In November we “tramped” in Tongariro National Park, completing the Northern Circuit in 3 days. From Whakapapa, we left the lower slopes of Mt. Ruapehu and backpacked for 8.5 km over to the Mangetopo Hut. The trail wound through the … Continue reading →
Able Tasman National Park extends along the coastline of the South Island of New Zealand from Marahau to Golden Bay. Most people hike, paddle, or boat from the south end and the north end gets far fewer people for two … Continue reading →
Some places transcend their reviews. Kaikoura exceeded all of our expectations. Kaikoura is a small seaside community on the eastern coast of the South Island, two and a half hours north of Christchurch. The town is situated on a narrow, … Continue reading →
Ben Lomond is a peak that stands above Queenstown, New Zealand. It is a popular hike and we saw a number of “trampers” on our day up to the summit and back. The trail can be started from the bottom, … Continue reading →
In an effort to escape rain and big city busyness while in New Zealand, we decided to explore the Bay of Plenty area so we drove for a few hours northeast from Wellington and found ourselves at Waihi Beach. … Continue reading →
Abel Tasman National Park lies at the north end of the South Island of New Zealand. It is not a large park, but it follows the coastline for 60 kilometers. The Abel Tasman Track brings hikers from all over the … Continue reading →