ADV 224

N E W Z E A L A N D 

ADVENTURE 

QUEENSTOWN 

MILFORD SOUND 

SOUTHERN ALPS 

WEST COAST 

ROTORUA 

ISSUE 224 

FEB/MAR 2021 

NZ $10.90 incl. GST 

HIKE & BIKE...

the times they are a changin' 

#224 

JOBS 

www.adventurejobs.co.nz 

www.adventuretraveller.co.nz 

"The line it is drawn 

The curse it is cast 

The slow one now 

Will later be fast 

As the present now 

Will later be past 

The order is 

Rapidly fadin'." 

HOMEGROWN TAIAO 

TAIAO 

www.adventuremagazine.co.nz 

Digital, Hardcopy, Web, Social 

BUILT FOR HIKING . 

DRAWN TO WATER . 

Bob Dylan wrote this song in 1964, a year 

of seeming new beginnings, and hope. The 

world was intrigued by space travel, which 

was growing fast; civil rights in America 

were under scrutiny as race riots gripped 

big cities across the US; the Civil Rights 

Act of 1964 was signed into law; Boxer, 

Cassius Clay, became Muhammad Ali and 

the heavyweight champion of the world; 

then President Lyndon Johnson cast a dark 

shadow over the year by escalating the U.S. 

involvement in the Vietnam War. There was 

a lot going on. 

2020 was our 1964, a year of change, not 

a lot of it good. Climate change became a 

focus with the Australian bush fires ravaging 

the country and burning a record 47 million 

acres; the death of George Floyd in the US 

sparked a wave of peaceful and sometimes 

violent demonstrations and riots across the 

world to demand an end to police brutality 

and racial injustice with Black Lives Matter, 

and Donald Trump was impeached for 

the first time and his absurdity continued 

throughout the year. 

But the cherry on the cake was COVID-19. 

On January the 9th the World Health 

Organization announced that a deadly 

coronavirus had emerged in Wuhan, 

China. In a matter of months, the virus had 

travelled the world to more than 100 million 

people, resulting in at least 2.12 million 

deaths (as of 25/1/21). It was a year of 

struggle, job losses, stress, sickness, lock 

downs, travel bans and isolation. You heard 

it a lot, people were hanging out for a new 

beginning, ‘roll in 2021’. 

I for one would say, "do not pin you hopes 

on a year, it’s just a date”, but 2021 did 

arrive. Donald Trump was voted out of office 

and the world let out a collective sigh of 

relief. Vaccines are arriving and, in many 

countries, already available. There are now 

the beginnings of travel bubbles with the 

first flights from the Cook Islands arriving 

last week. There is a sense of normality in 

the wind, a light at the end of the tunnel. 

I am sure our challenges are not over, and 

we need to be as vigilant as ever, but the 

times they are a’ changing’ for the better. 

Welcome to 2021, we are looking forward to 

sharing it with you. 

Steve Dickinson - Editor 

EDITOR & ADVERTISING MANAGER 

Steve Dickinson 

Mob: 027 577 5014 

steve@pacificmedia.co.nz 

ART DIRECTOR 

Lynne Dickinson 

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respect to any of the material contained herein. 

Adventure starts with Rad 

THE CHOPROCK 

Performance summer hikers 

For days spent around water, the capable Choprock is designed to both drain 

and dry quickly, protect your feet from debris and grip on slick terrain. 

23 Locations Nationwide - www.radcarhire.co.nz | 0800 73 68 23 ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ | adventure@radcarhire.co.nz 01

page08 

Image compliments of Expedition Earth Image by Lynne Dickinson Image by Steve Dickinson 

Image by Mike Dawson 

page 14 

page 36 

page 84 

02//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#224 

#224 

contents 

08//Hiking 

The 3 Passes Route, Southern Alps 

14//Flight Tales 

Queenstown to Milford Sound 

18//West Coast Wilderness Trail 

Eric Skilling shares the experience 

28//The Milford Track 

Tired legs, looming deadlines and a Christmas adventure 

on the world's finest trail 

36//Home Grown 

Rotorua, feel the spirit 

46//Olivine Ice Plateau 

Extreme camping trip 

54//Bike Tales 

The Queenstown Bike Trail 

60//Mt Aspiring 

Climbing in a shrinking weather window 

66//Adventure travel 

Vanuatu 

84//The giant sand dunes of Te Paki 

with Bridget Thackwray and Topher Richwhite 

92//Vanlife 

The pot of gold 

plus 

70. gear guides 

83. subs 

96. active adventure 

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Join us in this flavour fuelled adventure! 

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BEHIND THE COVER 

In 2017, a age 22, Australian Remy Morton's 

incredible MTB career almost came to an abrupt 

end. Whilst riding in Belgium he miscalculated 

a 24m jump and landed on his chest. He 

woke up a month later with a broken neck, a 

complete set of broken ribs, sternum, shoulder, 

collarbone, hip, all broken or dislocated. The 

official count of his injuries tallied at 20 broken 

bones, two collapsed lungs and a pair of 

ruptured kidneys. The doctors said his injuries 

were consistent with someone who had fallen 

off a three-storey building. Like everything 

Remy does it was caught on film https://www. 

youtube.com/watch?v=cR2BCOBrTrc 

ORIGINAL 

Remy's accident happened in July 2017 and 

by December of that year he was back racing 

again. That sentence needs repeating: six 

months after a horror crash that almost killed 

him, one that the doctors thought would leave 

him unable to walk for the rest of his life, Remy 

Morton was racing bikes again. In 2019 he went 

back to Belgium and completed the same jump 

safely. See the full story in our survival issue 

due out April 2021! 

Remy Morton makes the cover of our hike & bike issue as he performs during filming of Red 

Bull Sound of Speed in Queenstown 

Photographer Credit: Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool 

SHE SAID YES! 

2021 has started on a high for Kiwi adventure entrepreneur 

Robert Bruce, who proposed to his partner of two years Josefine 

Pettersson at the end of a 280km hike, earlier this month. 

Robert is the founder of Got To Get Out, an award winning social 

enterprise outdoors group that gets Kiwis active via organised 

adventures, to improve the mental and physical health of Kiwis. 

From the 1st to 10th January 

2021 Bruce and Pettersson 

were on a multi-day hike from 

Cape Reinga to Waitangi 

following the Te Araroa Trail, 

when he surprised her - and 

the other hikers - by dropping 

to one knee on the final day. 

Bruce, who is thrilled she 

accepted his proposal, says 

"she can hike, mountain bike, 

drive a bus, and most of all is 

happy to spend ten days in a 

tent with me. She's a keeper!" 

The group of Got To Get Out 

hikers were initially shocked, 

and then cheered and hugged 

the newly engaged couple 

after witnessing such a special 

moment. 

Pettersson is a Swedish 

national who's been in New 

Zealand for two years. In 

this time she has worked 

for Mt Ruapehu and most 

recently been an integral part 

of Got To Get Out, arranging 

adventure logistics, operations 

and assisting the planning of 

their many trips. Bruce and 

Pettersson share a love of 

Nepal, where they have both 

trekked extensively, including 

together to Mt Everest Base 

Camp and Island Peak in 2019. 

The wedding itself will take 

place when borders allow 

Swedish families to visit New 

Zealand. 

Bruce and Petterson are in the 

early stages of planning an 

"outdoor chic" relaxed wedding, 

which they hope to host in 

nature with many of their 

hiking friends, and animals in 

attendance. 

Congratulations from us all 

here at Adventure Magazine! 

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hikING 

TALES 

3 passes route: Southern alps 

By Mike Dawson 

In the heart of the Southern Alps of New 

Zealand lies one of the absolute transalpine 

classic trekking routes; the 3 Passes. It 

is revered by many as one of the great 

backcountry hikes the country has on offer. Its 

remoteness and reliance on perfect conditions 

means many a trip is sent back due to high 

water and wild weather. This January we set 

out to experience one of the classics. 

It was nothing out of the ordinary for this part of 

the country, but the visibility was minimal as we 

pulled off SH73. The windscreen wipers were 

raging against the barrelling rain as we stared 

out of the windscreen up the somewhat wet 

and stormy looking valley of the Waimakariri 

River. Barely able to make out our route in 

the distance, and reliant on the somewhat 

promising weather report, we decided to head 

up with the idea of turning back if it didn’t 

improve. We loaded our full packs on our backs 

and set off embarking on a classic NZ Alpine 

route, the 3 Passes. 

Our route would see us traversing Harman, 

Whitehorn, and Browning passes. This route is 

a challenging hike, encompassing 3 mountain 

passes, endless river crossing and some wild 

backcountry terrain. The trip begins with wet 

socks immediately, the first river crossing of the 

Waimakariri River right out of the carpark, sets 

the scene instantly. As you work your way the 

4-5 hours up to Carrington Hut the magnificence 

of Carrington Peak start to emerge through the 

foggy skyline. From here the true nature of this 

‘walk’ begins to emerge. The track heading up 

the White River is the first test. If your party in 

unable to get across the river here, it’s likely that 

the future river crossings will be impassable. 

Wise advice. 

A helping hand is always welcome on one of the 

countless river crossings especially navigating 

08//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER the Cronin THAN Stream. WORDS/#224

Above: Martina Wegman emerges from the clouds crossing over the Whitehorn Pass. / Right: Crossing over Browning Pass is the crux of 

the crossing. A high alpine route immersed in the mountains. 

Once you’re over the White River, the ascent begins 

instantly climbing up the Taipoiti River towards Harman 

Pass. It’s starting to get pretty wild and remote. Countless 

river crossings and scrambling over an endless stream 

of large boulders up through a tight gorge. Eventually the 

gorge opens up into the magnificent basin, surrounded with 

waterfalls and the most spectacular scenery right below 

Harman Pass. A moment to take it in before a short tussock 

bash takes you up and over the pass. 

With Harman Pass engulfed in cloud, the team wolfed 

down a quick feed just in time to see the cloud part and 

expose where we were. An incredible view down Mary 

Creek towards the Taipo – not our route – instead we 

headed South-West gaining more elevation upward towards 

Whitehorn Pass, the alpine crux of the route. Eventually the 

path becomes snow as we reached the edge of the snow 

field of Whitehorn Pass. Here it’s important to take care 

of the steep icy slope ensuring the team watched out for 

crevasses. 

As the cloud crept back in blanketing the pass in a thick mist 

we worked quickly through the exposed area, scrambling 

up the loose rocks to the Whitehorn Pass. With no chance 

of a view we dropped into the Cronin Stream and began 

the descent down out of the alpine area. As we dropped the 

temperature warmed and the skies cleared exposing the 

magical spot we were exploring. Huge peaks towered above 

us, waterfalls cascading off giant bluffs. It was spectacular. 

A few hours of sliding down alpine scree, wandering through 

scrub and tussock saw us arrive at the Park Morpeth Hut, 

an epic little hut on the edge of the Cronin Stream and 

Wilberforce Rivers. The Hut Book here goes back to 1999, 

full of history and legendary back-country names. 


What a spot - The Harman Hut at the confluence of the Harman River 

and the Arahura River. 

Rewarded with some incredible views from the top of Browning Pass, 

looking back towards the East Coast.

Feeling more relaxed after descending out of the 

cloud and into the Cronin Valley heading downstream 

to the Park Morpeth Hut. 

"This was the crux of 

technical hiking of the 

route. A steep zig zagging 

trail up through a rocky 

and loose terrain" 

We woke on day 3, downed a Radix breakfast and headed out of 

the hut to be greeted by clear blue skies. The weather gods had 

played ball and we were treated to some beautiful weather. From 

Park Morpeth Hut we headed West up the Wilberforce towards 

Browning Pass. This was the crux of technical hiking of the route. 

A steep zig zagging trail up through a rocky and loose terrain. An 

hour of slogging up the hill and the entire crew was sitting on the 

edge of the world looking back on the East Coast and ready to 

drop off the Western Side of the Alps. 

We’d crossed the 3 passes and from here it should be plain 

sailing down to the road end, or so we thought. Following the 

head waters of the legendary Arahura River we descended 

quickly towards the Harman Hut and onwards to the Styx Saddle, 

crossing the Styx saddle and into the Styx River proper. A night 

and the luxurious Grassy Flats Hut before starting the final few 

hours down the Styx. 

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Not long into the final walk the track disappeared into a sea of 

huge landslides and slips. Completely washed out. The river was 

high meaning the riverbed was impassable, so we started to go 

high, bush bashing and clambering our way through the wild West 

Coast Bush. Many hours and muesli bars later we arrived at the 

Styx Valley Carpark. Tired but stoked – Grateful to have been 

granted a passage through one of the historical classic transalpine 

crossing routes. 

3 Passes Alpine Route 

Total Ascent: 2795 

Approximate distance: 53km 

NB* Styx Track currently closed due to landslips. 

Images shot on Canon R5. 

12//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#224

flying 

TALES 

flight tales 

"Anyone who has walked 

the Routeburn would 

know the absolute wonder 

of those places, usually 

only accessible by foot, yet 

here we were, hovering 

a few hundred feet above 

them and being able to 

share them with Steve 

from the air." 

By Lynne Dickinson 

I’m not a fan of helicopters. 

I have a real sense of vulnerability being miles up 

in the air surrounded only by a metal casing large 

enough to house the few inhabitants. However, 

what causes my fear is also the thing that makes 

helicopter rides so incredibly exciting. 

We left the base of The Helicoper Line at 

Queenstown airport and headed straight towards 

the West Coast. Our final destination was to be 

Milford Sound, however as they often say, it’s all 

about the journey. I have a couple of places in New 

Zealand that I hold very dear to my heart, one of 

them being the Routeburn. 

I had been fortunate enough to walk the 

Greenstone Valley and the Routeburn 5 years ago 

with my best friend and it is an experience I have 

been talking about to Steve (my husband) ever 

since. The day before the helicopter ride we had 

visited the lower reaches of the Routeburn with 

Canyon Explorers and I had been pointing out 

landmarks to him in an effort to share my previous 

experience. So you can imagine my excitement as 

our pilot, Callum, explained that we would be flying 

up the Routeburn track and proceeded to point 

out significant landmarks along the way. Anyone 

who has walked the Routeburn would know the 

absolute wonder of those places, usually only 

accessible by foot, yet here we were, hovering a 

few hundred feet above them and being able to 

share them with Steve from the air. 

Still in awe from seeing the Routeburn from the air, 

I didn’t think much could top that, yet as we flew 

over a ridge it seemed the whole of the Southern 

Alps appeared in front of us. Huge mountainous 

peaks were visible from every direction and 

glaciers and ice flows surrounded us. Callum kept 

us informed along the way, pointing out significant 

landmarks and kept my mind distracted from 

feeling vulnerable. 

That was until we began circling the glacier, looking 

for a place to land. We felt so close to the soaring 

peaks, yet we landed on the ice with ease. 

Stepping out on the glacier we were struck by the 

stillness and serenity. Despite the fact that the 

helicopter blades were still whirling, the glacier 

offered a calmness that we are often lacking in the 

fast pace of our everyday lives. We explored the 

area around us, taking photos and just taking in the 

majesty and the peace on the ice before getting 

back into the helicopter for the remainder of the 

ride to Milford Sound. 

The drive into Milford Sound is one of the most 

impressive welcoming sights into any place I know 

and arriving by air was even more spectacular. 

As we descended into Milford Sound, Mitre Peak 

stood guard over the fiord like a guardian sentinel, 

it is the quintensional Milford vista but everytime I 

see it I still have the feeling of grandeur that you 

don't feel in many places. 

The last time we were in Milford Sound had been 

in 2018, when we had struggled to find a car park 

amongst the tourist buses that descended on the 

Sounds every hour. So we were surprised this time 

to arrive at the terminal to a similar stillness that we 

had experienced on the glacier. The car parks were 

empty of tour buses and only a handful of visitors 

milled around waiting for their boat. It was a stark 

reminder of the effects that Covid have had on our 

tourism. On one hand I felt privileged to be here 

with so few people, in one of the most impressive 

parts of New Zealand and on the other my heart 

broke for the business that had been affected by 

the world pandemic. I can only encourage you to 

get out and support New Zealand tourism, not only 

will you be able to experience places without the 

number of visitors, but you’ll be doing your bit to 

help these companies stay alive. 

Right: Our birdseye view of the Routeburn Track - if 

you look close you can see the huts on the hillside 

14//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#224 ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ 15

Top left to right: The view coming into Milford Sounds by helicopter / Bowen Falls, Milford Sound / Lynne and Steve onboard Mitre Peak tours 

Below: Landing on the glacier in the middle of summer, a surreal experience 

"Despite the fact that 

the helicopter blades 

were still whirling, 

the glacier offered a 

calmness that we are 

often lacking in the fast 

pace of our everyday 

lives. " 


We joined Mitre Peak tours for a 2 hour 

boat trip around Milford Sound, with 

Kahurangi running commentary keeping 

us informed with his wealth of information 

on the area. One of the things about the 

whole trip was the sense of scale. It’s hard 

to realise how large and formidable the 

mountains are, both in the air and whilst on 

the ocean, without something to give them 

scale. It’s not until you see another boat in 

the distance that you realise just how huge 

the surrounding landscape is. 

As well as Mitre Peak, the other main point 

of interest in Milford Sounds is Stirling 

Falls, which drops an impressive 155m 

(Maori name for this place was Piopiotahi 

after an extinct native bird) into the 

sounds below. Having kayaked the area 

previously, we had witnessed first hand the 

strength of the water and watched as tour 

boats nudged their bows as close to the 

waterfall as they could get. So as our boat 

veered closer, we left our prime positions 

at the bow and headed inside. We watched 

from behind the glass as the uninitiated 

scampered for our “prime” seats, not 

realising that within seconds they would be 

drenched. 

When the boat ride was over we headed 

back to the helicopter for the flight back 

to Queenstown. The ride back took us 

further south over the Milford Road and 

the Homer Tunnel and over Greenstone 

Valley, the start of my hike 5 years ago. I 

felt incredibly blessed to have experienced 

these places both by land and by air, and 

one I would thoroughly recommend. 

Thanks to the following: 

The Helicopter Line www.helicopter.co.nz 

Mitre Peak tours www.mitrepeak.com 

Destination Queenstown 

www.queenstownnz.co.nz 

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ikING 

TALES 

West coast wilderness trail 

By Eric Skilling 

Amongst all the off-road cycle trails in New 

Zealand none can offer the unique spectacle 

of the West Coast’s native forests, rivers, and 

lakes, bordered on one side by the Southern 

Alps and the Tasman Sea on the other. After 

spending five days on the Adventure South 

West Coast Cycling Tour, I am hooked on the 

hassle-free cycle touring that a guide can offer. 

