Kahurangi Guided Walks has been showing people the special places of the Kahurangi and Abel Tasman National Parks since 1997.

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.

Kahurangi Guided Walks is owned by John Croxford and operated from Takaka, Golden Bay.

John came to New Zealand from Liverpool England in the early 1960’s, and has been tramping (trekking) in many places in New Zealand since then. He has developed a wide knowledge of the plants, birds, geology, and geography of New Zealand and specialised in the Maori and European history of the area. He has been a member of the local Search and Rescue organization for many years and has a wide experience of bushcraft.

He lives with his partner Jane, who assists with menu preparation, cooking and transporting goods and vehicles.

We only employ local guides and porters, people who know the area, and history and who can relate local stories as well as being knowledgeable about the natural history of plants and birds.  Our guides are familiar with local weather patterns, which assists with your safety and comfortable walking.

Most of our trips are with smaller numbers of people. Our maximum allowable group size is 12 including guide and porter, which is not very often, and most groups are smaller than that. We will take a trip with a minimum of 2 people, and for a special premium, one person.

Our commitment is to give you the best possible experience in complete safety.

 

Some of our guides

Jenni Kingston
Jenni lives in Ligar Bay and has lived all her life in Golden Bay, so she knows the area very well. She has had a great deal of tramping experience and is a qualified teacher. She loves being in the outdoors and is a great cook and storyteller. She guides both the Heaphy and Abel Tasman.

Chris Jackson
Chris lives in Rockville, near Collingwood. He is a great storyteller, expert trout fisherman, and if you are lucky enough to get Chris as your guide, he is also a French trained gourmet cook! When he is not guiding, he works, like a lot of people in Golden Bay, on a dairy farm so he is also an expert on cows! Chris prefers to guide the Heaphy Track.

 

Some of our porters

Adrian Venvliet
Adrian has a B&B in Collingwood overlooking the estuary.

Keith Tomlinson
Keith lives in Rockville, and owns and operates Heaphy Honey.

Dan Cameron
Dan lives in Rockville and works in the dairy industry and makes walking sticks.

Chris Petyt
Chris lives in Tukurua, near Collingwood, he works as a part time fisheries inspector and is the author of the definitive book on Farewell Spit.

 

 

Kahurangi Guided Walks

Dodson Road, RD1, Takaka, New Zealand

Phone/Fax: +64 3 525 7177

Email: john@kahurangiwalks.co.nz