| Day 1 |
Day one and we begin by picking you up from your accommodation or at the Airport if you have flown in that morning. Pick up times from accommodation in Christchurch will be between 8.30am and 9.30am. You will be given an estimated pick up time upon confirmation of your accommodation in Christchurch.
Anyone flying in that morning we will be picking you up at the airport at 10.00am outside the international terminal.
We leave the airport and head north out of Christchurch and drive for 2 ½ hours to the beginning of our first hike. After parking the van we load up our packs for the first time and descend down to the Maruia River for 5 hours of pleasant hiking to our destination for the night Ada Pass hut. Ada Pass Hut is located on a beautiful river terrace and a perfect place to watch the sun set on the surrounding mountains for your first day with us.
MEALS PROVIDED: LUNCH AND DINNER
ACCOMMODATION: HUT
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| Day 2 |
Day two begins with a 7.00am breakfast before packing up our gear for our return back to our vehicle. Before we depart we grab our wet weather gear and a few snacks and head off for a morning walk up to a stunning alpine lake before returning to the hut for lunch. After lunch we retrace our steps back down the Maruia River to our vehicle. From here it is a short 15 minute drive to our accommodation at the Maruia Springs Thermal resort which just happens to have one of the best natural hot pools in the country!!
MEALS PROVIDED: BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER
ACCOMMODATION: RESORT ACCOMMODATION
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| Day 3 |
After a relaxing soak in the hot pools and a good nights rest and we meet for breakfast at 7.00am. After breakfast its back in to the van for a 2 hour drive to Lake Rotoroa and the start of our second and most demanding trip in to the South Island’s wilderness. We begin this trip with a racing start with a boat ride up to the head of Lake Rotoroa where we are dropped off at Sabine Hut. From here we set off for a 5 hour walk to our accommodation for the night (West Sabine Hut) with a lunch break taken along the way.
MEALS PROVIDED: BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER
ACCOMMODATION: BACKCOUNTRY HUT
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| Day 4 |
Today we have a leisurely start to the day with breakfast at 8.30am. With a 4 hour walk to the next hut. As the track becomes rougher from here we travel together up to Blue Lake Hut for a late lunch. As this is our accommodation for the night you have the afternoon to relax or take in the views from Lake Constance (2hrs return).The next day is one of the toughest so far so a goods nights rest is a good idea.
MEALS PROVIDED: BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER
ACCOMMODATION : BACKCOUNTRY HUT
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| Day 5 |
We are up early for a big day. Breakfast is at 7.00am today with us aiming to be away from the hut by 8.00am. Today is the climb over Moss Pass (the highest point on the hike) with the climb up to the pass beginning behind the hut. A 2 to 3 hour climb brings us to Moss Pass 1785m (5300ft) where we have time for a well earned break to take in the views. After dropping off the pass down into the D’urville Valley we stop for lunch on the way down before continuing down to the valley floor to our accommodation for the night (Ella Hut).
MEALS PROVIDED: BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER
ACCOMMODATION: BACKCOUNTRY HUT
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| Day 6 |
The last day of our second hike and it happens to be the longest but it is all down hill to the lake and the boat ride back to the van. Breakfast is early at 6.30am with us aiming to be on the track by 7.30am. 4 hours walking time takes us to our lunch spot at Morgan’s Hut. After lunch it is a further 3 hrs walk that takes us down to Lake Rotoroa. This is our pick up point for our boat ride back down the lake to the van. After loading up it's a 2 hour ride in to Nelson where we will be spending the night. We aim to have you in Nelson in time to get you into your accommodation and leave you enough time to find a suitable location for your dinner.
MEALS PROVIDED: BREAKFAST AND LUNCH (DINNER NOT PROVIDED)
ACCOMMODATION: NELSON MOTEL/HOTEL
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| Day 7 |
This is your day to do what you want. Feel free to take in all Nelson has to offer or just relax and have a rest day. Having lived in Nelson myself I would be more than happy to give you some recommendations for some activity’s to fill in your day.
MEALS PROVIDED: NONE
ACCOMMODATION: NELSON MOTEL/HOTEL
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| Day 8 |
9.00am is your pick time this morning. After leaving Nelson we head west towards Kahurangi National Park for our last hike. After a 1½ hour drive from Nelson we arrive at the Flora Saddle car park with the beauty of this hike being we start at 900m (2700 ft). From the car park we drop down in to Flora Stream, which we follow down to the junction of Balloon Creek. Today we stop for lunch at the growler rock shelter one of the numerous shelters that are scattered throughout the valley.
At this junction we turn south and follow Balloon Creek up on to the Salisbury Tablelands, a plateau at over 1000m (3000ft) where a further ½ an hour hiking finds us at the delightfully positioned Salisbury Lodge, our base for the next 2 nights. The afternoon is another opportunity to explore or relax and read a book or sleep.
MEALS PROVIDED: LUNCH AND DINNER
ACCOMMODATION: BACKCOUNTRY HUT
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| Day 9 |
Today is an exploration day. Breakfast is at 8:30 and we leave the huts with day packs to go and explore Mt Peel and the Peel Range with the possibility of climbing on to the crest of the range to get great views over the rest of the park. Lunch today is taken on the range crest with a fantastic view to go with it. After lunch we return the same way back to our accommodation at Salisbury Lodge.
MEALS PROVIDED: BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER
ACCOMMODATION: BACKCOUNTRY HUT
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| Day 10 |
This is our final full hiking day. A 7.30am breakfast today. Our final leg of this hike takes us over a mountain called Gordon’s Pyramid through a cave ridden basin called the Horse Shoe Basin then up on to the shoulder of Mt Arthur. From this point we have sweeping views of the entire Nelson bay. From this point we drop down the ridge towards Mt Arthur Hut into the native bush and down a well graded track to arrive back at the van. This final day can take 6 – 8 hours so we should be back at the van by around 5:30pm for the drive back to Nelson. Being our final night we go out for a celebratory dinner together.
MEALS PROVIDED: BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER
ACCOMMODATION: NELSON MOTEL/HOTEL
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| Day 11 |
After breakfast at your accommodation you will be picked for our final day which is a drive back to Christchurch. We will leave Nelson at 8.00am and drive towards Blenheim and down the Kaikoura coast back to Christchurch. The drive back to Christchurch takes approximately 6 – 7 hours so we should be back in Christchurch by 4.00pm. This is the end of the trip but we are able to drop you off at any accommodation you have organised or alternatively at the airport.
MEALS PROVIDED: LUNCH
ACCOMODATION: YOUR CHOSEN LOCATION
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Hiking, Trekking, Backpacking, Bush Walking, Tramping – all different words with the same meaning – getting out and enjoying nature one on one.
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