The Tramping Life
Conversations with people who share a deep love for exploring Aotearoa New Zealand on foot. From the well-trodden Great Walks to the rugged solitude of remote backcountry routes, our guests share their favourite hikes, huts, and hard-earned lessons from the track.
Whether you’re an experienced tramper or just curious about what makes hiking in New Zealand so special. The Tramping Life offers inspiration, practical insights, and a deeper connection to the landscapes that shape us.
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Episodes
50 episodes
North West Circuit
In this episode of The Tramping Life we head to Rakiura / Stewart Island for one of New Zealand’s most remote and demanding coastal tramps, the North West Circuit. This 125 km circuit follows the rugged northern coastline of the island t...
Peter Laurenson - The Himalaya, Photography, and Rockfall
Peter Laurenson is the author of Occasional Climber, Khumbu: Gateway to Mount Everest, and most recently Aotearoa Light, books that combine thoughtful writing with striking photography from New Zealand and the Himalaya.Peter refl...
Waikōwhai Walkway & Mount William Walkway
In this episode of The Tramping Life we explore two very different hikes in and around Auckland: the coastal Waikōwhai Walkway and the hilltop Mount William Walkway. Both offer rewarding walking close to the city, with great views and a surpris...
Derrick Field - Culling, Running, and Hut Building
Derrick Field has spent a lifetime in the hills — first as a deer culler in the 1960s, then as a ranger, hut builder, track cutter, mountain runner, and now as Chair of the Greater Wellington Backcountry Network. In this wide-ranging con...
Mount Somers Track
Today we head to Canterbury to explore the Mount Somers Track in Hakatere Conservation Park. Less than two hours’ drive from Christchurch, this popular tramp circles the slopes of Mount Somers, linking the Sharplin Falls Car Park and Woo...
Hazel Phillips - Tongariro, Writing, and Secret Huts
Hazel Phillips is a tramper and author, whose books explore the landscapes, histories, and human stories behind New Zealand’s tracks and huts. Hazel reflects on early tramping trauma, the 'stupid' Harper Pass tramp, and experiences...
Gillespie Pass Circuit and Lake Crucible
Today we head into Mount Aspiring National Park for one of the South Island’s classic backcountry tramps, the Gillespie Pass Circuit. This spectacular 58 km circuit links the Young and Wilkin valleys, crossing the 1,500 m Gillespie Pass ...
David Norton - Native Forests, Biodiversity, and Farming
Emeritus Professor of Ecology David Norton has spent a lifetime exploring Aotearoa’s backcountry — from teenage climbs in Arthur’s Pass to fieldwork deep in Westland’s forests. In this episode, he reflects on how those early tramping adv...
Syme Hut
In this episode of we head to the slopes of Mount Taranaki to visit one of the most spectacular and highest public huts in the North Island, Syme Hut. Sitting at around 1,940 m on an old volcanic cone high on the mountain’s southern flan...
Chris Maclean – Tararuas, Publishing, and Nude Tramping
Chris Maclean is a historian, writer, and unapologetic solo tramper who has spent a lifetime in the hills. In this episode, Chris shares stories of swimming rivers with a pack on his back, being rescued from the Ruahines after his ...
Greenstone Caples Track
In this episode of The Tramping Life we head to the Greenstone–Caples Track, a 61 km circuit through the Greenstone Conservation Area near Glenorchy at the head of Lake Wakatipu. Often overshadowed by the nearby Routeburn Track, the Gree...
Kayla Kingdon-Bebb - Grizzlies, Takahe, and Conserving the Oceans
My guest this episode is Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, Chief Executive of WWF New Zealand, and a passionate advocate for biodiversity, climate action, and the role of indigenous communities in conservation. Originally from Canada, Ka...
Motatapu Track
In this episode of The Tramping Life, I tackle one of the Lakes Region’s most challenging tramps: the Motatapu Track.This 49 km route runs between Glendhu Bay near Wanaka and Macetown near Arrowtown, crossing high tussock country with a...
Bruce Reay - A Life Lived in the Bush
Bruce “Chopper” Reay has spent much of his life deep in the bush, from possum hunting and eel fishing in the wilds of the South Island, to his current home at Saxton Hut near Fiordland’s Hollyford Track. In this episode, Bruce shares his...
Queen Charlotte Track
In this episode of The Tramping Life, I explore one of New Zealand’s most iconic coastal walks: the Queen Charlotte Track in the Marlborough Sounds.This 71 km route is typically walked from Ship Cove in the north to Anakiwa in the south...
Duncan Webb - Hiking, Hunting, and Hypothermia
Duncan Webb is the Labour MP for Christchurch Central and lifelong tramper. From his early days exploring the forests of England to challenging multi-day treks across New Zealand’s high country, Duncan shares his most memorable adventure...
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Kaikoura Coast Track
In this episode of The Tramping Life, I explore one of the South Island’s best-known private tramps: the Kaikōura Coast Track.This 26 km two-day route is run by a pair of local farming families and offers a rare combination of epic coas...
Eugenie Sage - Conservation, Controversy, and Melting Jerseys
Former Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage joins The Tramping Life to talk about her lifelong love of the outdoors, from building huts as a child to tramping the St James and the Old Ghost Road. We hear about her earliest...
St James Walkway
In this episode of The Tramping Life, I head to North Canterbury to tackle one of New Zealand’s classic multi-day tramps: the St James Walkway.This 66 km route winds through the high country, taking in the Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve, the...
Shaun Barnett - A Wild Life
This is a special episode of The Tramping Life, dedicated to Shaun Barnett — one of New Zealand’s most respected tramping writers, photographers, editors, and advocates for the backcountry.For many listeners, Shaun will be a fami...
Abel Tasman Inland Track
In this episode of The Tramping Life, I take on the lesser-known Abel Tasman Inland Track, a 41km route through the forested spine of Abel Tasman National Park.While most walkers stick to the iconic Coast Track, this route heads inland—...
Robbie Burton - Publishing Our Tramping Stories
Robbie Burton has spent a lifetime straddling two worlds — the wild backcountry and the world of books. The long-time co-leader of Potton & Burton, one of New Zealand’s most influential independent publishers, Robbie has also tramped...
Rangitoto and Motutapu Island
In this episode of The Tramping Life, we head somewhere few people associate with overnight tramping — Auckland. Just 25 minutes by ferry from the city lies Rangitoto and neighbouring Motutapu Island — two contrasting islands that...
Adam Currie – From Scouts to Climate Action
Adam Currie is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading young voices in the climate movement. We explore his love of wild, remote trips — from hauling surfboards through native bush to packrafting the Gillespie Pass circuit — and how time o...
