New Zealand South Island Hiking Adventure Tours

Rooms are un-air conditioned and feature natural wood and large windows that look out into the open forest. This family-owned property is operated by the founder’s daughter and her husband, Alexandra and Leighton. Enjoy a delicious meal made with locally sourced ingredients with your fellow walkers and guide companions. Throughout your adventure, you’ll dine on fresh foods harvested from local farms and the surrounding sea. Although New Zealand’s cuisine is largely British-based, many modern dishes are influenced by the Mediterranean, Southeast Asian and Pacific Rim.

• There are a few ways that we can explore Te Wahi Pounamu South Westland World Heritage Site.
• They plunge you into remote, wild landscapes like podocarp rainforest or volcanic terrain.
• Your Trip Director is an experienced outdoors professional who has been trained in first aid and is fully equipped with a personal locator beacon, satellite phone and first aid kit.
• Nat Hab has earned an international reputation for employing the highest-quality Expedition Leaders in the industry.

You can also see Mount Taranaki, the park’s most dangerous stratovolcano. This cone is almost geometrially perfect and has a snowcap that looks like it’s been drizzled with icing sugar. Book as soon as possible as permits for multi-day tracks are required and can sell quickly. It can be rough out at sea and you will need strong arms to kayak there. But, a guide is always nearby and you’re in double kayaks so you’re never alone. When you look out from the Abel Tasman Coast Track, in the northwest corner of the South Island, the sea is such a bright shade of aquamarine that you could easily be in the tropics. It’s only when you look back at the tangle of wild native bush on the clifftops that you remember you’re in New Zealand.

Aoraki/Mount Cook is a small settlement with a population of less 100 people. There are also strict building restrictions. This makes it a feast for eyes and a rare sanctuary that soothes the soul. Nat Hab is known for its high-quality Expedition Leaders. Our guides average 15 years of experience and training, with additional resources and access to WWF’s top scientists. On this trip, you’ll also have the advantage of a native New Zealander as your guide, for a truly personalized interpretive experience. Read our Expedition Leader bios and traveler comments regarding the quality of our leaders.

If you would like to see the actual people that come on our World Heritage walking tour, check out ourphoto gallery. Local naturalist guides Track, Mou Waho island, Okarito Lagoon Kayaking, Charleston Caves tour and the Glacier Explorers tour in Mt Cook. The World Heritage Walking Tour visits 6 of New Zealand’s National Parks – Paparoa, Arthurs Pass, Mt Aspiring, Fiordland, Aoraki/Mt Cook and Westland Tai Poutini. Yes, all of the places we stay on the World Heritage Walking Tour have electricity. The Okaka Lodge is located in Fiordland. Electricity is provided by a generator. You can visit the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre’s museum and planetarium, or simply take a stroll and enjoy the view with a cup of coffee and a book.

For lunch, you stop in the vibrant town of Mapua, known for its artistic community and lively cafe culture. Visions of a tourism industry where conservation is pivotal and active, not just viewing a supply of maintained wilderness preserves. With the borders closed, ‘pivot’ has become the catch-phrase for tourism in New Zealand.

Following our hike, we take a scenic drive (about 1.5 hours) west to Lake Brunner, an inland lake, famous for trout fishing and surrounded by densely forested hills. As we journey toward the Tasman Sea, the climate transforms into sub-tropical. If you prefer to stay on the ground, you can choose to relax or to go for a scenic coastal hike with our guide.

He has a diverse background having worked in financial markets and bioscience but it is in tourism where his passion lies. A proud ambassador for all things Kiwi, he enjoys nothing more than sharing the wonders of his home country with fellow travelers and visitors from the world over. 12 days, includes round-trip international airfare , airport shuttle, and additional hotel nights with included breakfast.

After driving down the Buller Gorge to the West Coast, the first stop this morning is Cape Foulwind. Here is an opportunity to observe a breeding colony of New Zealand fur seals – almost hunted to extinction in the 1800s. After lunch, you’ll enjoy a hike up to a spectacular limestone river canyon in Paparoa National Park. It has natural attractions including mountains, limestone cliffs, caves, rivers and wilderness areas.

Nicky returned to school after two decades of and work in the nature tourism industry. Read more about mountain hiking New Zealand trip here. Nicky is a leader in conservation of water and nature for New Zealand’s leading environmental nongovernmental organization. In her spare time Nicky likes to walk, ride her mountain bike, and backcountry ski.

The majestic Southern Alps run like a backbone down the South Island, dividing it east and west into two distinct regions, with Arthur’s Pass serving as its gateway. We’ll be following a flowing river to its source, which is the cascading water at Devils Punchbowl Falls. This hike offers stunning views of Mount Rolleston and the permanent glaciers which cut their way down the mountain faces. It is an excellent introduction to your small group walking tour. Taste wines from this award-winning vineyard renowned for innovation and sustainable wine production, tour the grounds, and enjoy the sweeping views. Continue along one of the most stunning coastal drives