Grace Reeves, is a self-described “slightly hippie ADHD adventure princess slash country cottage girly” and building a life full of outdoor adventure, softness and freedom. After working in tech, she spent a year solo on the road in a campervan, eventually settling in her dream home in rural Canterbury. She shares about how four-wheel driving opened up wild places, like her solo mission to Macaulay Hut. Grace also represented NZ in competitive shooting, she now enjoys deer stalking and hunting. ...
Jul 03, 2025•47 min•Ep. 144
Josh Parker started climbing in 2019 and was hooked after one gym session. Since then, he’s set a goal to climb Grade 27 and now spends most weekends at the crag. Josh shares about his favourite North Island spots like Kawakawa Bay and Waipari, his first multi-pitch route, and the joy of finding a like-minded climbing community. They talk about mental challenges, gear progression, and what it’s like to start from scratch. They break down They break down climbing styles like bouldering, sport and...
Jun 27, 2025•48 min•Ep. 143
Kristina Montgomerie is back to share all about Aotea, Great Barrier Island. A travel and outdoors content creator, Kristina has hiked some of the country’s toughest hikes, now balancing her love for adventure with motherhood. She talks about hiking the Aotea Track - both the two-day and three-day versions with advice on which routes to avoid, like the gorse-ridden clay Tramline Track. Kristina shares practical tips on getting to Great Barrier Island, rental car logistics, and why flights are of...
Jun 20, 2025•46 min•Ep. 142
Jasmine Trafford lives in Christchurch with her two young children and shares about her journey finding outdoor adventures that work for their family. Growing up in Marahau, she loved sea kayaking in the Abel Tasman National Park. Jasmine shares her favourite family-friendly spots in Christchurch and Canterbury, from Mount Vernon Valley and Sign of the Bellbird to Mount Thomas Conservation Area and the hidden Tumbledown Bay. Jasmine also shares about an overnight trip to Quail Island that had a ...
Jun 13, 2025•42 min•Ep. 141
Sarah Morrison shares about an epic off-track tramp to Lake Unknown, Park Pass Glacier and Lake Nerine in the Rockburn Valley. Her love for tramping started in the Auckland Uni Tramping club with some questionable adventures like stream-bashing and long, late-night drives. Now based in central Otago, she gets out every weekend tramping, mountaineering or tramping. Sarah shares about a six-day adventure planned in under 24 hours to the Rockburn Valley and some untouched buckelist scenery. The rou...
Jun 06, 2025•47 min•Ep. 140
Canadian Tim Ward retired early when Covid-19 disrupted his business and found a love for slow travel, as a self-proclaimed Mature Flâneur. Finally finding an excuse to visit New Zealand, he visited with his wife and they maxed out their tourist visa, staying for three months and exploring as much of the country as possible. Tim talks about his favourite experiences in the Catlins, Dunedin and Oamaru, including where to see penguins, waterfalls, unique architecture, quirky steampunk culture and ...
May 30, 2025•52 min•Ep. 139
Hazel Phillips shares her deep love for Tongariro National Park and the wild stories behind her new book Fire and Ice . Living in Ohakune, Hazel has spent years exploring Ruapehu and Tongariro, uncovering hidden huts, old memorials, and the impacts of receding glaciers. She talks about Ruapehu Crater lake’s surprising tourism past, the spiritual significance of Ngāuruhoe, and why intent matters when we explore sacred places. Hazel shares her Mallowpuff altitude test, favourite swimming holes, an...
May 23, 2025•53 min•Ep. 138
Host Abigail Hannah speaks with her husband Isaac about their dream to live on the road full-time in a van. Their journey began in 2020, with a $2,800 Mitsubishi van and they have now completed their $60k home-on-wheels build. Isaac shares the process of self-containment regulations and how to build a basic setup with simple tools. They discuss their favourite features of each van and the lessons learnt through each design process. Abigail breaks down cost expenses for their current dream van an...
May 16, 2025•49 min•Ep. 137
The Hump Ridge Track is New Zealand's newest Great Walk, and Helen Griffiths was pushed to her limits as she experiences the best and worst day of her life on the trail. Helen is a photographer, originally from the UK, and found herself stuck in New Zealand during the Covid pandemic. She has a love for slow travel and exploring deeply, rather than quickly. Helen shares about her experience on the Hump Ridge track, where she was challenged immensely, while also having the most incredible experien...
May 09, 2025•51 min•Ep. 136
Ivan Polyntcev started ultra-swimming - an elite open-water sport - less than six years ago, after moving to New Zealand. As a professional dancer, Ivan wanted a new sport to get into competitively. He started swimming in the ocean and soon he was hooked. Ivan attempted to cross the Cook Strait two years ago, but didn't even get in the water to start. He shares about the mental and physical journey to return and attempt the crossing a second time. His accomplishment makes him one of 200 people i...
