Trail Notes, Trip Stories and Honest Advice from the Field
The Freewheeling Kiwi Blog
Sharon Evans is the founder of Freewheeling Kiwi and one of Australasia's leading small group Himalayan trekking specialists
She has walked the full length of Te Araroa — 3,000 kilometres from Cape Reinga to Bluff — and led multiple groups to Everest Base Camp with a 100% summit success rate. She also treks in Australia, Bhutan, the Annapurna region and across New Zealand.
Off-Grid - Choosing Our Own Terms
Two years ago, when we became custodians of Shambhala in the Coromandel bush, there was nothing here. No cabin, no road, no water system or electricity, just regenerating native forest and pine trees.
We spent eighteen months calling a tent home while slowly building a cabin, learning to live in the forest and figuring things out as we went. It has been a journey of hard work, improvisation, family support and plenty of lessons along the way.
Now, living in our basic off grid cabin, I'm still learning what it means to build a different kind of life. From navigating the challenges of solar power and connectivity to finding practical solutions when things don't go to plan, the reality is far removed from the romanticised version of off grid living. But this was never about escaping the world. It was about creating a life on our own terms, with more freedom, a closer connection to the land and the space to choose what matters most.
The Wild Beauty of Living Off-Grid in New Zealand
Living off-grid in the New Zealand bush is both beautiful and slightly unnerving. At Shambhala, the forest hums with life, from the soft calls of ruru at dusk to the sudden rustle of pigs moving through the undergrowth. Each day brings a deeper awareness of the land and its rhythms, where moments of serenity are balanced by reminders that the bush is wild, unpredictable, and very much alive.
In this article, I share the reality of life off-grid in the Coromandel bush including the wildlife encounters, the challenges of tent living while building a cabin, and the lessons learned from living so closely with nature. It’s a story of connection, resilience, and the quiet beauty found in the untamed corners of New Zealand.
Sharon Evans is the founder of Freewheeling Kiwi and one of Australasia's leading small group Himalayan trekking specialists
She has walked the full length of Te Araroa — 3,000 kilometres from Cape Reinga to Bluff — and led multiple groups to Everest Base Camp with a 100% summit success rate. She also treks in Australia, Bhutan, the Annapurna region and across New Zealand.