Lonely Planet Tramping in New Zealand (Walking) [Paperback]

Jim DuFresne (Author)

Book Description

Series: Walking | Publication Date: November 1, 2006

Make tracks across the spectacular range of New Zealand landscapes. The deep valleys of Fiordland and Mt Aspiring beckon, the Marlborough Sounds call, the volcanoes of Tongariro are steaming. Explore on foot the natural wonders of this country from coast to Cook.

In This Guide:
Foreword by New Zealand adventurer Peter Hillary.
53 detailed trail descriptions for trampers of all levels.
Color section on the Great Walks of New Zealand.
Two-color contour maps for all featured tramps.
Essential accommodation and transport information.
Expert advice on equipment, health and environmentally responsible walking.

Editorial Reviews

Review

…these smart and exhaustively researched guides have become the gold standard for serious, independent travelers.' --San Francisco Chronicle

From the Publisher

Who We Are
At Lonely Planet, we see our job as inspiring and enabling travellers to connect with the world for their own benefit and for the benefit of the world at large.

What We Do
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What We Believe
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Product Details

• Paperback: 392 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet; 6 edition (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1740597885
• ISBN-13: 978-1740597883
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,195 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > Travel > Australia & South Pacific > New Zealand
  • #48 in Books > Travel > Reference & Tips > Guidebooks

More About the Author

I have a has deep rooted passion for two things; sunsets and shoreline, no doubt the result of living my entire life in the two states that have more coastline than any other; Alaska and Michigan.

After graduating from Michigan State University with a journalism degree, I was soon headed to Juneau, Alaska as the outdoors and sports editor of the Juneau Empire. In 1980, I became the first Alaskan sportswriter to win a national award from Associated Press. More significant than the award or even receiving a letter of congratulations from Governor Jay Hammond, I discovered my passion for the mountains and wilderness travel while living in Alaska's capital city.

Soon after that I spent a winter in New Zealand to backpack and write my first book, "Tramping in New Zealand". Six editions and 30 years later "Tramping in New Zealand" is the world's bestselling guidebook to backpacking in that country. That longevity is true with several of my books. "Isle Royale National Park: Foot Trails & Water Routes" that I wrote soon after returning to Michigan has been in publication in various editions for more than 25 years.

Today I live in Clarkston, Michigan where I'm never more than an hour's drive from the shoreline of the Great Lakes. I am main contributor to www.MichiganTrailMaps.com, a resource web site devoted to trail users and the promotion of trails in my home state. I still head back to Alaska frequently to update my Lonely Planet guidebooks, only now I don't have to stay for the winter. In Michigan, I can usually be found out on the trail throughout the year, whether it is hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 86 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy tramping in New Zealand, April 3, 2000

By 

Adam Boyd (Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Tramping in New Zealand: Walking Guide (Paperback)

This is a great book for planning a tramping trip to New Zealand, although it's a bit too much to carry while actually hiking. The book contains good references and maps to the most popular tracks, and some of the lesser known tracks. If your tight on cash, I recommend going to the visitor centers in New Zealand and picking up the DOC pamphlets they supply. D.O.C. has detailed pamphlets on pretty much every track in New Zealand and they only charge about 50 cents (US) for each one. But if you want to plan a trip from home, this is the book to get, it's far easier to understand than the other New Zealand tramping books, and gives good information on what you need to bring. It also gives good info on the New Zealand back country hut system. Buy a hut pass, they're only 35 bucks (US) for a year. It even supplies some decent fly fishing tips for the rivers that border some of the tracks. But be warned that almost every other tourist hiker in New Zealand also has this book, so if you really want to get away from people, you'll have to do some bushwacking.

69 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book for the planning Tramper, April 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Lonely Planet Tramping in New Zealand: Walking Guide (Paperback)

This edition is far better than the previous editions. It's new organization and additional information sections are a marked improvement. A new section on Flora and Fauna gives a highlight of any New Zealand tramp. This book acts as an excellent reference book while tramping. Of course, if the book contained every piece of required information, (i.e. highly detailed maps and every step of the way instructions) it would require 1000's of pages. The authors surmount that difficulty by including instructions on how to obtain additional necessary information. The book is perfect for those that are looking into or planning a backpacking trek to New Zealand.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Limited day hiking info; good for multi-day treks, January 9, 2010

By 

W. H. Ashbury "World Hiking Enthusiast" (Atlanta, Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Tramping in New Zealand (Walking) (Paperback)

If you are going to New Zealand to hike the multi-day tracks called the Great Walks, this is a pretty good guide to them, but is somewhat dated (over 4 years old). What really surprised us on our recent trip is that for the most part you can't do a day hike on many of the famous Great Walks such as Milford, Kepler, or Heaphy. The trails are designed to be one-way multi-day hike trails with a designated start and end spot for backpackers who want to camp or stay in the huts.

There are a couple of locally written hiking books that have good information on 2-8 hour day hikes in New Zealand that let you sample some of the Great Walks that are not one-way routes. One of the most useful is "Day Walks in New Zealand" by Shaun Barnett. It has 100 day treks on both the north and south island with some amazing two dimensional maps and beautiful photos. We used the book on a two week trip to the South Island and found some wonderful hikes from the book in the Milford Sound area that let you stay at nice hotels and lodges and still experience the back country and beauty of New Zealand. For example, the book highlights the hike to Lake Marian near the Hollyford Track and the day hike to Key Summit which is part of the Routeburn Track. It also has wonderful short hikes in Abel Tasman National Park using the water taxi services, several hikes in Mt Cook National Park, and multiple tramps in Mount Aspiring Park as well. The book is produced in New Zealand but is listed on Amazon so you should be able to buy it before you leave.

Another great resource for shorter hikes is the New Zealand Department of Conservation website: [...] It has a lot of useful planning information to supplement any books you purchase on Amazon to help in your trip planning.