Rimu - Queenstown (Southbound): Complete itinerary

Multi-Day Backpacking in Nelson Lakes National Park, Sea Kayaking or
Biking Marlborough Sounds · Queenstown · Cycle Hollyford Valley and Manapouri
Sea Kayak Okarito Lagoon and Milford Sound · Hike West Coast Beaches and Rainforests
Hike Routeburn Track, Punakaiki, Franz Josef Glacier and Mt Cook National Park

rimu		14 days - south island	US$2999 + tax
pronounced "REE-moo"			currency converter
The Rimu is our most action-packed trip. It’s a multi-activity trip, with plenty of options to suit your fancy! We do a snorkelling trip to a seal colony, an incredible 3-day guided backpacking, biking, or sea kayaking trip, take some of New Zealand’s most stunning day hikes, and do some unforgettable sea kayaking and cycling in various parts of the South Island. We maintain plenty of options so we can make sure the trip works for everyone and we have two guides to take good care of you. The Rimu is an awesome way to see New Zealand if you enjoy the outdoors and like a bit of a challenge. The accommodations vary - for over half the trip we stay in accommodations of very comfortable standards (B&Bs, lodges, etc.) and for the rest of the trip we have chosen more rustic accommodations in order to be in the most beautiful, isolated and off-the-beaten-track places in New Zealand. The Rimu is simply an awesome trip.
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RIMU - QUEENSTOWN: 14 days Queenstown - Queenstown Mon: Hike Routeburn Track, cycle Hollyford Valley Tue: Sea kayak Milford Sound, cycle to Lake Manapouri Wed: Explore high-country sheep farm Thu: Hike in Mt. Cook National Park Fri: Mt. Cook National Park to Christchurch Sat: Free Day in Christchurch Sun: Snorkel with seals in Kaikoura Mon: Visit vineyard and start multi-day option: hiking in Nelson Lakes National Park, mountain biking on Queen Charlotte Track, OR sea kayaking in Marlborough Sounds Tue: Multi-day option continued Wed: Multi-day option continued Thu: Hike in Punakaiki Rainforest Fri: Kayak in Okarito Lagoon, hike beach and forest Sat: Hiking at Franz Josef Glacier Sun: Depart for home

Monday - Hike Routeburn Track, cycle Hollyford Valley

Most people leave the Northern hemisphere on a Saturday evening and arrive in Auckland early Monday morning. You’ll lose a day to the dateline – but you get it back on the way home! You’ll immediately take the short flight to Queenstown in the South Island where we’ll meet you. You’ll need to arrive in Queenstown by 11am and then we’ll head through to Te Anau and on towards Milford Sound. After lunch, we’re straight into it! Depending on where you’re coming from, you’ll probably find jetlag is no big deal. For instance, it’s a 12-hour direct overnight flight from the West Coast of the USA to Auckland and there’s only a 3-hour time difference between New Zealand and US Pacific time. If you’re coming from further afield, what better way to start your New Zealand adventure!

We’ll hike part of the famous Routeburn Track. The Routeburn is one of the best-known hiking trails in New Zealand and we do the best part of the track, which overlooks the Hollyford Valley, Lake Marian and Mt. Christina. After hiking back to the trailhead, you’ll be fitted with a 21-speed front-suspension Specialized mountain bike for a spectacular ride through the Hollyford Valley. This remote and gently-rolling backcountry road is lined with unspoilt beech forest and surrounded by towering peaks - take your time or go as hard as you want - either way, this is a ride you’ll never forget! If cycling isn’t your thing, you can skip it and just enjoy the scenery - like all our activities, the cycling is completely optional. We’ll all end up at Hollyford Camp, an isolated and rustic establishment, originally set up in the 1930s for the workers who built the nearby Homer Tunnel and Milford Road. This is a beautiful, tranquil place, with a dozen cabins scattered around a museum and historic general store, still operating to this day. Hollyford Camp is right next to the Hollyford River and is surrounded by the mountains of Fiordland National Park. It’s definitely not a 5-star hotel, but it’s a great little place, and a wonderful location to hang out at the end of such an adventurous day!

Andrew: “Hollyford Camp is a famous kiwi icon - a slice of old-time New Zealand, if you will - but the facilities are pretty basic compared to all the other places we stay on the Rimu. Bill and Helen, who run the place, have put a lot of love into the camp while aiming to maintain the old-world charm of a workers camp from the 1930s. It really is a chance to experience our history.”