There is so much to see and do in this beautiful 

part of New Zealand, and the expertise and 

experience of Adventure South made it easy to 

do plenty in five days. 

We completed the 133 km Wilderness Trail 

plus an extra 100km was added because, 

to quote our guide “we pick the best bits (of 

the trail) and add other great bits”. Apart from 

the cycling we found the time to experience 

the Treetop Walk, Hokitika Gorge, Punakaiki, 

Porarari walk and a very sobering memorial 

to the Buller mine disaster alongside the Grey 

River near Stillwater. 

It was a pleasure to cover so many kilometres 

on dedicated cycle tracks away from the tar 

seal and traffic, and a privilege to enjoy the 

beautiful surroundings as well. The many 

gorges, streams and waterfalls could be heard 

long before we saw them, their waters ranging 

from deep blue, turquoise to dark bronze 

in the wetlands. Describing the sun setting 

over the Tasman sea cannot do justice to the 

kaleidoscope of colours and is something 

everyone should experience for themselves. 

Personally however, my most enduring 

memories will be cycling with fellow 

adventurers on the section from Ross to 

Hokitika, cheered on by grey warbler, tomtit 

miromiro and tui. This would come second 

only to the section from Lake Kaniere to 

Kumara, both of which must be covered in 

more detail. 

Totara Bridge 

Image by Jason Blair 

ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ 19

"We soon found yourselves 

back in native bush, this time a 

wetland fed by the outflow from 

nearby Lake Mahinapua" 


Ross to Hokitika 

As early as day one we were introduced to the 

variety of landscapes we would witness over 

the next five days. The 33km ride from the 

historic mining town of Ross to Hokitika has an 

unriveld diversity of scenery and vegetation. We 

enjoyed this section of the trail so much that we 

managed to repeat the last 10km or so twice 

more over the next two days, thanks largely to 

the logistical skills of our guide. 

The first half of this section follows the straight, 

gentle gradient of the old tramline through 

farmland and coastal scrub with the sound of 

the distant Tasman Sea. The trail continues 

along the old tramline as it disappears into lush, 

mixed podocarp forest, crossing over buried 

railway sleepers and many bridged creeks, 

and noticeably more birdcalls. Within a few 

kilometres it emerges into sunlight again and a 

patch of tall spindly eucalyptus. 

Thankfully, and we soon found yourselves 

back in native bush, this time a wetland fed 

by the outflow from nearby Lake Mahinapua. 

We stopped on a small bridge crossing the 

dark Mahinapua creek lined with flax, cabbage 

trees and tall grasses while milfoils and other 

long-stemmed plants weaved with the current. 

Mesmerising. A few kilometres later the trail led 

us back into the bush, this time less dense and 

filled with tree fern. We meandered along the 

smooth, very professionally groomed tracks in 

dappled afternoon sunlight. 

Once we had crossed the Hokitika river we 

headed out to Sunset Point in bright sunshine, 

temperatures in the mid-teens and the Tasman 

Sea sparkling in a gentle onshore breeze. To 

the south the mighty Aoraki Mt Cook and La 

Perouse struggled to impose themselves in the 

summer haze. Stunning. If this was cycle touring 

on the West Coast, then why had I not heard of 

this gem long ago? 


Challenge: Cycling from Lake Kaniere to Theatre Royal Hotel, Kumara 

Cycling the Wilderness Trail can be as challenging as you want it to be. 

Day 3 for us began at Lake Kaniere and climbed to the 317 metre Kawhaka 

Saddle and onto our accommodation at the classic Theatre Royal Hotel 

at Kumara. Sixty kilometres of mostly off-road riding in bright sunshine. 

A reasonable challenge in anyone’s eyes but worth every kilojoule of 

effort. We rode alongside the Arahura River, up some very cyclist-friendly 

switchbacks and into a podocarp forest filled with ancient Kahikatea which 

was crossed by plenty of refreshingly cool and crystal-clear streams. The 

track designers have successfully given cyclists of almost any ability the 

chance to experience these memorable landscapes. 

Since 1992 

Since 1992 

DISCOVER NZ’S CYCLE TRAILS WITH ADVENTURE SOUTH NZ 

Insert left page: Fresh faces at Ross, the start of our 5-day cycle tour 

Above: The beautiful warm waters of Lake Kaniere 

Right: The 500 metre treetop walk alongside Lake Mahinapua 

Images by Eric Skilling 

Lake Kaniere 

It would be remiss of me not to mention the lakes. Cycling 

to Lake Kaniere from Hokitika is a pleasure all its own - a 

gentle cruise through more native bush, alongside the 

man-made Kaniere Water Race dating back to 1875, 

emerging at the lake. Personally, I was surprised at how 

large an expanse of water it is, spectacularly surrounded 

by bush clad hills with a couple of rugged alpine peaks 

standing over the hills at the southern end. I was also 

pleasantly surprised at how warm the water was in mid- 

January. This is a smaller but lot quieter (more waka, less 

motor) version of Lake Brunner, and another reason I will 

return to the West Coast. 

Fully supported Cycle Trail tours: *West Coast Wilderness Trail *Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail *Otago Central Rail Trail 

*Tasman Great Taste Trail...and more. E-bikes available 

Book online: adventuresouth.co.nz | 0800 00 11 66 | info@adventuresouth.co.nz 

Fully supported Off the bike Cycle Trail tours: *West Coast Wilderness Trail *Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail *Otago Central Rail Trail 

There are many other points *Tasman of interest Great to Taste keep Trail...and everyone more. E-bikes available 

busy. Book online: adventuresouth.co.nz | 0800 00 11 66 | info@adventuresouth.co.nz 

The 500-metre treetop walk alongside Lake Mahinapua 

places you 20 metres up into the canopy, amongst 

ancient rimu and kamahi, and then up another thrilling 27 

metres to the top of the tower for views to the lake. Selfguided, 

the walk provides an informative brochure which 

accompany marked stops along the elevated walkway. 

The memorial to the 65 men and boys who perished in 

the Brunner mine disaster of 1896 made quite an impact 

on all of us. Over 180 children lost a father, 37 wives 

lost husbands and 14 elderly parents lost their only 

breadwinner. The hardships are strikingly illustrated at 

the memorial and go some way toward recognising the 

hardships these folk endured and the contribution they 

made to the economic success of early New Zealand. 

500 metre treetop walk alongside Lake Mahinapua 


• A five minute bike ride to the West 

Coast Wilderness Trail 

• 18 quality units 

• Close to restaurants, supermarket 

and the Westland Recreation Centre 

• Safe secure lockup for bikes 

• Book direct for best price 

p: 03 768 7199 

e: greymouth@bellavista.co.nz 

w: www.bellavista.co.nz 

Unforgettable surroundings. Unmatched comfort 

Rainforest Retreat Deluxe, Franz Josef Glacier 

Luxury accommodation set amongst lush native bush 

Summer season specials: 

Book direct for exclusive deals, visit our website 

www.rainforest.nz/specials or call us on 0800 873 346 

Bella Vista Greymouth 

“The perfect place for your overnight stay” 

The day spent at the pancake rocks 

at Punakaiki was never going to be 

long enough. The coastline changes 

dramatically after Greymouth, from 

wide sandy beaches littered with 

huge driftwood logs, to a series of 

rugged rocky bays and cliffs where 

the locals are raging war to keep 

their land from the invading Tasman 

Sea. 

Views from the road are impressive 

but the surge pool at Punakaiki must 

be one of the best places in New 

Zealand to get close to the power of 

the Tasman Sea. Even in small seas 

the boom of waves crashing against 

the cliffs would make anyone feel 

slightly vulnerable. 

After the energy of the surge pool 

several of us chose a more sedate 

walk along the Porarari river and 

swim under the swing bridge before 

heading to Punakaiki Resort, our 

accommodation for the last night. 

The rooms from this hotel must have 

one of the most stunning vistas 

available. Set against a cliff, almost 

every room has a view across the 

rock-strewn beach to the sea. A 

perfect place to sit back and treat 

yourself to one of those dramatic 

west coast sunsets. 

Guided Cycle Tours 

At this point I must acknowledge 

the skills and expertise of our 

guide. From taking all the hassle 

out choosing accommodation and 

restaurants, providing bikes, snacks, 

water, and a bike repair service, a 

guide takes all the stress out of the 

logistical nightmare of getting to and 

from trails. Daily itineraries were 

changed based on interests, weather 

and even wind direction. 

Hassle-free cycle touring means the 

only decision is whether to enjoy 

that cool refreshing beer on the 

deck of the Beachfront Hotel before 

or after a shower. My personal 

recommendation would be to do both 

– the view out across the deck to the 

beach is not to be missed. 

The other priceless benefit of touring 

is the opportunity to share unique 

experiences with other like-minded 

people who start out as strangers 

and end up as friends. I have always 

found the folk who join these cycling 

tours share an interest in adventure, 

appreciate the uniqueness of the 

experience, and enjoy the banter and 

camaraderie that inevitably develops. 

TranzAlpine Railway 

Travelling by train on the return 

journey is a treat. Travelling on 

the TranzAlpine from Moana to 

Christchurch made me feel a touch 

guilty at the thought that our guide 

was driving the van and bikes back 

on his own. They are such a relaxing 

way to soak up exclusive views of 

the huge glacial valleys, wide braided 

rivers and viaducts that will have you 

staring in disbelief. 

A well-stocked café and comfortable 

seats make staying awake in the 

tunnel a bit of a challenge, but a trip 

to the open-air carriage and breathtaking 

sights soon take away any 

apathy. My only regret on this tour 

was why it had taken me so long 

to get here, and plans are already 

underway to return. 

Approaching Greymouth 


Sunset from the beach at Punakaiki Resort 

Approaching the end of the trail at Greymouth 

Thanks to the following people for such an 

incredible experience: 

Adventure South 

www.adventuresouth.co.nz 

Beachfront Hotel Hokitika 

www.beachfronthotel.co.nz 

Theatre Royal Hotel Kumara 

www.theatreroyalhotel.co.nz 

Punakaiki Resort 

www.punakaikiresort.co.nz 

Treetops walk 

www.treetopsnz.com 

TranzAlpine 

www.greatjourneysofnz.co.nz/tranzalpine 

Punakaiki Tavern 

www.punakaikitavern.co.nz 


last great mountaineering challenge 

Words and Images by Red Bull 

Ground-breaking mountaineer 

Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja MBE has 

attained an incredible new worldrecord 

by summitting K2 as part 

of a collaborative team in the 

depths of winter. Until now, it was 

a record that was believed to be 

impossible to accomplish and 

was famously known as the ‘last 

great mountaineering challenge’. 

On January 16, 2021, at 5pm 

local time the former Gurkha and 

UK Special Forces operative 

and his team, along with Team 

Mingma G and one mountaineer 

from Team SST, officially 

became the first mountaineers to 

ever summit K2 in winter. A huge 

feat for the Nepalese climbing 

community. 

The whole team waited and 

then stepped onto the summit 

together while singing the 

Nepalese national anthem. 

The mountaineers climbed the 

Abruzzi route. 

Purja said: “What a journey. 

I’m humbled to say that, as a 

team, we have summitted the 

magnificent K2 in extreme winter 

conditions. We set out to make 

the impossible possible and 

we are honoured to be sharing 

this moment, not only with the 

Nepalese climbing community 

but with communities all across 

the world. Mother Nature 

always has bigger things to say 

and standing on the summit, 

witness to the sheer force of 

her extremities, we are proud 

to have been a part of history 

for humankind and to show that 

collaboration, teamwork and 

a positive mental attitude can 

push limits to what we feel might 

be possible. Thank you for the 

support we’ve received from 

people all around the globe, it 

gave us fire in our chest to make 

this goal a reality.” 

Standing 8,611m above sea 

level, K2 was the only 8,000m 

peak in the world that had never 

been climbed during winter. 

In fact, it was considered by 

many to be an impossible task 

due to the inclement weather 

conditions. 

Attempts on the mountain are 

normally made in July or August, 

during the warmest periods; 

only 280 people had reached 

the summit of K2 in a favourable 

Spring climbing season, 

compared to 3,681 who have 

made it to the top of Everest. 

On January 18, 2021, Purja 

explained he’d climbed K2 

without supplementary oxygen. 

"K2 winter was a beast 

of a challenge. I firmly 

believe that a feat of 

such caliber is never 

possible if you don’t 

have a purpose or if it is 

only aimed for your own 

self glory. 

I have always known 

what my mind and body 

are capable off. To lay it 

out straight, on my previous evolutions I had been carrying 

oxygen from 8000m and above, but I was personally 

satisfied with my work efficiency up to 8000m. It was my 

choice and I had my own reasons and ethos. 

It was a tough call this time inorder to make that decision 

whether to climb with or without supplementary oxygen 

(O2). Due to the weather conditions and time frame, I 

hadn’t acclimatised adequately. I was only able to sleep as 

high as Camp 2 (6,600m). Ideally climbers need to sleep 

OR at least touch Camp 4 before heading for a summit 

push. Lack of acclimatisation, developed frost bite from 

the first rotation and slowing down other team members, 

risking everyone’s safety, were the key uncertainties 

associated. 

The safety of my team is and always have been my top 

priority above all. I have lead 20 successful expeditions 

so far and all my team members have returned home the 

exact way that they had left home i.e. without loosing any 

fingers or toes. 

I took a calculated risk this time and I pressed on without 

supplementary O2. My self confidence, knowing my body’s 

strength, capability and my experience from climbing the 

14 x 8000ers enabled me to keep up with the rest of the 

team members and yet lead." 


HIKING 

TALES 

Tired legs, 

looming deadlines 

and a Christmas 

adventure on the 

world's finest trail... 

The Milford Track 

Words and photos by Derek Cheng 

Steph Jones makes her way to Mackinnon Pass, the highest point on the Milford Track, as rain sweeps up the valley behind her. 

“If you’ve got any sprint left in you, 

go for it.” 

Steph and I were 1500m from the 

Glade Wharf, the head of Lake Te 

Anau, and she was imploring me to 

leave her behind. We'd run some 60 

km in the last nine hours, including 

1800m of elevation, and we were 

late for the last boat leaving the 

wharf for civilisation. 

But it was Christmas Day. Would 

there be some Christmas magic in 

the air? Would the boat captain— 

knowing of two runners on their 

way—decide to wait for us? 

I was utterly exhausted, but I 

"sprinted" across the pristine 

grounds of Glade House, a private 

lodge. A slight uphill as the trail reentered 

the forest triggered a flurry 

of heaving and guttural grunting. I 

cried out at the first glimpse of the 

lake, not in delight at the discovery of 

a waiting boat, but in case a captain 

who’s about to leave might hear it 

and wait a tad longer. 

My legs were aflame. The lungs 

were screaming. The tank was 

empty. Hazy hope was the only thing 

driving me onwards. 

The Milford Track is touted as the 

finest hike in the world. It spans 53.5 

km from Sandfly Point, at the edge 

of Milford Sound, to Glade Wharf on 

Lake Te Anau. It’s a trophy for trail 

runners, not just for the distance and 

the scenery, but also the logistical 

challenges. 

It entails two boat rides, the first 

being a 10-minute trip from Deep 

Water Basin in Milford Sound to 

Sandfly Point. Making the second 

ride—from Glade Wharf to Te Anau 

Downs, on the main road—is the 

crux. Missing it means hiking over 

Dore Pass, a 1200m climb up and 

over inhospitable terrain, followed by 

hitch-hiking from the roadside. 

Then there are the fitness demands 

and the forecast, which wasn't ideal: 

steady rain, with snow at the highest 

point—Mackinnon Pass. We could 

have waited for more agreeable 

conditions, but why not celebrate 

Christmas Day, which also happened 

to be Steph’s birthday, with an 

adventure? 

There were four of us at the boat 

ramp at 7am on Christmas morning, 

which dawned with surprisingly clear 

skies and cool, crisp air. Two of our 

quartet were dubious about making 

the 4pm boat at Glade Wharf, so 

they arranged to run a section and 

then return to be collected from 

Sandfly Point a few hours later. 

Steph and I had no such 

reservations, breaking into a quick 

trot that seemed easy to maintain, 


Above left: The trail winds through the beech forests of Fiordland. Above right: Steph Jones and the author at the start of the Milford 

Track, looking much less haggard than we did at the end. 

Right: Steph Jones enjoying a view of Mackay Falls 

and one which, we decided, would give us more than 

enough time. We even visited Mackay Falls and Bell 

Rock, the former an impressive cascade, the latter a 

rock lump that’s been hollowed out and flipped upside 

down by the river forces of several decades. 

The first section follows the banks of the Arthur River 

up an immensely glaciated valley. Every so often, it 

opens up to reveal imposing granite walls and steep, 

verdant valleys, a reminder of the dramatic weather 

forces—it rains about seven metres a year—that 

shape New Zealand’s most rugged landscape. 

After downing some scroggin and electrolytes at 

Dumpling Hut, 18 kilometres in, we soon arrived at 

the turn-off for Sutherland Falls, the country’s highest 

waterfall. Without much thought, we both agreed that 

we had a substantial cushion of time. What if they’re 

the most exquisite falls in the history of humankind, 

and we didn’t go? 

The path crossed undulating terrain before arriving 

at the 580m-high falls. The thunderous sound at the 

base is akin to the lift-off of the most gargantuan 

space shuttle, while the sheer impact of the water on 

the rocks at the base is enough to send a stiff breeze 

under your jacket and into your chest. 

Returning to the main trail about 50 minutes later, we 

now faced the steep ascent through Clinton Canyon 

to Mackinnon Pass. Spirits were high, despite the first 

spits of rain, as we power-walked past kidney ferns, 

mountain daisies and Mt Cook buttercups. 

At the top of the pass, as the clouds closed in and 

snow flurries started falling, we realised that the rest of 

the day might not be the leisurely stroll we anticipated. 

But we still thought that three hours for 25 km of 

downhill was very doable. 

The path down, however, was rocky, and care had to 

be taken to avoid face-planting. And by the time the 

track levelled out to a gentle downhill, The Wall had 

materialised: the point in an ultra-run when the face 

starts to grimace with every step. 

