00 

WWW.SUNSAVER.CO.NZ 

Jetboil fuel 

Jetpower fuel contains a blend of propane and iso-butane. 

Propane provides higher vapour pressure to the fuel which 

means better performance in cold weather. Fuel efficiency 

translates to weight, space, and money savings. 

RRP $7.99 - $16.99 


charmate 4.5 Quart Round Cast Iron Camp Oven Kit 

Solid construction with thicker walls and base for consistent heat 

transfer. Pre-seasoned and ready to use. Cool touch wire handle. 

Includes lid lifter, trivet, gloves and storage bag. 

RRP $99.99 

WWW.KIWICAMPING.CO.NZ

Gear guide 

KLYMIT INSULATED V ULTRALITE SL 

Body Mapping Technology: Our patented V-shaped design 

delivers support and comfort no matter how you sleep – on your 

side, stomach or back. 

Klymalite Synthetic insulation: Lightweight, compressible and 

durable, advanced synthetic insulation in the chambers slows the 

transfer of air between the top and bottom halves of the pad for 

improved thermal performance. 

Side Rails: Integrated into the patterning and construction, they 

provide a secure, comfortable sleep by centering you on the pad 

and inhibiting air movement while tossing and turning. 

Deep Weld Patterning: Unlike traditional pads that flatten the 

bag’s fill, Deep Welds create expansion zones that allow your 

bag to fully loft beneath you for improved thermal comfort. 

Weight 454 g, Dimensions 183 x 51 x 6 cm, Packed 

Dimensions18 x 11 cm, Shell Material 20D polyester, R-Value 4.4 

RRP $279.95 


Macpac Olympus Alpine Tent 

The Olympus is a two-person, four-season alpine tunnel tent with a 

three-pole Multi-Pitch design. Perfect for snow camping, it’s got 

dual entry points with a double door, internal mesh, DAC Featherlite 

NSL poles, a spacious vestibule and snow flaps for keeping the 

waterproof UV30 SI fly secure. The Torrentwear XP ‘tub’ floor 

is seam sealed, while the fly requires manual seam sealing — 

SilNet seam sealer is provided.Weight: 3.1 kg 

RRP $1099.99 

WWW.MACPAC.CO.NZ 

Macpac Sololight Hiking Tent 

Macpac’s lightest three-season hiking tent, the single-person 

Sololight is perfect for camping below the snowline. Easy to 

set up with a Multi-Pitch design, it’s got a spacious vestibule, 

internal mesh and air vents for increased airflow. The UV20 PE 

fly and ripstop nylon ‘tub’ floor are waterproof and factory seam 

sealed, while the DAC Featherlite NSL poles are light and strong. 

Weight: 1.29 kg 

RRP $599.99 


exped SynMat UL Lite Sleeping Mat (Medium) 

Provides comfort and warmth in a very lightweight and small 

package. Anti-slip GripSkin coating, welded through baffle 

construction. Comes with a Mini Pump UL for easy inflation 

and pack sack. 183cm x 52cm. 390gm. 

RRP $159.99 

WWW.BIVOUAC.CO.NZ 

KIWI CAMping Rover Lite Self-Inflating Mat 

Compressible foam core inflates/deflates with the 

twist of a valve. Tapered mummy design fits in 

most sleeping bags. Durable soft stretch fabric for 

extra comfort. Weight: 900gm 

RRP $99.99 


exped Outer Space III Tent 

2- to 3-person 3-season tent with multiple modes to adapt to the 

conditions and personal preferences. Features a giant, polesupported 

front vestibule that easily shelters 3 people in camp 

chairs, a lightweight table and backpacks. 3.3kg 

RRP $999.99 


KIWI camping weka 3 Hiker Tent 

Spacious three-person tent with double entrances with 

vestibules and roof loft storage. Fits in a backpack, ideal for all 

year-round hiking. 4000mm aqua rated fly. 3-year warranty. 

RRP $349.00 


exped DeepSleep Duo 7.5 LW+ Sleeping Mat 

Luxurious sleeping mat with edge-to-edge, 3D comfort for a 

couple and 7.5cm-thick open-cell foam for excellent support. 

Brushed 75D fabric is quiet and soft against your skin. 4.5kg 

RRP $469.99 


KLYMIT STATIC V LUXE 

Body Mapping Technology: Our patented V-shaped design 

delivers support and comfort no matter how you sleep – on your 

side, stomach or back. Side Rails: Integrated into the patterning 

and construction, they provide a secure, comfortable sleep by 

centering you on the pad and inhibiting air movement while tossing 

and turning. Deep Weld Patterning: Unlike traditional pads that 

flatten the bag’s fill, Deep Welds create expansion zones that allow 

your bag to fully loft beneath you for improved thermal comfort. 

Weight: 771 g, full size 193 x 76 x 8 cm, Packed Dimensions 20 x 

11 cm, Material 75D polyester 

RRP $259.95 


Marmot Catalyst 2P Tent 

Designed as a roomy, livable tent that doesn't weigh you down, 

the freestanding Catalyst 2-Person Tent has all the ideal features 

for a casual camping trip. Its strategic clip placement offers more 

interior volume for stretching out after a long day of adventuring. The 

seam-taped catenary-cut floor and full-coverage vented fly add to its 

weather protection, plus the included footprint protects this camping 

tent from abrasions. Stash your pack, poles, and other gear in the 

two vestibules and tuck a headlamp into the lampshade pocket for 

ambient light at night. 

RRP $399.95 

WWW.MARMOTNZ.CO.NZ 

Marmot Tungsten 3P Tent 

Ready to adventure with you mile after mile, the freestanding 

Tungsten 3-Person Tent blends durability, roominess and an 

intuitively livable design. Strategic clip placement offers more 

interior volume for stretching out after a long day on the mountain. If 

a sudden downpour approaches, the color-coded "easy pitch" clips 

and poles make for a quick set up, and the seam-taped catenarycut 

floor and full-coverage vented fly add to its weather protection. 

Dual doors allow easy entry and exit with vestibule storage space 

around both doors. 

RRP $599.00 

WWW.MARMOTNZ.CO.NZ

Marmot Never Winter Sleeping Bag 

The Never Winter is an ideal summer 

bag for camping and river trips, but it 

also has enough water-resistant 650-fill 

down insulation to keep you warm and 

protected when frost is in the air. 