ACCOMMODATION: Hollyford Camp, Hollyford Valley - rustic but idyllic OR Milford Lodge, Milford Sound (B,L,D)

Tuesday - Sea Kayak Milford Sound, cycle to Lake Manapouri

It’s an early start today. First we’ll have a short drive through the Homer Tunnel, which comes out at the top of a spectacular alpine road that winds its way downhill to Milford Sound. The lush rainforest carpeting the lower slopes of the mountains gives way to the massively steep glacier-carved slopes and waterfalls of the Darren Range. Milford Sound, rated the 8th Natural Wonder of the World by Rudyard Kipling, is breathtaking. Sheer rock walls plunge thousands of feet to the sea, surrounded by snow-capped mountains! Most people see Milford Sound from the deck of a cruise ship, but we’ve got a better way - gliding in a sea kayak alongside seals and dolphins, which are very friendly and often eager to visit. This is an awesome trip, run by specialist kayak outfitters, and it’s equally suitable for beginners or experts. When you get back from your morning’s paddle, we’ll head towards Lake Manapouri. Tonight, we’ll stay at the Lake Manapouri Inn, beautifully located on the lake’s edge. You’ll love the great views out over the lake and the surrounding mountains of Fiordland National Park. We’ll arrive by mid-afternoon so you can relax and enjoy the surroundings, or take the bikes out to explore the countryside.

ACCOMMODATION: Lake Manapouri Inn, Manapouri (B,L,D)

Wednesday - Explore High-Country Sheep Farm

Today we have a relaxed start, and head back to Queenstown, where we stop for a couple of hours. This gives you the chance to get some lunch, go shopping, send postcards home, or whatever you might need to do before heading back into the wilderness. We’ll drive up to Lake Pukaki, near Mt. Cook, where we stay on Duncan and Carol McKenzie’s 60,000 acre high-country sheep farm, called Braemar Station. (“Station” is the New Zealand word for a big ranch.) While we’re here, we stay in the shearers’ quarters. Again, it’s not a 5-star hotel but many of our past travellers have told us this was one of their favourite places on the whole trip! The view from the kitchen window will knock your socks off - one huge mountain, rearing towards the sky on the far side of a gorgeous cobalt-blue lake. And with no lights for miles around, the stars on a clear night are like nothing you’ve ever seen!

ACCOMMODATION: Shearers’ quarters, Braemar Station - the views are breathtaking! (B,D)

Thursday - Hike in Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park

This morning it’s an hour or so to Mt. Cook Village, at the head of Lake Pukaki. Mt. Cook, known as Aoraki or “cloud piercer” by the local Maori, is the highest mountain in New Zealand, and we have a stunning and little-known day hike (weather permitting) to the main ridge above Mueller Glacier – directly opposite Mt. Cook! It’s a tough slog up, but you’ll remember the view of the Mueller Glacier and the surrounding peaks of the Main Divide forever! There are other hiking options if you’d like to take it a little easier. The weather conditions are very important in this area, as it’s a true alpine climate notorious for sudden weather shifts. If we aren’t able to do the Mueller hike, we’ll take an impressive hike up the Hooker Valley to a glacial lake at the base of Hooker Glacier, complete with icebergs! Then we head back to the shearers’ quarters and enjoy a traditional kiwi BBQ and a cold drink as we sit outside and watch the sun set over Mt. Cook.

ACCOMMODATION: Shearers’ quarters, Braemar Station (B,L,D)

Friday - Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park to Christchurch

We’ll head to Lake Tekapo for a short hike over-looking the lake and the surrounding mountains. Afterwards we drive over Burkes Pass and drop into Christchurch in time for lunch. Christchurch is a great place to spend a couple of days. You’ll find all the comforts of civilization: massage therapists, restaurants, sidewalk cafes, window shopping, and adrenaline pumping activities! You’ll find some incredible optional activities here, such as jet boating, skydiving, horse trekking, fishing, and even balloon rides – it’s all here! Or you can do nothing, if you prefer to just soak up the atmosphere or lounge about reading a book.

ACCOMMODATION: Central Christchurch apartments, Christchurch (B,L)

Saturday - Free Day in Christchurch

It's all up to you today - enjoy!

