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Wild food foraging: Exploring New Zealand's native forest pantry

Our forests are teeming with native herbs, spices, berries and other edible treasure and we are embracing a journey of discovery when it comes to the flavours of nature.Nature and Nosh is lucky enough to have partnered up with Velskov, a native food farm set in ten acres of regenerating forest west of Auckland, where our hiking groups are treated to an 'Art of Foraging' workshop with Mamakan on the final day of their Coastal Charm Classic trip.Mamakan is a botanical artist who is an expert ...

8 Ideas for Sustainable and Conscious Gifting this Christmas

The start of December means three things here in New Zealand. Time to break out the jandals (flip flops, thongs), head to the beach for the start of summer and time to start seriously thinking about Christmas and all that entails. If the idea of a whole heap of 'stuff' has you heading for the hills to hide from humanity for the foreseeable future, we've given some thought to some gifts that are lighter on the planet so you can participate in the festive fun without a side of consummerism....

Kindred Spirits: Why hiking and gin tasting is our new favourite trip

We all deserve something to look forward to and after recent years, a good break and a good gin is going to be good for the soul. Hiking and wine tasting – yes please. Hiking and gin tasting – where do I sign up? Imagine soaking in endless views of lush, native tree fringed coastlines, boasting sparkling white, sandy beaches to your hearts content.  Only to be treated to some of New Zealand’s (and the world’s!) best spirits....

A walk a day keeps your brain ticking away

As little as 40 minutes of walking a day can make a huge difference to your mental health and how efficiently your brain is able to work. The relationship between exercise and brain function has been studied for decades and recent studies here in New Zealand have even shown memory improvements from regular brisk walking. As you age, your brain size and function generally decreases, but frequent walking has been shown to actually increase the size of the brain’s hippocampus (memory drive), as w...

Four travel trends in a post-pandemic world

There's been a lot of buzz about regenerative travel and the future of tourism here in New Zealand. For many, we will be on the top of the 'dream' travel list, now more so than ever before.  We have a prime minister who's shone a light brightly on us for the world to look to, and we have much to be grateful for and proud of when looking at how as a country we've handled the pandemic.Here's a few predictions for what travel will look like in a post-pandemic world....

Mountain musings from down south: Two-minute read

Mountain musings from our guide Irene. After an an SIX WEEK epic solo adventure in the Kahurangi National park in February and March, she sent me a message with the only reception she's had for a few weeks. It was so good to hear from her. I asked her what the mountains are teaching her. Along with these beautiful photos, she sent me this reply that I thought I'd share with you all. "We live in a beautiful country. Scary can be good (afterwards). Tadpoles and frogs live at 1300m just fine. Drag...

So, how hard are your hikes?

We have many people, of different ages, walks of life and backgrounds come hiking with us. One of the most common questions we get is "how hard is this tour/walk?".We'll refrain from giving you the sarcastic kiwi "how long is a piece of string?!" answer, and try instead to be more helpful!Although it’s difficult to answer as everyone has different levels of experience, fitness and expectations, we can give you enough information to help you make your decision and then prepare yourself well....

Five Christmas gift ideas for outdoor people and food lovers

...but you still haven't organised a gift for your husband/wife/mother/son/daughter! Absolutely no judgement on that one, we are last minute gift buyers too!Let us help you out with a few out of the box ideas....

Road tripping through culinary New Zealand

No matter where you go in the country, you will find some amazing local cuisine. As a country with over 14,000 kilometres of coastline, it’s perhaps no surprise that seafood dominates many menus up and down the country. From Bluff in the deep south to Paihia in the north, we have some of the best seafood restaurants in the world and the freshest catch is just waiting to be enjoyed. One of New Zealand’s most famous exports is our lamb and it’s another popular choice on menus all over the co...

A green prescription for 2020

Forget booking that indulgent and relaxing spa weekend away, turn to nature to reconnect, rebalance and restore your mind and soul....

The best native New Zealand ingredients to use in your home cooking

With people starting to have a greater focus on healthy eating with fresh local produce, New Zealanders might be wondering what ingredients they can cook with from their own backyards. There is an increased interest in indigenous foods right now, especially Māori cuisine and traditional cooking methods. Before the arrival of European settlers and international maritime trade, cooking was based around what could be sourced from the land and surrounding sea. Many traditional Māori dishes ma...

Spring escapes for Kiwi's: The perfect balance of feet moving and face feeding

We've crafted a limited series of off-the-beaten track escapes with our team of local guides. Each escape features a collection of their favourite day tramps and foodie experiences in either the Waikato or Coromandel. Take on the great outdoors with one of our experienced local bush guide: Exclusive tastings, meet the maker and peek behind the closed doors of our passionate artisansThink gourmet cheese, wine, ice-cream, cooking classes and more.Tramping options for all levelsCharming country and...

Lessons from Dr. Suess: Hiking, moving mountains and the waiting place...