EN Temperature Rating: Comfort 3.6°C 

/ Lower Limit -1.7°C / Extreme -17.8°C 

RRP $499.00 


Macpac Epic HyperDRY Down 600 Sleeping Bag 

A lightweight alpine sleeping bag, the mummy-shaped 

Epic 600 features water-resistant 800 loft HyperDRY 

RDS goose down and ultralight Pertex® Quantum 

fabric. It has horizontal baffles, a laminated draft tube 

and a down collar with a recessed drawcord. It comes 

with a waterproof vacuum seal sack and large mesh 

storage sack. Temperature Rating: comfort -5°C, limit 

-12°C, extreme -32°C. 

Weight: 1091 g (ISO 23537-1 tested and weighed STD 

size) 

RRP $899.99 


Marmot Trestles 15 Sleeping Bag 

The Trestles 15 is a reliable allpurpose 

bag for everything from 

weekend camping to days on the trail. 

SpiraFil LT high loft insulation, wave 

construction and 3D hood keep you 

warm and comfortable, while a long 

list of features gives you everything 

you'd expect from 40 years of crafting 

sleeping bags. 

EN Temperature Rating: Comfort 

-2.6°C / Lower Limit -8.9°C / Extreme 

-27.2°C 

RRP $199.95 


Marmot Sawtooth Sleeping Bag 

The ultimate all-around bag, the Sawtooth blends just 

the right down warmth with just the right weight and a 

healthy measure of durability for an industry-leading bag. 

The Sawtooth now features a water-resistant down to 

improve performance and warmth in wet conditions. 

EN Temperature Rating: Comfort -6.4°C / Lower Limit 

-13.3°C / Extreme -33.1°C 

RRP $579.00 


exped Lite +1 Down Sleeping Bag (Medium) 

Lightweight bag made with fabrics that feel 

velvety soft, a watertight construction and highperformance, 

800-loft European goose down fill 

for warmth and comfort during the night. 780gm. 

RRP $499.99 


Macpac Overland HyperDRY Down 400 Sleeping Bag 

Featuring a water-resistant 650 loft HyperDRY RDS duck 

down fill and lightweight Pertex® Quantum fabric, the tapered, 

semi-rectangular Overland optimises warmth with horizontal 

baffles, a down collar and a draft tube. It has a side zip and 

dome closure, and comes with a waterproof vacuum seal sack 

and large mesh storage sack. Temperature Rating: comfort 

-1°C, limit -7°C, extreme -24°C. 

Weight: 1079 g (ISO 23537-1 tested and weighed STD size) 

RRP $549.99 


RAB MYTHIC 200 SLEEPING BAG 

The pinnacle of innovation, the Mythic 

200 Sleeping bag is an ultra lightweight 

down sleeping bag with the best 

warmth to weight ratio in the Rab range. 

Designed for mountain activists looking 

to reduce weight while moving through 

the mountains, for use in warmer 

conditions where weight and packsize 

are crucial to success, such as long 

multi day routes or summer trekking. 

Pertex® Quantum 10 Denier Inner and 

Outer, 900FP R.D.S Certified European 

Goose Down, Rab® Fluorocarbon 

free Hydrophobic Down developed in 

conjunction with Nikwax® Trapezoidal 

baffle chamber design, Mummy taper 

shape 

Limit 1°C(34°F 

Weight 475g 

RRP $1099.95 


KIWI CAMping Fave Chair 

Compact and lightweight camping and events chair. 

Padded double-layer 400/600D polyester, sturdy 

steel frame, adjustable arms, and cup holder. 

Supplied with carry bag. Weight limit: 100kg. 

RRP $79.99 



patagonia Nine Trails Pack 20L 

For moving quickly and comfortably and 

perfect for extra layers, hydration and 

essentials. U-shaped lid provides easy 

access, while mono-mesh is the most 

breathable Patagonia’s ever made, and the 

padded harness/waistbelt keep your load 

comfortably centred. 4.2-oz 210-denier 

CORDURA® 100% nylon ripstop with a DWR 

finish. 

RRP $229.99 

WWW.PATAGONIA.CO.NZ 

Lowe Alpine Altus 42:47 & ND 40:45 

The Altus 42:47, a versatile four 

season hiking backpack that provides 

great load support and stability. 

Features include: extendable lid, 

base and side compression straps, 

adjustable back length, forward pull 

hip belt adjustment, U-shaped front 

opening and internal zipped divider, 

front stash with large zipped pocket, 

large stretch mesh side pockets, 

TipGripper walking pole attachments, 

HeadLocker axe attachment system, 

and daisy chain lash points. 

RRP $439.95 

WWW.OUTFITTER.CO.NZ 

Lowe Alpine AirZone Camino Trek 30:40 

The AirZone Camino Trek 30:40 is a 

hiking backpack that keeps you cool and 

comfortable, it is hydration compatible 

including stretch water bottle side pockets, 

an internal lid pocket, hip belt pockets, 

TipGripper walking pole attachments, ice 

axe loops, and double side compression for 

stability. With top entry, zipped front panel, 

and base entry with zipped divider panel for 

easy access, an extendable lid increases 

the volume by an extra 10 litres. Large 

bellows side pockets provide additional 

storage, and the versatile SpiderPlate 

bungee system allows secure external 

storage if required. 

RRP $389.95 


Marmot PreCip ECO Rain Jacket 

On the 20th anniversary of our best-selling 

PreCip Rain Jacket, meet the environmentally 

conscious and high-performing next generation: 

the lightweight PreCip Eco Rain Jacket. The 

waterproof / breathable, PFC-free Marmot 

NanoPro recycled nylon face fabric lasts longer 

than ever, thanks to the advanced technology of 

our microporous coating. Sturdier, more durable 

than ever, and with a patented dry-touch finish, 

this packable water-repelling jacket that stuffs into 

its own pocket will become an everyday piece 

that you can feel good in and about. 

RRP $199.95 


RAB momentum shorts 

From steep climbs up jagged peaks to 

traversing ridges, the Momentum Shorts 

are designed for covering greater distances 

at pace. Made from lightweight but durable 

Matrix double weave fabric they offer full 

freedom of movement when hiking, running 

or scrambling in the mountains. Treated 

with a DWR these shorts will repel water 

during light showers and dry quickly. 

