New Zealand : Part 1

Tramping New Zealand:

Feb 10 to March 2: 2018
150 some miles.

Well the actual logistics of how this trip got booked is for some other time..

Many books, Movies, some shows on Discovery / Nation Geographic normally  (though unknowingly ) create an image of some destination in your minds. After watching Lord of the Rings, Hobbit, Narnia there is that sense of adventure that lurks in everyone, how that place would be and how would it feel to trace the paths or for that matter tramp in those surroundings. Well, it did happen, ten some days of tramping in southern parts with really fit and fun group. Guides were really great they must have received feedback already.

Given it was long journey went just a day ahead and explored a bit in and around Christchurch, driving in New Zealand was nice. Akaroa is a beautiful place to explore marine life and glad could get entry last minute, very people friendly place and many walks to do around.

Well everyone can read through the itinerary, REI did a nice job for hiking in New Zealand Southern Alps. Pictures link is already up and shared with group and coordinator 4th march. Just checked all emails and digital media after getting back as always.Though many individuals visit the place and many in your group, everyone has different perspective on same thing.

Highlights: Feb 14 - 23
Every single trek is different from other and one gets to explore or get a glimpse of different parts of the country.We got to experience all weather patterns, right from effects of cyclone Gita, sun, rain, winds, snow a real New Zealand all weather experience. Layer up and enjoy the beauty of the place.

Views atop Peak hill & the farmers crossing & the book

Wandering the hills around Rex Simpson Hut & running to make sure its a rock and not a goat :), Getting water from water holes, finding wildlife around, running on some paths, watching rain clouds rolling in and sunset. Night sky with millions of stars. Wind gusts at Erica pass while climbing Beuzenberg peak, bush walk that followed was nice skip the holes game.

Walking through honey coated tree forest and heavy gusts at Mt.Somers, local school group landed here for English outdoors class, kind of interesting concept to get kids interested in outdoors, get some real hardy workout and learn, some individuals were honing their canyoneering skills on rope way.

Besides Tasman Glacier, Hooker valley, Red tarns the Governor's bush was enjoyable way to learn
more about native plants and saved forest. Sir Edmond Hillary Museum is really good and always makes you wonder how did these incredible individuals did these things.

Wanaka lake walk with rolling hills was a nice change to climbing. The beach is nice.

Skippers canyon is a beautiful place and the jet boat ride was a thing, post that the hike feels like real walk in Lord of the rings surroundings, really nice by the edge of the cliffs. Have we ever wondered how the goats reach some places. Its a beautiful walk and the snow on surrounding mountains, wet pathways make it even more interesting. Nice place.

Stay at Ben Lomond lodge, never knew farmer's newspaper is real cool thing, special mention to piano sessions and hospitality of individuals with really beautiful stay. The trek to Ben Lamond peak was fun thing in snow and walking in slush, snow, melting waterways which got formed.

Not using poles can provide real test to one's leg strength & it was nice to have that challenge on purpose. There was just one small section climbing Ben Lomond peak from base to top, as quite a bit of snow with sudden change of weather posed some challenge when used one from Michelle as a precautionary thing, thanks ( to be more specific I had taken mine from Seattle but left them in bag and we all were also offered by guides but didn't take them, that was intentional) 


For the land mass not that much wild life, place has lot of sheeps, cows, some horses, besides had never seen before extent to which red deer farming happens. Finding and seeing wildlife in their natural habitat is a real great way to see them, the seals, Hector's dolphins ( conservation is promoted for them), Penguins, Kiwi bird (conservation for them too ), was lucky to find and see many birds in their natural environment right from Tui, Kea, Kaka,Weka, Pukeko, Wood peagons & many others .  It was nice when Kea follows you and then sits on your car and wouldn't even move no matter what.
Many Possum traps on the trails.
Besides the removals of introduced or invasive plants, there are wide variety of ferns in area and very different from one another. Silver fern is the known one with silver on backside of leaf and only grows in northern parts, Kauri are another type trees native and can grow really tall. The redwood forest is really nicely maintained.


The wall arts and mural displays are neat and one can find them right from Christchurch streets to Giant's house to one town dedicated for murals.

