The Tramping Life

In this episode of The Tramping Life, we head to Tongariro National Park for an extended circuit of one of New Zealand’s most iconic landscapes — combining the Tongariro Northern Circuit Great Walk with the Around the Mountain Track into a six-day, 82km loop from Whakapapa Village.

Established in 1887, Tongariro is New Zealand’s oldest national park and a dual UNESCO World Heritage site, recognised for both its natural and cultural significance. At its heart stand three volcanic giants: Mount Ruapehu, Mount Ngauruhoe, and Mount Tongariro. This is a landscape that is geologically young, spiritually significant, and consta...

Peter Hillary is a mountaineer, author, and adventurer. The son of Sir Edmund Hillary, Peter has forged his own remarkable path — from summiting Everest and crossing Antarctica to dedicating his life to exploration, storytelling, and conservation.
 
In this episode of The Tramping Life, Peter reflects on a lifetime spent outdoors — from his first climb at age ten with his father and Mingma Tsering, to sleeping sixteen years of his life under canvas.
 
We talk about the lessons of risk and resilience on mountains like K2, the changes he’s witnessed on Everest and in the p...

In this episode of The Tramping Life, we head into the north-west of Kahurangi National Park to explore the Thousand Acre Plateau — a vast upland landscape of limestone formations, open tussock and sweeping horizons.

Rising to around 1000 metres above sea level, this elevated former seabed feels unlike almost anywhere else in New Zealand. Accessed via the Matiri Valley Road near Murchison, the tramp begins gently along a 4WD access track to Lake Matiri Hut, before a sustained 750-metre climb delivers you onto the plateau rim.

From there, the route traverses open, often boggy terrain to th...

Jan Finlayson has spent a lifetime exploring and advocating for New Zealand’s wild places. In this conversation she reflects on childhood memories of camping and school tramps, early adventures on the Routeburn, and the lessons learned from near misses in the mountains and rivers. We talk about her strong views on hut booking systems and access rights, and why legal roads and stewardship land matter for the future of conservation. Jan’s stories move between humour, challenge, and deep care for the backcountry — and remind us what’s at stake in protecting the places we tramp.

Today we head into Nelson Lakes National Park to one of the country’s most iconic alpine destinations — Angelus Hut.

Perched at 1,650 metres beside Lake Angelus and surrounded by the rugged Travers Range, Angelus is a true alpine hut — spectacular in fine weather, serious and unforgiving when conditions turn. In this episode I walk through the five main routes to the hut: the exposed Robert Ridge, the more sheltered Speargrass Track and Speargrass Creek route, the Travers Cascade route, the steep Mount Cedric route from Sabine Hut, and the demanding unmarked line via Sunset Saddle from H...

Marios Gavalas has spent decades exploring Aotearoa’s mountains, forests and coastlines — and helping others do the same through his books, guiding, and photography.
 
In this episode of The Tramping Life, Marius shares stories from his early days tramping the Coromandel with little more than a tent and a pair of skis, to writing 18 guidebooks that introduced countless people to New Zealand’s tracks.
 
We talk about his transition from writer to professional guide, what it’s like to live for a decade in a yurt, and why his “tramping bucket list” now begins just ou...

Today we’re heading to Banks Peninsula and one of New Zealand’s most varied multi-day walks — a privately run track that combines coastal scenery, wildlife, and unusually comfortable accommodation. This episode explores Banks Track.

Opened in 1989, Banks Track was New Zealand’s first private walking track. The 31km route is walked over two or three days, crossing farmland, regenerating native bush, volcanic ridgelines, and dramatic coastline, with wide views over Akaroa Harbour and the Pacific Ocean. Along the way, walkers often encounter little blue penguins, New Zealand fur seals, and abundant birdlife.

I walked...

Neil Silverwood is a leading photographer, conservationist, and lifelong caver. Neil takes us not only deep underground but also high into the hills, sharing stories of tramping, caving, and flying.
 
We talk about the challenges of caving – from hauling 35kg of gear, to eight hours stuck in a squeeze, to emerging from the dark into alpine light. Neil reflects on caves as “a black-and-white world,” the universality of claustrophobia, and the joy of taking flight through paragliding. Neil also recalls adventures on Stewart Island, where the remoteness, wild weather, and rugged coastline bring their own challen...

Today we’re heading to the West Coast and one of its most popular tramps — an historic track best known for its natural hot pools. This episode explores the Copland Track and Welcome Flat Hut.

Developed in the early 20th century as a route across the Southern Alps, the Copland Track is now usually walked as a return trip from the West Coast road end to Welcome Flat Hut. The 18km track follows rivers, crosses swing bridges, and winds through lush rainforest before emerging beneath the towering Sierra Range.

I walked the track in e...

Corina Jordan is Chief Executive of the Game Animal Council and Fish & Game New Zealand. We talk about her lifelong love of the outdoors, from childhood adventures in Northland and Taranaki to her current role shaping New Zealand’s hunting and conservation policies.
 
Corina explains how modern game management can benefit both hunters and conservation, what “herds of special interest” mean for species like tahr and sika, and how organizations like Fish & Game are restoring wetlands and advocating for healthy rivers.
 
We also cover the realities of hunting in New Zealand today – from deer manag...

Geoff Spearpoint is one of New Zealand’s most experienced trampers, writers, and backcountry advocates. For decades he has explored some of the country’s most remote corners, helped preserve our huts and tracks, and inspired countless trampers through books, photography, and articles.