RRP $99.95 


Macpac Tempo Pertex® Rain Jacket 

As a Pertex® Shield Air launch partner, Macpac is proud to introduce the 

Tempo Rain Jacket — a lightweight, waterproof shell with an air permeable 

‘electro-spun’ nanofiber membrane. Highly breathable, it has a seam sealed 

Pertex® Shield Air 3-layer construction, a low-profile roll-away hood, a centre 

zip with internal storm flap and dome tab, reflective detailing, a single-point hem 

adjustment, thumb loops and a zipped chest pocket. The jacket packs into an 

internal mesh pocket. Weight: 220 g (men’s size M) / 200 g (women’s size 10) 

RRP $499.99 



Lowe Alpine Airzone Pro 35:45 and ND 33:40 

The NEW AirZone Pro 35:45 & ND33:40 backpack delivers ventilation and comfort.Featuring 

our award-winning, fully adjustable AirZone+ carry system, with patented FormKnit 

technology for all-day comfort and breathability,SpiderPlate adjustable bungee system, side 

mesh pockets and multiple compression straps, there’s plenty of scope to carry an external 

jacket, roll mat, walking poles and axe. The AirZone Pro ND33:40 has a zipped side entry 

which delivers direct access to the main compartment, an integrated rain cover, plus a largecapacity 

top pocket, seven litres of expandable lid volume, forward pull hipbelt adjustment 

with zipped hipbelt pockets, internally adjustable back-length, breathable harness and 

hipbelt, HeadLocker axe attachment system, secure TipGripper walking pole attachments. 

RRP $439.95 


patagonia Men's Cap Cool Trail Shirt 

Patagonia's softest performance knit, it 

keeps you cool and dry when you’re active, 

while providing day-long, next-to-skin 

comfort. It feels like cotton yet performs 

with the wicking efficiency of polyester, plus 

has HeiQ® Fresh durable odour control 

and is Fair Trade Certified sewn. 

RRP $69.99 

WWW.PATAGONIA.CO.NZ 

RAB KINETIC PLUS JACKET 

Designed with Kinetic, the Rab® innovation and 

breakthrough in protection and flexibility, this jacket uses 

our own Proflex fabric technology for maximum builtin 

stretch. This allows incredible freedom of movement 

when climbing and moving fast. With Kinetic, for the 

first time, your outer protective shell clothing can have 

unimpeded mobility as well as incredible comfort and 

softness. Designed for day-long use in challenging, 

changeable weather conditions, the Men's Kinetic Plus 

Jacket has a waterproof component hidden inside: a 

high performance, flexible membrane with a waterproof 

measure of 10,000mm and an exceptional breathability 

level in excess of 35,000cc/sqm/24hrs. 

RRP $399.95 

WWW.RAB.EQUIPMENT

TARGHEE III MID Men’s 

Out of the box comfort for your outside the box adventures. Our 

iconic hiking boot for men brings an updated look to all-terrain 

adventures. We carried over the fit, durability, and performance 

of our award-winning Targhee waterproof boot and took its 

rugged looks to a new dimension. Key features: • KEEN.DRY - A 

proprietary waterproof, breathable membrane that lets vapor out 

without letting water in. • METATOMICAL FOOTBED DESIGN - 

This internal support mechanism is anatomically engineered to 

provide excellent arch support and cradle the natural contours of 

the foot. Available: Key outdoor retailers across New Zealand. 

RRP $319.99 

WWW.KEENFOOTWEAR.CO.NZ 

anatom Q3 Braeriach Trekking Boot 

Durable, comfortable boot for ambitious adventures with 

waterproof/breathable tri.aria membrane and Interface One 

lining. Cushioned midsole and Vibram® Soparis outer-sole. 

RRP $429.99 


salewa MOUNTAIN TRAINER LITE MID GORE-TEX® 

The MTN Trainer Lite Mid GTX is a 3-season boot for 

technical hikes, and long backpacking routes in all weathers. 

Its highly wear-resistant TPU-coated fabric upper has suede 

inserts for stability and a GORE-TEX® Comfort lining for 

durable waterproof protection. For additional stability and 

protection, there is a flexible ankle cuff, heel stabilizer and 

rubber toe cap. 

Fit: WIDE / Weight: (M) 565 g (W) 465 g 

RRP $399.90 

Awards: Outside Magazine's 2020 Gear of the Year Award 

WWW.BOBO.CO.NZ/BRANDS/SALEWA 

Featured 

RRP $599.90 


salewa RAVEN 3 GORE-TEX® WOMEN'S SHOES 

Designed to make light work of tough alpine terrain in variable conditions. Our Raven 3 

GORE-TEX® mountaineering boot has an abrasion-resistant fabric upper to offer exceptional 

stability, durability and performance, all in a lightweight construction. Inside, the waterproof 

and breathable GORE-TEX® Performance Comfort lining delivers optimized climate comfort 

even in changing weather conditions. Outside, the protective rubber rand and external 

TPU toe cap increase comfort and protection in the long run, outperforming conventional 

constructions. The Vibram® WrapThread Combi sole offers optimal grip, traction and 

surefootedness over rough, steep terrain without compromising on comfort, while the smooth 

climbing zone at the toe promotes precise footwork. At the heart of the boot, the stiff nylon 

carbon loaded fibreglass insole ensures good crampon compatibility, while the Bilight Midsole 

is designed with material properties and an ergonomic shape to provide superior shock 

absorption for the lifetime of the shoe. Flexibility, heel support and a precise blister-free fit 

come courtesy of the SALEWA 3F System, 3D Lacing allows you to fine-tune at the toes and 

midfoot, and the Multi Fit Footbed Plus (MFF+) with interchangeable layers gives you greater 

customisation for your feet. 

FEATURES 

• 3D-Lacing 

• 3F System 

• Climbing Lacing 

• MFF+ Footbed 

• Vibram 

• Gore-Tex 

• Cleansport NXT ® 

• Flex Collar 

SPECIFICATIONS: 

• Drop: 15 mm (Heel 

Stack Height 35 mm 

/ Toe 

• Stack Height 20 

mm) 

• Weight: (M) 829 g 

(W) 629 g - pictured 

MATERIAL 

• Insole: Stiff: Nylon 

+ 27% Fiberglass / 

Bilight 

• Midsole / Crampon 

Compatible 

• Lining: GORE- 

TEX® Performance 

Comfort 

• MIDSOLE: TPU 

• Outsole: Vibram® 

WTC 

• Upper: Suede / 

Protective rand 

/ Highly wearresistant 

fabric 

SALEWA CROW GORE-TEX® 

The Crow GTX is a versatile boot designed for mixed use on 

general alpine terrain, featuring an abrasion-resistant fabric 

upper with a GORE-TEX ® Performance Comfort lining, a 

semi-automatic crampon-compatible Vibram ® New Mulaz 

outsole, and a full rubber rand for protection against rock and 

scree. 