Flowing conversation turned to silence as we ground 

down the kilometres. Every time we passed a post 

telling us how far we had to go, we quietly calculated 

the required pace. It became clear we weren’t going 

to make it unless we could suddenly start running four 

minute-kilometres. Hope shifted from making it by 4pm 

to having a boat captain willing to wait for us simply 

because it was Christmas Day. 

With about three kilometres to go, Steph verbalised 

The Wall with two simple words: “My legs.” 

“… are machines,” I replied in an effort to summon 

some encouragement. But my own legs were on the 

verge of collapse, and I couldn’t help but add: “Tired 

machines.” 

We pressed on. As we crossed the last bridge and the 

grounds of Glade House, we couldn’t help but notice 

the crisp, white linen on luxurious beds. It was from 

here that the final sprint was on. Visions of a boatmaster, 

beaming with delight as we ran into view, kept 

the legs pumping right to the end. 

There was no boat, of course, or even a hint of a 

boat’s wake to suggest a recent departure. It was 

4.45pm, and the wharf was predictably silent. Steph 

and I collapsed into a mix of joy and disappointment, 

as well as relief that we didn’t have to run anymore. 

It didn’t take long to decide that Dore Pass was a 

no-go. We’d seen it from the track, its steepness 

prompting a non-family friendly phrase from both of us. 

Our legs could barely endure anything more than slow, 

feeble steps, so we hoped—declared, even—that 

Glade House would revive our faith in the Christmas 

spirit. I had my credit card with me. No price was too 

high to allow us a shower and a bed. 

We staggered back to the lodge, removed our shoes 

and entered a warm dining room with a freshly-stoked 

fireplace. We explained our predicament to the 

manager, Walter, but he put us firmly in our place. 

“It’ll cost you $3000” were the first words out of his 

mouth, followed by a stern sentiment of “no, under no 

circumstances”. Steph played the birthday card, but 

this was a man who lacked an ounce of Christmas 

cheer. When Steph jokingly inquired about any spare 


Rain clouds hover over the Clinton Valley as Steph Jones makes her way down. 

steaks, he replied earnestly that they only 

had venison and salmon, pre-ordered 

from Queenstown, for a precise number 

of guests. 

I considered further ways to convey 

our desperation, to plead for some 

compassionate flexibility, but Walter’s 

resolve was unshakable. Steph looked 

longingly at a steaming kettle on the 

counter. Tea was not offered. Nor was 

water. We left, utterly deflated. 

Outside the lodge, some more 

sympathetic workers explained that the 

lodge operated via DOC concessions and 

wasn't permitted to host anyone who just 

waltzed in. They seemed almost willing 

to sneak us into the staff quarters for the 

night, but we knew there was nothing left 

to do but walk a further 3.5 km to Clinton 

Hut. 

As we did, we discussed all the ways 

we would have happily rewarded Walter 

with Christmas well-wishes and bottles of 

single malt every year, had his response 

been more charitable. 

Just as our Christmas hopes seemed 

thoroughly extinguished, the trampers at 


Clinton Hut restored it—gloriously. We 

hobbled in to the random and wonderful 

sight of two of our friends, who cooked 

us a dehydrated beef teriyaki meal and 

then gave us cashew nuts and dark 

chocolate. Complete strangers offered us 

gourmet potato chips, a vegan sausage 

with mashed potatoes and peas, and 

extra clothes including magnificently thick 

woollen socks for the night. 

Andrea, the DOC warden, welcomed 

us with so much warmth that she must 

have studied Walter’s disposition in 

order to convey its antithesis. She had 

spare bunks and blankets, and we were 

welcome to them, as long as we promised 

to sort the bill later. (DOC charged us 

$150 each for the night, a stiff penalty for 

our visit to Sutherland Falls.) 

The morning offered further proof of the 

awesomeness of human beings. We 

were given cinnamon and raisin porridge 

and vanilla chai tea—enough to joke 

about running back to Sandfly Point. We 

reciprocated their generosity by taking out 

everyone’s rubbish. 

The morning boat was due to arrive at 

Glade Wharf at 1130am. As we slowly 

walked back, we hatched plans to punish 

Walter. Hide rubbish in every room in 

the property? Leave a scatological gift 

where he’d least expect? Sneak into the 

kitchen and lick every piece of venison 

and salmon? 

The devil caricature of Walter was, of 

course, a convenient fantasy. He was 

just doing his job, and the nuances of 

his response were amplified by our own 

fatigue and unrealistic hopes. Walter was 

dutifully vacuuming the dining room as 

we walked by, and he gave us a friendly 

wave, which we returned. 

There was no boat at the wharf when we 

got there, but we were 18 minutes early. 

It soon appeared and, after it docked, 

the staff gave us scorched almonds and 

blueberries. Steph’s partner, they told 

us, had been in touch and was waiting 

patiently at Te Anau Downs. 

It had been a Christmas—and, for 

Steph, a birthday—to remember. The 

adventure had tested our limits, treated 

us to stunning scenery, and had briefly 

obliterated our faith in the Christmas 

spirit—only to then see it refreshingly 

revitalised. 

Featuring all-new, patented FormKnit technology, the AirZone 

Trek’s iconic carry system offers world-class comfort and 

ventilation. Whether you’re feeling the heat on dusty tracks or 

picking up the pace hut-to-hut, the AirZone Trek helps you keep 

your cool. 

#MOVEYOURWORLD

new years resolution 

these legs are made for walking 

What can you possibly say about 2020 

which does not involve a lot of expletives? 

It was certainly a year to remember. It 

is a known fact that the mere prospect 

of change does not sit well with many 

people and causes stress and anxiety, 

but 2020 saw us all change in many 

ways. We had to quickly adapt to a ‘new 

normal’, changing the way that we worked, 

socialised, travelled and engaged with 

people on a daily basis. 

It was also a year that made us reflect. It 

made us all sit down and think about what 

was truly important in life. It was more 

about family, friends and health and much 

less about material things. It was more 

about being ok and less about what we 

owned. Minimalism became the fashion 

and materialism walked out the door. We 

took to discovering our own backyards, to 

disconnecting from the everyday and to 

learning how to stop and breathe again. 

My annual holiday was always of the 

overseas kind, exploring new exotic 

locations and spending time with friends 

and family that tagged along with me. This 

year, alas it wasn’t to be. So after nearly 

12 months with no break, I too decided to 

take to the NZ outdoors and discovered 

the art of a walking holiday. 

I know. Walk and holiday often don’t tend 

to appear in the same sentence, (even 

I used to think that). But I can honestly 

say that having 2 weeks walking in the 

By Natalie Tambolash 

great outdoors was an experience that 

left me feeling relaxed and accomplished 

at the same time. For those that are a 

little sceptical, here is why I think walking 

holidays are a great idea. 

1. It’s a healthy travel alternative: 

“Mauri tū Mauri ora” – “An active soul is 

a healthy soul”. Walking is good for the 

heart, the mind and the soul. It helps get 

your muscles moving, your lungs breathing 

fresh air, lightens your mood, improves 

your sleep and you end up fitter after your 

trip then when you first started even if you 

are indulging. 

2. Walking is suitable for everyone: 

From those that are new to a walking 

holiday, through to those seeking their next 

challenge or ticking off their bucket list. No 

matter your fitness level or ability, there is 

a walk out there to suit everyone. 

3. It makes New Zealand affordable: 

Budget plays a key role for most of us 

when travelling and walking is a way to 

see the country without breaking the bank. 

There are many self-guided walks that are 

budget friendly providing everything you 

need and nothing you don’t whilst being 

fully organised for you. 

4. Freedom to choose the trip you want: 

Walking allows you to choose where you 

walk, when you walk and how you walk. 

Self-guided or guided walks exist around 

all regions of New Zealand, allowing 

you the freedom of choice and also the 

freedom to choose your own pace. 

5. Exploring remote locations and 

off the beaten path trails: There is so 

much beauty to be discovered throughout 

Aotearoa, some whose names resonate 

with us, and some that are unknown, 

remote regions ready to be discovered 

and explored. In a time where it is all 

about distancing, there are still plenty 

of ‘untrodden trails’ and picture perfect 

landscapes to be walked in NZ. 

6. Great for single travellers: Not all 

our friends, family or partners want to go 

walking with us. Some of them would 

rather stay at home than embrace the 

great outdoors. A guided walk is great for 

single travellers. You can join a guided 

departure knowing that you are walking 

with a group of like-minded travellers and 

potentially walking away with a new group 

of friends at the end of it. 

7. Allows you to reconnect and reflect: 

Our lives have become all too busy. Filled 

day to day with jobs, activities, lists and 

leaving us feeling like we must achieve 

everything and so much more. In the 

chaos that is life, we forget our own selves. 

We forget to take a breath and enjoy the 

moment. Walking allows us to reconnect – 

to ourselves, to nature and to being in that 

moment and reflect on where we are at 

and where we might be going. 

8. Provides a more in-depth experience: 

We all know that feeling of arriving at 

an unknown destination and sometimes 

thinking, ‘now what’. The best way to find 

and explore your surrounds is on foot. A 

walking trip is no different. It will take 

you to where often most other modes 

of transport cannot access. Exploring 

regions only reached on foot and giving 

you the chance of a more in-depth 

experience and exploration of an area, 

than simply driving through it or skimming 

past it. You become more involved with 

the area, the people in it and the quirky 

little items of interest that you find along 

the way. 

"It was also a year that made us reflect. It made 

us all sit down and think about what was truly 

important in life." 

9. It naturally provides social 

distancing: In a world that completely 

changed overnight and fear of being ‘too 

close’ became the normal, a walk allows 

for natural social distancing allowing you 

to maintain a distance between your fellow 

walkers (if you’re in a group) or between 

other walkers if you are self-guided. 

Sometimes, you will be the only one out 

there on the track. 

10. Allows you to throw time out the 

window: Walking is the perfect place to 

take your watch off. You have all day to 

walk, so why do you need a schedule or 

a watch to tell you what the time is. Take 

it off. Throw time out the window and just 

live in the moment. Eat when hungry, drink 

when thirsty and just enjoy the sounds 

surrounding you and the beat of your own 

rhythm. 

I discovered that these legs were made 

for walking and it is something I vow to do 

more of in 2021. Getting out into nature, 

listening to the sounds, appreciating the 

little things and truly allowing myself to 

disconnect from life and reconnect to 

myself was the best New Year’s resolution 

I could make for 2021. Will you join me? 

Don’t just do a good walk 

do a GREAT one! 


HOMEGROWN 

ROTORUA 

ROTORUA 

feel the spirit 

By Lynne and Steve Dickinson 

Image compliments of Volcanic Air 

The spectacular Hokitika Gorge 

Like any adventurer knows, if you are feeling lost, 

or need to get your bearings, you climb to the top 

of the highest tree or hill to gain some perspective. 

We were not lost, but we didn’t know what treasures 

were hidden in our surrounds and from the vantage 

point of our small float plane we were able to see 

for miles, literally. In one direction we could see 

Mt Edgecombe and glimpse White Island on the 

horizon and around us lakes littered the landscape. 

Holding guard over this incredible landscape, Mt 

Tarawera stood like a proud sentinel, the gashes 

and gorges in its side witness to its violent history. 

Mount Tarawera is the one of the most well-known 

features of Rotorua, although it is one of those 

places we often see simply as a backdrop to our 

lakeside adventures. There is a trail to the top of the 

mountain, but you are not able to hike this without 

joining a tour. At present the only way to access the 

1,111meter peak (or peaks) is either by flying with 

Volcanic Air (they do a helicopter ride to the top 

where you can get out and explore as well as the 

float plane ride, which we were on) or with Kaitiaki 

Adventures, who own the rights to the land access 

and run 4x4 and hiking tours to the summit. 

Tarawera, which in Maori translates to “burnt peaks” 

last erupted in 1886, killing over 120 people and 

burying the Pink and White Terraces beneath Lake 

Rotomahana. As we flew over the craters you can 

clearly see the fissure that runs for 17km, splitting 

the mountain in two, something you could only 

experience from the heights of a plane. 

As most of us explore New Zealand by road, 

and often just the main road, we have no idea 

of the gems often just hidden behind a hill or in 

a secluded valley. From our vantage point we 

could see small settlements dotted around the 

countryside, as our pilot, Simon explained the 

significance of each of the landmarks. We flew 

over steaming geysers and lakes so vivid in colour 

you would think they had been painted, places we 

simply did not know existed. 

We became humbly aware of how much of 

New Zealand is unoccupied, and those small 

communities that exist are unknown to most of 

us. Amongst the groomed dairy farms, and wild 

natural forests there are treasures just waiting to 

be discovered. 

"From the vantage point 

of our small float plane 

we were able to see for 

miles, literally." 


Left to right: The landing strip / Our pilot Simon and editor Steve / Orakei Korako Geothermal area 

Main image: Our guide, Cabin, leading the way in Whakarewarewa Forest 

One such place was Orakei Korako 

Geothermal Park and Cave. As we 

descended upon Lake Ohakuri, it was 

impossible to imagine that we could 

actually land on this slither of water. We 

circled the narrow lake before descending 

between the trees and expertly gliding to a 

stop just alongside the dock at the Orakei 

Korako Geothermal Park and Cave. 

Orakei Korako is a highly active 

geothermal area located south of Rotorua, 

on the earliest known route from Rotorua 

and Taupo and it has been hosting visitors 

since the early 1900’s. The naturally faultstepped 

silica terraces that form the base 

of the geyser land are believed the be the 

largest of their kind since the destruction 

of the Pink and White Terraces. 

Last year, we visited the famous geyser 

lands in Yellowstone National Park, and 

watched as geysers bubbled and boiled, 

surrounded by hundreds of people all 

“oohing and aching” waiting for Old 

Faithful to blow. We had travelled 16 

hours by plane, driven 900km, paid an 

expensive entry fee and were squished in 

with noisy tourists drinking “double gulp” 

and scoffing hotdogs trying to get a peak 

of the bubbling geyser and we could have 

simply driven three hours south and seen 

the same thing. 

Orakei Korako is just one of the many 

geothermal hotspots in this region. 

Although you can do the 45 minute drive 

south from Rotorua, flying there with 

Volcanic Air in their float plane adds so 

much to the experience. 

As we could see from the air, Rotorua 

area is diverse and this creates a unique 

environment allowing for an array 

of outdoor activities to take place in 

such a small compact area. The most 

renowned adventure activity in Rotorua 

is its mountain biking. Wherever you 

look you’ll see people on bikes or bikes 

attached to the back or top of cars. The 

Whakarewarewa Forest is home to many 

international mountain bike events, 

including Crankworx, which Red Bull ranks 

as the #1 event to watch. This reputation 

can sometimes be intimidating to the 

average biker. However we were soon to 

find out that the park had something to 

offer everyone. 

We had arranged to go biking with one of 

the guides from Mountain Bike Rotorua, 

who have a base out at the mountain bike 

park in Waipa State Mill Road. We had 

limited time in the park and didn’t want 

to spend it hovering over a map trying to 

work out where we were. That’s definitely 

one of the issues I have with mountain 

bike parks, the trail maps seem less than 

easy to navigate when you are fairly new 

to the sport. 

Our guide for the day was “Cabin”, a local 

who had spent most of his youth following 

a professional career in mountain biking. 

In order to see as much as the park as 

possible (as well as the fact that our 

mountain bike fitness was a little shite) 

we ordered e-bikes. As I type this I can 

hear some of you hard core mountain 

bikers groaning, “that’s not real biking”. 

Well I used to think the same but as I have 

gotten a little older and a little slower I 

have become a convert. 

Our first stop with Cabin was to sit in front 

of the large trail map as he explained 

the park, its trails and its development. 

Rotorua has the most extensive mountain 

bike trail network in the country with 

approx. 200 trails in the region (and these 

seem to be growing daily), so you can 

spend a lot of time in here and not ride the 

same piece of dirt twice. 

We set off on the new Forest Loop 

perimeter track, which has been set up to 

be the “Tongariro Crossing” of mountain 

biking. When completely finished it will 

circumnavigate the park, making for 

a 40-50km grade 2 ride and take the 

Whakarewarewa Forest trail network over 

the 200km mark. 

As the trail began we entered the edge 

of the Redwoods, for me this was one 

of the highlights. There are few places 

in the world where the size and age of 

your surrounds gives you a real sense of 

grandeur, and the Rotorua Redwoods is 

one of those places. We followed this trail 

for a while but with limited time we turned 

off to access some different options. Cabin 

not only explained where we were and 

what was on offer but he also gave us 

some insights into biking from his lifetime 

of experience, just the odd tip now and 

again made all the difference, even just 

following his ‘line’ downhill helped. 

As with skiing, for more extreme tracks 

you need elevation and we climbed 

through the forest into more exposed 

sections of tracks and trails, thankful for 

the extra boost our e-bikes could provide 

on the uphill. Cabin pointed out landmarks 

and various trails and we explored some 

grade 3 tracks, with steep berms and 

a few bumps, and were surprised how 

well the e-bikes handled the terrain. For 

someone of Cabin’s experience, the e-bike 

would be totally redundant on the uphill 

and weight restricted on the downhill, 

however for us we noted no difference on 

the downhill and a complete difference 

(thankfully) on the uphill. 

The park itself is varied both in terrain 

and scenery, at times you feel like you are 

miles away from civilisation, cutting a path 

through narrow trails, and at other times 

you are biking through forestry access 


oads and can see the town of Rotorua in 

the distance. There is so much variance 

and I think that is one of the things that 

makes this park so popular. 

As we finished our ride and arrived back 

in the car park area, Cabin took us back 

to the map to show us where we had 

ridden. We had covered a large area, 

although still only a small portion of what 

the park had to offer. He then showed us 

what we would have covered if we had 

been on a “normal” bike. The difference 

was surprising and put to bed any 

reservations I may have had about being 

on an e-bike. 

I wouldn’t say we were exhausted, but 

we were definitely ready for a beer. We 

had been told about “Secret Spot”, a 

recent addition to the Rotorua Mountain 

Bike base area. Hidden behind a wall 

that blends into the backdrop of the 

Whakarewarewa Forest you’ll find 

a unique hot tub experience. At the 

entrance as you walk through the 

waterfall, you know this has been created 

by adventure loving people with a special 

space to store your cleats. 

