|
South Island!
|
|
|
|
|
South Island Adventure Itinerary
Monday - Arrive and snorkeling with seals in Kaikoura Most people leave the Northern hemisphere on a Saturday evening and arrive in Auckland early on Monday morning. You'll lose a day to the dateline – but you get it back on the way home! You'll immediately take the short flight to Christchurch in the South Island where we'll meet you. You'll need to arrive in Christchurch by 10 am or so, then we'll meet you and drive up the coast to the seaside town of Kaikoura, where we will spend the afternoon and evening. We'll take you out to the Kaikoura Peninsula for a snorkeling trip at the seal colony. You'll be supplied with a wetsuit, a mask and a snorkel, and you can swim within a couple of feet of the native New Zealand Fur Seals as they cavort in the water. This makes for a nice introduction to New Zealand and gives you the chance to spend most of the day relaxing and recovering from your flight. Depending on where you're coming from, you'll probably find jet lag is no big deal. For instance, it's a 12-hour direct overnight flight from the West Coast of the USA to Auckland and there's only a 3 hour time difference between New Zealand and US Pacific time. If you're coming from further, you'll appreciate the gentle start to your New Tuesday - 3-day hiking in Nelson Lakes, mountain biking on Queen Charlotte Track, OR sea kayaking in Marlborough Sounds
In addition to the above options we also offer a black water rafting trip through caves. Thursday (Continued) Finish 3-day backpacking, biking, or sea kayaking After regrouping we'll head to the wonderful West Coast area - 500 miles of coastline with a population of only 40,000 people on the whole coast! For dinner this evening, we'll stop at the tiny seaside settlement of Charleston to pick up the quintessential Kiwi dinner – fish and chips! If it's a fine evening, we'll enjoy our fish and chips on the beach before heading south down the stunning coastline towards the coastal village of Punakaiki. Friday - Hiking in Punakaiki & beach in Okarito Lagoon ACCOMMODATION: Okarito Beach House, Okarito. Off-the-beaten-path, isolated and comfortable. (B,L,D). Saturday - Kayaking in Okarito Lagoon, hiking & beach Sunday - Hiking near Franz Josef Glacier Just south of Okarito there are two formidable glaciers descending from the mountains to the sea. In terms of scenery, this place is just off the chart! Today we'll take an awesome hike through the rainforest up to Roberts Point, overlooking the terminal face of the Franz Josef Glacier. We only do this hike in good weather, as the rocks get very slippery in the rain. If it's raining, we'll do a shorter walk to the terminal face of the Fox Glacier, hike around Lake Matheson, and visit the Blue Pools near the Haast Pass. From Franz Josef it's about three hours down the coast to Makarora (pop. 30), which is a camp settlement directly next to Mt. Aspiring National Park. We'll stay at a beautifully landscaped homestead on the edge of the camp, in the shadow of the mountains. A unique option this afternoon, instead of the Roberts Point hike, is to take a helicopter ride up towards the highest peaks of the Southern Alps. If you choose this option, you'll be landing 4,000 feet up on the glacier itself to start a 3-hour hike on the ice, with crampons, ice axes etc. The helicopter will return to fly you back down to meet up with the rest of the group. (Heli-hike option approximately US$200). Monday - Mount Aspiring National Park to Queenstown Tuesday - Free day in Queenstown Wednesday - Cycling Eglinton and Hollyford Valleys & hiking Routeburn Track Today we begin a couple of days of the most unforgettable cycling you may ever do! This morning we head down through Te Anau towards Milford Sound. You'll be fitted with a 21-speed front suspension bike for a spectacular ride through the legendary Eglinton and Hollyford Valleys to The Divide. We maintain plenty of flexibility – keen cyclists can start early and cover 50 miles or more throughout the day. Moderately keen cyclists can be picked up anytime along the way, for a shorter ride. If cycling is not your thing, you can skip it and just enjoy the scenery – like all our activities, the cycling is completely optional. After recovering our cyclists, we'll