Te Waka a Māui
Day 1 | Arrive Nelson
Drive: 1 hour | 30 miles | 50 km
Pick up from Nelson airport or your accommodation in Nelson and drive to the beautiful Motueka Valley. A chance to settle in, go for a walk to the river or explore the grounds of the lodge (exclusive use)
Accommodation: 1st night at Motueka Valley
Meals: D
Day 2 | Kahurangi National Park
Drive: 1 hour | 34 km | 21 miles
Hike: 3 hours return | 7.2 km | 4.5 miles
A drive up to Flora carpark (930m) with a walk through the cloud forests to Mount Arthur Hut (1310m). Late afternoon leaves time for a river swim or a chance to meet the locals. We have flax weavers, farmers, distillers, herbalists, gardeners…..
Accommodation: 2nd night at Motueka Valley
Meals: B,L,D
Day 3 | Abel Tasman National Park
Drive: 1 hour 15 minutes | 54 km | 34 miles
Hike: 1.5 hours return | 6 km | 4 miles
Sail: 6 hours on the water
Abel Tasman National Park is famed for it’s golden granite sands. We take a sail (private charter) with some swimming, short hikes and wildlife spotting. Fur seals abound.
Accommodation: 3rd night at Motueka Valley
Meals: B,L,D
Day 4 | Golden Bay
Drive: 2 hours 30 minutes | 130 km | 82 miles
Hike: Bite-size 2 hours total | 7 km | 4.5 miles
Golden Bay is an isolated area within a stunning setting of beaches, mountains and lush valleys. An enclave for eccentrics, artists, hippies and life-stylers. Quirky. We drive over the Takaka Hill with a walk to Harwoods Hole. Stop in the settlement of Takaka (spot the Hippies) on the way to Collingwood.
Accommodation: 1st night Collingwood
Meals: B,L,D
Day 5 | Farewell Spit
Drive: 4 hours on the bus
Hike: short
Farewell Spit/Onetahua is an internationally significant bird sanctuary.
We take an exclusive guided tour to learn about the unique wildlife, migration stories, whale strandings and human stories associated with this wild place. Talk from local conservationists.
Dinner at a local venue.
Accommodation: 2nd night Collingwood
Meals: B,L,D
Day 6 | North to South
Drive: 4 hours | 287 km | 179 miles
Fly: Nelson to Queenstown (2 flights) 1h 35 min fly time
Back over the hill to Nelson airport. Once in Queenstown, pick up another vehicle and drive to Te Anau.
Accommodation: 1st night Manapouri
Meals: B,L,D
Day 6 | North to South
Drive: 4 hours | 287 km | 179 miles
Fly: Nelson to Queenstown (2 flights) 1h 35 min fly time
Back over the hill to Nelson airport. Once in Queenstown, pick up another vehicle and drive to Te Anau.
Accommodation: 1st night Manapouri
Meals: B,L,D
Day 7 | Kepler Track
Drive: 45 minutes | 45 km | 28 miles
Hike: 2 hours 30 minutes | 9.1 km | 5.7 miles
A hike along one of New Zealand’s Great Walks - the Kepler Track. Water taxi to Brod Bay then walk back to Te Anau through towering beech forest and along the lakefront via the Te Anau Bird park. See rare and endangered NZ birds like the takahe.
In the afternoon explore the farm around the lodge.
Accommodation: 2nd night Manapouri
Meals: B,L,D
Day 8 | Doubtful Sound
Drive: 15 minutes
Doubtful Sound is less discovered than its more showy neighbour, Milford. We board the boat for a journey over Lake Manapouri (45 minutes), then take a bus ride over Wilmot Pass to cruise the arms of Doubtful Sound (3 hours).
Accommodation: 3rd night Manapouri
Meals: B,L,D
Day 9 | Te Anau to Stewart Island
Drive: 2 hours 30 minutes | 214 km | 134 miles
Hike: short hikes
Boat ride on remote Lake Hauroko.
We cross Foveaux Strait and arrive on wild Stewart Island. An outpost of an outpost. Stewart Islanders have a saying: “I must visit New Zealand one day!”
Accommodation: 1st night Stewart Island
Meals: B,L,D
Day 10 | Stewart Island Hiking
Drive: none
Hike: 3 hours 30 minutes| 8.1 km | 5 miles
We walk a section of the Rakiura Track, another of our Great Walks, from Lee Bay to Port William, then a short water taxi ride back to Oban.
Option of a scenic flight over Mason Bay (not included in trip cost)
Accommodation: 2nd night Stewart Island
Meals: B,L,D
Day 11 | Ulva Island
Drive: none
Hike: 3 hours return | 7 km | 4.3 miles
Ulva Island is a predator-free sanctuary for birdlife, with rare and endangered birds like saddleback, kaka and kakariki living freely. We take a short water taxi ride and take our time performing a loop around the island’s well-groomed walking tracks. Optional night-time hike to find some real life kiwi
Accommodation: 3rd night Stewart Island
Meals: B,L,D
Day 12 | Stewart Island Kayaking
Drive: none
The calm sheltered waters of Patterson Inlet are ideal for an exploration via sea kayak. We get into the nooks and crannies, not discoverable by other means, and learn some of the stories of hardship associated with life in this isolated outpost.
Accommodation: 4th night Stewart Island
Meals: B,L,D
Day 13 | Stewart Island to Queenstown
Drive: 2 hours 45 minutes | 214 km | 134 miles
We re-cross Foveaux Strait and drive to Queenstown for a lunch time arrival and drop off at the airport or accommodation.
Meals: B
A selection of our partners:
Cabot Lodge, Fiordland
Farewell Spit Tours, Golden Bay
Phil’s Sea Kayak, Stewart Island
Bear Lion Foods, Nelson