In season fruits & vegetables taste really good.There are many places in garden where how to grow

vegetables and other things is taught to kids and produce is distributed among caretakers.

For an outdoor enthusiast there are many things to do, more in part 2 , exploring bit of Northern side and some other things.

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Newzealnd Part 1 Photogallery






New Zealand: Part 2





Fri 2 March: Just landed Friday afternoon & it was nice to be part of appreciating efforts of Individuals and their recognition ceremony. Congrats to all of them once again & it was great knowing many other amazing things they do.

New Zealand: Part 2

North part:

Well post some 75/ 80 miles of leg work in south and bidding everyone goodbyes ( always little down day for everyone) people dispersed continuing their further adventures or went back home.
Headed out to explore Fiordland NP. En route lake Te Anau was nice break to see the Fiordland movie, general walks around lake and area. Did hiking on some portion of Kepler track to Hut, beautiful walk among the trees, moss covered grounds. Trail winds through forest with rolling hills, happened to meet nice couple at the end of hike and they confirmed what was there as falcon. Their daughter is editor for magazine, was real pleasure talking to them, they sharing some local things too.

Well after wearing all hiking gear for all these days, shoes etc etc, evening dinners were great with

change of attire but still, just got fed up and no one would even guess what I wore to this park Fiordland NP, heels and jeans, felt nice for once out of hiking / walking shoes :) , ha ha I am sure while walking the deck on mirror lakes some people were wondering has she come to NP or what's up ... :) hahaha :). Well  just in time for boat quick change of shoes & got lucky in seeing wildlife, waterfalls etc. later did some hikes around, one in particular  'key summit alpine track' just did hard trail run coming back. Going up and down might have been an hour and half ... views atop are beautiful. Had just one day and did couple more hikes before driving back to Queens town.

Explored gardens, ocean side walk, could have squeezed in something more this morning but, n'ways and flew out to Auckland, reached almost later in the evening.
Just walking around downtown and visiting boat launch, it was great experience to see Volvo ocean race informative with insides of race boats and plastic in oceans film besides everything else.

Sky walk option on tower had just closed for the day, hence got postponed to last day just before flight back to Seattle. It was raining pretty hard last day morning and chances seemed slim, but alas little clearing and could do that, it was very windy morning. Four enthu people with a guide we marched at the top. Nice thing to do, many acrobatics are done while walking and city views out in open are great. Wind can cause nice resistance and add to the challenge. At 192 meters high, dangling outside and walking on rim about an hour is worth doing.

Morning walk up Mt. Eden hill provided good city views, later the Hamilton gardens (having seen some other gardens), given choice would have loved to do something else instead, n' ways, Don't get me wrong they are really beautiful gardens. Hobbit Movie set tour with enthusiastic guide makes it more interesting.  Well on our hike too in southern part we came across some locations and Peter was good at pointing them out or explaining that was neat. Evening venturing out the natural bridges, falls, caves, Ruakuri hike is good with tunnels,etc short hikes in Waitomo area.

Abseiling 100 meters just using rope in cave

I am so glad had booked Abseiling in cave thing beforehand and it turned out great. Am sure entire staff here is really good and you are in good hands all through out. Abseiling 100 meters free hanging in cave, climbing 30 meters straight up ladder, watching glowworms, eel and all in the darkness ( there are headlamps but switching them off gives nice feeling when not walking), very nice thing. Super cool.Our team of 4 with guide had lot of fun and came to know so many new things from individuals.

Rotorua bay side walk is by the water , government park , city walks , waimangu volcanic valley , mount Haszard hiking trail is steep stair walk up and down besides Okere falls scenic reserve, Cathedral cove ocean walk, highway 309 various hikes, kauri block walk, Drive creek railway is  worth riding and forest surrounding is built over time. Many other things one can not cover much in one night stay. For longer tracks return trip is sure.

Come to think of it and now that have an idea about area, more days could have been spent in some towns to do more larger tracks and cover more grounds, many things next time. Having additional 70 some miles of leg work done post south island, back to place called home.



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North Newzealand Photogallery