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
41 episodes
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...
Travers-Sabine Circuit and Blue Lake
In this episode of The Tramping Life, we return to Nelson Lakes National Park for one of New Zealand’s classic backcountry circuits — the 80km Travers–Sabine Circuit — with a demanding side trip to Rotomairewhenua / Blue Lake, regarded a...
Lydia Bradey - From Arthur's Pass to Everest
Lydia Brady is a mountaineer, guide, and author, best known as the first woman to climb Mount Everest without supplementary oxygen.In this episode, Lydia shares her remarkable journey from teenage tramping trips in the Lewis Pass ...
Cape Brett Track and Whangamumu / Te Toroa Track
In this episode of The Tramping Life, we head to Northland for a rugged coastal overnighter along the Cape Brett Peninsula in the Bay of Islands — finishing at one of DOC’s most unusual and historic huts.The 16km one-way Cape Bre...
Rob Frost - Guiding Trans-Alpine Expeditions
From school tramping clubs to epic trans-alpine expeditions, Rob Frost has spent a lifetime exploring the wild backcountry of Aotearoa New Zealand. An engineer turned mountain-guide, photographer, and author of the award-winning Aora...
Tongariro Northern Circuit and Around the Mountain Track
In this episode of The Tramping Life, we head to Tongariro National Park for an extended circuit of one of New Zealand’s most iconic landscapes — combining the Tongariro Northern Circuit Great Walk with the Around the Mountain Track into a six-...
Peter Hillary - Everest, Aspiring, and Kea
Peter Hillary is a mountaineer, author, and adventurer. The son of Sir Edmund Hillary, Peter has forged his own remarkable path — from summiting Everest and crossing Antarctica to dedicating his life to exploration, storytelling, and con...
Thousand Acre Plateau
In this episode of The Tramping Life, we head into the north-west of Kahurangi National Park to explore the Thousand Acre Plateau — a vast upland landscape of limestone formations, open tussock and sweeping horizons.Rising to around 100...
Jan Finlayson - Public Access, Stewardship Land, and Grasshoppers
Jan Finlayson has spent a lifetime exploring and advocating for New Zealand’s wild places. In this conversation she reflects on childhood memories of camping and school tramps, early adventures on the Routeburn, and the lessons learned f...
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