Aotearoa Adventures: The New Zealand Travel Podcast

Tom Waters grew up on a farm near Tekapo and found the outdoors through hunting with his dad, before whitewater kayaking became a healthy obsession. He shares about a packrafting trip to the head of the Landsborough River, approaching from the West Coast via the Karangarua Valley and the Douglas Traverse. Tom talks about crossing a glacier lake at first light to beat an incoming front, ice falls coming off the Douglas Névé on Douglas Pass, and a 14-hour day through a boulder-choked gorge before putting in at Percy Creek. He reflects on why a river carries a different type of risk to walking. Tom shares advice for anyone that wants to start packrafting, from checking flows and sticking to grade one and two, to never paddling alone and knowing when to leash to your boat. Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can't wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :) Follow Tom on Instagram: https://instagram.com/alpine_dog_/Find packrafting trips by grade: https://www.packraftingtrips.nz/Join PRANZ: https://www.packrafting.org.nz/Follow Aotearoa Adventures on Instagram: https://instagram.com/aotearoa_adventures_/Follow Abigail on Instagram: https://instagram.com/abigailhannnah/

Tsewang Nuru Sherpa is a freshwater researcher and freelance travel journalist, who grew up in the Everest region of Nepal. He shares how adventure came to him late, because trekking at home was a profession rather than something you did on a weekend. After moving to Christchurch, Tsewang spent weekends with the tramping club discovering trails in Arthur's Pass and around Canterbury. He went on to cycle the South Island section of Tour Aotearoa, and then started Te Araroa later that year. Tsewang has done his fair share of big expeditions, and reflects on why he still enjoys microadventures close to home, including the Christchurch 360 Trail. He also shares his advice for other people that want to get outdoors and how to find local adventures.Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can't wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :)Follow Tsewang on Instagram: https://instagram.com/tsewang.sherpa/ Follow Aotearoa Adventures on Instagram: https://instagram.com/aotearoa_adventures_/ Follow Abigail on Instagram: https://instagram.com/abigailhannnah/

Brooke Thompson AKA @sparkygirlnz is a self-proclaimed 'South Island snob' passionate about the beauty of her Southland home. She shares about the summer she spent working for DOC on Stewart Island, after signing up to volunteer with the dotterel team and being brought across as a sparky instead. Brooke talks about fixing the solar systems in the huts, a hut ranger stint on the Rakiura Track, and doing track maintenance from Freshwater Hut to Mason Bay. Brooke previously guided two summer on the Milford Track, after a spiritual moment that lead her there. She reflects on starting her apprenticeship unable to name a single female electrician, to advocating for culture change within the trades industries and better working conditions for all. Brooke proves that you can carve your own path in life and shares advice for others that are finding their purpose.Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can't wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :) Follow Brooke on Instagram: https://instagram.com/sparkygirlnz/Follow Aotearoa Adventures on Instagram: https://instagram.com/aotearoa_adventures_/Follow Abigail on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abigailhannnah/

Emily Thompson owns MD Outdoors, an all-women outdoor store in Nelson, and grew up on the West Coast of the South Island. She shares about a five-day solo tramp through the Richmond Ranges in late November, from Slaty Hut over Mt Rintoul, then through Mid Wairoa, Hunters Hut and Red Hills before hitchhiking out to St Arnaud. Emily talks about going lightweight, underestimating her food and trading Radix meals for noodles in the huts, and leading a struggling walker over the hardest section. Emily reflects on micro goals, eating every 45 minutes, and why she is stepping back from ultra running toward tramping. In life, she has pivoted multiple times, always building a life that she finds fulfilling and shares advice for others trying to create a life they are passionate about. Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can't wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :)Follow Emily on Instagram: https://instagram.com/em.russnz/Follow MD Outdoors on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mdoutdoors/Follow Aotearoa Adventures on Instagram: https://instagram.com/aotearoa_adventures_/Follow Abigail on Instagram: https://instagram.com/abigailhannnah/

Abigail & Isaac share all that the Top of the South Island has to offer and how they spent six weeks road tripping around a region that most people skip. From multi-day hikes on the Old Ghost Road and Abel Tasman, to long drives on gravel roads, to hidden caves and hidden coves, they share plenty of ideas for couples, families or solo roadtrips. In six weeks across Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough, they share how this road trip surprised them and delighted them, including a 2 night self-guided kayak trip in the Queen Charlotte Sound. They suggest bringing cash with you for real fruit ice cream and roadside stalls, and keeping an open mind to what you'll discover.Thank you so much for tuning in and coming along for the ride. If you love the show and enjoyed listening, please take the time to leave a review on Apple or Spotify. I would also love to connect with you, so send me a DM on Instagram, leave me a voice message and I can't wait to see you next time. Until then, keep adventuring :)Follow Aotearoa Adventures on Instagram: https://instagram.com/aotearoa_adventures_/Follow Abigail on Instagram: https://instagram.com/abigailhannnah/