hike part of the famous Routeburn Track up to Key Summit for unbelievable views of the surrounding peaks. The Routeburn is one of the best-known hiking tracks in New Zealand and we do the best part of the track, which overlooks the Hollyford Valley, Lake Marion, and Mt. Christina. After hiking back to the trailhead, cyclists can take to the bikes again for the short downhill ride to Gunn's Camp , in the Hollyford Valley. Gunn's Camp is an isolated and rustic establishment, originally set up in the 1930s for the workers who built the Homer Tunnel and the Milford Road. They didn't live in luxury, but they lived in a beautiful, tranquil place, with about a dozen cabins scattered about a central building. Gunn's Camp is right next to the Hollyford River and is surrounded by the towering peaks of Fiordland National Park. It's definitely not a 5-star hotel, but it's a great little place, and a wonderful place to hang out at the end of such an adventurous day! ACCOMMODATION: Gunn's Camp, Hollyford Valley. Rustic but idyllic. (B,L,D) Thursday - Sea kayaking in Milford Sound It's an early start today. First we'll have a short drive through the Homer Tunnel, which comes out at the top of a spectacular alpine road that winds its way downhill to Milford Sound. The lush rainforest carpeting the lower slopes of the mountains gives way to the massively steep glacier-carved slopes and waterfalls of the Darren Range. ACCOMMODATION: Lake Manapouri Inn, Lake Manapouri. (B,L,D) Friday - Exploring high country sheep farm Today we have a mid-morning start, to head back up the road to Queenstown, where we stop for a couple of hours. This gives you the chance to get some lunch, do any last minute shopping or send postcards to friends and family, or whatever you might need to do before heading back into the wilderness for the remainder of your trip. We'll drive up to Lake Pukaki, near Mt. Cook, where we stay on a 60,000-acre working, high-country sheep farm, called Braemar Station. (“Station” is the New Zealand word for a big ranch.) While we're here, we stay in the shearer's' quarters. Again, it's not a 5-star hotel, but many of our previous clients have told us this was one of their favorite places on the whole trip! The view out the kitchen window in the morning will knock your socks off – one huge mountain, rearing towards the sky on the other side of a gorgeous cobalt-blue lake. And with no lights for miles around, the stars on a clear night are like nothing you've ever seen – just the place for your last couple of nights in New Zealand! ACCOMMODATION: Shearer's' Quarters, Braemar Station. A little rustic but the views are breathtaking! (B,D) This morning it's an hour or so to Mt. Cook village, at the head of Lake Pukaki. Mt. Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand, and we have a stunning and little-known day hike (weather permitting) to the main ridge above Mueller Glacier. It's a tough slog up, but you'll remember the view of the Mueller Glacier and the surrounding peaks of the Main Divide forever! There are other hiking options if you'd like to take it a little easier. The weather conditions are very important in this area, as it is a true alpine climate notorious for sudden weather shifts. If we aren't able to do the Mueller hike, we'll take an impressive hike up the Hooker Valley to a glacial lake at the base of Hooker Glacier, complete with icebergs! Then we head back to the shearer's' quarters for the last night of the Rimu . We'll enjoy a traditional Kiwi BBQ and a cold drink as we sit outside and watch the sun set over Mt. Cook. ACCOMMODATION: Shearer's' quarters, Braemar Station. (B,L) Sunday - Depart for home This is the last day of your two-week trip around the South Island. If you have additional time we can offer extensions to the North Island or Australia, fondly known as New Zealand's “West Island”. We'll leave after breakfast for the three-hour drive to Christchurch, and arrive in the afternoon in time for the flights back to Auckland. Any flight after 4pm is ideal but we can make 3pm flights if we have a little notice. International flights from Auckland usually leave early evening, so if you're heading back to North America, you'll get home some time on Sunday, even though you left on Sunday evening! Flights back