Walking in style

September 2025

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September 2025

A great attraction of a guided walk is carrying a lighter pack. Photo: Ultimate Hikes
More New Zealanders are choosing a guided option on the Great Walks. Are we getting softer, older or what? And can guide companies guarantee hut bookings? One night in Perry Saddle Hut while we fiddled with our dehy kai, another group whipped up an amazing paella in a huge wok. Damn, it looked good. Earlier, we’d […]
Kathy Ombler

About the author

Kathy Ombler

Freelance author Kathy Ombler mostly writes about outdoor recreation, natural history and conservation, and has contributed to Wilderness for many years. She has also written and edited for other publications and websites, most recently Federated Mountain Club’s Backcountry, Forest & Bird, and the Backcountry Trust. Books she has authored include Where to Watch Birds in New Zealand, Walking Wellington and New Zealand National Parks and Other Wild Places. She is currently a trustee for Wellington’s Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush Trust.

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