Fiordland

Our Adventure Walks all take place in Fiordland, a remote ‘nature lovers’ paradise located in the south west corner of the South Island of New Zealand. Fiordland National Park is part of Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area and includes some of New Zealand’s most dramatic and beautiful scenery. Some of the world’s most famous walks lie within Fordland’s boundaries, the best known probably being the Milford and Routeburn Tracks. Also within its vast borders are thousands of hectares of unfarmed and untracked wilderness. Picture a setting with range after range of mountains, of lush forestry reaching up to snow capped peaks, with valleys criss-crossed by glacier fed waterways and remote alpine lakes and you have pictured Fiordland. It is within this natural playground, away from the well worn paths, and hundreds of other tours, that our ‘off the beaten track’ guided walking adventures take place.

Te Anau

The gateway to Fiordland is Te Anau (pop. 1,902). Approximately a two hour drive from Queenstown, the township is beautifully situated beside the lake bearing its same name. It offers visitors a variety of accommodation, food outlets, and general stores and is the hub for the majority of hikes around this area which is often referred to as ‘The Walking Capital of the World. With its geographical location and access to a variety of services, Te Anau is a great place to base yourself either post or prior to your trip.

Interesting Facts

Lake Te Anau (417m deep and 64km long) is NZ’s second largest lake. [Lake Taupo is the largest]

For 50 years the native bird Takahe was thought to be extinct, but was rediscovered in 1948 in forests behind the western arm of Lake Te Anau. This is in close proximity to our Lake McIvor guided walk.

Manapouri

Manapouri is 20km south of Te Anau, and lies on the waterfront of what is often described as New Zealand’s loveliest lake. Pearl Harbour, Manapouri’s wharf, is the departure point for tours into the majestic Doubtful Sound. Manapouri is considerably smaller and quieter than Te Anau so while there’s a good choice of places to stay, plus a couple of cafes and a general store, the only bar is at the hotel.