Once behind the “wall” you feel like you 

have stepped into a tropical paradise. 

Boardwalks weave through the native 

bush to uncover hidden treasures, 

whether they be cosy nooks to sit and 

enjoy a drink with your feet immersed 

in one of the “shinny dips” or one of the 

12 cedar hot tubs nestled in the bush. 

It really is a unique environment. The 

attention to detail and the attention to 

service is obvious the minute you walk 

through the door. 

Left: The hot tubs at The Secret Spot / Right: The infamous "skinny dips" 

We booked our hot tub, ordered a wine 

and went to get changed (the changing 

rooms are worthy of exploration even if 

you are not having a spa). By the time 

we were out our wines were waiting by 

our hot tubs next to the button you could 

press should you need to order another. 

We sat there warming our tired bodies 

and revelling in the unique secret spot 

that was in our own backyards. Having 

travelled a lot over the years I must say 

Secret Spot rivalled anything I have seen 

anywhere in the world. I just wished I 

lived in Rotorua as I am sure it would 

become my “local”. 

The people behind this innovation are 

adventurous Kiwi brothers, Keith and 

Eric. They grew up on a farm next to 

the Kaituna river; white water rafting, 

kayaking, hunting, biking etc and at 

the end of each adventure they would 

manage to find a hot stream in the 

bush or near a beach, a secret spot 

that only a few locals knew about. Keith 

explained how the Secret Spot came to 

fruition. “The idea actually came to us in 

a storm, as we froze while paddling the 

Whakatane river through the Te Urewera 

National Park in a Canadian canoe 

together and needed warm thoughts to 

keep us going.” 

After repetitive warm beers in a dusty 

car park at the end of a day mountain 

biking, they decided to create a secret 

spot of their own right at the base of their 

favourite mountain bike park. Five years 

later and their dream became a reality. 

You have to visit this place to appreciate 

it, it really is incredible. It’s hard to believe 

this spot was once the end of a gravel car 

park, the transformation is phenomenal. 

"I wished I lived in 

Rotorua, as I am sure 

the Secret Spot would 

become my local." 

The forest of Rotorua have been 

explored by foot and mountain 

bike for many years, and more 

recently the tree walk in the 

Redwoods allowed people to 

walk through the sub canopy 

and see what life looked like 

above the trees. 

Rotorua Canopy Tours took 

things one step further and 

created a tour through virgin 

native forest combining 

environmental awareness with 

swing bridges and ziplines. 

There is something very unique 

about seeing New Zealand’s 

virgin forest from above. We 

often look up to the canopy but 

to look down on it is like visually 

bathing in a sea of green. The 

zip lines, elevated platforms and 

rope swings high just add to the 

experience. 

We joined the Ultimate Tour, a 

three and a half hour experience 

which included 6 zip lines, a 50 

metre high cliff walkway and 3 

swing bridges in some of New 

Zealand’s oldest native forest. 

Along with our guides Kopi 

and Teagan we were joined by 

Cambridge couple, Martin and 

Carol. It was an intimate look 

at flora and fauna with a some 

adrenaline thrown in for good 

measure. 

From their base in Rotorua, it’s 

only a 15 minute drive to the 

forest, carefully cared for by 

the team at Rotorua Canopy 

Tours. Throughout the tour the 

staff kept us informed on our 

surrounds; what plants were 

growing, what wildlife could 

be seen, we were even able 

to feed a small black robin by 

hand. The company has been 

at the forefront of conservation, 

doing what they can to help 

the indigenous species in the 

forest. We were stunned to learn 

that each night, over 70,000 

native birds are killed in our 

native forests in New Zealand, 

by introduced predators; 

stoats, rats, possums being 

the main perpetrators. They 

also explained their trapping 

programme and how successful 

that had been in the region. It’s 

nice to know that the money you 

pay for a great days experience 

goes back into help preserve 

that wildlife for others to enjoy 

as well. 

The "cliff walk" on the Ultimate Tour with Rotorua Canopy Tours 

Martin and Carol cross one of the many swing bridges 


Left: A unique way to experience the virgin forests around Rotorua 

Above: Heading out on the Lakeland Princess for a morning fishing. 

Inserts top to bottom: The quinessenatial "old sea dog", and skipper Tom 

It wasn't long before we were catching trout 

While I was fishing, Tom was preparing lunch 

Rotorua is also well-known for its 

lakes, and boast 18 in the region. 

So we couldn’t visit Rotorua without 

spending some time on at least one 

of them. Steve met Tom, the skipper 

of the Lakeland Princess, at the 

wharf at 8am sharp. Like all good 

fishing tales, I’ll let him tell the story 

in his own words… 

“Now I know that Tom won’t 

mind me referring to him as the 

quintessential ‘Old Sea Dog’ (well 

maybe not old but definitely a sea 

dog). I wanted to photograph the 

boat before we left but I could see 

Tom was a little hesitant; like a 

pretty girl in an ugly dress, might be 

the best way to describe her. Tom 

referred to her as ‘fugly’ but fugly 

or not, this 9 meter, three hulled 

cat, originating from the US, was as 

stable as a dining room table. 

I remarked that it looked like the 

wind was getting up to which Tom 

replied ‘good’. He then went on to 

explain that the offshore winds blew 

feed off the weed banks and into 

the deep water. We put two rods 

out with lures, 30m out the back of 

the boat on lead lines. Tom further 

explained that the water was only 

4m deep. He showed me on the 

sounder the weed beds and how we 

were tracking the edge of them. 

Tom had a story for every occasion, 

and he was super interesting to chat 

to. He told me he had been trained 

by a guy who had a ‘no fish - no fee’ 

policy. I asked how often did that 

happen, to which he replied ‘never’, 

but sometimes we are out here for a 

long time. No sooner had the words 

left him mouth that we had a hit. He 

stopped the boat, reeled the other 

rod in while I played the trout to 

the edge of the boat. It was netted 

before being humanely ‘dispatched’. 

Tom then filleted like a master (he 

might have done it a few times 

before), salting and sugaring the 

fillets before leaving them to rest for 

the upcoming lunch. 

We cruised around the lake, not 

another boat in sight, and continued 

to reel in fish. Tom was quite happy 

for us to keep them but we put them 

all back as we already had enough 

for lunch. With about an hour left. I 

took the wheel of Fugly while Tom 

prepared the smoker. The cabin 

soon filled with the mouth-watering 

smell of slowly smoking trout. 

Tom laid out the lunch, a spread 

of salads, and croissants, plus the 

most delicious smoked trout I have 

ever tasted. Tom’s secret recipe 

(now no longer a secret) was two 

parts sugar to one part salt, using 

Pohutukawa sawdust instead of the 

standard manuka as it makes the 

fish taste sweeter, which it really 

did. 

We slowly cruised back to the wharf 

after what had been a fantastic 

morning seeing Rotorua from a 

different aspect. I had made a new 

friend, leant how to smoke trout the 

proper way and caught a bunch of 

fish, perfect. 

If you are going to Rotorua, go 

fishing or just go out cruising on 

the Lakeland Princess, you won’t 

regret it.” 


Left to right: Relaxing in the Polynesian Pools before my spa treatment / The Redwoods nightlight treewalk 

Whilst Steve was catching our lunch, I headed to the 

Polynesian Pools and Spa for a treat of a different kind. The 

Polynesian Spa commands a prime piece of real estate, right 

on the shores of Lake Rotorua. My treatment began with a 

soak in the Deluxe Lake Spa pools, ranging in temperature 

from 38-41 degrees, each boating delightful views of the lake. 

The only sound was the gentle trickle of water cascading 

over the rocks as you moved. Signs asking for no music or no 

talking on mobile phones set the scene for a very relaxing and 

tranquil experience. 

The idea of a dip before a body treatment is to relax the 

muscles and really to get you in the zone for pampering, and 

they certainly did that. I had an early morning appointment 

which I would thoroughly recommend as it meant the pools 

were almost empty. I sat in the pools overlooking the lake 

wondering at the gulls swooping on a nearby outcrop before 

heading inside for my treatment. 

There are a variety of treatments on offer and the whole 

process from start to finish leaves you feeling pampered and 

calm. I was reluctant to leave the tranquillity of the spa and 

could happily have spent the rest of the day relaxing in their 

recliner chairs overlooking the lake, sipping on herbal tea. 

Rotorua is an area that has always been rich in Maori culture, 

and has built an international reputation as the cultural centre 

of New Zealand, however the many closed doors of cultural 

shows and centres stand as a stark reminder of the effects that 

Covid has had on this part of New Zealand. But despite their 

lack of international tourists, their catchcry “manaakitanga,” 

which loosely translates to mean “hospitality,” still rings true 

and we experienced this everywhere we went. 

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS: 

Black Swan Lakeside Boutique Hotel: Perched on the edge 

of Lake Rotorua, this boutique hotel offers a luxurious, tranquil 

getaway with park-like gardens, complete with pool and spa pools 

overlooking the lake. Named after the black swans that you can 

hand feed from their jetty, this is somewhere that oozes intimate 

luxury. Owned and hosted by Arthur, his attention to service and 

detail is second to none. The restaurant on the upper level of the 

hotel offers fine dining and panoramic views of the lake. 

www.blackswanhotel.co.nz 

Regent of Rotorua 

This chic urban accommodation has a prime position in the heart 

of Rotorua on the corner of the popular “Eat Streat”. Offering 35 

rooms, a swimming pool and an award winning restaurant. 

www.regentrotorua.co.nz 

Terrace Kitchen 

Situated opposite the marina you’ll find a real treasure of a 

place. We had lunch at Terrace Kitchen on their private terrace 

overlooking the large back lawn. The atmosphere and setting 

were delightful, as was the food and service. 

www.terrace.kitchen 

We would like to thank all those people who helped make this trip 

so memorable. For more information on everything there is to do 

visit www.rotoruanz.com 

Lakeland Princess Fishing Charters 

www.lakelandprincesscharters2019.simdif.com 

“Escape ordinary” 

Caring luxury | Local flavour | One of a kind 

We finished our time in Rotorua with a trip back to experience 

the Redwood Nightlight treewalk. The Redwoods Treewalk is 

the longest suspended walkway in the world, consisting of 28 

elevated swing bridges and platforms. At night it turns onto a 

magical scene as thousands of lights flicker through the trees 

create a truly unique experience. 

I would encourage you to put Rotorua on your visit list and 

come and explore the multitude of things there are to do in this 

little piece of Kiwi paradise. 


Volcanic Air 

www.volcanicair.co.nz 

Mountain Bike Rotorua 

www.mtbrotorua.co.nz 

Secret Spot Hot Tubs 

www.secretspot.nz 

Rotorua Canopy Tours 

www.canopytours.co.nz 

Polynesian Spa 

www.polynesianspa.co.nz 

Redwood Nightlights 

www.treewalk.co.nz 

1191 Pukaki Street, Rotorua 

p: +64 7 348 4079 | w: regentrotorua.co.nz

hiking 

TALES 

Olivine Ice Plateau 

By Mike Dawson and Alex Hillary 

We were somewhere in the dense bush of New 

Zealand’s wild West Coast; battling the unrelenting 

undergrowth, sweaty, bleeding and tired… but stoked. 

Despite knowing where we were geographically, we 

felt lost in the wilderness. The countless dead ends 

encountered as we searched for a route amongst the 

bluffed-out ridges, landslips or cliffs. This emulated 

the description of type 2 fun, a challenge that seemed 

to be never ending. It was tough going We crashed 

through the forest, our pace slowed to a mere 0.5km/ 

hr. It’s brutal. We’re dehydrated and hungry, but we’re 

out here in our element getting amongst the very 

best of what New Zealand has on offer as part of our 

‘Extreme Tramping’ trip. 

7 days earlier, in a rush of logistics and gear we’d 

set out on an epic Covid inspired adventure into the 

heart of New Zealand backcountry. As the Air NZ bird 

descended into Queenstown, we got our first glimpse 

of the terrain we were heading into. Our trip was 

ambitious, but one that had been loosely spoken about 

although never planned and with international travel off 

the cards we decided to look a little closer and explore 

our backyard. We were embarking on a traverse 

through the Olivine Wilderness Area to Neil’s Beach on 

the West Coast ‘when we arrived’. The 2 of us, myself, 

Mike Dawson, and Alpinist Alex Hillary, were out on 

a bit of a mission to journey to the hallowed ground 

of New Zealand adventure in the heart of the remote 

untouched and isolated wilderness zone. A place filled 

with stunning scenery, steep terrain and home to many 

good adventures. 

This trip had a few moving parts; land in Queenstown, 

pack as much Radix into our packs as possible, sort 

pack rafts with Queenstown Packrafting and get to 

Glenorchy. It couldn’t have been an easier start into 

the elusive Olivine. We’d barely bought a Ferg Burger 

before Huw and Harry from Queenstown Packrafting 

had tee’d up our logistics and kit and had us standing 

at the start of the Routeburn Track on dusk ready to 

get amongst it. 

The route from the Forgotten River Bivvy on the final 

approach to the Olivine Ice Plateau. It’s a wild part of 

New Zealand. 


The Forgotten River Bivy providing home 

for a few days. 

"It’s a paradise 

out there, albeit, 

made up of brutal 

and unrelenting 

country." 

Alex Hillary checks out the top of the Andy Glacier on the Olivine Ice Plateau. 

Taking a moment to think about our route down to Lake Williamson and out route out to the West 

Coast through the gorge. 

The Route: The Olivine is somewhat 

sacred. It’s the argued home to the 

mountains of the gods. It’s a place of 

wilderness and the wild terrain that goes 

with it, big mountains, bad weather and 

many failed trips. Choosing the right 

route can make or break a mission to 

the Olivine. It’s a paradise out there, 

albeit, made up of brutal and unrelenting 

terrain. It’s a place where short 

distances turn into day-long ordeals and 

the ‘should be all good from here’ never 

quite eventuates into reality. 

Off we went, clambering into the Beech 

Forest and quickly moving from the 

pristine Routeburn Track, over the 

Sugarloaf Pass and into the Rock Burn. 

Alex and I began to joke that just getting 

to the foot of the Olivine Ice Plateau 

with our brutally full packs would be a 

challenge. 33kgs in total draped on our 

shoulders, laden down with gear for 

our multi discipline traverse. Climbing 

gear, ice gear, rescue equipment, camp 

equipment, camera kit emergency 

equipment, and that’s all before we get 

to the essentials such as food. Off we 

went, towards the Barrier Range. 

From here we disappeared into the 

backcountry following the slowly 

diminishing track through Theatre Flat, 

over Park and Cow Passes before 

dropping into the head waters of the 

Olivine River and the Wilderness Zone. 

Entering the Wilderness Zone made 

us feel instantly more remote as we 

floundered around attempting to follow 

the Olivine river. Up until now it’s been 

relatively easy going, but the river is 

elusive as it disappears into gorges, 

rapids and deep pools. For hours we 

swam, climbed and negotiated our way 

downstream constantly crossing it’s 

crystal clear but freezing cold water from 

side to side. 

For 13hrs we battled our way down, 

climbing around rapids and gorges or 

hike-swimming through the pools, the 

first tough section of the route we’d 

chosen. We found ourselves negotiating 

some difficult terrain and working our 

way slowly to the confluence with 

the Forgotten River and an epic little 

camp spot right on dusk. Early the next 

morning we started the journey into 

the Forgotten and the higher up we 

wandered into the valley, it was evident 

this place had in fact been forgotten. 

The sheer magnitude of the place, 

it’s beauty and remoteness, truly 

untouched. The mountain ranges 

began to surround us, climbing steeply 

into the sky before being engulfed in 

rain and fog as horrific weather slowly 

descended into the valley and set in 

for the night. Up ahead the Olivine Ice 

Plateau tried to break through the thick 

cloud. We clambered through the wet, 

Dinner time in paradise. 

slippery and steep tussock sections just 

enjoying the place! Finally we’d arrived 

at our destination, but all we could do 

was wait. 

Camping out at the base of the Olivine 

Ice Plateau in a historic Bivvy was a 

well needed respite from the raging 

storm outside, and the stiff muscles from 

the walk in. This place was incredible, 

a giant boulder wedged into the side 

of the mountain creating a dry and 

sheltered ‘bush hotel’. We ate, relaxed 

and recovered from our previous 3 days 

constantly peering through the clouds 

to try and make out the Plateau some 

1000m above. 

From here we were heading into the 

alpine area, over the Forgotten River 

Col after climbing up the final 1000m 

and working our way through the maze 

of cliffs, bluffs, snow and streams. The 

walk up was all time. As we got higher, 

the sun began to burn off the thick cloud 

and we could suddenly see where we 

were. High up above the Forgotten 

River Valley, the silence of nature 

occasionally pierced with the sounds of 

avalanching ice and the crunch of snow 

under our crampons. Climax peak to the 

East towered over the Thunder Glacier, 

the Memorial Icefall ahead and our route 

North-West down the plateau towards 

Futurity Rock. 


The weather was bluebird and clear. The 

clouds had dissipated, and we were in 

paradise as we began crossing the Plateau 

slowly, roped up and constantly on watch 

for hidden crevasses. The high clouds 

circled above and began threatening to 

deteriorate as we arrived at the edge of 

the plateau. We’d successfully crossed 

over, but the challenge was still ahead. 

We stood on the edge of Futurity Rock, 

as the horizon dropped off the edge of the 

world down toward Lake Williamson far 

below. We began working our way down 

the couleur towards the Willamson River 

and the outflow of the Andy Glacier. As 

we descended towards the bushline of the 

west coast we were constantly greeted 

with massive drop offs, steep tussock lined 

slopes, creeks and other tricky sections. We 

traversed high above the cliff that flanks lake 

Williamson before slowly dropping down to 

the wild West Coast and it’s relentless bush. 

The entire way we were in the presence of 

the most incredible view of the Andy Glacier. 

From here the physical work began. It was 

going to be a slog fest through some dense 

and rugged forest. We started down the 

Williamson River and into the Arawhata 

River. The hours slowly turned into days as 

we spent the next 3 days fighting with the 

land. The toughest section, without a doubt 

was our route through 10hr Gorge. An epic 

piece of whitewater on the Arawhata River 

at the edge of the Wilderness Area. We 

stayed low to scout it, a decision that led 

to the torment of steep gullies, landslides, 

bluffs and some ‘extreme tramping’. Many 

hours later the gradient of the river slowly 

subsided and we jumped in our packrafts 

and started kayaking out to Niels Beach and 

with-it civilisation 50kms away. 