ACCOMMODATION: Central Christchurch apartments (B)

Sunday - Snorkel with seals in Kaikoura

This morning we’ll drive up the coast to the seaside town of Kaikoura, where we will spend the afternoon and evening. We’ll take you out to the Kaikoura Peninsula for a snorkeling trip at the seal colony. You’ll be supplied with a wetsuit, mask and snorkel, and you can swim within a couple of feet of native New Zealand Fur Seals as they cavort in the water!

ACCOMMODATION: A lovely Bed & Breakfast, Kaikoura (B,L,D)

Monday - Visit vineyard, start multi-day options

We'll drive north for a couple of hours to Blenheim, in the heart of the Marlborough wine region. We'll visit Forrest Estate Winery, where you can sample some of their fantastic wines while we picnic on the vineyard lawn. At the time of booking, you have the choice of one of three different 3-day/2-night options - a backpacking trip in Nelson Lakes National Park, a 3-day/2-night sea kayaking trip in the Marlborough Sounds, or a 3-day/2-night biking trip on the Queen Charlotte Track. The backpacking trip entails staying in mountain huts while the cyclists and sea kayakers stay in more conventional lodging, often with amenities such as hot tubs, private bathrooms and even a bar! Add US$399 + tax for the sea kayaking or biking options. After lunch, we head off for our various activities:

HIKING OPTION Click here to see pictures and quotes from the hiking option Monday (Continued) Hike Angelus Circuit If you prefer hiking, we’ve got just the thing! Our hike starts at the charming village of Saint Arnaud, on the edge of Nelson Lakes National Park. To keep our hiking group sizes down in this beautiful but fragile environment, we keep our exact route and group composition flexible. We’ll spend the afternoon hiking the relatively gentle trail alongside Lake Rotoiti. We’ll stay at Lakehead Hut overnight, a small mountain cabin in a gorgeous setting at the head of Lake Rotoiti, with a river running by and mountains everywhere you look. Nelson Lakes National Park straddles the northern part of the Southern Alps, an area composed of beech forests, big lakes and even bigger mountains. It’s a special place and in our opinion, vastly superior to its more famous neighbor, Abel Tasman National Park. This is serious wilderness country - no roads, no shops, no TVs - just incredible views and marvellous solitude. You don’t have to carry a very heavy pack - our guides are pretty tough and they’ll carry the lion’s share of the load. You’ll be carrying a sleeping bag, a few spare clothes, and some food - no need for any more than that, although we’ll provide tents and so on if you’d prefer to camp out under the stars. ACCOMMODATION: Lakehead Hut, Nelson Lakes National Park (B,L,D)	SEA KAYAKING OPTION [Add $399 + tax] Click here to see pictures and quotes from the kayaking option Monday (Continued) Kayak Queen Charlotte Sound After lunch you’ll head for Anakiwa on the edge of Queen Charlotte Sound to begin our three days of paddling. The waters here are calm and isolated, surrounded by lush forests and rocky coastline. Here you’ll be matched with a modern sea kayak and all the necessary safety equipment for paddling. You don’t need any experience to do this option, but if you are an experienced sea kayaker, you won’t be bored. After a thorough safety briefing, you’ll head out with your guide for a fairly gentle first day’s paddle. ACCOMMODATION: Lochmara Lodge, Queen Charlotte Sound (B,L,D)	BIKING OPTION [Add $399 +tax] Click here to see pictures and quotes from the biking option Monday (Continued) Bike Marlborough Sounds Another option over this period of time is to do some biking. After lunch you’ll head for Anakiwa on the edge of Queen Charlotte Sound, where you’ll be fitted with a modern mountain bike for a fairly gentle ride to start. We have a lot of flexibility with this option, so this afternoon’s ride will give your guide the opportunity to tailor the next two days to your level of experience. We offer a range of fantastic single track and road riding to suit your experience and interests. The Queen Charlotte Track is rated as one the best mountain biking tracks within the South Island and is one of the few areas of New Zealand wilderness where mountain bikes are permitted. Road cycling along Queen Charlotte Drive allows you to cover a greater distance and take in more of the Marlborough Sounds - it’s your call! In the evening we’ll enjoy an awesome dinner in a local lodge before the big day tomorrow. ACCOMMODATION: Tanglewood Lodge, Queen Charlotte Sound (B,L,D)
Tuesday Hike Angelus Circuit Today is an unforgettable day - the scenery gets even better with each step! We walk alongside the Travers River, through native beech forest, before heading up the Hukere Stream to spend the rest of the day hiking up to the ridgeline of the mountains. This is a steep hike, with an elevation gain of 3000 feet, but it's absolutely worth it. There is a gorgeous alpine lake at the top and the remote but comfortable Angelus Hut is ideally situated right on the edge of the lake. We have plenty of experience in getting people to the top, whatever your physical fitness level and age. If you're still keen for more, from Angelus Hut we'll scramble up a nearby peak to enjoy stunning views in every direction. If you prefer to hang out at Angelus hut with a cuppa, that's fine too! Many of our clients who have chosen the hiking option tell us that the Angelus Circuit - still unspoilt and non-commercial - was the highlight of their New Zealand experience, and many Kiwis prefer this trip to the better-known Milford and Routeburn Tracks. ACCOMMODATION: Angelus Hut, Nelson Lakes National Park (B,L,D)	Tuesday Kayak Queen Charlotte Sound Today we’ll have a full day’s paddling in the more untouched bays of Queen Charlotte Sound. You can paddle at your own pace and we’ll make sure that you get as much or as little “sea time” as you like! Along the way we’ll check out the secluded beaches and native forest that characterize the area, and we’ll see all sorts of native birds. With a bit of luck, we’ll be paddling alongside the local dolphins, New Zealand Fur Seals and even penguins! It’s worth noting that you don’t just paddle on this option - you have plenty of time to stop for short beach and forest walks as well. After the day’s activities, you’ll be able to have a hot shower, and enjoy a great dinner and a comfortable night’s sleep. ACCOMMODATION: Lochmara Lodge, Queen Charlotte Sound (B,L,D)	Tuesday Bike Marlborough Sounds A big ride today, if you like, or a gentle cruise. We have some challenging single-track riding on the renowned Queen Charlotte Track for the more experienced. Along the way, you’ll ride past some of the pristine beaches, native forest and birdlife that characterize this area. If a gentle cruise is more your style, you can road cycle past wide-sweeping views and coastal forest of the Kenepuru Road. It’s worth noting that you don’t just cycle on either of these options - again, you have plenty of time to stop for short beach and forest hikes as well. ACCOMMODATION: Tanglewood Lodge, Queen Charlotte Sound (B,L,D)
Wednesday Hike Angelus Circuit This morning we’ll wake up on top of the world. After breakfast, it’s a four to five hour hike out, first along the stark ridgeline with dramatic views down to Tasman Bay and the mountains of Kahurangi National Park beyond, then down through native beech forest. It’s a challenging walk out, but it’s worth every drop of sweat! We’ll hook up with the kayakers and cyclists before carrying on to the coast.	Wednesday Kayak Queen Charlotte Sound We spend the morning paddling to our takeout point at Anakiwa. It’s another chance to spot local wildlife before having lunch. After taking our kayaks out of the water, we’ll transfer to Saint Arnaud, where we hook up with the rest of the group before carrying on to the coast.	Wednesday Bike Marlborough Sounds We’ll spend the morning biking back towards Anakiwa, either by road or single track, where we’ll have lunch. We’ll then transfer to Saint Arnaud to rejoin with the hikers and the kayakers in the afternoon and carry on to the coast.

Wednesday (Continued) - Finish 3-day backpacking, biking or sea-kayaking

After regrouping in Saint Arnaud we’ll head to the wonderful West Coast area - 500 miles of gorgeous coastline with a population of only 40,000 people on the whole coast! For dinner this evening, we’ll stop at the tiny seaside settlement of Charleston to pick up the quintessential kiwi dinner - fish and chips!  If it’s a fine evening, we’ll enjoy our fish and chips on the beach before heading south down the stunning coastline towards the coastal village of Punakaiki.

ACCOMMODATION: West Coast Lodgings - comfortable and quiet. (B,L,D)

Friday - Hike in Punakaiki Rainforest

We’ll spend most of the day in Punakaiki to hike amongst the limestone canyons and lush rainforest of the Inland Pack Track. The gold miners who first opened up the area over a century ago established this trail. We’ll also check out Punakaiki’s famous Pancake Rocks and blowholes. This is one of our favorite places in the world, and you’ll see why. Finally, we’ll leave in the afternoon to drive down the scenic coastal road and stop at Hokitika to check out the local art galleries and pounamu carving workshops (“pounamu” is Maori for jade). Then we’ll carry on to Okarito Lagoon, a gem of the West Coast that is all but untouched due to it being 10 miles down a one-way road from an obscure highway turnoff. With a population of only 31 people, there are no shops, no restaurants and no traffic here - and watching the sun set over the Tasman Sea is definitely not to be missed!