Turns out Dr. Suess was a profound man. Turns out he knew a lot about mountains and hiking. Turns out he knew something of adversity too. Ok, well you might not ask him for his recommendation on the best hiking boots for all terrain, but there's some great lessons to be had from his book 'Oh the places you'll go' - especially for those of us pining for the mountains at the moment. ...

Dream now, travel later: 5 reasons to plan your hiking holiday in NZ now

No one has the answer to the question of when we will all be able to travel overseas again. The world is doing it tough right now - but the earth is getting a bit of a breather from the relentless pace of our busy world and the negative impacts this has on our environment.  Our mental health should be our number one priority at the moment. With most of us staying safe at home, many will be pining for mountains and fresh air. The good news is that the air is getting fresher, and the mountain...

Coronavirus and my New Zealand tour: How to travel safely in 2020

Many travellers are concerned about their travel plans amidst the outbreak of COVID-19 - also known as the Coronavirus. The World Health Organisation has this morning characterised it as a pandemic. A pandemic is defined as: "occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population." It's only natural that there is a lot of fear and hesitation around travel. Many people are wondering whether they should cancel their travel plans. Should I avoid ...

The boot fence story: World famous in New Zealand!

Here tells a story, of a fence along a stretch of country road where many a long mile walked, or a hard day worked is put to rest.  It is the story of the boot fence in Waitomo in the North Island, New Zealand. A fence that started modestly, with a few pairs of work boots hung on the fence by the Tawarau tramping tracks sign by a woman called Irene....

I’m going overseas on a hiking trip: Do I need travel insurance?

You are all set for your hiking trip with your luggage packed, itinerary all planned out, hotels booked, and you begin to wonder whether or not you need travel insurance? You’ve already spent so much, why spend more on something that you may not even need?  Well, that is how most travelers think and the following reasons should convince them to invest in travel insurance. It can end up saving you money if things go wrong....

The rise of luxury hiking experiences

Luxury hiking. Two words that just don't seem to naturally sit together to those of us who have been walking bush tracks since our little legs were strong and long enough to keep up with our parents. Mud, dust, sweat, burning muscles, dirt. Luxury? Now that word is out of place. So why are we seeing more and more people on organised, guided, high-end hiking tours?  Well, for starters, life is far more complicated, stressful, superficial, materialistic, over-saturated, digital, automated, co...

Top tips for getting amazing travel photographs

Most of us travel to make special memories and we usually have a camera in tow for that purpose. Yet there's nothing worse than witnessing a breathtaking scene, then trying to capture it in a photo and realising that your photography skills just aren't up to scratch. Maybe the image you take is too fuzzy or dark, or maybe you haven't angled it in the right way. Either way, it's a big disappointment when you head to one of the world's most visited tourist spots and you’re left with nothing to f...

Little tricks for picnicking in New Zealand

If you want to really enjoy everything our amazing country has to offer, going out on a picnic and enjoying some of our unique food experiences amongst our gorgeous natural landscapes is something you ought to try. With that said, here are some handy tips and tricks you can use to make your New Zealand picnicking experience the best it can be!...

Things you wish you had known before travelling to New Zealand

What to pack, what you should and shouldn't worry about that you might not have realised, some local lingo and a what to look for when looking for trusted accommodation, a tour or transport provider that will save you time —here’s what you need to know before visiting New Zealand....

3 planning tips for your next holiday adventure

Adventures don't just happen. It would be nice if you could turn up at the airport, head wherever and have a great time, but that won’t often work. Every great adventure requires planning. Whether it's organising your budget, finding the best flights, arranging your activities or making sure your accommodation is adequate, there is plenty to do to ensure your holiday is a success. Planning can be part of the fun, though. You can use it as a time to really get excited about your trip. By foll...

5 hidden North Island gems to add to your New Zealand experience

Although about as cliched as you can get, getting 'off the beaten track' in New Zealand reaps some beautiful rewards. So, take a detour with us to discover these absolute treasures....

Meet the team: Irene Frederikson

Waitomo based Irene has tramped her fair share of New Zealand's ridgelines and explored many of our greatest walks. She's excited to combine her two loves (hiking and wild food), while showing visitors around our beautiful regions. Irene loves sharing our great outdoors with like-minded souls. “I really enjoy meeting new people, learning from them, seeing the wonder on their faces when we show them our special places. It’s great having a global network of people who just love being ‘o...

Turning passion into business: A little bit about us

My earliest hiking memory is of a nine-year-old me, climbing Mt Kaitarakihi on the Coromandel peninsula with my Dad and younger brother. At 6.6km return, an 852m summit and elevation of around 400m, this track is an advanced hike for most adults by any standards! I’ll never forget the scramble over the boulders and chains to the top. To this day, a good scramble brings out the inner mountain goat in me.  That walk kicked off what was to be many family adventures (despite my brother's lack...