Walking the Wild Series: Trek New Zealand, Aotearoa - the Land of the Long White Cloud!

Imagine a landscape so familiar to Pacific Northwesterners, yet still strikingly different:  Vast alpine vistas with shimmering waterfalls, golden-green sheep-dotted hills overlooked by snowy crags, deep fiords carpeted with ancient podocarp and tree fern forests, sweeping white-sand beaches with turquoise water, steaming volcanoes, exotic native birdlife…and friendly, down-to-earth, welcoming people.  New Zealand is a nirvana for trekkers who love a physical challenge while surrounded by staggering unspoiled scenery.  For backpackers (the Kiwis call them ‘trampers’) the country offers nine “Great Walks” – premier walking tracks of two to seven days length that pass through the full range of the country’s diverse and spectacular scenery, have well-equipped staffed huts, well-formed trails and convenient transport services, and can generally be booked in advance – as well as hundreds of long and short walking trails throughout the country with basic ‘first-come-first-served’ huts and campgrounds conveniently scattered along their length.  Public bus and private transport services link the country’s towns and cities with parks, trailheads and major sights, accommodations come in a diverse range from inexpensive to luxurious but always with special “Kiwi hospitality”, and the food and wine scene is surprisingly excellent.

In this fifth presentation in the Walking the Wild series, Mountaineers Cheryl Talbert and Eileen Miller – both having been drawn back to this lovely little country multiple times – will share their experiences and photos from several of the Great Walks and stunning tramping trails, as well as suggestions for how to get around, what to pack and how to plan and book a trip there.

For tickets go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walking-the-wild-tramping-in-aotearoa-new-zealand-land-of-the-long-white-cloud-with-cheryl-talbert-tickets-44966432811.