to Europe, of course, take a little longer. You'll be refreshed and invigorated from the good food, exercise, rest, and great times you'll have had with us in New Zealand! (B,L) IMPORTANT DETAILSACCOMMODATIONS: The Rimu is an activity-oriented trip around the South Island. We've chosen interesting and comfortable accommodations throughout. In some places it's quite luxurious. But many of the other places we stay are off the beaten track – and don't have many accommodation options – but they are really, really spectacular. Our clients often say a real highlight of the trip is meeting their New Zealand hosts. You'll love the places we stay! RECOMMENDED FLIGHTS: If you're flying in on the first day of the trip, or out on the last day, we recommend arriving in Christchurch by approximately 9 – 10 am on Monday, and departing from Christchurch after 3 – 4 pm on Sunday. Other flight times may also be possible – if you are considering other flight times please let us know. PICKUP INFORMATION: On the first day of the trip we can either pick you up from the Holiday Inn City Center in Christchurch at 10.30 am or at the Christchurch airport in front of the information desk at 11 am. DROP OFF INFORMATION: On the last day of the trip we can drop you off at the Christchurch airport in time for the flights above, or anywhere in central Christchurch in mid-late afternoon. FITNESS: You must have a reasonable level of fitness to enjoy yourself on the Rimu . You don't have to be young and extremely fit (although if you are, you won't be bored) but you should be in the habit of doing at least some exercise. Age and experience are not important. For example, a person in their 50s who hikes every couple of weeks will be happier than a 22-year-old couch potato. I EXPERIENCE: You don't need any outdoor experience at all to enjoy our trips. All our trips allow you to make the most of New Zealand's incredible environment. Our experienced guides are highly trained, and will look after you! You don't have to carry a heavy pack. You don't need to have been in a sea kayak to enjoy kayaking Okarito Lagoon or Milford Sound. You don't need to be a serious cyclist to enjoy some of the rides we have available. In fact we have so many options available that you don't need to ride at all, if you'd rather hike, fish, or just laze around! All we ask is that you be energetic and in reasonable shape – and we guarantee you'll have an incredible time. The challenges are there, though, if you're looking for them. For instance, on the second day of the backpacking trip we spend the day climbing to Lake Angelus on the Robert Ridge. The views are incredible – and they get better the higher you go, so the fitter members of the party often push on to the top of the ridge for some unforgettable views of both sides of the South Island, while others enjoy just staying at the hut and admiring the view. FLEXIBILITY: Because of the off-the-beaten-path and non-commercial nature of some of our accommodations on this trip, we sometimes need to change a night stop. For instance, every now and then the shearer's' quarters at Braemar Station are required by the shearer's. We try to make as few changes as possible, but we ask that you know we retain the flexibility to make sure your trip is as good as it can be. INCLUDED: The trip fare is US$2999 + 12.5% NZ government taxes. You can also join for shorter periods of time, at a pro-rated fare. The trip fare includes just about everything, specifically:
All hiking, cycling, and kayaking described in the itinerary, except optional extra activities, such as the heli-hike at Franz Josef. We have estimated the rates for optional extra activities operated by local activity operators in US dollars, including all required equipment, but these rates may vary according to the USD/NZD exchange rate of the day. There are many optional activities available at extra cost, particularly in Queenstown. None of these activities are compulsory, and nor will your trip seem less awesome if you do the cheap or free options. Although some people enjoy sampling hang gliding, bungy jumping, jet boating, skydiving, and so on, others prefer to focus more on the hiking, paddling and cycling, which is of course the reason you're coming to New Zealand in the first place!