Fit: WIDE / Weight: (M) 675 g (W) 570 g 

RRP $499.90 


TARGHEE III MID woMen’s 

The Targhee Boot is ready for any hike, anytime. Our 

iconic hiking boot for women brings an updated look to allterrain 

adventures. We carried over the fit, durability, and 

performance of our award-winning Targhee waterproof boot 

and took its rugged looks to a new dimension. Key features: 

• KEEN.DRY - A proprietary waterproof, breathable membrane 

that lets vapor out without letting water in. 

• METATOMICAL FOOTBED DESIGN - This internal support 

mechanism is anatomically engineered to provide excellent 

arch support and cradle the natural contours of the foot. 

Available: Key outdoor retailers across New Zealand. 

RRP $319.99 

WWW.KEENFOOTWEAR.CO.NZ 

MERRELL Moab 2 Mid - Men’s 

Worn the world over. The Moab has been the world’s 

best-selling hiking boots for over a decade. The 

reasons are clear. Famous out-of-the-box comfort 

and all-purpose versatility make it the choice of hikers 

around the world. 

RRP $279.00 

WWW.MERRELL.CO.NZ 

salewa MOUNTAIN TRAINER LITE MID GORE-TEX® 

Our MTN Trainer Mid GTX is a lightweight alpine trekking 

boot with a suede leather upper and a waterproof breathable 

GORE-TEX® Performance Comfort lining. At the ankle, the 

Flex Collar allows natural movement and the 3F System 

provides flexibility, support and a blister-free fit. Underfoot we 

feature a dual-density Bilight TPU midsole and a Vibram® 

WTC outsole. Fit: WIDE / Weight: (M) 700 g (W) 570 g 

RRP $499.90 

WWW.BOBO.CO.NZ/BRANDS/SALEWALABORESTRUM

Hoka One One Challenger Mid 

The Challenger Mid GORE-TEX® 

delivers on every surface from trail to 

road. It features a waterproof Nubuck 

leather upper for a clean look and 

an anatomical mid-cut collar for 

support. It also features a GORE- 

TEX® waterproof bootie to keep 

your feet dry in a variety of 

seasons. 

RRP $399.95 

WWW.HOKAONEONE.CO.NZ 

Hoka One One Kaha GTX 

Named for the Māori word for 

strength and support, the Kaha 

GTX delivers both. With surprising 

speed, it makes the ups easier and 

the downs quicker. When hiking over 

long distances, this trekking shoe will 

deliver you to your destination in 

comfort and safety. 

RRP $499.00 

WWW.HOKAONEONE.CO.NZ 

SUBSCRIBE 

AND BE IN THE DRAW TO WIN ONE OF FIVE 

TAIAO THERMOS TRAVEL FLASKS 

YOU WILL HAVE NOTICED THIS NEW BRANDING 

IN ADVENTURE ‘TAIAO’ 

TAIAO MEANS IN MAORI; NATURAL WORLD, 

ENVIRONMENT, NATURE, COUNTRY. AS WE 

FOCUS MORE INWARDLY IN NEW ZEALAND WE 

HAVE DECIDED TO DEVELOP A BRAND THAT 

REFLECTS THAT; THAT IS REFLECTIVE OUR 

WORLD, OUR COUNTRY OUR ENVIRONMENT. 

SALEWA MOUNTAIN TRAINER 2 GORE-TEX ® 

The MTN Trainer 2 is the perfect alpine approach solution for 

technical hikes. This hard-wearing and versatile low-cut shoe 

has a high-quality 1.6-millimetre suede leather upper, a GORE- 

TEX® Extended Comfort lining, full protective rubber rand for 

360° abrasion resistance in rocky terrain and a Vibram MTN 

Trainer EVO outsole. 

Fit: Standard / Weight: (M) 458 g (W) 396 g 4 g 

RRP $399.90 


THE PRODUCTS WILL BE BEAUTIFUL AND 

PRACTICAL, THIS IS ONE OF OUR FIRST 

PRODUCTS THE TAIAO FLASK 

NOT EVERYONE WANTS A SIPPY CUP – IF YOU 

PUT THEM IN YOUR PACK IT IS BOUND TO LEAK. 

BUT THESE 500ML THESE STAINLESS TAIAO 

THERMOS FLASKS ARE THE PERFECT TRAVEL 

COMPANION. THEY WILL KEEP WHATEVER 

YOU PUT INSIDE HOT OR COLD FOR HOURS. 

WE ADDED A LITTLE EXTRA FILTER CHAMBER 

WHERE YOU CAN ADD YOUR OWN BEVERAGE 

AND EASILY REMOVE IT. THEY COME IN A 

RANGE OF COLOURS AND WILL ONLY BE 

AVAILABLE ONLINE. 

THESE ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO BUY YET – BUT 

THEY WILL BE SOON. 

TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT 

WWW.ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ 

Chaco Odyssey Sandal 

Overcome rivers, trails, and expectations. The allterrain, 

closed-toe Odyssey sport sandal delivers the 

durability of a hiker, the freedom of a barefoot trainer, 

and the performance you need from land to water. 

RRP $179.95 

WWW.CHACOS.CO.NZ 

Chaco Z/CLOUD Sandal 

Want your Classic Sandals with pillow-top comfort? 

Introducing our travel-ready Z/Cloud series, featuring 

our same custom adjustable strap system, performance 

ChacoGripTM rubber outsole, and a top layer of ultra-soft 

PU for instant-cushion underfoot. 

RRP $159.95 

WWW.CHACOS.CO.NZ 

MERRELL Nova 2 - Men’s 

Featuring lightweight comfort and hiker-like durability, 

Nova 2 is built to take you places sneakers can’t. 

Crush Trails Not Treadmills. 

RRP $249.00 

WWW.MERRELL.CO.NZ 

MERRELL Antora 2 - Women’s 

Featuring lightweight comfort and confidence-boosting 

support and traction, Antora 2 is uniquely tailored 

to women ready to go places sneakers can’t. Burn 

Daylight Not Calories. 