The Olivine Ice Plateau slowly emerging from behind the 

lingering cloud as we get ready to head up and across. 


"After 2 brutal days smashing through the 

bush, Alex Hillary enjoys the relaxing float 

down the Arawhata to the West Coast." 

The food Ordeal: Getting to the Olivine is as much of the 

challenge as getting across it. Its’ sheer remoteness and 

with access only permitted by foot our expedition was faced 

with a real problem, weight. On a trip like this the bare 

minimum of equipment required to stay safe and energized 

is phenomenal. We needed a product that could provide high 

quality, high performing nutrition to function in an exposed, 

remote and energy sapping environment. Radix was the 

perfect addition. The highest of quality nutrients combined 

with an incredible weight: calorie equation. We needed 

performance out of our food and the expedition range 

provided. 30+ meals were packed into the bottom of our 

packs bringing our total pack weight to just over 33kgs – It 

was going to be tough going. 

Risk Exposure: On a trip of this magnitude, surrounded by 

high exposure situation constantly, safety is no accident. It’s 

important to be prepared for whatever can happen. You’re 

remote and isolated traversing through some of the most 

rugged and wild big country of the New Zealand wilderness. 

Our journey saw us traveling by water, over ice, abseiling 

through rivers, using a roadmap of alpine creeks and fighting 

our way through the bush. 

It’s vital to carry the right equipment, keep hydrated and 

constantly fuelled. Our daily routine included ensuring we 

broke for a Radix lunch to keep the energy up but make 

sure we didn’t become clumsy or make mistakes late in the 

day. An Inreach or Spot is a must if you’re heading out on 

the mission. It’s also important to make sure you have a first 

aid kit, emergency blanket and sleeping bag. Weather adds 

to the mix. Any travel in the NZ Alpine is constantly battling 

the ever-changing weather situations and this trip was no 

different. Crossing the Ice Plateau our eyes were constantly 

watching the changing skyline to beat the encroaching front. 

To battle the weather it’s important to have the right gear 

especially when you’re heading out into the bush. 

This trip was multiple days of beautiful but tough trekking, 

enjoying the best NZ has on offer, miles from anywhere. In 

the end we solved the puzzle of the plateau with a solid plan, 

a very lucky weather window, some stamina and supplies, 

and it was all-time. 

This trip was supported by Radix Nutrition, Pivotel Satellite, 

Ortlieb, Queenstown Packrafting, Hillary Collection & Canon. 

HIKE 

PADDLE 

EXPLORE 

www.packraftingqueenstown.com 

Packrafting 

Queenstown 

specialises in small 

group packrafting 

adventures, 

instructional courses, 

rentals and sales.

BIKING 

TALES 

Vista just past Ghost Lake Hut 

the queenstown bike trail 

By Lynne Dickinson - Images by Steve Dickinson 

Officially opened in 2012, the Queenstown Bike Trail is one 

of New Zealands’ 22 Great Rides. With a network of over 

130km of off-road trails, it provides a safe and sustainable 

way to explore the Wakatipu Basin from Queenstown, 

through Arrowtown and out to the vineyards of Gibbston 

Valley. 

The beauty of the trail is its diversity, you will find something 

to suit every level of experience and fitness and it really 

showcases the beauty of the region. Regardless of the trail 

you choose you will experience stunning mountain vistas, 

turquoise lakes, rivers and swing bridges. 

With so many riding options to choose from we relied on 

the experts from Around the Basin to help us out. Based 

in Queenstown, their team know the trails well and were 

able to help us make a choice on the best option for our 

group. After a little discussion we decided to shuttle out to 

Arrowtown and follow the trail back to Queenstown, with a 

few side stops along the way. More on that later… 

Heaven’s Door 

Crossing the Arrow River 


"The beauty of the trail is 

its diversity" 

So we started our journey in picturesque Arrowtown, the 

historic gold mining town that sits alongside the Arrow River. 

Considered one of the most picturesque settlements it's 

the perfect spot for a pre-bike coffee or a bite to eat before 

heading off on the trail. 

We were riding a mixture of mountain bikes and electric 

bikes and although I was at first reluctant to use an e-bike, 

I am now a definite convert. You can ride the whole way 

without using the electric assistance, but seriously, why 

would you. When we came to a slight hill or a more steeper 

incline, all you have to do is press a button and you are 

turbo charged up the incline. Perfect. What it allows is for 

compatibility within your group, regardless of your fitness or 

experience level, you are all able to enjoy the ride together. 

Apart from the incredible scenery, while on the Queenstown 

Bike Trail you feel like you are miles away from civilization, 

when in reality the main road is never far away. We set out 

from Arrowtown alongside the Arrow River before turning 

back towards Queenstown riding along the Kawerau River. 

The trail was challenging enough to keep us peddling yet 

gentle enough to allow us to enjoy the numerous sights 

along the way. The trail crosses some impressive swing 

bridges making for a great riding experience. 

At one point the trail veered away from the Kawerau River 

and we found ourselves crossing the Shotover River via the 

historic Shotover Bridge. The area is rich in history with the 

bridge dating back to 1871 and offers incredible views over 

the shotover river. The original bridge was washed away in 

1878 and later replaced in 1915. The bridge, which is now 

only open to foot and bike traffic, is 172 metres long and an 

impressive 16 meters above the river below. 

From here we rejoined the Kawerau River and biked along 

the stony river bank where the twists and turns of the river 

have created stone beaches and perfect access for fishing, 

kayaking or a dip if you don’t mind the cold water. Be careful 

of the current, the colour of the water is incredibly inviting, 

yet the water is both cold and fast flowing in places. 

We eventually reached the Kawerau Falls Bridge with the 

sight of Queenstown in the distance. It was really the first 

time we had felt like we were near civilisation in the whole 

trip. We crossed the old historic 90 year old Kawarau Falls 

Bridge, that has been maintained alongside the fancy new 

expressway and biked down for our first real stop of the day. 

This is one of the things I absolutely love about the 

Queenstown trail. There is not only incredible scenery but 

there are also plenty of fantastic places to stop along the 

way. We were heading to the Three Miners Cellar door at the 

Hilton Hotel where we were meeting the hostess and winery 

owner, Kirstin for some wine tasting. We left our bikes at the 

door and before long we were relaxing with a glass of wine 

in hand listening to the story of the Three Miners Vineyard. 

Quite an interesting tale and worth a ride out to hear all 

about it.

equip 

yourself! 

our recommendations 

During our stay in Queenstown we resided at the Dairy 

Private Hotel, a unique boutique hotel in the centre of 

Queenstown, an easy walk to all amenities and wonderfully 

hosted by Maria. www.naumihotels.com We also ate at some 

pretty amazing places. Check out our recommendations... 

Boardwalk 

Around The Basin aim to give any level of rider the opportunity 

to experience Queenstown’s stunning trails by helping them 

choose the ride most suited to their ability with as much or as 

little support as desired along the way. In addition to bike rental 

they offer winery bike tours and bike and shuttle packages 

between Queenstown, Arrowtown, Gibbston and Jacks Point – 

these self-guided rides are perfect for the independent rider. For 

those that prefer a complete package with full care and attention 

throughout the entire ride their supported Bike The Bridges or 

Basin Explorer tours are the ideal choice. These supported tours 

can also be fully guided for that extra personal experience. 

www.aroundthebasin.co.nz 

Boardwalk: In one of the best locations in Queenstown you’ll find 

Boardwalk, situated on the upper level of Steamer Wharf. The views from 

the restaurant are spectacular and overlook the water where the TSS 

Earnslaw docks with the mountains creating a spectacular backdrop in 

the distance.Before you rush upstairs to the main event, visit the Oyster 

Bar underneath the main restaurant serving freshly shucked oysters and 

champagne. The only way to describe it is decadent! However it is a great 

prelude to what is on offer upstairs. 

The main restaurant upstairs offers an ever evolving menu of seafood 

and meats created into a contemporary meal experience. The 

environment is serene and although it offers a fine dining experience, it’s 

not a place with any pretence. You will fit in whether you are in jeans or 

you’ve gone all out and got dressed up. The wait staff are attentive and 

the wine menu extensive. 

www.boardwalkqueenstown.nz 

The Boat Shed Cafe & Bistro 

Three Miners Cellar Door 

The entrance to Flame Bar and Grill and their bombe Alaska dessert 

Taking a break alongside the Kawerau River 

Refreshed we got back on our bikes and headed back to the other side of the 

bridge and cruised on to lunch at The Boat Shed Cafe & Bistro. Nestled on the 

shores of Lake Wakatipu, it was a perfect spot to both enjoy the view and the food 

but also to reflect on our fantastic day before the final few kilometres back into 

town. 

Low Prices Everyday 

Free NZ Shipping on 

orders over $150 for 

members 

Members Earn Equip+ 

Loyalty Points 

shop online or instore 

equipoutdoors.co.nz 

62 Killarney Road, 

Frankton, Hamilton, 

New Zealand 

P: 0800 22 67 68 

E: sales@equipoutdoors.co.nz 

People often confuse mountain biking with ‘extreme’, and it can be. However, it 

can also be a spectacular way to see a region, the smells, the sounds, all those 

small ingredients to go to make a great trip. You see a lot of Queenstown touring 

in a car but you will get to really ‘experience’ it on two wheels. 

Lunch at The Boat Shed Cafe & Bistro 

We started in Arrowtown and followed 

the Arrow River Bridge ride before 

turning onto the Twin River ride towards 

Queenstown. Here we crossed the 

bridge to the Hilton for wine tasting at 

the Three Minors before joining the Lake 

Wakatipu ride back into town. 

The Boat Shed Cafe & Bistro: 

Nestled on the northern shores of 

Lake Wakatipu, the Boat Shed sits 

on the waters edge and food is as 

good as the view. The lake, the 

mountains, the rugged little wharf 

all go to create a very comfortable 

friendly environment. The food, 

(The Boat Shed’s words not mine) 

is “good food- well done’ and I think 

that sums up the ambience of the 

place. The menu is not huge but 

everything on it looked excellent. 

For those of us who had not been 

before we were very aware not to 

get ‘food envy’ and there was a lot 

of discussion with the friendly staff 

as to what to order. A great place for 

a casual lunch! 

www.boatshedqueenstown.co.nz 

Three Miners Wine tasting 

at the Hilton: As part of our 

mountain bike trip we visited the 

cellar door of the Three Miners 

situated inside the Hilton Hotel. 

It’s a clever move to have the 

cellar door of the actual vineyard 

is on the banks of the Clutha 

river. Three Miners Vineyard was 

mined for gold in the 1860's. The 

Three Miners wines take their 

names from this historic land 

use. There was obviously more 

money in wine than gold! We 

met Kristin Wright the ownerand 

she took us through a range of 

their wines, it was delicious. The 

setting in the Hilton is plush, 

comfortable and intimate. We 

got to know Kristine and found 

out how a professor came to 

own a vineyard. E had the Three 

Miners legacy explained and 

bought wine. We liked it so much 

we went back the next day and 

did it all again. 

www.threeminors.com 

Flame: From the moment 

you walk in the doors Flame 

is bursting with vibrancy and 

it was packed (so book). 

The open kitchen is alive 

with action and flames, you 

don't need to look at the 

menu to see the food is good 

because the smell alone is 

divine. 

It is always great to meet 

the owner of a successful 

restaurant as success is 

not just served up on a 

plate it needs to be earned 

by hard work and passion. 

Jonathan Bisley had both of 

those attributes in buckets. 

His passion for what he 

had created and was still 

creating was contagious. He 

told us about the staff, the 

history, and the significance 

of the rhino on the wal, but 

mostly he told us about the 

food, where the meat came 

from, how it was cooked 

and how the standards were 

maintained. 

I have eaten ribs everywhere 

in the world, they are my 

‘go to food’ but never have 

I eaten any as good as 

what Flame has on offer. 

We foolishly suggest that 

Jonathan order for us and as 

plate after plate of the most 

delicious food flowed from 

the kitchen, we realised 

we had bitten off more than 

we could chew - but it was 

‘oh so good’ As the evening 

came to a close Joanathn 

arrived with a “Flame” 

bombe Alaska dessert - and 

bombe Alaska shaped like 

a flame that was then set 

alight. It tasted as good as it 

looked, superb! 

www.flamegrill.co.nz 

For a full list of activities visit Destination Queenstown www.queenstownnz.co.nz 


CLIMBING 

TALES 

Above: Sven Hansen and Patrick Hobbs spent 6 months preparing for their Mt. Aspiring Ascent. Good health, 

gym work, physio and massage were essentials. 

Right: Sven, Patrick, Will and James at the top of the buttress. 

Climbing Mt. Aspiring in a 

shrinking weather window 

Two good friends. Six months of preparation. A small weather window and only one day 

to summit Mt. Aspiring. Sven Hansen and Patrick Hobbs were determined to get the job 

done when they wanted to summit Tititea. 

By Sven Hansen 

At 3033m, Mt Aspiring is New Zealand’s highest 

peak outside of the Aoraki/Mount Cook region. It is 

often called the Matterhorn of the South, and it is an 

intimidating mountain of soaring rock and ice. 

Six months ago, Patrick posed the question. 

Somewhat naively, I said yes. It took months for 

the reality of this commitment to bite. Without much 

heavy walking or climbing in decades, it was obvious 

that a significant amount of training was required. 

Fear became my friend. 

Over four months, we set about more serious 

training with the support of friends and our wives, 

Sonya and Susan. At age 61, gym work, physio and 

massage became essential. Finally, it was time for 

the ascent. 

We meet James and Will from Aspiring Guides, 

based in Wanaka. They were friendly and somewhat 

sceptical of these two enthusiastic old geezers. 

Ready to dash if the weather clears, hope is crushed 

by low clouds. On the way back to Wanaka from 

weighing at the helicopter base, Will decided that 

some rock climbing would be in order. He marched 

us in our heavy alpine climbing boots, harnesses and 

helmets to a 10 m, grade 14 crack in a vertical rock 

face. “You must be kidding!” was all I could think. 

Nevertheless, we both scaled this test twice – albeit 

without grace. Our guides, though, seemed satisfied 

and sent us to bed for a 5 am start. 

After our helicopter ride at 6.30 am, we began 

crossing the Bonar Glacier. Pretty relaxing and aweinspiring 

as we march toward the looming monster 

of Tititea. 

Then we lightened our packs by storing our sleeping 

bags, extra food and gear, under some rocks, before 

starting our 1300m ascent to the top. We headed up 

an icy, endless slope toward the base of the North- 

West route. Now on all fours with ice-axes as we 

crawled up to the ridge. A glorious day. Magnificent 

views of our Southern Alps bloomed around us under 

an azure-blue sky. 

No rest for the climbers as we confronted the 

Buttress. She is intimidating from 50 km, let alone 

when you look straight up the jagged rock face. 


we ARE climbing 

Summit selfies at 3033 meters. 

This grade 13, massive ridge of rock is 

crumbling and black with hundreds of 

meters dropping off either side. We roped 

up to our guides, very focused, breathing 

slowly, and moved only one limb at a time. 

We spent two hours climbing vertical and 

fractured schist rock. Yet, it was glorious, 

calm, and warm. The views demand awe 

and attention. 

Eventually, we hit the snowy ramp, the 

last few hundred metres, leading us to the 

summit. Crampons and ice-axes got back 

on to trudge up a narrow ramp straight up 

the North-West ridge. We felt the altitude 

and struggled to control our breath as 

we creeped upwards. The extraordinary 

beauty continues to stop us in our tracks. 

Then, somewhat suddenly, we were at the 

top. It was a small icy platform with space 

dropping into eternity on every side. 

Absolutely jaw-dropping. One can see 

coast to coast and up and down the great 

peaks of Aotearoa. Mt Cook suggests that 

she too is there when we are ready. We 

have summited Tititea! 

Relaxing and absorbing a moment on 

the roof of our world was a rare delight. 

A light wind cooled us down. The colours 

so clear. The expanse so vast. The peaks 

endless. 

Too soon, it was time to head down. Have 

to get serious quickly. It was steep, and 

we had to move fast to get back to Colin 

Todd Hut. The ice was now soft, and we 

made good headway down the ramp. 

I was very conscious of the challenges 

of the Buttress wall below, it looked 

more threatening from above, my legs 

were tired, courage had to be found, and 

refocusing was required. Good to have 

expert guides. 

We picked our way down, enjoying 

two wonderful 30m abseils. Hundreds 

of meters of fresh air claw and suck at 

our boots. Then down to the glacier to 

collect our gear and back up to the hut. 

Unbelievably we have it to ourselves. 

Rest, food, camaraderie, and sleep are 

very welcome, after twelve hours on our 

feet. 

Thank you, Pat, James, Will, Aspiring 

Guides and our incredibly supportive 

partners Sonya and Susan. This is one 

we will not forget. We wonder what is 

next… 

ASPIRING GUIDES 

Aspiring Guides is a long-time mountain 

guiding company that has been based 

in Wanaka for over 30 years. Aspiring 

Guides provides guided ascents of 

New Zealand's highest mountains 

and iconic peaks such as Mt Cook, Mt 

Aspiring and Mt Tasman as well as 

offering comprehensive mountaineering 

instruction, climbing courses and multiday 

wilderness hiking adventures in the 

spectacular NZ Southern Alps. 

Alec McCallum sends 

Dr Strangelove (32) second go 

Photo: Tom Hoyle 

For over thirty years Bivouac Outdoor has been proudly 100% New Zealand owned and committed to providing 

you with the best outdoor clothing and equipment available in the world. It is the same gear we literally stake our 

lives on, because we are committed to adventure and we ARE climbing. 

OFFICIAL GEAR SUPPLIER 

STORES NATIONWIDE 

www.bivouac.co.nz 


1. We’ve kept it beautiful for you. 

Vanuatu is famous for its untouched 

beauty. The Ni-Vanuatu people have 

a deep respect for the land – so you’ll 

find everything as nature intended. 

2. A great place for the whole family. 

Vanuatu is a place of connection, where 

amazing experiences are best shared. 

With so much to see and do – in a place 

where everyone is made to feel welcome 

– it really is the perfect family holiday (or 

extended family). 

3. Start living again 

It’s time to rediscover your passions and 

make up for the past year. And what 

better place than Vanuatu’s 83 islands of 

adventure? From swimming, diving and 

sailing, to hiking, cycling and horse riding, 

get out there and do the things you love. 