May 02, 2025•52 min•Ep. 135
Abigail Hannah had the privilege of being interviewed on the Kiwi Yarns podcast with Brodie Kane. Listen to the full episode on all major platforms. WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYmBtr9kk5Y SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3FEtXmUxF1gbzovTpKsGHO APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/kiwi-yarns/id1516048486 And follow Abigail on Instagram for some exciting news: instagram.com/abigailhannnah...
Apr 28, 2025•1 min
Sophie Wakelin is a doctor, who quit her job in Wellington to spend time travelling. Over three months in the South Island, she slept out of her car and bagged 67 huts from Nelson Lakes to Rakiura Stewart Island. Sophie shares her top three favourite huts, including Mataketake Hut that required a second attempt to get to. She shares the challenges she faced while tramping solo, how to grow your confidence in the outdoors and plenty of ideas for your next South Island tramp or hut bagging mission...
Apr 25, 2025•49 min•Ep. 134
Please leave a review for Aotearoa Adventures on Spotify or Apple. Find your next adventure inspo here: PODCAST EPISODE DIRECTORY Join the broadcast channel on Instagram Life is life-ing at the moment for host Abigail Hannah as she is in a period of transition both personally and in business. She is taking a break this week to go tramping with whānau and will be back next week with another epic guest episode. In the meantime, go ahead and binge some previous episodes or re-listen to your favouri...
Apr 18, 2025•9 min
Jacq Nesbit started tramping in adulthood and she shares about walking the Heaphy Track from Karamea to Collingwood. Jacq managed to find last-minute tickets on Monday to start the Great Walk on a Thursday - and be back in time for work the following Monday. She details what to expect each day on the Heaphy Track. At 85km, it is the longest Great Walk and often overlooked due to the complex logistics. Jacq shares the best options for shuttle, what to take with you in your pack, as well as her fa...
Apr 11, 2025•41 min•Ep. 133
Naomi Arnold fulfilled a 20-year dream when she walked Te Araroa northbound (NOBO), from Bluff to Cape Reinga. What she expected to be a 4-5 month trail turned into 9 months as she juggled freelance work and writing a book on the trail. Her determination meant she pushed through all the physical and mental challenges, never for a moment wanting to quit, despite how tough it got. Her absolute favourite moment was the Tongariro Crossing and experiencing the forces of nature in the volcanic area. N...
Apr 03, 2025•49 min•Ep. 132
Sam the Trap Man is a bushman - he goes foraging, fishing and hunting - and at his core he is a conservationist, living in harmony with the ecosystems around us. Growing up in the East Cape, Te Uruwera feels like home to Sam. He shares about one of his favourite trails, the Koranga Tawa Loop, because of the mahinga kai the bush provides, and encounters with endangered birds. Now a parent, Sam loves to share his knowledge of the flora and fauna of New Zealand with his kids. They love identifying ...
Mar 27, 2025•39 min•Ep. 131
Jord and Tom quit their jobs 7 years ago to travel to the other side of the world. A few vans later, Jord and Tom have a caravan in New Zealand and share about Fiordland - one of their favourite locations. They stayed off-grid in Fiordland and loved Te Anau for fun activities like jet boating and helicopter trips. The couple share all their best advice for first-time and long-term vanlifers, from choosing the right size space to how to shower. They share travel hacks for the best apps in New Zea...
Mar 20, 2025•45 min•Ep. 130
In just 10 days, Stacey Walker ticked off four epic hikes in the South Island - Earnslaw Burn, Lake Wilson, Mueller Hut and Brewster Hut. Stacey started to get into tramping by herself, just going out on weekends and exploring local trails. As a planner, she started a list of bucketlist hikes and started doing them around her standard 9-5 job. Planning to do just 3 hikes in 10 days in the South Island, they added on a spontaneous overnight at Mueller Hut! Stacey's favourite moment was sharing Ea...
Mar 13, 2025•42 min•Ep. 129
Rich Soult has spent years exploring the South Island with 4WD adventures, turning his passion for off-road driving into a career. Having lived in the UK, New Zealand, and France, he started writing for 4X4 Magazine before launching his own guiding company in 2020. Now, Rich leads epic 4WD tours through some of the South Island’s most iconic locations. He shares about their two-week north to south route, covering the iconic Macaulay, Godley, and Hopkins valleys, Old Man Range, Mavora Lakes and m...
Mar 06, 2025•39 min•Ep. 128
Elvisa Van Der Leden was invited to Gorge River to visit the Long family and set off on a two-day unmarked route with three friends. She is a conservationist whose work has taken her from Antarctic islands to Taranaki and marine science. The group brought different skills to the tramp as they navigated thick bush, river crossings, map reading and boulder hopping. They got lost a few times and learnt lots along the way. Elvisa then celebrated her 30th birthday at Gorge River with a surprise cake....