RRP $189.00 

WWW.MERRELL.CO.NZ

Papua NewGuinea 

Reach for the remote 

2020 has made us all appreciate what’s in our own backyard - 

we’ve had to due to border restrictions preventing us from going 

anywhere else! As the world starts to slowly reopen, and as 

travellers make more conscious decisions about where they want 

to travel to next, we want to pose a question to you - why is it that 

Australia’s closest neighbour, a mere 150km to the north of Cape 

York, is so mysterious to us and so often overlooked. We bet you 

didn’t know that Papua New Guinea was that close, nor that it is 

home to over 8 million people who speak more than 800 different 

languages. As one of the most culturally diverse countries in the 

world, we should count ourselves lucky to have all of this rich 

culture right on our doorstep. Add to that an incredibly untouched 

natural paradise, paired with adventures only your wildest dreams 

could think up. So, as we all rethink our travel plans in a post- 

COVID world, we present to you 10 reasons why you should add 

Papua New Guinea to your 2021 bucket list. 

1 

2 3 

GET YOUR HEAD 

IN THE CLOUDS 

Mount Wilhelm 

REACH FOR THE REMOTE 

CLIMB ONE OF THE SEVEN SUMMITS 

As the world starts to slowly reopen, and as travellers make more conscious 

decisions about where they want to travel to next, we pose the following 

question – how about travelling to Australia’s closest neighbour, a mere 

150km to the north of Cape York? 

Remote natural beauty and rich diverse culture abounds right on your 

doorstep. Have you added Papua New Guinea to your 2021 bucket list yet? 

1. ESCAPE FROM IT ALL ON A REMOTE PRIVATE ISLAND 

The Conflict Islands are made up of 21 privately owned, 

pristine and completely uninhabited islands covering a 

total landmass of 375 hectares (or 3.75km square). At the 

Conflict Islands Resort you’ll find just six private beachfront 

ensuite bungalows, situated on the main island of Panasesa. 

There’s also a main house where guests can enjoy peace 

and tranquility whilst enjoying delicious fresh-caught local 

food, refreshing drinks, free wi-fi (if you want it), a stunning 

beachfront deck and a balcony overlooking the stunning 

archipelago and lagoon waters, with colours like no other 

place on earth. There aren’t many places in the world where 

you can truly escape in paradise quite like this. 

2. TREK OCEANIA`S HIGHEST VOLCANO 

Papua New Guinea’s second highest mountain, Mount 

Giluwe (4,367m), is part of a volcanic massif. The original 

volcano on the site of Mount Giluwe formed roughly 

650,000–800,000 years ago, probably as a stratovolcano 

of similar height to the current peak. One of the Volcanic 

Seven Summits of the world, the usually five-day trek passes 

through vast grassland and alpine landscapes. 

3. DISCOVER PNG’S COLOURFUL COASTAL CULTURE 

Divers and snorkellers have been coming to Milne Bay 

and the Tufi Fjords (yes Papua New Guinea has its own 

fjords!) for decades, but culture-seekers have only recently 

cottoned on to this unique part of the world. Alotau is the 

capital of the Milne Bay region, and plays host to the annual 

Kenu and Kundu Festival each November - a lively and 

colourful cultural display of war canoe racing and ‘singsings’ 

(traditional dances). Year-round you can discover harrowing 

skull caves, and can also learn to cook (and enjoy) a Mumu 

feast (a traditional meal of local produce cooked in the earth). 

Up the coast in Oro Province are the Tufi Fjords, home to the 

world’s largest butterfly (the Queen Alexandra Bird Wing; with 

wingspans of up to 28cm). Visitor participation in traditional 

daily life is welcomed by the local villagers, who will happily 

show travellers how to build traditional homes and canoes 

from sago palms, and how to hunt and gather for food. 

Check out Alotau International Resort, Driftwood 

Resort, Tawali Leisure & Dive Resort and Tufi Resort for 

accommodation and tours. Or book through Travel & Co and 

they’ll organise it all for you. 

Find your remote at www.papuanewguinea.travel 

No Roads Expeditions, Paiya Tours, PNG Holidays and Trans 

Niugini Tours all offer guided treks. 



Milne Bay Kenu and Kundu Festival

4 

5 

7. CLIMB ONE OF THE SEVEN SUMMITS 

At 4,509m, Mount Wilhelm is not only 

the highest mountain in Papua New 

Guinea, but is also the highest point in 

all of Oceania. Despite its height, Mount 

Wilhelm is actually the country’s most 

accessible mountain to climb. Usually 

a 3-4 day hike (accessible from Mount 

Hagen) including overnight stays at camps 

/ villages along the way, the expedition will 

find you crossing rivers, climbing through 

moss forests, alpine grasslands and glacial 

valleys. Generally trekkers summit before 

sunrise to truly enjoy the view out to the 

north coast and surrounding valleys, and if 

you’re lucky enough you might even get to 

spot a beautiful bird of paradise too. 

6 

Buna Treks & Tours, Escape Trekking 

Adventures, No Roads Expeditions, 

PNG Highland Adventures and PNG 

Trekking Adventures all offer guided treks, 

incorporating stays at Betty’s Lodge. 

8. EXPLORE AUSTRALIA’S CLOSEST 

NEIGHBOUR BY SHIP 

Prior to COVID, Papua New Guinea was 

fast becoming one of Australia’s and 

New Zealand’s fastest growing cruise 

destinations; featuring on the schedules 

of large-ship brands like Carnival, Cunard, 

P&O, Princess and Silversea, as well as 

small expedition-ship brands like Coral 

Expeditions, Heritage Expeditions, Linblad 

Expeditions and True North. 

9. A RITE OF PASSAGE 

Trekking world-famous Kokoda is not only 

a 96km physical endurance challenge, 

it’s also a spiritual journey retracing the 

footsteps of the thousands of Aussie 

Diggers who were killed or injured 

defending Australia. Tours range from 

6-12 days based on speed and fitness 

levels, and trekkers can also choose to 

trek from Poppendetta to Owers Corner 

or trek the reverse route. It is worth noting 

that Australia’s wartime history with Papua 

New Guinea extends beyond just the battle 

of Kokoda; the battle of Milne Bay was 

another key feat in Australia’s efforts to 

protect its sovereignty from the invading 

Japanese during WWII. 2020 marks the 

75th anniversary of the end of the war in 

the Pacific, and the allied forces win. While 

international travel has prevented many 

from commemorating the anniversary this 

year, they remain committed to ensuring 

this important part of history is still 

remembered (albeit a year later). 

