Anurag Sharma moved to New Zealand in 2002 but didn't start tramping until moving to Wellington 16 years later. Since then, he has done all the Great Walks and recently set his sights on Te Araroa. Although it started as something he would do "one day," losing his mother was a catalyst to set a date for Te Araroa and start preparing. Anurag talks about self-discovery and the importance of trying new things and stepping outside your comfort zone, particularly as a South Asian immigrant...

Bennett Lim has always been drawn to the water and set his sights on sea kayaking as a teen. Since then, his obsession with paddling has grown and being based in Auckland means the Hauraki Gulf is right on his doorstep! Working as a sea kayak guide and instructor, Bennett spends his days off doing other personal trips and multi-day missions. He has explored most of the islands in the Gulf, with a goal to circumnavigate all the islands, including Waiheke and Aotea Great Barrier. He talks about...

Sarah Blair started tramping with her daughters, Jacinda (16) and Olivia (12) recently. In this episode, they share about tramping the St James Walkway over 5 days. They share about the route, suitable for beginner and advanced trampers, huts along the way and their favourite moments. They had an unexpected encounter involving an old hunter's hut, wild horses, the police and kiwi hospitality. The trio love getting outdoors together and find that their bond deepens when they see one another at...

Britt Spencer is the first person to cross the Cook Strait on a prone paddle board. She shares about her journey getting into surf life saving, her deep love of the sport and how she has competed at an international level. Despite the Cook Strait being notoriously dangerous and previous health challenges, Britt decided she wanted to attempt a crossing between the North and South island. Her community rallied around her, supporting her goal through the training, logistics and providing safety...

One year on from quitting her corporate job, Abigail Hannah shares her journey of running a business. In this episode she covers: A breakdown of earnings and expenses Biggest lessons learnt Mindset and confidence Losing and gaining clients What's next for 2025 Regrets and what she would do differently VOTE for Aotearoa Adventures in the NZ Podcast Awards: ⁠https://www.nzpodcastawards.com/nominate ⁠Get my NZ Map & Guide ⁠Ellen Mackenzie’s Dishing Up Digital School⁠ Read the...

Kirianna Poole, author of The Slow Road, grew up on the East Coast. After living overseas in Australia and Japan, she brought her family of 5 to New Zealand to live on the road in their 1964 VW Kombi and caravan. Kiri shares all about the 18 month journey across the North and South Island. Kiri talks about her three favourite locations, favourite campsites and why they are so special and memorable for the family. Living in a 1964 Kombi also has its challenges, and she shares about an incident...

Mark Jones is a well-known adventurer in the NZ expedition community. In this episode Mark shares about his most recent journey - sea kayaking the Fiordland coast. Due to the weather, they had to switch to Plan B, and started in Doubtful Sound, finishing in Jackson Bay. The duo were self-sufficient with their protein, fishing and hunting off the land. Mark shares about where they stayed along the way - at questionable campsites and historic huts. There were some incredibly challenging surf...

Brad Willetts grew up as a BMX kid in Western Australia. After a trip to Canada, he got a desire to be closer to the mountains and ended up in Wānaka. One of Brad's most memorable road trips was a summer trip with friends around Nelson and Marlborough at the top of the South Island. As a photographer, Brad loves the diversity of landscapes in such a small space in NZ. He shares about some of the mishaps his mate Tom has with his Defender during this trip as well as what's coming up next for...

Alice Brice discovered fastpacking out of necessity - as a busy Mum, she had less time for weekend adventures and found she could do more if she moved quicker. A cross between trail running and ultralight, Alice's base pack weight is 9-10kg and she can cover over 30kms a day. We talk about an 8 day mission between St Arnaud and Arthur's Pass along Te Araroa. Their 254km trip started with a challenging race to beat the weather to Waiau Pass and ended with an incredible swim in Lake Mavis....

Renee Taylor describes herself as a "city girl" - that was until she discovered freediving at 30. Since then, she lives on the coast where she has created a community to help other wāhine connect to the ocean. Renee shares about her first experience spearing a kingfish, saying you can never have those "first" moments again. She also talks about the dangers of the oceans and her near-miss with a boat. Renee says there are so many benefits that come from learning to freedive - to calm your...

Jono Hitchcox shares about a 5 day Overlanding journey in the Old Man Range with a community of 4WD enthusiats. Growing up in Timaru, Jono's love for the outdoors started with tramping and road trips as a family. When he got his driver's license, he started to get off road more and a love for 4WD was born. In 2018, Jono started a YouTube channel, Lost Sheep Adventures, to help others learn more about overlanding in New Zealand. He hosted their first annual community trip in 2022 to the Old...

Aimee Jules is based out of Nelson and has recently started canyoning. As a beginner, she shares about what canyoning is, how to get started and what gear you need. Aimee shares about a five day canyoning trip with her partner in the Abel Tasman, where they kayaked between campsites and canyons. At one location, the duo had to make a hard call to bail on the canyon, after Aimee was feeling emotionally and physically exhausted and terrified. She talks about other awesome locations around NZ...