Feb 27, 2025•44 min•Ep. 127
Renata Wiles, founder of Roam with Kids shares about an easy adventure turned misadventure on a weekend to Peach Cove Hut. While pregnant, Renata and a friend took their two toddlers on an overnight to Peach Cove Hut which ended in someone getting helicoptered out and the other having to carry extra gear out the next day. Renata shares about the importance of mindset when hiking with kids and shares helpful tips for parents want to go on hard adventures. The Roam with Kids app helps parents acro...
Feb 20, 2025•45 min•Ep. 126
Ollie Sharpe got into jetboating after watching YouTube videos and then bought his 3.5m boat. He shares about a two-week solo jetboat trip where he covered 27 rivers across Canterbury, Otago and the West Coast, venturing up valleys and spending a couple nights up every river with his dog. Ollie talks about his favourite rivers, how he started to get into boating, logistics, his biggest lessons and how you can start too. He also shares about winter trips and how they are different to boating in s...
Feb 13, 2025•38 min•Ep. 125
When travel podcaster Jackie Nourse turned 40, she decided to celebrate in the best way possible - finally ticking New Zealand off her bucketlist. Jackie hosts group trips around the world and created an incredible itinerary for Aotearoa that covered the best of the Southern Alps, combining cycling, hiking, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. She shares their journey, from biking the stunning Lake Dunstan and Around the Mountains trails to staying in DOC huts in the Dark Sky reserve. She shares ...
Feb 06, 2025•55 min•Ep. 124
Veronika Edali is an outdoorsy hijabi mum based in Auckland who loved getting outdoors as a family with her two kids. She shares her 5 top spots to explore - from short walks, waterfalls and beaches - that are perfect for a weekend adventure. Veronika also talks about her top tips and advice for parents getting outdoors, and a particularly memorable snow trip with the family. Veronika is a Muslim revert and empowers other hijabis to get outdoors by sharing her stories and creating a modest swimw...
Jan 30, 2025•41 min•Ep. 123
After her marriage ended, Larissa Hubbard found herself solo travelling in her 50s as she spent 4 months in New Zealand to allow herself the space to heal. Based out of Bob's Cove, Arrowtown, Clyde and Twizel, Larissa spent longer in each location and found routine, sharing the rituals that helped ground her. She talks about her favourite day trips, walks and local spots across Otago and Canterbury. To finish her trip, Larissa did a two week road trip, and shares the highlights of her route - in...
Jan 23, 2025•36 min•Ep. 122
Tiff and Nathan hail from Australia and have been living on the road in NZ for 3 years. They had a terrible experience buying a van in a private sale which turned out to be a lemon! They share their lessons learnt so that no one else has to go through the same awful process. Now they love slowing down and exploring slowly. The duo @theroadlesswritten share their favourite locations in the Abel Tasman and Marlborough regions and tips for first-time visitors or full-time vanlifers in order to make...
Jan 16, 2025•42 min
Alexander Hillary describes himself as a generalist when it comes to outdoor adventures. He is multi-passionate about mountaineering, hiking, kayaking and more. Alex manages the Himalayan Trust NZ and Hillary Outdoors, carrying on the philanthropic legacy of his grandfather, Sir Edmund Hillary. In this episode, he shares about a spontaneous expedition to the remote Olivine Ice Plateau, located in a wilderness area. Despite the lack of information about their route, they navigated the challenging...
Jan 09, 2025•41 min•Ep. 120
Host Abigail Hannah shares about 2024 and what's coming up next in 2025. She covers: Highlights of Aotearoa Adventures in 2024 All about her 3 month global trip - Nepal, India, UK & USA What's coming up in 2025 (spoiler: vanlife) How you can support Aotearoa Adventures in 2025 Get my NZ Map & Guide 1-on-1 calls and custom travel itineraries SAVE 5% on the Dishing Up Digital School - for new social media managers Read the Blog: www.abigailhannah.nz Follow Abigail on Instagram: instagram.c...
Jan 06, 2025•12 min
Olly Dow is an avid tramper who had an idea to cross the North Island from Cape to Cape. He met mountain bikers Will and Thomas and the teens started planning and training for this epic journey which began as a line drawn across a map. They share about the preparation, the most difficult days of the journey and the moments they loved the most - like walking the Tongariro Crossing with 20 mates. Their 900km expedition took them through the Waikaremoana and Whirinaki forests on foot, down the Whan...
Dec 19, 2024•50 min•Ep. 119
Benjamin Pigott remembers visiting his first ever DOC hut and knowing he just had to visit all of the huts in the Tararua Ranges Now, he has bagged over 500 huts all across the North and South Island and is on a mission to visit them all. Working as an asset inspector at DOC has enabled him to get out into the bush often. Benjamin talks about some of his favourite huts he's visited, tips for hut bagging and how to get started if you've never been to a DOC hut before. KEA Outdoors is a kiwi brand...
Dec 12, 2024•34 min•Ep. 118
