Adventure Magazine

Outside our first nights accommodation ready for our first days hike. In the
background our bags are packed ready to be transported to our next stop
Slackpacking
the joy of catered Hiking
As soon as someone says we are going tramping
my first response is ‘where and for how many
days?’ and then in my mind I begin making lists of
what to pack, asking the never-ending question of
what do I have to carry.
It’s often the whole planning and gear-carrying that
can make some people go, "Nah, not for me."
Words by Lynne Dickinson
Images by Lynne Dickinson and Vicki Knell
"drinks" for the three-day tramp. What greeted us?
A charming farmhouse fully stocked with food, four
bedrooms with ‘real’ beds and duvets!
The fridge was stocked with everything we needed
for our first night’s dinner, complete with easy
cooking instructions, as well as provisions for
breakfast and lunch the following day.
Recently (possible as a result of getting older) I
came across something the South Africans refer
to as “slackpacking” and I kind of like the term.
It's like the VIP treatment of hiking, where you've
got a ‘sidekick’ to lug your gear, babysit your
belongings, and even set up camp (or in this case
our farmhouse) while you sip on your trailside tea.
There are those purists out there who'll insist
that unless you're meticulously planning your
entire expedition, schlepping every last morsel of
dehydrated food, and toting your own cookers,
plastic spoons, and all the camping paraphernalia
into the wild, while erecting your own tent with
blood, sweat, and maybe a few tears, then you're
not truly tramping. But I beg to differ.
Earlier this year, I embarked on my inaugural
"slackpacking" tramp in the Tora Ranges, just a
stone's throw north of the Kiwi capital, Wellington.
We rolled up to the hike's kick-off point with our
bags, sleeping bags, and a clandestine stash of
The hike was restricted to 12 people so after
getting to know the rest of the crew over dinner
that we cooked together, we settled in for a good
night sleep.
We were leaving our cars here and walking the
39km loop over three days. Each night we would
be arriving at a different location where our bags
would be waiting for us and our meals preprepared
and ready to be cooked by us. All we had to
carry was our lunch and enough clothing for the
changing conditions.
Each day we set off at our own pace and with the
help of markers on the trail and a map we made
your way to the next accommodation where our
bags, drinks and meals would be waiting for us.
On this particular slackpacking experience, the
accommodation varied from cute farmhouse vibes
to luxury beachfront villas, each delightful in their
own way.
Enjoying the spectacular views up the coast
50//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#240