At the beginning of 2025, I embarked on one of my most remarkable adventures: crossing New Zealand’s South Island, on foot and by packraft.
After discovering the boundless potential of packrafting a few years earlier in Albania, New Zealand represented a true paradise for me, where hiking and paddling could perfectly complement each other.

Its crystal-clear rivers flowing through wild valleys, alpine mountains, and primeval forests formed the ideal backdrop for an odyssey where water and land intertwine in a single breath, allowing me to reconnect with a simple, essential, and unadulterated freedom.
Alone, with only a 33-kilogram pack for company, I set out on a two-month expedition covering 1,500 km, mostly off the beaten path, forging my own route.