In this episode we talk about his beginnings in the Tararuas, youthful adventures that nearly went wrong, and the friendships that shaped his tramping life. Jeff shares stories of ambitious expeditions across Fiordland and the Southern Alps, surreal moments in the mountains, and encounters with kiwi and kakapo.

We also disc...

Craig Potton is a photographer, publisher, conservationist, and one of New Zealand’s most thoughtful voices on wild places.
 
Craig’s stories take us from crawling out the back door as a kid in Nelson, to surfing wild west coast breaks, finding happiness in the Himalaya, and carrying camera gear heavy enough to need a chiropractor decades later. We talk about burning down a hut (almost), sleeping beneath bivvy rocks, the heartbreak of vanishing glaciers, and the deep connection between wilderness, gratitude, and art.

https://www.craigpottongallery.co.nz/

Celia Wade-Brown is a Green Party MP, former mayor of Wellington, founder of the Wairarapa Walking Festival, and a lifelong tramper. From childhood walks in London’s parks and the Lake District, to rafting adventures, multi-day tramps in the Tararuas, and eventually walking the length of New Zealand on Te Araroa, Celia’s journey reflects her passion for the outdoors and sustainable living. In this episode, she shares the joys and challenges of Te Araroa, why outdoor education matters, the importance of conservation funding, and why protecting New Zealand’s wild places matters more than ever.

Gerry McSweeney is a lifelong tramper, former president of Forest & Bird, and founder of Wilderness Lodges at Lake Moeraki and Arthur’s Pass. Jerry reflects on his early days with the Christchurch Tramping Club, hard river crossings and tramping with trains, and how tramping shaped his lifelong commitment to conservation.

We hear stories of endurance epics in the Southern Alps, the importance of predator control, and the transformation he’s witnessed in New Zealand’s forests and birdlife over decades. Gerry also shares his passion for Fiordland crested penguins, thoughts on tourism and guiding, and his fa...

My guests today are Kemi and Niko, the creative duo behind Kemi Niko & Co. Known for their handcrafted miniature huts, public art projects, and love for New Zealand’s backcountry, they blend art, design, and outdoor culture in a way that’s utterly unique.

We talk about how they began as broke artists in Wellington, their passion for real materials and hut heritage, the challenge of raising kids who tramp, and the surprising demand for tiny huts made from salvaged tin and timber.

It’s a story of creativity, persistence, and connection — to the land...

Alistair Hall has been the editor and publisher of Wilderness Magazine for nearly two decades — and part of its story since the early 1990s. In this episode, he talks about his earliest outdoor memories, the “type two fun” that sparked his passion for tramping, and the muddy, magical challenge of the Southern Circuit on Rakiura.

He shares what it takes to produce a monthly magazine that’s chronicled New Zealand’s outdoor culture for more than 30 years, why Wilderness has endured while others folded, and what he learned from an ill-fated experiment with AI illustrations.

From...

Victoria and Emilie Bruce have shared thousands of kilometres of trail — and hundreds of backcountry huts — between them. When Emilie was just seven years old, the pair set off to walk the length of New Zealand on the Te Araroa Trail, raising funds for conservation and mental health, and inspiring trampers young and old along the way.
 
In this episode, Victoria and Emilie talk about the adventures that shaped them — from snowstorms in Nelson Lakes to the solitude of the West Coast — and the lessons learned through blisters, laughter, and lollies. We hear how their journey t...

Andrew Buglass is the founder of Permolat and the central figure in The Hut Keepers, a new film celebrating the grassroots effort to preserve New Zealand’s hut network. In this episode, Andrew shares his deep connection with the mountains, the challenges of solitude, and the pivotal experiences that shaped his lifelong commitment to protecting backcountry huts. From youthful nights in the hills with only a transistor radio for company, to leading a movement that has kept our huts alive for future generations, Andrew reflects on what it means to belong in the backcountry.

Photo: An...

Jerry Van Lier is the creator and host of the Tararua Fever podcast, which dives deep into the rugged, rewarding, and sometimes notorious Tararua Ranges. From his very first tramp at the age of six to weathering gnarly conditions on southern crossings, Jerry’s stories capture both the challenges and the joys of these hills. We talk about tramping clubs and changing generations, hairy sections like the Waiohine Pinnacles, the huts he loves (and avoids), his philosophy on gear and safety, and what’s still on his bucket list. Jerry’s passion for the Tararuas shines through — as does...

Megan Dimozantos is president of the Federated Mountain Clubs (FMC), and a passionate advocate for our huts, tracks, and wild places. We talk about her late introduction to the outdoors through rock climbing, her years of 24-hour solo mountain bike racing, and how volunteering with LandSAR drew her deep into New Zealand’s backcountry. Megan shares stories of epic 10 to 15 day trips, the lessons of running out of food in the wilderness, the special meaning behind moving a hut with an all-women crew, and the challenges tramping faces in an era of social media and climate change. It...

Rob Brown is one of the most influential voices in New Zealand tramping. Rob is the National Operations Manager of the Backcountry Trust, the organisation that supports volunteers to restore and maintain our huts and tracks. He is also a renowned photographer, writer, and long-time advocate for the outdoors.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Rob shares stories of his early adventures with the Massey University Alpine Club, his long tramping partnership with Shaun Barnett, and the making of the best selling Classic Tramping. We talk about memorable trips into places like Ivory Lake and the Landsborough...

Lou Sanson, former Director-General of the Department of Conservation, has spent a lifetime in New Zealand’s backcountry. From his childhood on the West Coast being taken tramping before he could walk, through teenage missions into wild valleys, to a career cutting tracks, leading DOC, and supporting the Backcountry Trust, Lou has lived and breathed the outdoors.

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