Monday - Arrive, hike Temple Basin Most people leave the Northern hemisphere on a Saturday evening and arrive in Auckland early on Monday morning. You’ll lose a day to the dateline - but you get it back on the way home! You’ll immediately take the short flight to Christchurch in the South Island arriving by 10am or so. We’ll meet you and head west to Castle Hill in the Kuru Tawhiti Conservation Area located in the heart of the Southern Alps. We’ll take our first hike here - a gentle one-hour walk amongst imposing limestone tors which were once a meeting place for Moa hunters of the Ngai Tahu Maori tribe. The Dalai Lama visited this area in 2002, and described it as the “Spiritual Center of the Universe”! After lunch in nearby Arthur’s Pass, we head to Greymouth and up the coastal road to the gorgeous seaside village of Punakaiki. We always make sure the first day of our trips is relaxing and undemanding so you can recover from your flight. Depending on where you’re coming from, you’ll probably find jetlag is no big deal - it’s a 12-hour direct overnight flight from Los Angeles to Auckland, and there’s only a three-hour time difference between New Zealand and US Pacific time. If you have more time, by all means arrive in New Zealand a day or so early. ACCOMMODATION: West Coast lodgings, Punakaiki - comfortable and quiet (L,D) Tuesday - Rainforest and beach hikes in Punakaiki We have a whole day and another night at Punakaiki and we’ll certainly make the most of our time. Today we’ll hike the best section of the Inland Pack Track, from Bullock Creek to the Pororari River. We start at a classic “submergence”, where the river suddenly dries up mid-stream, and goes underground for a mile or so before resurfacing at Cave Creek. The rainforest in this area is unbelievably lush, and the limestone canyons and distant hazy mountains of Paparoa National Park make this an awesome day hike. We’ll also follow the Truman Track to a small surf beach and stroll around Punakaiki’s famous Pancake Rocks and blowholes. The Punakaiki coastline is a magnet to marine mammals, which include the Hector’s Dolphin, the world’s smallest marine mammal, often seen close to the inner shore line. There’s also a great deal of marine birdlife, including Little Blue Penguins that can be spotted if you’re lucky! ACCOMMODATION: West Coast lodgings (B,L,D) Wednesday - Coastal hikes, arts & crafts in Hokitika We’ll start with a short drive down the coast to Point Elizabeth for a hike through coastal forest and native flax. A traditional resource for the local Maori, flax was a widely used plant - from footwear to rope to weaved food storage baskets. Next it’s on to Hokitika where we’ll spend a little time checking out local art galleries and pounamu carving workshops (“pounamu” is Maori for jade). From here it’s a couple of hours down the coast to Franz Josef for dinner at a local restaurant. After dinner we can head out for a short night walk to look for the eerie lights of Arachnocampa luminosa - the native glow worm - and to listen for some of New Zealand’s nocturnal birdlife, such as the Morepork. ACCOMMODATION: Franz Josef Lodgings, Franz Josef (B,L,D) Thursday - Hiking at Franz Josef Glacier Today we’ll visit the formidable glaciers of the South Island. We will take a morning hike to the historic Tatare Tunnels, and then continue on to the Franz Josef Glacier, where we walk right up to the impressive terminal face. The Franz Josef Glacier is an enormous river of ice, unusual in that it comes right down through the rainforest to sea level. Heli-hike option (add US$240 + tax)
A less strenuous, but outrageously scenic option today is to heli-hike on Franz Josef Glacier itself. After being fitted with crampons, ice axes and so on, you’ll board a modern turbine helicopter and fly towards the highest peaks of the Southern Alps, landing on the glacier at 4,000 feet (1300m) above sea level. Led by specialist glacier guides, you’ll hike through the grand ice formations of the glacier, checking out its crevasses, seracs and tunnels - no previous experience required! The constant movement of the glacier means every day is different, so your guides will cut steps in the ice, and make sure you make the most of the conditions. At the end of your hike on the ice, you’ll take another helicopter ride out of the mountains, and back to civilization. The heli-hike is extremely popular with the general traveling public, so we offer advance reservations with the helicopter operators and guiding company. At the time of booking, or up until one month before your trip, you can reserve a space on the heli-hike, and we’ll make sure a spot is held for you. You can leave your decision until you’re actually on your trip, and we’ll get you a spot if it’s available. Heli-hikers generally return a little earlier, so we all rendezvous at a local café, and head south. From Franz Josef it’s about three hours down the coast to Makarora (pop. 30), which is a small farming village directly next to Mt. Aspiring National Park. At Makarora we have a lovely family-style homestead in the shadow of the mountains to ourselves for the evening. ACCOMMODATION: The Homestead, Makarora - very comfortable and spacious. (B,L,D) Friday - Hike in Mt. Aspiring National Park, Queenstown We begin with a drive from Makarora to Raspberry Creek, where we start a stunning hike up the Matukituki Valley, in the heart of Mt. Aspiring National Park. This is one of the best one-day hikes in the South Island, taking in tumbling rivers, towering snowfields, and huge mountain peaks straight from the set of The Lord of the Rings! We hike up a narrow glacial valley, coming out of the forest in a dramatic alpine cirque, with fabulous views of the Southern Alps. After lunch, we hike back to the trailhead, and head into Queenstown. Queenstown, where ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND is based, is a picturesque town set in a basin on the edge of Lake Wakatipu, and surrounded by mountains. It’s a great place to spend a couple of days enjoying the comforts of civilization before heading out on the Milford or Hollyford Tracks. ACCOMMODATION: Queenstown apartments, Queenstown. (B,L) Saturday - Free day in Queenstown Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand - you’ll find all the comforts of civilization: massage therapists, restaurants, sidewalk cafés, art galleries, window-shopping and adrenaline pumping activities! You’ll find some incredible optional activities here, such as fishing, wine tours, Kiwi viewing, horse trekking, jet boating, hang gliding and even bungy jumping - it’s all here! Your guides can help you during the trip to book any of these optional activities, and can also point out the best local hikes. Queenstown is not a big place - the population is about 8000 - but there’s plenty to do! Or, you can do nothing if you prefer to just soak up the atmosphere. This afternoon we’ll also have a pre-departure briefing for the Milford Track and Hollyford Track Guided Walks. ACCOMMODATION: Queenstown apartments. (B) Sunday - Wednesday Milford Track Guided Walk or Hollyford Track Guided Walk At the time of booking, you can choose if you would like to hike the Milford Track or Hollyford Track Guided Walks. Both of these magnificent hikes are situated in Fiordland National Park, one of the world’s largest national parks and a renowned World Heritage area. Each is wonderful in its own way, so we’ll let you decide!
Friday - Hiking the Sam Summers Loop Track, visit local winery After breakfast, we head out around Lake Wakatipu to 12 Mile Delta where we’ll hike the Sam Summers Track. The area was mined for gold until the 1930’s and there are still many relics to be seen along the way. After this hike, we’ll head to the historic village of Arrowtown for lunch before continuing on to Amisfield Winery. This region’s dry and sunny climate is ideal for grape growing, and is becoming well known for producing world-class, cool-climate Pinot Noir, and other quality wines. We’ll enjoy a glass or two, and then head north to Lake Ohau Lodge. Here we’re staying beside a beautiful alpine lake, with stunning views stretching across to Mt. Cook and the Southern Alps. ACCOMMODATION: Lake Ohau Lodge, Lake Ohau. (B,L,D) Saturday - Hike in Mt. Cook National Park It’s a short drive to Mt. Cook Village, where we have a stunning and little-known day hike up to the main ridge above Mueller Glacier. This area has a unique alpine environment, and includes endemic flora such as Ranunculus lyallii - the world’s largest buttercup, more commonly known as the Mt. Cook Lily. It’s a tough three-hour slog up this track, but you’ll remember the view of the Mueller Glacier and the peaks of the Main Divide forever! Many of our clients have said this is the greatest hike they have ever done, and it’s a splendid way to finish off a great trip. There are other hiking options too though for those who’d like to take it a little easier. The weather conditions are very important in this area, as it’s a true alpine climate notorious for sudden weather shifts. If we aren't able to do the ridge hike, we’ll take an impressive hike up the Hooker Valley to a glacial lake at the base of the Hooker Glacier, complete with icebergs! After hiking, it’s well under two hours to Lake Tekapo Village. You’ll spend your last night in New Zealand in one last beautiful location, beside the sky-blue Lake Tekapo, with the mountains shining in the background. ACCOMMODATION: Lakeside lodgings, Lake Tekapo. (B,L,D) Sunday - Depart for home The Manuka is a backcountry wilderness trip. You’ll be staying in the highest level of accommodations available in the remote places we take you. While it features more creature comforts than some of our other trips, it’s not a scenic tour of the luxury hotels of the South Island. We prefer to stay in comfortable bed and breakfasts, lodges and apartments. Rooming is based on twin-share, although single rooms are available upon request. Rooming on the Milford Track Guided Walk is in 4-6 bed bunk rooms - again private rooms are available upon request. As there's a variety of accommodations on this trip, most places will have private bathrooms and one or two will have shared bathrooms - so we may ask you to share a bathroom with other group members on occasion. The trip fare is US$3,799.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Zealand adventure.
Saturday - Hiking near Mt. Cook
