Back Valley Guided Day Walk
(NZ) $549 Including flight and boat crossing
Grade: Easy to Moderate
Season: All Year Round
Departs: On Demand – Please enquire for further details
Resources
Facts and Features of this walk:
- ‘Back Valley’ featured in Wilderness Magazine July 2009 as “A great little easy trip”.
- Views towards Mt Titiroa [Peak 1710m]- Featured in Wilderness magazine as The Number 1 of the 7 Natural Wonders of New Zealand’ and described as a “photographers dream.”
- Views across Lake Manapouri, the Hunter Mountains. Offering views similar to those found on the more heavily trafficked Kepler, Milford or Routeburn tracks
- World Heritage Site (joining the Taj Mahal and the Grand Canyon as one of the most remarkable places on earth)
- Native Fiordland bush and unique Fiordland Rainforest, mountain beech and ancient Podocarp.
- Bell birds, Tui, Grey Warblers, Fantails, Tomtits and Woodpigeons are very common. Trampers may also see Fernbirds, Riflemen, Brown Creepers, Parakeets, Yellowheads Falcons and Kea – mountain parrots.
- Native ducks are found in the river and lake edge environments
- Red deer, wild boar, possums
- 'Pearl Harbour', on the edge of the Waiau River, is the departure point for our boat. (Don’t forget to get your picture taken next to the Pearl Harbour sign!)
Te Anau to Manapouri via Hope Arm
Duration 6-8 hours
Walking distance: approx 17.8km (11 miles)
We commence with a spectacular scenic floatplane flight across Lake Te Anau and the Kepler Mountains. Our flight continues on over Lake Manapouri and its numerous small islands until we are into the wilds of Fiordland National Park.
We are dropped off in the idyllic bay of Hope Arm on the shores of Lake Manapouri. Our motto is "see paradise not people", and when the plane leaves you will understand why.
We start our walk through this picturesque valley of native bush, keeping an eye out for deer browsing through the native ferns. Your knowledgeable guide will point out the amazing indigenous flora and fauna of the area. The walking is relatively flat and easy going for the first few hours and we have a mid-morning break in the magical moss covered beech forest. From here we carry on for another couple of hours before crossing the Garnock Burn via a 3 wire bridge to arrive at our lunch destination, the Back Valley Hut.
After a hearty lunch we leave this grassy clearing heading for the shores of Lake Manapouri where our boat collects us to take us back across the Mararoa River to Pearl Harbour at Manapouri Township at approximately 5pm.
Guided 1 Day Wilderness Walk
(NZ) $599 (Including flight and boat ride)
Grade: Easy to Moderate
Season: All Year Round
Departs: On Demand – Please enquire for further details
Resources
Facts and Features of this walk:
- Views towards Mt Titiroa - Featured in Wilderness magazine as ‘Number 1 of the 7 Natural Wonders of New Zealand’ and described as a “photographers dream.”
- Magnificent views over Lake Manapouri & the Hunter Mountains equaling if not surpassing the views found on the Kepler, Milford or Routeburn tracks
- Heli access into true New Zealand wilderness
- Native Fiordland bush and unique Fiordland rainforest, mountain beech and ancient Podocarp.
- Bell birds, Tūī, Grey Warblers, Fantails, Tomtits and Wood pigeons are very common. Trampers may also see Fernbirds, Riflemen, Brown creepers, Parakeets, Yellowheads, Falcons and Kea – mountains parrots.
- Paradise duck, grey duck and the rare blue duck are found in the river and lake edge environments
- Chance to spot Red deer in its natural habitat
- Scenic lake cruise
Wilderness Walk
Duration 5-6 hours
Walking distance: approx 8km
We commence with a spectacular scenic helicopter flight across Lake Te Anau and the Kepler Mountains heading up and over Lake Manapouri and its numerous islands into the wilds of Fiordland National Park. We are dropped off in a pristine untouched valley called the Garnock Burn. Our motto is "see paradise not people", and when that chopper leaves you will see why.
This area is what New Zealanders’ call the 'Back-Country”, there are no marked tracks or any signs of civilization, just ancient, wild, rugged, lush, beautiful scenery.
We start by following the path of the stream flowing down through this picturesque valley keeping an eye out for deer whilst your knowledgeable guide points out the various indigenous flora and fauna of the area. Although untracked, the walking is relatively flat and easy-going making it enjoyable for all abilities.
We lunch at the base of Mt Titiroa, described as a photographers dream, and which has recently been voted NZ no.1 wilderness area by Wilderness magazine. After a sumptuous lunch we head into the native bush along an easy track through low level woodland and natural springs. Eventually we come out of the woods and arrive at Hope Arm, a beautiful bay on the shores of Lake Manapouri. Here we catch our boat to take us on a scenic ride back across the lake to Pearl Harbour at Manapouri Township.
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