See Kokoda Track Authority for a full listing 

of trek operators running guided tours. If 

you are not keen on trekking Kokoda, but 

still wish to pay your respects, then a visit to 

the Bita Paka War Cemetery near Rabaul, 

and the Bomana War Cemetery in Port 

Moresby is a must. 

10. CATCH AN ILLUSIVE BLACK BASS 

OR DOGTOOTH TUNA 

Papua New Guinea’s untouched rivers 

and lakes, and isolated coastal waters, 

offer some of the best lures in the world. 

From the challenge of catching a ‘lure shy’ 

Papua New Guinea Black Bass in remote 

rainforest- lined rivers, to showing off a 

prized Dogtooth Tuna or Marlin catch out 

at sea, Papua New Guinea has got to be 

on the bucket list of all fishing enthusiasts. 

And with 2020 being a write-off, the fishing 

stocks have had a year to fully replenish - 

2021 is set to be the biggest and best year 

for fishing. 

Check out Baia Sportfishing Lodge, 

Bensbach Wildlife Lodge, Lake Murray 

Lodge, Liamo Reef Resort and Uluai Island 

Bungalows for accommodation and tours. 

Or check out one of the fishing liveaboards, 

MV K20 or MV Ultimate One. For organised 

guided tours check out Angling Adventures. 

And that’s just a few of the million different 

journeys available within Papua New 

Guinea. Find your own adventure at 

www.papuanewguinea.travel 

4. ADVENTURE ACROSS REMOTE 

ISLANDS 

New Britain and New Ireland islands in 

the Bismarck Sea are popular with divers, 

surfers, history buffs and adventure 

seekers alike. These two easy-to-get-to 

islands are perfect for first-time visitors to 

Papua New Guinea. In West New Britain 

Province (accessible by flight to Kimbe) you 

can hike to the top of the active Gabuna 

Volcano crater, relax in a natural spa-like 

thermal hot river or visit the local firefly 

trees at night and see the rainforest light 

up. At the other end of the island in East 

New Britain Province (accessible by flight 

to Rabaul), a world of history awaits; from 

hidden Japanese WWII war tunnels and 

Admiral Yamamoto’s famed buker, to the 

ash-covered remains of old Rabaul town 

(destroyed by the nearby Mount Tavurvur 

volcanic eruption of 1937). And over 

on New Ireland (accessible for flight to 

Kavieng) you can go on a 5-day cycling 

adventure, travelling down the length of 

the 260km mostly-flat Bulominski Highway, 

stopping to rest at traditional village 

homestays along the way. 

Check out Walindi Plantation Resort 

near Kimbe, Kokopo Beach Bungalow 

Resort and Rapopo Plantation Resort 

near Rabaul, and Lissenung Island Resort 

and Nusa Island Retreat near Kavieng for 

accommodation and tours. Or experience 

the Fire Dance Festival whilst you’re in 

Rabaul with Intrepid. 

5. DISCOVER HIDDEN HIGHLAND 

TRIBES 

Mount Hagen and Goroka are the main 

tourism hubs within the remote highlands of 

Papua New Guinea. From here, a colourful 

world awaits, brimming with illusive tribes 

that still to today remain mostly hidden from 

the rest of the world. Visit Goroka and you’ll 

be met with an array of coffee and cocoa 

(chocolate) plantations; the rich aroma filling 

the air. But scratch beneath the surface and 

you’ll discover unique local tribes where 

traditional customs remain alive and well; 

like the haunting Asaro Mudmen famed for 

their spooky mud masks, and the Korekore 

Tribe who are best known for their Moko 

Moko (or ‘sex’ dance). Over in Mount 

Hagen, which plays host to one the oldest 

and most spectacular cultural shows, the 

annual Hagen Cultural Show, you’ll also 

discover the Diugl Village and the spooky 

Mindima Skeleton Dancers, as well as the 

nearby colourful Huli Wigmen. 

Check out Ambua Lodge, Bird Of Paradise 

Hotel & Apartments, Highlander Hotel 

& Apartments and Rondon Ridge for 

accommodation and tours, or go on a 

scheduled guided tour with Crooked 

Compass, Eclipse Travel or PNG Holidays. 

Or to journey further into hard-to-reach lost 

worlds check out Oceania Expeditions. 

6. GO ON A SURFING PILGRIMAGE 

Forget Bali with its overcrowded beaches; 

thanks to Papua New Guinea’s worldrenowned 

Surf Management Plan, the 

number of surfers on any one break is 

capped, so you’ll never be stuck waiting 

to catch the perfect wave - plus locals are 

still able to surf their own breaks. Surfing 

is idolised in Papua New Guinea, as are 

visiting pro surfers. You’ll be just as likely to 

see locals surfing on hand-carved planks 

of timber, as you will Taylor Jensen (who 

won the 2017 Men’s Kumul PNG World 

Longboard Championships). Or even no 

one at all! And when you’re done surfing, 

there’s plenty of islands, waterfalls, caves 

and volcanoes to explore. The north coast 

of Papua New Guinea is our pick for keen 

surfers (it’s also a fishing and diving / 

snorkelling paradise too). Stretching for 

over 500km, the northern coastline of 

Papua New Guinea’s mainland is as chilledout 

as it comes. Here you’ll find sleepy port 

towns and seaside villages (like Vanimo, 

Wewak and Madang) that offer the perfect 

respite for those who’ve just adventured to 

the nearby highlands or Sepik River. Spend 

the day paddling across aqua-clear waters 

to nearby deserted islands, explore local 

caves and waterfalls, or tuck into some 

fresh locally-caught seafood. 

Check out Tupira Surf Club and Vanimo 

Surf Lodge, or go on a scheduled guided 

tour with World Surfaris or No Limit 

Adventures. Other notable mentions for 

keen surfers include Nusa Island Retreat 

and Rubio Retreat, both in New Ireland 

province. 

88//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#222 ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ 89 

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8 

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Camping Koueney Chez Loulou et Lelene © Marine Reveilhac 

Camping in NewCaledonia 

Aguide to... 

Notchup © Drones.nc / NCTPS 

Like many of its South Pacific island counterparts, 

New Caledonia is home to a range of 

spectacular hotels and resorts, complete with 

lush accommodations, postcard perfect pools, 

world class restaurants and more. However, for 

adventurous travellers looking to get off the beaten 

track or explore the destination like a local, New 

Caledonia is also surprisingly great for camping. 

Despite being a relatively small land mass (when 

compared to somewhere like New Zealand), New 

Caledonia is brimming with spots to pitch a tent, 

and plenty of experiences to have along the way. 