10 great reasons to save a 

spot in Vanuatu 

As we welcome in a new year, it’s time to 

start dreaming of better days ahead. If you 

plan to dive headlong into an overseas 

adventure, Vanuatu should be right up 

there on your shortlist. We’ve got all 

our COVID safe plans in place and look 

forward to welcoming you back when the 

borders open again. Here are 10 great 

reasons to answer the call of Vanuatu: 

4. Widen your circle of friends 

Many a lifelong friendship has been made 

between the Ni-Vanuatu people and our 

close neighbours in Australia and New 

Zealand. Our gratitude to every visitor 

supporting our country is reflected in 

every friendly smile and warm welcome. 


5. Discover ancient cultures and 

traditions 

Just because you can’t fly long haul 

doesn’t mean you can’t be a world away. 

A few short hours from NZ, Vanuatu offers 

a traditional way of living so very different 

to your own – with mystical kastom and 

culture at the heart of everyday life. 

To everyone eagerly dusting off their passport, 

If this last year has taught us anything, it is the value of human connection. We’ve all missed sharing good 

times with friends and family. And the thrill of exploring our beautiful world to meet new people. 

6. Make 2021 extraordinary 

Make 2021 a year to remember by planning all 

those amazing things you’ve been dreaming 

about but haven’t been able to do. Extraordinary 

adventures await in Vanuatu. 

7. Give your mind a holiday 

It’s time to sweep away all 

those negative sentiments 

and let your mind wander. 

Whether you’re floating 

downriver through a 

rainforest, kayaking between 

islands or hiking through 

waterfalls, Vanuatu offers 

many incredible ways to 

revitalise your spirit. 

As things start to return to normal, we’ve made sure our welcome party is ready and waiting. The people of 

Vanuatu have forged many strong bonds with our close neighbours in Australia and New Zealand, and can’t 

wait to invite you back. Nothing makes us happier than sharing our beautiful country with friends. 

So please keep us on your list when international travel is deemed safe for both you and us. We know a 

thing or two about how to let your hair down and throw yourself headlong into the moment – something 

we are all longing to do. You don’t always need music to dance. 

From our white sandy beaches to our pristine rainforests and rumbling volcanos, we have kept it beautiful 

for you. All our COVID Safe Plans are also in place, to ensure you can enjoy a safe, clean and caring Vanuatu. 

If it’s your first time to Vanuatu, we’d love to introduce you to our kastom and culture, natural wonders and 

relaxed way of life. And at the end of the day, talk about it over a drink or a shell of kava. You really don’t 

need to go far to experience a different way of living. 

8. Lets go 

Leap from a rope swing into a 

blue hole. Explore caves, dive on 

reefs and laugh with the locals. 

Stand on the edge of a live 

volcano. Life’s so much more fun 

when you learn to let go. 

We would love you to answer the call of Vanuatu in 2021. We think there is no better place to find your 

travel groove again. From everyone at the Vanuatu Tourism Office, we wish you happy travels and look 

forward to welcoming you to our islands very soon. 

Discover our islands of adventure 

at vanuatu.travel 

9. Laugh till your cheeks hurt 

Aside from natural wonders and breathtaking 

views, the most common sight here is the 

Vanuatu smile. It’s everywhere. Island life is 

filled with fun and good times – and it’s high 

time you joined the party 

10. Who needs a 

reason 

Who are we to tell 

you why you need a 

holiday? Whatever 

the reason for your 

getaway – whether 

it’s a romantic retreat, 

peace and quiet 

or an adrenaline 

adventure – Vanuatu 

offers something for 

everyone. 


FEED YOUR ADDICTION 

Like a ‘perfect storm’, we have seen a dramatic growth and 

development in online stores over the past 5 years. Now as we are 

made to keep our ‘distance’, online, ecommerce takes on a whole 

new meaning and value. We are dedicating these pages to our client’s 

online stores; some you will be able to buy from, some you will be able 

drool over. Buy, compare, research and prepare, these online stores are 

a great way to feed your adventure addiction while you are still at home. 

Ultra lightweight running shoes, made by runners. No 

matter where the trail takes you, Hoka One One will 

have you covered. 

www.hokaoneone.co.nz 

Earth Sea Sky has more than 25 years experience 

in New Zealand’s outdoor clothing industry. Their 

experience in design, production and sales fills a 

growing need in the market for outdoor clothing that 

combined comfort, style and performance. 

www.earthseasky.co.nz 

Never have a dead phone 

again! Because now you can 

charge straight from the Sun 

with SunSaver. Perfect for 

that week-long hike, day at 

the beach, or back-up for any 

emergency. Check us out at: 

www.sunsaver.co.nz 

A leading importer and 

distributor of snow and 

outdoor products in New 

Zealand. Stock includes 

Salewa, Lange, Dynastar, 

Spyder and more. 

www.bobo.co.nz 

Bivouac Outdoor stock the latest in quality outdoor 

clothing, footwear and equipment from the best 

brands across New Zealand & the globe. 

www.bivouac.co.nz 

Shop for the widest range of Merrell footwear, apparel 

& accessories across hiking, trail running, sandals & 

casual styles. Free shipping for a limited time. 

www.merrell.co.nz 

The ultimate sandals 

with core concepts like 

durability, pull through 

strap design and the ability 

to re-sole. 

www.chacos.co.nz 

Full-service outfitter selling hiking 

and mountaineering gear and 

apparel, plus equipment rentals. 

Specialising in ski & snowboard 

touring equipment new & used; 

skis, boards, bindings, skins, 

probs, shovels,transceivers & 

avalanche packs. 

www.smallplanetsports.com 

Whether you’re climbing mountains, hiking in the hills 

or travelling the globe, Macpac gear is made to last 

and engineered to perform — proudly designed and 

tested in New Zealand since 1973. 

www.macpac.co.nz 

The ultimate in quality outdoor clothing 

and equipment for travel, hiking, camping, 

snowsports, and more. Guaranteed for life. 

www.marmotnz.co.nz 

Developing the pinnacle 

of innovative outerwear for 

50 years. Shop now and 

never stop exploring. 

www.thenorthface.co.nz 

Gear up in a wide selection of durable, multifunctional 

outdoor clothing & gear. Free Returns. Free Shipping. 

www.patagonia.co.nz 

Offering the widest variety, 

best tasting, and most 

nutrient rich hydration, 

energy, and recovery 

products on the market. 

www.guenergy.co.nz 

Fast nourishing freeze dried food for adventurers. 

www.backcountrycuisine.co.nz 

Stocking an extensive range 

of global outdoor adventure 

brands for your next big 

adventure. See them for travel, 

tramping, trekking, alpine and 

lifestyle clothing and gear. 

www.outfittersstore.nz 

Specialists in the sale of Outdoor Camping Equipment, RV, 

Tramping & Travel Gear. Camping Tents, Adventure Tents, 

Packs, Sleeping Bags and more. 

www.equipoutdoors.co.nz 

Jetboil builds super-dependable 

backpacking stoves and camping 

systems that pack light, 

set up quick, and achieve 

rapid boils in minutes. 

www.jetboilnz.co.nz 

Supplying tents and 

camping gear to Kiwis 

for over 30 years, Kiwi 

Camping are proud to 

be recognised as one of 

the most trusted outdoor 

brands in New Zealand. 

www.kiwicamping.co.nz 

MTOUTDOORS 

Outdoor equipment store specialising in ski retail, ski 

rental, ski touring and climbing. 

www.mtoutdoors.co.nz 

Making great gear for the outdoors, 

right here in New Zealand: high 

quality items that have been 

crafted with care to include all the 

features that are important, nothing 

superfluous and, above all, that 

are more durable than anything out 

there in the marketplace. 

www.cactusoutdoors.co.nz 

Choose your perfect holiday accommodation from the 

largest selection of pre-serviced holiday homes, baches, 

and apartments available for rent in New Zealand. Book 

instantly online with Bachcare's real-time availability. 

www.bachcare.co.nz 

Excellent quality Outdoor 

Gear at prices that can't 

be beaten. End of lines. 

Ex Demos. Samples. Last 

season. Bearpaw. Garneau. 

Ahnu. Superfeet. 

www.adventureoutlet.co.nz 


Xmas gift GUIDE 

Outdoor Research 

ActiveIce Spectrum Sun Gloves 

Innovative fabric that cools you 

as it wicks away perspiration and 

provides UPF 50+ protection from 

the sun's harsh rays. Fingerless with 

an anti-slip palm print. Extra length 

wrist for additional sun protection. 

RRP $44.99 

WWW.BIVOUAC.CO.NZ 

Black Diamond Storm 400 Headlamp 

Burly, water- and dust-proof compact housing for 

rugged adventures plus a maximum 400 lumens of 

bright light. Features include a secondary switch for 

easy mode selection, a 6-setting, 3-LED battery meter, 

three different coloured night vision modes, peripheral 

white lighting for close-range activities. 120gm 

(including 4 x AAA) 

RRP $99.99 


Macpac Sou'west PrimaLoft® Hooded Jacket - women's 

Designed for hiking, this synthetic jacket features PrimaLoft® 

Silver insulation with 70% post-consumer recycled content 

(PCR) for a great warmth-to-weight ratio in cold, damp 

conditions. This PrimaLoft® insulation is breathable, water 

resistant and packable. 

RRP $299.99 

WWW.MACPAC.CO.NZ 

Scarpa Vapor V Rock Climbing Shoe 

Asymmetrical, slightly down-turned 

shape and a medium-to-low angled 

toe box to strike a balance between 

confident smearing and refined toe 

power. Men’s and women’s specific 

models available. 

RRP $279.99 


Rab Arc Jacket 

Arc Jacket is a stretch waterproof 

jacket with pared-down features, 

designed as the ideal lightweight 

and easily packable jacket for 

multi-season active use. 

RRP $399.95 

WWW.OUTFITTERS.NET.NZ 

Rab Momentum Pull-on 

The Momentum Pull-On is 

designed for those looking for 

that extra layer of protection in 

varied conditions.Made from 

durable, wind-resistant Matrix 

softshell with a UPF50+, this 

versatile layer protects from 

both the wind and sun while 

highly breathable Motiv side 

panels ensure full freedom of 

movement. Ideal for breezy 

MTB days. 

RRP $139.95 


Macpac Sou'west PrimaLoft® Vest — Men's 

Featuring PrimaLoft® Silver synthetic insulation and 

100% recycled fabrics, the Sou'west Vest offers 

strategic core warmth when the temperature cools off. 

Featuring a water repellent finish to help shed moisture. 

RRP $229.99 


Outdoor Research Performance Trucker Cap 

Go with the Flow! Breathable, lightweight, 

quick-drying cap with a comfortable FlexFit® 

110 construction and a floating, water-resistant 

performance. Just what you need to keep sun and 

water off your face or adventuring on water. 

RRP $49.95 


Rab Sawtooth Pants 

The Sawtooth Pant is an 

extremely versatile and 

lightweight softshell pant, using 

Matrix DWS fabric for high 

levels of wind resistance and 

breathability. 

RRP $239.95 



Back Country Cuisine 

CHICKEN CARBONARA: A freeze dried 

chicken and pasta dish, served in a creamy 

italian style sauce. Available in small serve 

90g or regular serve 175g sizes. 

MUSHROOM BOLOGNAISE - VEGAN: 

Mushrooms with tomato in a savory sauce, 

served with noodles. Available in small 

serve 90g or regular serve 175g sizes. 

RRP $9.29 and $13.89 

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE PUDDING: Our 

take on chocolate self-saucing pudding, 

with chocolate brownie, boysenberries and 

chocolate sauce. Gluten Free. Available in 

regular serve. 

RRP 150g $12.89 

WWW.BACKCOUNTRYCUISINE.CO.NZ 

Primus Essential Trail Stove Set 

Sturdy everyday stove set – Compact – Sturdy 

This kit consists of the Essential Trail Stove and the 1.0L 

aluminium pot with frying pan. The pot can house both the 

stove and a 230g cartridge when not in use. 

Boiling time: 3:30min 

Output: 2500w 

Weight: 112g 

Dimensions: 108 diameter x 60 height 

RRP $149.95 

WWW.MOUNTAINADVENTURE.CO.NZ 

NZ'S NO. 1 


MEALS 

Wherever your next 

adventure is about to 

lead you, we’ve got the 

goods to keep you 

going. 

Back Country Cuisine 

ICED MOCHA: Our mocha is made with 

chocolate and coffee combined with soft 

serve to give you a tasty drink on the run. 

Gluten Free. 85g. 

RRP $4.09 

WWW.BACKCOUNTRYCUISINE.CO.NZ 

Deep creek undercurrent 

AWARD WINNING PILSNER 

ABV: 5.0% 

330ml Cans I 6 Packs 

50L Kegs I 30L Key Kegs 

Trophy for Best International 

Lager at the Australian 

International Beer Awards 2019! 

This New Zealand pilsner is 

derived from the traditional 

Czech style. Brewed with pilsner 

malt and cold-fermented with 

lager yeast; but that's where the 

tradition ends. We use all New 

Zealand hops and put most of 

them late in the brew to promote 

more hop flavour and aroma 

than you would expect from a 

traditional pilsner. 

Crisp and clean with a distinctive 

New Zealand hop character. 

Available in local liquor stores or 

supermarkets. 

WWW.DEEPCREEK.CO.NZ 

Deep creek Señorita 

Chilli Hazy IPA 

ABV: 6.5% 

Señorita is our latest Hazy 

IPA creation.Beautifully 

smooth, with a fiery edge. 

This is one sexy brew. 

We've used a combination 

of both US and NZ hops, 

giving flavours of mango, 

passionfruit, and citrus, 

finishing with our very own 

chilli tincture to spice up 

your life. Chili flavor tends to 

set at the bottom, if you are 

looking for that really spicy 

taste, we recommend giving 

the can a good swirl around 

before emptying the last 

quarter or so. 

WWW.DEEPCREEK.CO.NZ 

Primus Essential Trek Pot Set 1.6L 

Fits easily inside backpack 

Includes 0.6L pot and 1.0L pot plus a frying pan. All handle 

are removeable, can be configured multiple ways or can 

secure everything together when packed. 

Weight: 410g 


RRP $149.95 


Primus Firestick 

Trekking stove that fits in any pocket - 

Ultra-packable 

This stove is the new standard for 

compact outdoor stoves. Mount on top 

of any gas canister & fire it up with the 

single-handed use Piezo igniter. 

Comes with wool storage pouch. 

Boiling time: 3:30min 

Output: 2500w 

Weight: 105g 


RRP $199.95 


“First aid kit... on the go” 

Est. 1998 Back Country 

Cuisine specialises in 

a range of freeze-dried 

products, from tasty 

meals to snacks and 

everything in between, to 

keep your energy levels 

up and your adventures 

wild. 

backcountrycuisine.co.nz 

 

 

Sunsaver Classic 16,000mAh 

Solar Power Bank 

Built tough for the outdoors and 

with a massive battery capacity 

you can keep all your devices 

charged no matter where your 

adventure takes you. 

RRP: $119.00 

WWW.SUNSAVER.CO.NZ 

Sunsaver Super-Flex 14-Watt 

Solar Charger 

Capable of charging your smartphone 

and USB gadgets straight from the 

sun, making it perfect for hiking, 

camping, or an emergency situation. 

RRP: $199.00 

WWW.SUNSAVER.CO.NZ 

Use coupon code: Balm 

Get a free Manuka Balm 12g handy 

tin and free NZ ship with purchase of 

$30 or more 

goodbye.co.nz

goodbye ouch sun balm 

Six years in development, outdoor 

guides and product makers John 

and Becky created a world first 

suncreen formulation. This is one 

you can rely on. With high water 

resistance, it will protect you in 

water environments and not run 

into eyes when you sweat. It is 

fully tested to the New Zealand 

sunscreen standard, certified 

natural by NATRUE and with 

its cocoa butter and coconut 

oils it smells amazing and 

glides over skin to give smooth, 

clear protective coverage. It 

is a water-free formula giving 

antioxidant support in efficient 

applications and small carry 

sizes for life outdoors.Available in 

supermarkets and health stores in 

New Zealand, or online at 

WWW.GOODBYE.CO.NZ 

Helinox Chair Zero 

CHAIR ZERO will never 

make you choose between 

comfort and weight. 

Smaller and lighter than a 

water bottle, it's what your 

body craves at the end of a 

long day of trekking. 

•The lightest Helinox chair 

•Compact size & 

featherweight design 

makes for an easy carry 

•Easy to assemble with single shock 

corded pole structure 

•Frame constructed from DAC aluminum 

poles 

•Seat made from Ripstop Polyester 

•Backed by a 5 year warranty 

RRP $199.99 

WWW.SOUTHERNAPPROACH.CO.NZ/HELINOX/ 

A narrow flame fits small 

pots well and works better 

in windy conditions 

The pot support 

provides the flame 

with good wind 

protection 

NEW! 

CRAFTED FOR A REASON! 

INTRODUCING THE NEW FIRESTICK 

A stove that fits in any pocket 

During our adventures, we pack and unpack our equipment many times. 

With that in mind, we have designed a series of products even lighter, 

smoother and more foldable to fit into the smaller pockets of our backpacks. 

The design makes for 

a stove that is compact 

and as light as possible 

Our latest control valve 

allows for an extensive 

precise flame adjustment 

Radix Nutrition keto 400 

Grass-Fed Lamb, Mint & Rosemary 

These 400kcal meals are the ideal 

option for someone on a low carb 

diet. They feature 8g of carbs, 28g fat 

and 24g protein. 

RRP $11.90 

WWW.RADIXNUTRITION.COM 

Radix Nutrition performance 

Mixed Berry Breakfast 

Our Performance range is designed 

to enable optimal energy levels, 

muscle preservation, repair, recovery 

and mental function. 

RRP $14.90 


Regulated valve 

for enhanced 

performance 

The minimalistic design 

with few parts makes 

the stove robust 

105g 

2500W 

03:30min 

1h 15min on 230g 

Ø 36 x 103mm 

piezo ignition 

1-2 people 

Essential 

trail STOVE 

Essential 

trek pot set 1.6L 

Essential 

trail stove set 

Essential 

trek pot 1L 

NEW! 

NEW! 

NEW! 

NEW! 

