After a week of farming followed by a week of sitting on our butts, K and I were itching for a nice long a tramp in the park. Conveniently, the Routeburn Track runs right into the Greenstone Valley and Caples Valley Tracks, so we decided to link up the reputable Routeburn with a lesser known…
Tag: Multi-day Hikes
Aoraki/Mt. Cook and Mueller Hut
Mount Cook (aka Aoraki) may not be the deadliest peak in New Zealand, but it is the tallest and has claimed the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of climbers. Tucked at the tip of Lake Pukaki, this 12,218-foot giant stands at the physical and metaphorical epicenter of New Zealand’s mountaineering culture. In this small…
Welcome Flats Hot Springs
Four days of beach hiking had left us sunburned and sore. Naturally, a soak in some mountain hot pools was in order. So the five of us (two over 6-feet) crammed into a Toyota RAV4 for the 8-hour drive from Nelson, down the western coast of New Zealand’s South Island, to Fox Glacier. Welcome Flats…
Abel Tasman Coastal Track
No shirt, no shoes, no problem is the mantra for most New Zealand shops, restaurants, and supermarkets. It is also the most fitting motto for trampers on the Abel Tasman track. Touted as New Zealand’s best beach tramp–with sea kayaking, fur seals, and little blue penguins abound–the Abel Tasman attracts every type of beach lover,…
Tongariro Northern Circuit
Tongariro is New Zealand’s oldest and most popular park. Encompassing a cluster of active volcanoes on the North Island, this area is sacred to the Maori people in New Zealand. But, per usual, European conquistadors and early settlers gave little regard to native people’s customs and beliefs. In 1887, in an attempt to protect their…
A TRAMP IN THE PARK 