Stu Arnold

Stu is a professional instructor and guide with a passion for people and adventure. Originally from Whanganui, New Zealand, he now resides on the outskirts of the Tongariro National Park, New Zealand’s oldest national park and a dual world heritage area. Stu toughly enjoys exploring and playing in the wild areas of New Zealand. His passion for adventure led him to climb New Zealand’s highest peaks and paddle some of its mighty rivers.

With his love of the Antarctic sparked by reading about the great explorers Shackleton, Scott and Mawson, Stu longed to follow in their footsteps and “understand the adventure, the commitment, the tough times and the good times, the people and their stories”. He realized his dream in 2010, when he started working as a field instructor with Antarctica New Zealand, where he was privileged to be a hut guide for both Scott’s Discovery and Cape Evans huts and Shackleton’s Cape Royds hut. During this time, Stu explored the Dry Valleys and worked with National Geographic’s expedition into the Mount Erebus ice caves (featured in National Geographic’s July 2012 issue).

When he’s not renovating his small 1960s house with his long-time partner, Tania, and daughter, Michelle, Stu can be found sailing his classic yacht around the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand. He enjoys a good yarn, a good laugh and great coffee.