Radix Nutrition performance 600 

Mexican Chilli with Organic Beef 

These 600kcal meals are the perfect 

lunch or dinner option for hikers and 

adventurers wanting to take their 

performance to the next level. 

RRP $14.90 


Radix Nutrition EXPEDITION 800 

Plant-Based Turkish Style Falafel 

These 800kcal meals are designed 

for extreme energy requirements. 

They’re light weight, taste delicious 

and suitable in all environments. 

RRP $15.90 


*GAS NOT INCLUDED 

PRIMUS IS AVAILABLE THROUGH ALL GOOD OUTDOOR RETAILERS NATIONWIDE! 

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO WWW.MOUNTAINADVENTURE.CO.NZ

RAB ARK Emergency Bivi 

Made with lightweight PE 

(Polyethylene), the ARK 

Emergency Bivi bag is wind and 

waterproof and reflects body heat. 

Super packable, folding down 

12x6cm in its stuff sack, and 

lightweight at 105g. 

RRP $19.95 

WWW.RAB.EQUIPMENT 

Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow 

A luxurious high-performance pillow without the weight and 

bulk. Perfect for travel and camping where you can risk a 

couple more grams for a great night's sleep. The pillowcase 

construction allows the outer shell to retain maximum softness 

while still being supported by a high strength TPU bladder. 

RRP $64.99 

WWW.SOUTHERNAPPROACH.CO.NZ/SEA-TO-SUMMIT/ 

Sea to Summit Reactor Liner 

The Reactor adds up to 8°C of warmth to 

a sleeping bag or can be used alone as a 

warm weather bag. Our bestselling sleeping 

bag liner! 

•Adds warmth to a sleeping bag 

•Mummy shape with a box foot 

•Draw cord hood with mini cord lock 

•Packs into its own UltraSil® stuff sack 

•Lighter in weight, more packable than fleece 

•Machine washable 

RRP $99.99 

WWW.SOUTHERNAPPROACH.CO.NZ/ 

SEA-TO-SUMMIT/ 

Exped Comfort -0 Down Sleeping Bag 

Extra roomy maintaining the thermal 

efficiency of a mummy bag, separate foot 

zip and side arm zip opposite the main zip 

lets allows both arms out without leaving the 

warmth of the bag. 3D footbox to keep your 

feet warm. 960gm (medium) 

RRP $599.99 


RAB Neutrino 200 

The Neutrino 200 is a light-weight, 

minimalist down-filled sleeping bag, 

designed for light-weight end uses, 

where warmth-to-weight is a prime 

concern. 

RRP $699.95 

WWW.RAB.EQUIPMENT 

GMO 

BPA 


TECH REVIEW: solstice tent range by macpac 

The new Solstice tent range follows the same 

design philosophy as Macpac's well-loved hiking 

tents - quality components, durable materials 

and considered features. Once pitched, these 

tents maximise livable space, airflow and 

internal organisation. 

Features include: 

• Easy to pitch 

• Freestanding design 

• A convenient "hanging inner" 

• Lightweight aluminium poles 

• Waterproof fly and floor 

• Durable duffel bag for storage 

STRONG & LIGHT 

macpac solstice 6 

A spacious family tent that sleeps up to six people, with an optional internal room 

divider for extra privacy. The Solstice 6 features air vents, a large back window and 

includes two extra poles to turn the front vestible into a shade awning. 

RRP $1399.99 


R A V E N 3 G T X 

macpac solstice 8 

A large, multi-room tent, which balances space with strength, stability and weight, the 

Solstice 8 is comfortable for four to six people or snug for eight. The tent features air 

vents and a large back window, and includes two extra poles to turn the front vestible 

into a shade awning. 

RRP $1899.99 


Designed to make light work of tough alpine terrain in variable conditions 

b obo.co.nz/salewa 

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.MACPAC.CO.NZ

Juno Strap Women’s - Black 

The Juno is no ordinary sandal. Sink into cloud-like comfort 

with soft leather uppers and our COMFORTBASE footbed, 

the Juno will contour to the foot for all-day comfort while 

adding a touch of style to any outfit. 

RRP $239.00 

WWW.MERRELL.CO.NZ 

SALEWA MENS MOUNTAIN TRAINER 2 

The men’s MTN Trainer 2 is a comfortable alpine shoe for 

technical hikes, via ferratas and treks. The leather upper has a 

full protective rubber rand for 360° abrasion resistance in rocky 

terrain and a breathable mesh lining. Our signature 3F system 

connects the instep area with the sole and heel for flexibility, 

correct fit and support; and the Vibram® outsole is engineered for 

prolonged heavy use. 

Fit: Standard / Weight: 438 g 

RRP $349.90 

WWW.BOBO.CO.NZ/BRANDS/SALEWA 

salewa WOMENS ALPENROSE 2 MID GTX 

Our Alpenrose 2 Mid GORE-TEX® is a dedicated women’s shoe 

with a specific, feminine design to provide waterproof, breathable 

protection for speed hiking and fast-moving mountain activities. 

It has a lightweight, robust, fabric upper and a GORE-TEX® 

Extended Comfort membrane. The Pomoca speed hiking outsole 

offers superior traction, it’s aggressive lugs, grooves and sculptures 

perform well in a wide range of terrain and weather conditions. 

Fit: STANDARD / Weight: (W) 366 g 

RRP $389.90 

WWW.BOBO.CO.NZ/SALEWA 

Kalari Shaw Strap Women’s - Brindle 

Fit to keep up with your everyday with adjustable leather straps 

and our leather wrapped COMFORTBASE footbed, the Kalari 

Shaw sandal will contour to the foot for all-day comfort. 

RRP $209.00 


Merrell Choprock Shandal Men’s 

A performance summer hiker for days spent around water, the 

capable Choprock is designed to both drain and dry quickly, 

protect your feet from debris and grip on slick terrain. 

RRP $249.00 


SALEWA MOUNTAIN TRAINER LITE GTX 

Welcome to the lightweight version of our classic MTN Trainer. 

It has a robust fabric upper to ensure good wear resistance, 

while the GORE-TEX® Extended Comfort lining will keep 

you dry and comfortable. Climbing lacing allows you to finetune 

right down to the toe for greater precision in technical 

rocky terrain. Underfoot the shoe has a shock-absorbing EVA 

midsole, and a durable Pomoca outsole. 

Fit: WIDE / Weight: (M) 448 g (pictured) (W) 368 g 

RRP $339.90 

WWW.BOBO.CO.NZ/BRANDS/SALEWA 

TARGHEE III MID Men’s 

Out of the box comfort for your outside the box adventures. 

Our iconic hiking boot for men brings an updated look to 

all-terrain adventures. We carried over the fit, durability, and 

performance of our award-winning Targhee waterproof boot 

and took its rugged looks to a new dimension. Key features: 

• KEEN.DRY - A proprietary waterproof, breathable membrane 

that lets vapor out without letting water in. 

• METATOMICAL FOOTBED DESIGN - This internal support 

mechanism is anatomically engineered to provide excellent 

arch support and cradle the natural contours of the foot. 

Available: Key outdoor retailers across New Zealand. 

RRP $319.99 

WWW.KEENFOOTWEAR.CO.NZ 

TARGHEE III MID woMen’s 

The Targhee Boot is ready for any hike, anytime. Our 

iconic hiking boot for women brings an updated look to allterrain 

adventures. We carried over the fit, durability, and 

performance of our award-winning Targhee waterproof boot 

and took its rugged looks to a new dimension. Key features: 

• KEEN.DRY - A proprietary waterproof, breathable membrane 

that lets vapor out without letting water in. 

• METATOMICAL FOOTBED DESIGN - This internal support 

mechanism is anatomically engineered to provide excellent 

arch support and cradle the natural contours of the foot. 

Available: Key outdoor retailers across New Zealand. 

RRP $319.99 

WWW.KEENFOOTWEAR.CO.NZ 

Merrell Choprock Women’s - Blue Smoke 

A performance summer hiker for days spent around water, the 

capable Choprock is designed to both drain and dry quickly, 

protect your feet from debris and grip on slick terrain. 

RRP $249.00 


salewa MOUNTAIN TRAINER 2 GTX 

Our MTN Trainer 2 is a hard-wearing and versatile low-cut 

alpine approach shoe with a high-quality 1.6-millimetre suede 

leather upper and a Vibram® outsole. Its robust upper has a 

full protective rubber rand for 360° abrasion resistance in rocky 

terrain, plus a fast-drying GORE-TEX® Extended Comfort lining 

for durable waterproofing and optimized breathability. 

Our signature 3F system connects the instep area with the sole 

and heel for flexibility, correct fit and support, and the climbing 

lacing can be fine-tuned at the toe for greater precision and 

support in technical terrain. 

Fit: STANDARD / Weight: (M) 458 g (W) 396 g 

RRP $399.90 

WWW.BOBO.CO.NZ/SALEWA 

salewa ALP TRAINER 2 MID GTX 

The Alp Trainer 2 Mid GTX has a suede leather and stretch 

fabric upper with a protective rubber rand. Featuring a GORE- 

TEX® Extended Comfort lining for optimal waterproofing and 

breathability, and customizable Multi Fit Footbed (MFF) with 

interchangeable layers allows you to adapt it to the unique shape 

of your foot; Climbing Lacing right to the toe allows for a more 

precise fit, while the Vibram® Hike Approach outsole covers a 

wide spectrum of mountain terrain. 

Fit: STANDARD / Weight (M) 552 g (W) 482 g (pictured) 

RRP $399.90 

WWW.BOBO.CO.NZ/SALEWA

Lowe Alpine aeon 27 

Constructed with lightweight 

yet durable abrasion-resistant 

nylon, coated in Lowe Alpine’s 

unique TriShield® which 

further increases durability 

and tear resistance. 

RRP $259.95 


Lowe Alpine Airzone Trail 35 

A proven single-buckle, top-loading 

entry combined with an extremely 

breathable and comfortable AirZone 

back system make this our most 

popular hiking pack off all time. 

RRP $269.95 


SUBSCRIBE 

AND BE IN THE DRAW TO WIN THIS INCREDIBLE PACK FROM 

EDMUND HILLARY 

THE LEGEND 

CONTINUES 

Edmund Hillary was a mountaineer from 

New Zealand who, with his climbing partner 

Tenzing Norgay, became the first to climb 

the world's highest mountain. Their ascent 

of Everest on 29 May, 1953 was one of the 

greatest achievements of the 20th century. 

Edmund Hillary (www.edmundhillary.com) 

is a premium lifestyle clothing label that 

embraces the pioneering spirit and the 

positive human values of Sir Edmund Hillary 

whilst creating longevity and authenticity 

into every product made. 2% of proceeds go 

to causes close to Ed’s heart – supporting 

Himalayan communities and youth outdoor 

education initiatives. 

exped Metro 30 Daypack 

Designed to be your everyday 

companion while being versatile enough 

to go for a day trip. It features a durable, 

water-repellent, bluesign®-certified 

fabric, a roll-top closure and an outsideaccessible 

padded laptop sleeve. A 

number of outside and inside pockets 

keep your other gear organised. 

RRP $159.99 


osprey Daylite Pack 

Lightweight, uncomplicated, durable and with 

a comfortable carry, Osprey’s Daylite pack has 

proven to be wildly popular. It continues to serve 

well as an add-on pack for traveling as well as 

standing on their own with their incredible versatility. 

RRP $99.99 

WWW.SOUTHERNAPPROACH.CO.NZ/OSPREY/ 

osprey Talon 22 | Tempest 20 

Whether you’re bagging peaks or bikepacking, the 

Talon 22 is the perfect carry solution. This lightweight 

pack features a breathable, close-to-body AirScape® 

backpanel and continuous-wrap harness and hipbelt 

that moves with you. Trekking pole, ice axe and bike 

helmet attachment points make this a truly multisport 

pack. Constructed with high-quality bluesign®approved 

recycled high-tenacity nylon. 

RRP $249.99 

WWW.SOUTHERNAPPROACH.CO.NZ/OSPREY/ 

KHUMBU DOWN PARKA: A replica of the parka 

worn by Ed Hillary in 1953. Our oversized down-filled 

Khumbu Parka Jacket is produced from a British, 

densely woven down-proof cotton, filled with the 

highest quality goose down with 450 fill power. The 

down is ethically sourced from Minardi Piume, one of 

the world’s most respected suppliers. The oversize 

design and roomy proportions enable the wearer 

more movement and the ability to layer-up in heavy 

winter cold conditions. 

EDMUND HILLARY BADGE BEANIE: 

Developed as a replica version of 

an original worn by Ed Hillary, it is 

produced in England from a very 

soft British lambswool yarn, and has 

a unique four seam construction for 

style and fit. 

EDMUND HILLARY SCARF: 

Incorporating all the colours we can 

offer in the Edmund Hillary lambswool 

sweater range, and produced from 

super-soft lambswool. 

YES I’D LIKE TO SUBSCRIBE 

VISIT 

WWW.ADVENTUREMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

The giant sand dunes of te paki 

By Bridget Thackwray 

and Topher Richwhite 

The entrance to the Giant Sand Dunes in the Far North of New Zealand 

Topher and I have just picked up our 

new Expedition Earth companion, 

a Jeep Gladiator we have decided 

to call ‘Roman’. Named after a local 

Siberian man who escorted us up 

the Yamal Peninsula in early 2020, 

we’ve been working with sponsors 

from all over the world to build the 

ultimate off-road machine to join 

Gunther on future expeditions. As we 

wait for 30 countries between Russia 

and New Zealand to open their 

borders, we will be testing Roman 

here in New Zealand to refine his 

design and learn more about his 

ability. 

Straight from the RVE garage in 

Mount Wellington, we headed toward 

our first testing site, the Giant Sand 

Dunes of Te Paki. 

Reaching the most northern point in 

New Zealand is a drive that should 

sit high on every Kiwi’s road tripping 

bucket list. But visiting the Cape 

Rienga Lighthouse is about as 

eventful as one might expect. ‘It’s 

not about the destination, it’s about 

the journey of getting there’ rings 

very true on this adventure. 

At a first glance, one would assume 

4x4’ing on sand dunes wouldn’t 

require much experience. But in fact, 

Topher and I have had many close 

calls and learnt sometimes the hard 

way of how to navigate our way 

through these delicate landscapes. 

"Reaching the most northern point 

in New Zealand is a drive that 

should sit high on every Kiwi’s 

road tripping bucket list." 

RVE turned Roman into an expedition 

machine 


In Peru, during Leg 1, Topher and I 

were exploring the 1.2 million-acre 

Sechura Desert when we lost our tire 

tracks and had to rely on our GPS to 

navigate our way out of the inhospitable 

landscape. Our tire markings had acted 

as a sort of lifeline and without them we 

felt very vulnerable. Sand can be very 

unpredictable and in areas beneath dunes 

it can become very soft and sticky. 

Similar to scenes in the movies, animal 

skeletons and mirages began to appear. 

Our fuel gauge was steadily dropping 

and we had no idea whether our direction 

would be a safe route or not. Getting 

stuck in the sand this far from civilization 

could be life threatening. 

In February 2019, Leg 2, South Africa. 

We had just finished a refit of Gunther 

in Johannesburg so we wanted to test 

out Gunther’s capabilities before driving 

him north to London. We had heard of 

the Atlantis Dunes outside of Cape Town 

which were used by locals to push their 

4x4’s to the limit. When we arrived at the 

dunes we were surprised by their beauty, 

so Topher put his drone up in the air while 

I drove Gunther into the white silica sand. 

Because the sand has very little definition 

it’s quite hard to gauge how fast you’re 

driving. All of a sudden Topher bleated at 

me to stop the car! Through his drone he 

could see we were speeding towards a 

drop off which we managed to narrowly 

avoid flying off. At the speed we were 

going we would have nose-dived off the 

ledge and done serious structural damage 

to Gunther and his chassis. 

Topher’s drones have been our eyes in 

the sky and we have often used them to 

navigate our way out of tricky situations. 

We’d recommend packing one if you’re 

heading into a desert as you can always 

use them to find a way out. 

Sand dunes are constantly changing 

shape, size and position so you can’t 

assume following someone else’s trail is a 

safe route. 

1,500km north of Atlantis Dunes, and just 

one week later, we were deep within the 

Namib Desert. Here, similar to 90-mile 

beach in New Zealand, the beach is often 

used as an official road. Along the famous 

Namibian ‘Skeleton Coast’ there sits a 

paved roadway, but south you drive along 

the beach. The majority of this beach is 

walled in by what are recorded as the 

world’s highest dunes. 

When driving along a beach, checking 

the tide is always essential. However, 

checking the drive time should probably 

be as much of a priority. Heading up 

the coastline of Namibia took us much 

longer than we anticipated. Eventually 

Above: Lost in the Sechura Desert, Peru 

Below: Gunther on the arid coast of Namibia’s 

Skeleton Coast 

Right: The Atlantis sand dunes, North West of 

Cape Town 

the ocean began to lap Gunther’s tires 

and we made the decision to head into the 

dunes. These dunes were like nothing we 

had ever experienced. The sand was deep 

and untouched with mountains of unscalable 

dunes. We lowered Gunther’s air pressure to 

the point the car was screaming with alarms 

and began our challenging route back to 

civilization. 


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JEEP GLADIATOR RUBICON 

The only convertible truck of its kind on offer in the world, 

the Jeep Gladiator is built on the rich heritage of tough, 

dependable Jeep trucks with an unmatched combination of 

rugged capability and authentic Jeep design. 

With inherent design cues from the legendary Jeep Wrangler, 

the Gladiator utilises a variety of ways to optimise ride, 

handling and sound characteristics while optimising fuel 

economy even while towing. Utilising a body-on-frame design 

and featuring a superbly engineered five-link suspension 

system, the Jeep Gladiator delivers on capability, comfort, 

and passenger safety - including over 70 standard and 

available safety features. 

As the latest iteration in a 40 year history of Jeep Trucks, 

the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon features the legendary 3.6-litre 

Pentastar V6 Petrol Engine, ZF 8-Speed Automatic 

Transmission and class leading Rock-Trac® 4x4 system. 

Remove the three-piece hard top roof and lightweight doors 

to truly enjoy your ultimate New Zealand Open Air Adventure. 

WWW.JEEP.CO.NZ 

"I guess we can say that 

Roman is now broken in, 

and ready for more New 

Zealand adventures! " 

Roman heading north on 90-mile beach, on route to the Giant Sand Dunes 

To reach the Te Paki Giant 

Dunes here in New Zealand, you 

must drive along 90-mile beach. 