Here’s a 101 to camping in New Caledonia. Firstly, 

the fun part: picking a campsite! 

WHERE TO STAY: 

When it comes to camping in New Caledonia, 

there are campsites on the beach, in the forest, 

in the bush…you name it. Here are five fantastic 

options to consider: 

CAMPING KOUÉNEY CHEZ LOULOU ET LÉLÉNE 

This campsite is situated on the Isle of Pines, in a tuckedaway, 

peaceful park overlooking Kouéney Beach. It’s 

run by Jean-Louis and Hélène Josse, and campers are 

welcome to cook their own meals or have them provided 

by the Josse family, who cook over an open fire using local 

produce. Jean-Louis and Hélène also offer transfers to and 

from the Isle of Pines airport. 

Address: Plage de Kouéney, Île des Pins, 98832 

Tel: +687 78 32 28 

#NewCalPulse 

NEWCALEDONIA.TRAVEL 


Kayaking at Hienghène © Marine Reveilhac 

Îlot Tenia sunset © Valérie Blondin 

Le rêve de Némo © JC Robert 

Van-Away offers campervans and minibuses for hire @ Van-Away 

Caledonie 

Gîte Iya at Yaté © Oneye Production 

BABOU CÔTÉ OCEAN 

Located in the Koulnoue Kanak tribal village, 

on New Caledonia’s north-east coast, the 

Babou Côté Ocean campsite offers travellers 

striking views of the north’s rainforests and 

UNESCO World Heritage Listed lagoons, 

as well as a wide range of activities – such 

as kayaking, diving, snorkelling, hiking 

and more. The campsite also has camping 

equipment available for hire. 

Address: Hienghène, Le Koulnoué, 98815 

Tel: +687 42 83 59 

WILD CAMPING ON ÎLOT TÉNIA 

This is one for the adventurous traveller! 

Îlot Ténia is a small island located off 

Boulouparis, on New Caledonia’s West 

Coast, in the midst of some of the most 

striking parts of the destination’s UNESCO 

World Heritage listed lagoon. The island 

is available to visit for the day, but also to 

camp overnight. It’s more of a “wilderness” 

experience than other sites - campers will 

need to bring all equipment, including wood 

for a fire and food to cook – however, the 

views over the lagoon are unmatched. 

Transfers to the island and camping are 

bookable through taxi boat company, Bout 

d’Brousse. 

Address: Boulouparis, Ouenghi, 98812 

Tel: +687 76 42 38 

LE RÊVE DE NEMO 

Le rêve de Nemo camping site is situated at 

Poé Beach, on New Caledonia’s west coast, 

nearby to Bourail. It sits opposite the lagoon, 

and offers striking sunset views set to the 

soothing sounds of crashing waves. There 

is also an onsite snack bar and comforts 

such as large and clean toilets and showers. 

Travellers also have the option of renting 

accommodation, such as Sahara tents. 

Address: Bourail, Poé, 98870 

Tel: +687 46 44 64 

GÎTE IYA 

This campsite is situated within the 

Touaourou Kanak tribe, nestled amongst 

palm trees on the lagoon shores. Gîte Iya 

has a great ‘table d’hôte’ (which is the name 

given to family-run or local-run restaurants), 

offering visitors the chance to taste New 

Caledonian specialities and seafood. There 

is also the option to visit a nearby farm and 

for those travelling without camping gear, 

there are furnished cabins available for hire. 

Address: Tribu de Touaourou, Yaté, 98834 

Tel: +687 46 90 80 

THE EQUIPMENT: 

While New Caledonia’s international airline, Aircalin, 

has great policies for bulky luggage and sporting 

equipment, it’s understandable that travellers may not 

want to haul camping gear all the way overseas. 

Luckily, there are a few options. In capital city, 

Noumea, sporting goods store Decathlon sells all 

equipment needed for camping, as well as activities 

travellers may want to enjoy while in the great 

outdoors, like hiking, biking and more. 

There are also options to hire equipment, if preferred. 

Companies like Tour Du Monde will hire out tents 

and bedding. Some campsites may even have gear 

available for hire. Another option is to book a guided 

tour or experience, where equipment is supplied. For 

example, Gecko Evasion runs overnight camping 

experiences on New Caledonia’s West Coast, and all 

equipment and meals are included in the experience 

cost. 

GETTING AROUND: 

New Caledonia’s roads are well paved and 

maintained, making driving around the destination’s 

Grande Terre, or main island, easy. 

Hire cars are available to pick up upon arrival into 

New Caledonia’s international airport, in Noumea, the 

territory’s capital city, and at a handful of spots across 

its main island. It’s recommended travellers book a 

hire car in advance – while a cosmopolitan destination, 

New Caledonia is smaller than New Zealand and there 

are fewer hire cars available. 

In exciting news for adventurous travellers, New 

Caledonia last year saw the launch of its first camper 

van hire company. Van-Away offers both campervans 

and minibuses for hire, just outside of Noumea. 

If looking to camp on the Loyalty Islands or Isle 

of Pines, travellers will need to book a flight with 

domestic airline, Air Caledonie - both are just a short 

distance from Noumea. The Isle of Pines is also 

accessible via ferry (Ferry Betico); the crossing takes 

about three hours. 

A few final must-knows: 

• Travellers are advised to stay only in designated 

campsites 

• Booking in advance is required for the majority of 

campsites 

• Travellers are advised to be mindful of local tribes 

and customs – when visiting a tribe, it’s respectful 

to ask permission first and to do a coutume, or 

the presentation of a gift. Travellers should pay 

attention if they think they’ll be going into any 

tribal areas, and are recommended to contact a 

local guide or the local tourism office to organise 

a coutume. 

newcaledonia.travel 


Top Hikes on the Outer Islands of Vanuatu 

Vanuatu’s outer islands offer more than just world-renowned snorkelling, remote beaches and 

palm trees, they’re home to some of the most spectacular, adrenaline-pumping treks in the 

Pacific Islands. So grab your hiking boots and get ready for an adventure you’ll never forget. 

Manbush Trail - Malekula 

This four-day hike will take you from the 

east of Malekula to the west, hiking over 

lush and mountainous terrain, into remote 

island villages, and through farmland 

and rivers. Make sure you pack suitable 

wet weather gear for this hike and sturdy 

waterproof hiking boots or hiking sandles. 

