This 7 minute slide show will get you inspired and excited about travelling to New Zealand if you love exploring outdoors. Liz and Charley traveled for 2 months in a small, funky caravan and experienced and immersed themselves in a large portion of the country, If you like outdoor adventures and prefer immersion over hopping quickly from place to place - enjoy! See more at Liz and Charley's adventure travel website - for well seasoned adventurers at www.inwardoutwardus.com

1. New Zealand
by Caravan,
Foot and Bike
inwardoutwardus.com

3. Planning
We started planning this trip almost
a year in advance. Glad we did.

4. New Zealand
Travel
Distances
15,000 miles flying
263 kilometers hiking
180 kilometers cycling
20 kilometers canoeing
6,000 kilometers van driving

5. Carbon Offsets
• Liz investigated a number of different
organizations to purchase carbon offsets.
• She looked for an organization that was well
certified and had a track record of supporting
successful verified projects.
• Climatecare.org also had a calculator that
allows you to add multiple offsetting types.
This was great – because it allowed us to
include both air flights and car emissions.

6. North Island

7. Whangarei

8. A boaty town like Port Townsend,
WA. This is where Jon and Gretchen
work.

9. Pataua North

10. Our home away from home in NZ. A
gorgeous remote beach town where Liz's
sister Gretchen and her family live.

11. Family time in the beauty of the
East coast of NZ. Southern
hemisphere summer.

12. Poor Knights Island

13. Underwater magic. We got to
snorkel in spectacular marine
reserve - even inside caves!

14. A bit touristy, but worth it! Our
most expensive day of the trip 

15. Waitangi
Treaty
Grounds

16. The history of this place is alive, and
the Maori people are stewarding it and
actively teaching and truth telling here.

17. Charley represented our family at the
welcoming ceremony before the
Maori performance.

18. Mount Manaia Track

19. 1 mile of steep steps to a view from this
Maori Pa site (defensive outpost). Kiwis
testing the American fitness. Liz’s niece
Mikayla is professional lifeguard nearby.

20. Waipu Caves

21. The largest non-commercial cave in NZ. Glow
worm galaxies and exploring in pure darkness.

22. Kauri Forest
Trounson
Kauri Park &
Tane Mahuta

23. Kauri giant trees. Hunting at night
for Kiwis (the native bird) and Liz
dancing in the forest.

24. Lake Taupo
Huka Falls
Thermal Pools

25. In the heart of North Island geothermal territory.
Swimming with Black Swans in hot pools.

26. Tongariro
Crossing and
Northern
Circuit

27. Our first of NZ’s Great Walks. 5 days
backpacking hut to hut. Hiked around “Mount
Doom” of Lord of the Rings fame.

28. Hot, exposed hiking in
unique volcanic landscape.

29. Unique plant life. A
pleasure to explore.

30. South Island

31. Wellington to
Picton Ferry –
Cook Strait

32. Took our caravan across on
the ferry to the South Island

33. Anakiwa

34. Memories of Gretchen’s
Outward Bound experience

35. Pelorus River

36. Pristine riverside swimming,
camping and glow worm night hike.

37. Abel Tasman
Great Walk

38. Sisters backpack & connection time. 80 km with bugs,
sunshine, beaches, lots of time in the ocean and even
some solo time (except for the Wekas!)

39. West Coast
Punakaki Rocks
Pororari River Canyon
Truman Track

40. Finally, 6 weeks in and we get a
shower! Ocean blow holes and a
swimable river through bedrock.

41. Haast Pass
to
Wanaka

42. Drove through 1 meter of rainfall to reach Wanaka! Arrived
to rainbows, possum fur yarn, and a bad ass bike ride!

43. Mrs. Woolly’s
Campground
Glenorchy

44. Our #1 favorite campground in NZ! We stayed here for 3 days,
enjoying youthful, international travelers and a sweet general store.

45. Deep in the territory of the Misty Mountains (Lord of
the Rings again!), Liz on horseback, and both of us
enjoying the majestic scenery.

46. Catlins
Curio Bay

47. Searching for yellow-eyed penguins and mini Hector’s
dolphins on the edge of the southern ocean.

48. Kepler Great
Walk

49. Fiordland’s Kepler Track is designed
for hikers. Unique habitats and jaw
dropping views.

50. Challenging ridgeline trail in the
clouds. Kea, native parrots keep us
company.

51. 4 days, 3 huts, fan tails, forests and trail
partners Moss (Charley) and Fern (Liz)

52. Lake Tekapo
Kaikoura

53. Heading north again, epic Lake Tekapo – brilliant
blue, fur seals basking along the Kaikoura shoreline.

54. Picton
Queen Charlotte
Sound

55. Transitioning from south to north island, we
stayed in Picton and explored maritime history.
We stayed at the funky and relaxing Lochmara
Lodge and hiked the Queen Charlotte Track.

56. Onakune
Whanganui
River

57. Starting our Mountain to Sea bike
ride. Traveling along historic wagon
trails on the Old Coach Rd trail.

58. Confronting rush hour with sheep and honeybees at
work. This trail followed a now abandoned historic road.

59. What an amazing ending! Canoeing rapids, riding a flying
fox across the river to our lodge, and dipping our toes in
the Tasman Sea.

60. Liz…
I love immersing myself in a place
like we did in New Zealand for two
months. It allows life to unfold,
relationships to develop and
discoveries to happen. This
archipelago is so diverse
ecologically and culturally. It is a
dream destination for an outdoor
junkie like me. My family is here, I
will be back for more explorations.

61. Charley…
What a chance for learning. Isn’t
that what travel is about?
Opportunity to learn about myself
and my relationship with Liz.
Learning about how a tourist-
oriented country protects its natural
spaces while allowing for adventure.
Learning that I sure don’t like to
drive this much.
Learning that I am so fortunate in
life.

62. Thanks to NZ
Frenzy & Scott
Cook
Ideal guidebook for us “outdoorsy”
types! I don’t think Scott every had a
suggestion we did not thoroughly
enjoy. Highly recommended.