ABOUT US
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KAHURANGI GUIDED WALKS
Kahurangi Guided Walks began in 1997. It was founded by John Croxford and for 18 years, John began the tradition of showing people the around the Kahurangi and Abel Tasman National Parks. In 2015 John retired and Jenni Kingston and Thomas (Taj) Rabosky took over the business. Jenni became the sole proprietor from April 2018. Jenni is passionate about the outdoors and her enthusiasm is infectious. Having been involved with Kahurangi Guided Walks since 2007, she has extensive knowledge and understanding of the area and its features. |
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KEEPING IT LOCAL AND SUSTAINABLE
We only employ local Golden Bay guides, porters and drivers who intimately know the area which they all call home. Everyone brings their own stories and knowledge of local history, weather, plants and birds to the track to make your adventure with us memorable and unique. We source fruits and vegetables (whenever possible) from local, organic growers in Golden Bay ensuring you are fed with the best from the Bay during your walk. Kahurangi Guided Walks cares for our natural environment and endeavours to run a sustainable business, as illustrated on our sustainability page. |
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SMALL TRIPS
Most of our trips run with a smaller number of people. Our maximum allowable group size is 12 including guide and porter, but we most often run trips of 5-8 people. We can take groups as small as 2 people and (for a special premium) offer personalised one-person adventures. Contact us with your requests and we will customise a solution for you! |
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DOC APPROVED
We are licensed (Concession No CSN 260) by the New Zealand Department of Conservation to conduct guided walks having met their high environmental and safety standards. All care is taken to respect New Zealand’s unique wildlife and to minimise our environmental impact. Our commitment is to give you the best possible experience in complete safety. |
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OUR TEAM
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JENNI
Jenni Kingston has been guiding with Kahurangi Guided Walks since 2007. As she grew up in Golden Bay and has been tramping in this part of the world since she was seven, she has a wealth of local knowledge, entertaining stories and experiences to share with you. She has inherited her love of walking from her father Derry (who has become a bit of a legend on the Heaphy Track in recent years). Jenni loves introducing people to new places and is always ready to offer her assistance whenever it may be required. When she's not out walking, she is at home enjoying time with her 8 year old daughter. |
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Sylvan
Sylvan Thomson is a writer and wilderness enthusiast, with a strong interest in the intersection between literature, creativity and walking. He grew up in Rarotonga, the Channel Islands and Nelson and has traveled widely in Asia, Europe and North America. In 2019, he finally ended up back in Nelson where he alternates his guiding work with growing gourmet mushrooms, writing and landscape gardening. |
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PETE
Hailing from Hauraki Tainui and a Brtitish Citizen, Pete calls a mountain top in the Cobb Valley foothills of the Kahurangi above Golden Bay home. A recent graduate of The Arctic University of Norway in Tromso his interests include indigenous studies, wellness, sustainable living, education, travel, music and food. Pete brings a range of professsional tourism experience to his tours, including past work guiding groups in Austria, Norway and Germany. |
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DANI
Growing up in Asia (but with kiwi parents), Dani has been a traveller from day dot. She moved to NZ at the age of 12 and loved getting into the bush and out fishing with her dad. It wasnt a surprise that as soon as she left school she went travelling overseas again and was off to see the world. She has done epic adventures with her bike cycling from Ho Chi min to Hanoi (2800km) and has been climbing mountains wherever she goes. Dani loves people and culture and has picked up 4 other languages while living overseas making her a polyglot that is full of cultural stories. When she is not out in the mountains she is working as an Empowerment coach teaching people personal development skills and coaching people one on one. Dani started her own business (daniferriercoaching) last year and has been very much involved in the Nelson young professionals and other business networking groups. She is full of beans, loves life and loves sharing stories about NZ birds and our amazing flora! |
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MARIOS
Although not the most Kiwi of names, since Marios arrived in NZ over 20 years ago, he has not stopped exploring. With boots laced up, a pen, paper and camera in his backpack, he has ventured up the nooks and crannies of these folded islands. Sometimes it has been for the research of 18 published walking and historical guides and at other times as a guide in the Abel Tasman, Fiordland and other mountainous regions of Aotearoa.. It has been a privilege to meet some extraordinary locals who have added to the snippets of history which give depth to the landscape. All this information is now added to his walking app - Deep Nature. When not in the hills, Marios is setting up a couple of acres of land in the beautiful Motueka Valley for growing nutritious food. When not guiding or on a mountain bike or, he can be found at home in the garden, being a gnome, cooking up a storm with friends or just hanging out with his two teenage daughters.. |
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LEO
For Leo tramping has always gone hand in hand with the exploration and appreciation of New Zealand's unique native ecology and the peace and well-being that comes with being in nature. This comes through in his guiding as he enjoys curating an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. He has tramped all over the country with many places yet to visit and has guided hikes in Golden Bay, Fiordland and Stuart Island. Leo is currently studying professional practice through Otago Polytechnic and is an activist for social equity. His main current focus is the establishment of a land based learning centre to equip people for an uncertain future. |
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SOPHIE
Sophie Trueman was raised in the Wairarapa exploring the wilderness of the Tararua ranges and the rugged coastlines. Golden Bay has been home for the past two years after spending much of her early twenties travelling Aotearoa, Asia and Australia. She has spent time as a youth outdoor adventure leader, kayak guide, nanny, wool handler and hospitality super star, guided by her love for adventure and challenge. Sophie now spends her time creating a balanced lifestyle by growing her own food, working at the MAD café, volunteering for Luminate festival, keeping bees and selling honey at the local market. |
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CHAI
Chai grew up in Swaziland, and loved the adventurous childhood spent camping, kayaking and sailing.. hoping like hell the crocodiles wouldn't catch him as his dad tipped the catamaran right up on edge. Today he lives in an intentional community, collects wild edibles for lunch, and chases wekas out of his kitchen. Gardening is also a passion, but each time he goes hiking the critters move in and take over - so that's not currently working out! He loves to tell stories, and is currently writing his first play. |
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TAJ
Thomas (Taj) Rabosky lives in Clifton (Golden Bay) and enjoys mountain biking, tramping, fly fishing, and exploring the beautiful New Zealand back country. Taj has cycled around much of Europe and North America, tramped through Northern India and Nepal and lived with indigenous people throughout the world. He guides and porters on the Heaphy, Cobb Valley, Old Ghost Road and Abel Tasman tracks. In the off-season, Taj runs a charity "Golden Bay Friends of Nepal" providing assistance to Nepalis devastated by the 2015 Gorkha earthquakes. |
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DAVE
Growing up in Motueka, Dave developed a strong interest in the outdoors from a very early age. He has had a long association with both Abel Tasman and Kahurangi National parks and he loves sharing his knowledge and experience of these special areas. Dave has tramped and climbed throughout NZ as well as overseas including South America and Antarctica where he worked as a Field Assistant at New Zealand's Vanda Station. Dave now lives in Pohara (Golden Bay) and in addition to helping with Kahurangi Guided Walks he is a Ranger/Hut Warden on the Heaphy Track during the peak summer months and also helps the Friends of the Cobb checking traplines in the Cobb Valley, one of Dave's favourite areas. |
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