Trips Around the Lodge and Further Afield
LONGER OPTIONAL GUIDED ADVENTURE TRIPS
As well as exploring on your own and joining in with our complementary activities you can also join in our longer guided wilderness adventures.
RAINFOREST, CANOEING AND SEACOAST SEAL AND PENGUIN ADVENTURES
Join a small group and accompany our skilled nature guides.
On safe, well-planned adventures you will get close to wildlife, learn about the forest, experience amazing scenery and friendly company.
The charge for these trips ranges from NZ$68 to NZ$98 per person. A minimum of 4 people are required for these to depart and they can be booked on arrival.
Click below for a sample programme that shows you some of the activities that may be on offer when you visit.
If you would prefer your own guide, book a day of 'exclusive guiding' - see Exclusive Guided Trips for further information on this option.
SOME OF OUR TRIPS:
- Wilderness Seacoast, Fiordland Crested Penguin and New Zealand Fur Seals Tramping Adventure -our "signature walk". This is a dramatic and challenging wet footed walk. It requires moderate fitness and involves wildlife viewing including seals, penguins (in season) and possibly an elephant seal. Enjoy refreshments on the beach after some scrambling over beach boulders. You will love beachcombing along this wild coastline and at the end, a 400 foot steep hill climb.
- Wilderness Seacoast, Hector's Dolphin, Rainforest, Tree Fern and Goldminers Walk There is a huge variety on this walk; a lovely seacoast rich in rockpools, greenstone, Hector's dolphins (the worlds smallest dolphin) and occasionally New Zealand Fur Seals. You will see magnificent rimu, beech and kahikatea rainforest and a historic goldminer's path that traverses fern filled river gorges.
- Lake Moeraki Canoe Safari to Glacier Beach and the Giant Rimu Trees Our nature guides give you instruction in our safe, stable, and small or large canoes. We then paddle upriver past tall rainforest to enter the shallow wetlands of Lake Moeraki looking for water birds.
- Ancient Rainforest Guided Walk and Canoe Safari to the Lower Moeraki River and the Tasman Seacoast. Easy Option: Canoe the Moeraki Lagoon Our nature guides take you on a 30 minute walk down the valley through giant rainforest trees, past some historic cottages and across freshwater springs and wetland moss forest. At the Moeraki lagoon our canoes and life jackets are waiting. We paddle down river beneath the forest and out into the Moeraki lagoon. Moderate/Hard Option : Canoe the Moeraki Rapids This trip is only suitable for people who are fit/experienced canoeists/good swimmers. Although the rapids are easy, trees in the river create some hazards. Our nature guides will instruct you in down river canoeing in front of the Wilderness Lodge. We practice navigation and procedures for descent. We reach the Tasman beaches and walk to the Tasman seacoast where we enjoy refreshments, fossick for gemstones, shells and driftwood and we also look for Hector's dolphin, the world's smallest dolphin.
- The Moeraki Mountains, Historic South Westland Pack Track, Moeraki Rapids and Blue Hut The Moeraki valley was the last valley in South Westland to be accessed by road in 1965. Prior to this the only way south to Haast by land followed a historic pack track at the foot of the mountains. We drive 8 km up the valley to the start of this walk. The track crosses a series of small steams as the noise of the Moeraki rapids grows louder. When we reach these spectacular rapids, we cross on a high swingbridge then walk for 15 minutes to Blue Hut. We enjoy lunch either at the hut with a roaring fire and billy tea or beside a huge pool in the Moeraki River.
This has been a tremendous treat! We have learned a great deal about the native wildlife and have loved every minute of our trip. Sally and John have gone the extra mile to help us with all sorts of enquiries. Our children loved the river trips, walks and eels. What a place to live!
Sarah Milburn, Waiti, Otago, New Zealand- 12 April, 2009
As well as joining in our complementary and longer guided trips you may also like to have a day with your own guide.
To book a day of exclusive guiding, see Exclusive Guided Trips for further information.
Awesome- book an extra day to relax after doing all the activities.
Sharna & Shane, Sydney, Australia - 13 September, 2008
INTERESTED IN FISHING FOR TROUT?
The lake and rivers have good numbers of Brown Trout and in March & in April there are some Quinnat Salmon. The lodge has basic rods with lures but NO fly-fishing equipment.
You will need a fishing licence to fish in the area - you can purchase these from the Lodge.
With prior notice local guides can be arranged but please check with us if fishing is to be the focus of your stay. You cannot fish in front of the Lodge where we have giant tame brown trout.