The last thing you want is wet socks for 

four days! There will be guides to carry your 

backpack. On day one, you’ll hike 1.5-2 

hours from Unua to the dense bushland in 

Melken, ascending only 10m, easy! 

On day two, you’ll hike for 7 hours from 

Melken to Mt Laimbele, ascending 

650m and descending 170m. From 

this breathtaking rainforest you’ll get a 

glimpse of the volcanoes on Ambrym, a 

neighbouring island. You’ll likely spend the 

evening eating bush-tucker around a fire, 

before retiring to your mat on the floor of a 

handmade bush hut. 

On day three, expect another 8-hours of 

walking from Mt Laimbele to Lebongbong, 

with similar terrain to the day before. Keep 

your eyes peeled for wild cattle and birdlife. 

You’ll be treated to seasonal bush food, 

likely nesowong, which is a meal made from 

bush banana, water taro and coconut milk. 

On the final day, day four, you’ll hike 9-10 

hours. It’s a day of descent (1140m!), so get 

those hiking poles and knees ready. You’ll 

pass by several banyan trees - giants of the 

forests, with roots that envelop their trunks. 

You’ll also see a giant waterfall, explore 

a spring in a cave and visit a nakamal (a 

traditional meeting place) before bunkering 

down in the village of Yawa for a shower 

and a comfortable bed. 

A ni-Vanuatu tour guide and tourist walks across a river, Malakula Island, 

Malampa province, Vanuatu. Photo: Vanuatu Tourism Office/We Are Explorers 

Dogs Head Trail - Malekula 

This three-day coast-to-coast traverse through 

wild bushland extends from the north east to the 

north west of Malekula Island. It’s a strenuous 

hike, but a rewarding one. You’ll have the unique 

opportunity to be introduced to the Big Nambas 

territories and be totally removed from the modern 

world that you’re used to. Don’t expect electricity 

and flushing toilets, expect huge smiles and 

generous spirits. Revel in the villages built almost 

entirely from bamboo and palm thatch. At the end 

of the three-day trek, jump into the Pacific Ocean 

to cool off on Malekula’s west. 

vanuatu.travel 

Musicians plays traditional music for Pitin Mask dancers, Malekula Island, 

Malampa province, Vanuatu. Photo: Vanuatu Tourism Office/We Are Explorers 


A couple views the crater of Mount Yasur volcano at dusk, Tanna Island, Vanuatu. 

Lake Letas & Mt Garet - Gaua 

On the island of Gaua lies one of Vanuatu’s 

most remote and active volcanoes. This threeday 

adventure involves crossing Lake Letas in 

a rigger canoe before a steep, exposed climb 

up to the rim of Mt Garet. It’s only an hour up 

to the top, but it’s a difficult one, so get your 

walking sticks ready and keep your feet firmly 

on the path despite moments of terror. 

You’ll have the opportunity to camp in small 

bungalows at Victor’s Camp, right on the lake. 

Victor’s a vivacious and jovial character who’ll 

tell you stories under dim lamplight, share 

shells and shells of kava (watch out!) and, 

together with his wife, feed you until you’re as 

full as can be. 

On the hike back down, you’ll visit Vanuatu’s 

highest waterfall, Siri Waterfall, which boasts 

a 120m drop. This is a wet walk, so make sure 

you’ve got sturdy hiking sandals or boots. 

Vanuatu hopes that Lake Letas becomes a 

Unesco world heritage site. 

Mount Yasur - Tanna 

From an active volcano to the world’s largest banyan tree, this is an 

unmissable three-day trek on Tanna island in the Tafea province. Tanna 

island people are bare-foot walkers, and will guide you from natural hot 

springs surrounded by overgrown rainforest to white-sand beaches with 

pounding surf and volcanic black-sand planes. 

From the base to the summit of Mt Yasur is an easy to moderate 3.5-hour 

round trip on foot across expansive ash plains. While there is an option to 

drive, we really encourage the hike! This is best done at night as you’ll have 

the opportunity to witness the red glow of lava under a dark night sky. 

Mt Yasur is one of Vanuatu’s most dramatic booming visitor attractions – 

the volcano is a female deity and she is revered by the people of Tanna 

Island with many cultural stories revolving around her power. As such 

visitors walking up the volcano pay an entrance fee that is shared with the 

community. For more information visit or chat with the good folks at Entani 

who manage the volcano visits. 

Nguna Full Day Adventure - Nguna 

If you’ve got a few days in Port Vila, the hike 

up Nguna island’s highest extinct volcano (Mt 

Taputaora, 593m) is a must-do. You’ll need to 

catch a ride from your accommodation on Port 

Vila to Emua Wharf before catching a boat over 

to Nguna in order to start this hike. 

It begins slowly, with a gradual incline, passing 

through small villages with children who will run 

out to greet you. The final leg is hard, and steep. 

You’ll be exposed to the sun and it’ll be hot. Make 

sure to wear a hat! 

As you summit the volcano, you’ll be treated to 

expansive views across the Shepherd Islands to 

the north, and south to Efate. Afterwards you’ll be 

offered a buffet lunch by the beach and a snorkel 

along the Nguna coastline to cool off. 

Aerial view of Nguna Island, Shefa Province, Vanuatu. Photo: Vanuatu Tourism Office/Nicolas Jupille & Louise Levrat 

For more information on amazing Hikes in Vanuatu 

www.vanuatu.travel or www.vanuatuecotours.com 

A ni-Vanuatu chief and tourist on the Mount Garet volcano hike, Gaua Island, Torba province, Vanuatu. 

Photo: Vanuatu Tourism Office/We Are Explorers 


A C T I V E 

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manner to a ski club, but with each member owning a share. 

Central to the culture and successful functioning of the lodge is the concept of communal 

living with most facilities being shared. It is family orientated and can accommodate around 

35 people at any one time. It is open all year round and can be booked at any time, using a 

member only booking system. 

Ideally suited for skiing on Mount Ruapehu in winter and adventures around the central 

plateau all year round. See the website: 39southlodge.co.nz and facebook page. 

Offers for this share, which gives long term access to the ski club and lodge $6000 ono. 

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e: malcolmbeaumont@gmail.com 

p: 027 838 9978. 

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p: 03 442 0227 e: unwind_cafe@hotmail.com 

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Tasman Glacier Heli Skiing 

Exclusive heli skiing at the head of NZ’s 

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with a four-run Tasman Glacier Heli Ski 

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Heli hiking also available. 

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