Because of this we recommend 

giving your car a thorough wash 

of its undercarriage afterwards. 

Even if it doesn’t seem salty, it 

will be. 

The best way to explore the 

dunes is to turn the journey into a 

loop, so that the entire day you’ll 

be exploring new terrain. 

Refuel in Kaitaia so that you have 

a full tank of gas before heading 

towards Ahipara. There, you will 

find the most southern entrance 

onto 90mile beach. Drop your 

tire pressure, turn your vehicle 

north and enjoy the next hour 

and a half of New Zealand’s most 

famous highway! 

Just a kilometer shy of the end of 

the beach you will begin to see 

the giant sand dunes of Te Paki 

appear on your right. Just as they 

begin to appear you should begin 

to notice a trail leading toward 

them through low lying scrub. Be 

prepared to scratch the side of 

your vehicle for this next 300m 

trail. Eventually, you will come 

out beneath the dunes. Here you 

will be out of reception, and most 

likely completely alone. You’ll be 

wanting to drop your tire pressure 

further. Remembering our 

experiences from Peru, South 

Africa and Namibia, enjoy with 

caution! You may also be lucky 

enough to sight wild horses. 

Exit the dunes on the same 

scratchy trail you entered, and 

continue for 2km up 90-Mile 

beach. Before the end of the 

beach, you’ll come to a wide 

riverbed. This is Te Paki stream, 

which leads between the sand 

dunes back to the paved road. 

It also provides you with 3 km 

of fun! Windows up, look out for 

delicate wildlife and enjoy! 

Eventually you’ll come across the 

paved road which you can follow 

for an hour and a half back to 

Kaitaia. Once you reach Kaitaia 

you’ll find air for your tires and a 

car wash. 

I guess we can say that Roman 

is now broken in, and ready for 

more New Zealand adventures! 


SEEK ADVENTURE: BECOME A PADI CERTIFIED DIVERR 

Looking to embark on a new adventure 

in 2021? Becoming a PADI certified diver 

is the perfect way to jump start the New 

Year. In addition to learning an impressive 

new skill, you’ll have the opportunity to 

experience the magic of the underwater 

world. 

While 2020 certainly presented many 

challenges, it also showed us the 

importance of connecting with nature – 

for our physical and mental wellbeing. 

Taking time to focus on yourself and your 

connection with nature, while completing 

an epic certification course is something 

we can all see value in as we begin the 

New Year. 

PADI – The Way the World Learns 

to Dive: As we make our way through 

2021, PADI is committed to providing 

opportunities for people around the world 

to seek adventure and save the ocean. 

Becoming a certified scuba diver starts 

with the PADI Open Water Diver course 

– the most recognized scuba certification 

in the world. PADI Instructors around the 

world undergo rigorous training to ensure 

that each and every course is both fun 

and safe. A PADI Open Water Diver 

certification allows you to seek adventure 

anywhere there’s water, like a passport to 

the underwater world! 

Adventure Doesn’t Have to Wait: PADI 

eLearning allows you to complete the 

online portion of the Open Water Diver 

course at your own pace through our 

easy-to-use interactive program. Then, 

you can connect at any time with a PADI 

Dive Centre or Resort to complete your 

in-water training. eLearning not only 

offers added flexibility, it also reduces the 

amount of time you’ll need to spend at 

the dive centre. 

Completing the PADI Open Water 

Diver Course: The PADI Open Water 

Diver course includes three main parts: 

Knowledge Development, Confined 

Water Dives, and Open Water Dives. 

Knowledge Development (which you 

can complete via eLearning) covers the 

principles, concepts, and terms you need 

to know for dive safety and enjoyment. 

In order to complete your Confined Water 

Dives and Open Water Dives, you can 

use the PADI Dive Shop Locator or the 

PADI Adventures App to connect with a 

dive shop. 

In the pool, you’ll learn and practice 

scuba skills with your PADI Instructor 

during your Confined Water Dives – 

putting your knowledge to the test and 

breathing underwater for the first time! 

Then, you’ll move on to an open water 

dive site (ocean or lake) to complete 

four Open Water Dives. As a PADI 

Open Water Diver, you’ll be trained to a 

maximum depth of 18 metres, and will be 

qualified to dive in conditions as good as, 

or better then, those in which you trained. 

It’s just the beginning of a lifetime filled 

with dive adventures. 

Interested in Freediving? If you’ve 

always wanted to enter the underwater 

world quietly, on your own terms, staying 

as long as your breath allows, then 

freediving is for you. Taking the PADI 

Freediver course is your first step toward 

discovering why freediving is such a 

popular way to explore beneath the 

waves. 

The PADI Freediver course consists 

of three main phases: Knowledge 

Development, Confined Water Dives, 

and Open Water Dives. Knowledge 

Development (which you can complete 

via eLearning) covers the principles, 

concepts, and terms you need to know 

for freediving safety and enjoyment. 

Then, you’ll connect with a PADI Dive 

Centre or Resort to complete Confined 

Water Dives in a pool – learning breath 

hold techniques as well as static and 

dynamic apnea. Open Water Dives 

at a local dive site will allow you to 

practice free immersion, constant weight 

freedives, and proper buddy procedures 

with your PADI Freediving Instructor. 

Ready for More Adventure? Dive In! 

Whether it’s scuba diving or freediving 

(or both) that interests you, becoming 

a PADI certified diver is the perfect way 

to seek adventure in 2021. Earning a 

PADI Open Water Diver certification or a 

PADI Freediver certification will certainly 

provide you with infinite possibilities for 

adventure, near and far. We look forward 

to seeking adventure and saving the 

ocean with you in 2021 and beyond! 

For more information: www.padi.com 


THE POT OF GOLD 

By Jessica Middleton 

"Let's search for that pot of gold" I used to 

repeatedly plead to my parents as a kid whilst 

meandering through the green valleys of New 

Zealand. There is no shortage of rainbows in 

Aotearoa - being the land of the long white 

cloud and those hazy days of rain. These were 

the beacons of light urging me to travel to 

all these different destinations, but will I ever 

make it to the rainbows end? I became fixated 

on finding out the answers. As you can imagine 

I was devastated to learn I would never 

physically reach that destination via travelling, 

until I did. 

Travelling between New Zealand and Australia, 

I can visually tell you I have travelled to all 

colours of the Rainbow. Travelling via van cuts 

the cost of accommodation which allows you to 

spend longer in each destination and explore 

more of what these colourful spots have to 

offer. Vanlife travel is perfect for photography 

lovers, quit being held back in a tour group, 

you call the shots if you want to stop and taste 

the rainbow. Your travel plans can be flexible 

as there are generally many camping site 

options on offer, although it's advised to check 

before arriving at your destination. Be sure to 

download the WikiCamps NZ and AUS app 

where you can plan your trip to suit your travel 

needs, whether that be freedom camping or 

locations with amenities. Here are my favourite 

vanlife destinations in the rainbow spectrum of 

course : 

YELLOW - GOLD COAST QLD 

It doesn't have the name gold in it for no reason. With the sun 

beaming an average of 300 days per year you can say Gold Coast 

glows and is considered a year-round visited destination. Worldrenowned 

for its sandy surf scaped coast it is best enjoyed watching 

the surfers at sunrise whether at Burleigh Heads or Snapper Rocks. 

We recommend going for a surf excursion yourself and hire a board 

at Currumbin Alley. Nestled in a bay you could say the pot of gold 

was once here and has poured out silky soft gold dust creating this 

long stretched coastline. Gold Coast is a place suited for everyone, 

families and all. 

Good to know: 

• There are many incredible waterfalls to visit in nearby 

Springbrook and Lamington National Park 

• Take a short drive to the famous Byron Bay. 

• Loaded with bars, restaurants, and amusement parks you'll be 

sure to have your entertainment needs met. 

OUTBACK ORANGE - Alice Springs Northern Territory 

Australia’s Northern Territory is the home of the real outback known 

for its hot climate and where the surroundings have been painted 

with a burnt orange glaze. If you can make the trek to Australia's 

most famous landmark you will be astonished how incredible Uluru 

lights up as the sunsets. 

Take a short drive to explore through West Macdonnell and Elsey 

National Park where you can visit gorges and swimming holes. 

Other points of interest to get your orange on in the Northern 

Territory would include, Kakadu NP, Litchfield NP, Mataranka 

Springs, and the Devil's Marbles. 

Good to know: 

• Start your days earlier due to the heat or try travel here 

between May through September. 

• Bring a brush and shovel to wipe down your vehicle inside and 

out as the orange dust does like to stick around. 

• Remember to bring cool water, and a portable shade shelter if 

you are outside and exploring. 

• Australia now has the largest wild population of camels, be 

sure to look out for them. 

Red - Karijini, Western Australia 

Orange - Northern Territory, Australia 

Gold - Gold Coast, Queensland 

Pastel Greens - The Coromandel Peninsula, 

North Island NZ 

Deep Green - Daintree Rainforest - Cairns, 

Queensland 

Aqua Blue - Coral Bay / Ningaloo Reef, 

Western Australia 

Purple - Wanaka - The Lupin flowers & 

Lavender Fields 

White - Queenstown South Island NZ 

Black - Raglan, North Island NZ 

Note: If you are travelling between the North 

and South Island of New Zealand you can 

take your vehicle or van via ferry between 

Wellington and Nelson. 

RED- KARIJINI Western Australia 

Karijini is an ancient wonder bursting with rich red coloured rock 

formations that have been naturally carved by erosion for over 

2.5 million years. Contained in Western Australias second-largest 

national park we consider it a must-visit oasis where you can 

cool off by plunging into the many deep icy pools throughout 

a multitude of simply gorgeous gorges. Located very inland of 

Australia it is best to visit these hidden jewels between May - 

September when the temperatures are a little cooler and dry. 

If you are looking for that sizzling fire red then be sure to take a 

hike through Hamersley Gorge, Weano Gorge, Knox Gorge, Dales 

Gorge - Fortescue Falls / Fern Pool, Hancock Gorge, or Joffre 

Gorge. 

Good to know: 

• There are no Crocodiles! You can swim at peace here. 

• Once in the National Park the roads leading to the gorges are 

very bumpy due to coarse gravel you will need to travel very 

slowly if in 2WD and have a spare tyre. 

• We would consider staying 4 nights to make your travel 

worthwhile. 

LIGHT GREEN - COROMANDEL 

Surrounded by verdant farmlands and beautiful coastal drives 

the Coromandel Peninsula is a little Haven located at the 

North point of New Zealand. Pastel jade shrubs are scattered 

along the cliffside and make great framing opportunities for 

photography when capturing this exquisite landscape and 

islands nearby. Be sure to check out the iconic Cathedral 

Cove and dig your own thermal spa bath on Hahei beach. We 

would also recommend venturing down to the laidback town of 

Whangamata for a surf and bite to eat. 


AQUA BLUE - CORAL BAY NINGALOO Western Australia 

If your looking for a getaway from the hustle and bustle look no 

further than Western Australias isolated Coral Bay. Coral Bay 

is a laidback seaside location and due to the low rainfall, these 

pristine beaches are kept looking super clean with their striking 

white sand and azure blue waters. Truly a marine paradise, 

where giant snapper and coral reef greet you meters from the 

shoreline. We recommend booking a day trip where you can 

dive with Manta Rays, dolphins, turtles, and in the right season 

even Whale Sharks! 

• Limited Camping throughout peak season we recommend 

booking accommodation ahead. 

PURPLE - Wanaka South Island NZ 

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across NZ & Australia. 

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GREEN - CAIRNS QLD 

Boasting the oldest continually surviving tropical rainforest in 

the world this is one you will want to be engulfed in. Mossman's 

Gorge in particular contains an abundance of tropical green 

goodness and hosts a safe sheltered swimming hole where the 

river flows over large granite boulders. 

The Daintree rainforest is an Australian Jungle loaded with palm 

trees, ferns emerald green vines and epic wildlife, be sure to 

look out for the prehistoric Cassowary or take a guided tour and 

cruise down the Daintree River to spot the crocodiles. We would 

recommend adventuring up to cape Tribulation one of the few 

places in the world where the rainforest meets the reef. 

Good to know: 

• Cairns is best visited between May - October avoiding the 

cyclone and flooding season. 

• Be wary of crocodiles and abide by safety signs 

• Book a trip out to snorkel or dive the world heritage site The 

Great Barrier Reef. Some of the fish here hold the entire 

rainbow throughout their scales. 

• Drive through the Atherton Tablelands for waterfalls hikes 

and lush forests. 

WHITE - QUEENSTOWN - South Island NZ 

The adventure capital of New Zealand. Throughout the winter 

months from June - October Queenstown provides striking 

white snow-laden slopes which consist of four fields the closest 

being only a 20minutes drive from the Town Centre. If you don't 

have room in your van for ski gear the perk is you can hire it 

locally from one of the ski fields.The views of the snowcapped 

mountains are breathtaking whether you are on them or parked 

up in the van with a hot cuppa taking it all in. 

Relax after an adventure fueled day and treat yourself to a welldeserved 

muscle soak in the Onsen Hot Pools for a luxurious 

experience. 

You must bring thermals and plenty of snow socks. 

Travel with extreme caution as there can be ice on the roads. 

Bring a good pair of sunnies, the snow is stark white and 

extremely bright. 

BLACK - RAGLAN BLACK SAND 

Home to volcanic black sand beaches, a unique sighting that 

makes for epic drone shots. If you are looking for a drive away 

from crowds check out Ruapuke and Ngarunui beach in Raglan 

where public transport is limited. Being situated on the West 

Coast take the opportunity to watch the sunset over the ocean 

and remember during the day to wear jandals to avoid scorching 

your feet. 

Take your van for a spin and check out the pitch-black Waitomo 

caves which are lightened by thousands of blue glow-worms. 

It will have you feeling like your in the movie Avatar, just try not 

to have a case of the giggles when in the rowboat of silence 

as it echoes throughout the cave. Can or cannot say this has 

happened to myself and a friend. 

• Drive to the nearby Bridal Veil Falls. 

• Climb Mount Karioi an extinct, forest-clad volcano with 

summit views over the Tasman Sea 

• Support local businesses and enjoy organic produce and 

markets. 

Throughout summer the wild Lupin flowers hug the lakes 

and river systems of the beautiful South Island New 

Zealand. These vibrant pinks and purple hues pop creating 

remarkable photography shots as these tones are not often 

prominent in nature. Spotting these beauties is a stand-out 

sign reminding you in life to stop and smell the flowers. 

The Wanaka Lavender fields host many species of lavender 

which are geometrically presented in a perfect purple 

plantation. It's hard to take your eyes off these carefully 

maintained and manicured lavender lines and puts you into 

a dream state. My dad gifted me a bottle of pure lavender 

oil from here, every time I prepare for bed at night the 

sweet scent transcends me back to these lilac beauties. I 

recommend purchasing one of these pocket-sized potions to 

take on your van travels. 

• Luckily both the Lupin and Lavender are in season 

at the same time and can be enjoyed from October - 

February 

• Take your van for an excursion and visit Queenstown, 

Arrowtown, Glenorchy, Mount Aoraki, Milford Sound, 

and Mount Aspiring National Park. 

I found the pot 

of gold through 

travelling to all 

these nature spots 

via van but would 

like to remind 

everybody that it 

truly is treasure to 

treasure. Please 

respect all land, 

by leaving nothing 

but footprints and 

ensuring you are 

using reef-safe 

sunscreens. Lets 

keep it colourful. 


The best handmade crocheted hacky sacks 

you can buy! 

STAY AT ADVENTURE LODGE, NATIONAL PARK 

SEAPA NZ 

P.O. Box 104, Whangamata, 3643 

p: 027 451 8255 e: dave@seapa.co.nz 

www.seapa.co.nz 

TONGARIRO CROSSING SPECIAL 

• 2 x nights accommodation in a lodge budget room 

($220 each) or self contained apartment ($275 each 

person) – min two persons! 

• 2 x cooked breakfasts 

• 2 x breakfasts on the run (bacon, egg and cheese in 

an English muffin) orange juice and breakfast biscuits 

– perfect to take to the crossing – sit on a rock and 

look at the views!! /2 x cut gourmet cut lunches and 

all the water you can carry! / 2 x complimentary shuttle 

rides to the crossing – return trip! / 2 x hot spa’s 

after the Crossing! 

• Free unlimited wifi! 

Facilities include: Bar fully licienced on premises, room 

service of a meat, cheese and bread platter after the 

crossing (extra cost of $45 per platter or $75 platter with 

a bottle of wine included) to be paid upon ordering. 

Enjoy All Press coffee, 

gourmet meals, freshly 

squeezed juices, and 

home baking from the 

tranquil courtyard. 

Enjoy a relaxing 

atmosphere with some 

fish n’ chips and tap beers. 

Or, if in a rush, grab some 

yummy takeaways! 

4/4 Buckingham Street, Arrowtown 

p: 03 442 0227 e: unwind_cafe@hotmail.com 

www.unwindcafe.co.nz 

Your mobile 

power solution 

www.sunsaver.co.nz 

Central Taupo Motel accommodation 

searchers look for the best central location, 

quality reviews and great service. 

Welcome to Acapulco Motor Inn, the best 

affordable Taupo Motel. 

This Taupo Motel is a kiwi family run 

business that loves their job and takes pride 

in presenting the best choice for a Taupo 

Motel. A short walk to central Taupo with an 

array of shops and eateries. Try some local 

kiwi flavours and some Must Do activities to 

maximise your Taupo visit. 

Acapulco Taupo Motor Inn has a range of 

accommodation choices that can sleep from 

1 to 8 guests. Some Motel rooms have a spa 

Pool or spa bath. All Motel rooms have air 

conditioning. 

Bed and Breakfast 

Budget Lodge Accommodation 

Self-Contained Motel Units 

Packages available for skiing and Tongariro Crossing 

Check through our accommodation choices 

to match your needs to the best Acapulco 

Motor Inn room or apartment. 

www.adventurelodge.co.nz | 0800 621 061 

A: 19 Rifle Range Road, Taupo 3330 | T: +64 7 378 7174 | F: +64 7 378 7555 | M: +64 21 800 118 

E: stay@acapulcotaupo.co.nz W: www.acapulcotaupo.co.nz

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