Nick Allen has had a love for adventure since he did the Pinnacles Hut at age 7. Nick has fibromyalgia and FND, neurological disorders that make it incredibly challenging to pursue his outdoor passions. He shares about a recent winter adventure doing the Avalance-Bealey Traverse in Arthur's Pass and describes it as "walking a knife's edge." Nick was grateful that this adventure didn't lead to a relapse and hopes to continue to get outdoors. His advice to make the outdoors more inclusive is to...

Barb and Reg are well-travelled, having been to every continent between them. Host Abigail talks to her in-laws about their successful three week road trip around the South Island, where the challenges were few. Barb and Reg share their favourite experiences, from Doubtful Sound to a small pounamu store. They reflect on what makes New Zealand a special destination compared to other parts of the world - it is peaceful and quiet. Their advice to other people that want to visit is to allow as...

While running the Routeburn Track, Sarah Heffron had a serious accident - and in a moment, it changed her entire life. Sarah grew up in Ireland with a strong connection to the Atlantic Ocean. When she moved to New Zealand, she discovered her love for running, the backcountry and staying in huts. While trail running the Routeburn Track, Sarah fell and had a major concussion. In shock, she didn't call for help, but finished the trail and was misdiagnosed by the medical system. Sarah shares...

Billy Nunweek is a landscape photographer whose love for the outdoors led him to getting a 70 series landcruiser - to get into remote areas around New Zealand. In this episode he touches on his photography journey and delves into an epic trip with friends in the Rakaia Valley. While the team did not achieve their goal, several lessons were learnt in the Rakaia Valley. Billy also shares about the joys of solo travel, specifically a trip to Northland. He is looking forward to a summer road trip...

100TH EPISODE SPECIAL: This episode is hosted by Olly Dow, interviewing Abigail Hannah about her journey creating the Aotearoa Adventures podcast over the last 100 episodes. Aotearoa Adventures wouldn't be possible without our weekly guests with their awesome stories, and without our listeners tuning in every single week. Thank you to everyone who is a part of this community. Watch the 100th episode recording on Instagram: instagram.com/reel/C-Hq5fBJWtm/ Support the Cape to Cape 2024...

Isaac Naylor grew up in Nepal where he spent his childhood summers hiking with his family. He met host Abigail Hannah at boarding school in India and now they have been married for 5 years. Isaac got a one-way ticket to New Zealand and studied Outdoor Education at university. He fell in love with the outdoors and rekindled many of his childhood passions - hiking, rock climbing and camping. Most recently, Isaac has loved honing his white water kayaking skills. He shares about the community...

TW: Cancer. Ellena Butcher has beat cancer - not once, but twice. In school, she hated cross country but now she has run four marathons and stays that keeping fit was key in beating cancer. Based in Cambridge, we talk about Ellena's favourite local walk in Maungatautari Sanctuary Mountain. It is the world's largest pest-proof fenced forest, home to tautara, kiwi, takahē, and the only mainland population of kākāpō. An incredibly unique gem in the Waikato, Ellena shares the best walks and how...

Kurt Fenton, a seasoned hiker from the U.S., has spent the past 25 years exploring Aotearoa, especially the North Island. He came here in 1999 to help start a church in Hastings, where he worked as a pastor and now is a counsellor. Kurt shares his unforgettable and sometimes harrowing adventures, including Te Araroa and an epic 80km solo hike in Whirinaki that left him with some challenging injuries and lessons learnt. Kurt's advice is to remember why you're out there, and not to rush it. He...

Waikato Mum Anna O'Brien shares her love for hiking solo, with her kids or with her girlfriends. Her favourite trip was a Northland adventure with her three kids - from Whangaroa to Whangarei Heads, hiking and camping along the way. She talks about the simplicity and magic of their journey, an adventure that the whole family looks back on fondly. Anna's passion for the outdoors and motherhood is so evident in all her stories, and her positive attitude is contagious. Alongside family...

Hamish McColl, a North Islander from Whangamata, had never ventured to the South Island until his honeymoon. In this episode, Hamish shares his week long road trip from Queenstown to Christchurch. He talks about experiencing beautiful sunrises at Lake Wakatipu to epic 4WD adventures at Tasman Glacier, all while navigating the quirks of campervan life, including a funny story when emptying the wastewater. Hamish shares advice around picking the right rental, along with key locations to visit...

Bri O'Brien set herself the challenge to climb Mt Maunganui 38 times - the height of Mt Everest - in 14 days. Since losing her Mum to lung cancer, Bri has done many fundraisers to support the cause close to her heart. She discusses the challenge of setting a goal, holding yourself accountable and finding the motivation to show up day after day. Originally from the USA, Bri has lived overseas for several years, from an exchange program at college to working holiday visas in Australia and New...

Paddle for Purpose is a group of four mates: Cared, Connor, Kurt & Drew. The team set off from Cape Reinga with a mission to sea kayak along the East Coast of the North Island to raise money for mental health and the environment. Over the 75 day journey, the group had huge challenges - from weather to physical pain to the overwhelm of the expedition before them. They discuss their "why," how they worked together as a team, the logistics of planning a trip like this and the moments of pure...