ACCOMMODATION: Okarito Beach House, Okarito. Off-the-beaten-path, isolated and comfortable. (B,L,D).

Saturday - Kayak Okarito Lagoon, hike beach and forest

You’ve got a lot of options at Okarito. You can spend a cruisy day in this sleepy but beautiful beach town to recharge your batteries, or do some awesome hiking and kayaking. The Okarito Lagoon is unique in that it hosts the only white heron colony in New Zealand. You can sea kayak on the lagoon with a backdrop of snow-capped mountains for a few hours, then spend the rest of the day hiking through the lush coastal forest to Three Mile Lagoon, and walking back next to the waves crashing on the deserted beach. Okarito is also a great spot just to hang out in the scenery and enjoy a good book, or talk philosophy with some of the locals.

ACCOMMODATION: Okarito Beach House (B,L,D)

Sunday - Hiking at Franz Josef Glacier

Just south of Okarito there are two formidable glaciers descending from the mountains to the sea. In terms of scenery, this place is just off the chart, and we’ll spend most of the day hiking at Franz Josef Glacier. We’ll hike up through the rainforest to either Alex Knob or Roberts Point, both of which give great views of the terminal face, lower reaches and lateral moraines of the Franz Josef Glacier. We only do these hikes in good weather, as the rocks get very slippery in the rain. If it’s raining, we’ll do a shorter walk to the terminal face of Fox Glacier, hike around Lake Matheson and visit the Blue Pools near the Haast Pass.

Heli-hikers generally return a little earlier, so we all rendezvous at a local café, and head south. From Franz Josef it’s about three hours down the coast to Makarora (pop. 30), which is a small farming village directly next to Mt. Aspiring National Park. We’ll stay at a beautifully landscaped, family-style homestead on the edge of the village, in the shadow of the mountains.

ACCOMMODATION: The Homestead, Makarora. Very comfortable and spacious. (B,L,D)
Click here to see an image of where you'll be staying.

Sunday - Depart for home

This is the last day of your two-week trip around the South Island. See the itinerary for the Kauri trip if you want to take a few more days to see the North Island as well. Or check out our ACTIVE AUSTRALIA trips if you’ve got a little more time and want to visit Australia, fondly known as New Zealand’s “West Island”. We’ll leave after breakfast for the three-hour drive to Queenstown, and arrive in the early afternoon in time for flights back to Christchurch or Auckland. Any flight after 1pm is ideal but we can make 12 noon flights with a little notice. International flights from Auckland usually leave early evening, so if you’re heading back to North America, you’ll get home some time on Sunday, even though you left on Sunday evening! Flights back to Europe, of course, take a little longer. You’ll be refreshed and invigorated from the good food, exercise, rest, and great times you’ll have had with us in New Zealand! (B,L)

Important Information

ACCOMMODATIONS: The Rimu is an activity-oriented trip around the South Island. We’ve chosen interesting and comfortable accommodations throughout. Some places are quite luxurious, but many of the other places we stay are off-the-beaten-track - and don’t have many accommodation options - but they are really, really spectacular. Our clients often say a real highlight of the trip is meeting their New Zealand hosts. We think you’ll love the places we stay! We prefer to stay in comfortable bed and breakfasts, lodges and apartments. Rooming is based on twin-share, although single rooms are available upon request. As there's such a variety of accommodations on this trip, some places will have ensuite bathrooms and some will have shared bathrooms - so we may ask you to share a bathroom with other group members on occasion.

If you are staying a few extra days in Queenstown before or after your trip, click here to take a look at our Queenstown information page which has a list of a few selected hotels and B&B's in and around Queenstown.

RECOMMENDED FLIGHTS: If you’re flying in on the first day of the trip, or out on the last day, we recommend arriving in Queenstown by approximately 11am on Monday, and departing from Queenstown after 1pm on Sunday. Other flight times may also be possible – if you are considering other flight times please let us know.

PICKUP INFORMATION: On the first day of the trip we can either pick you up from the Station Building in Queenstown at 11.30am or at the Queenstown airport in front of the information desk at 12 noon.

DROP OFF INFORMATION: On the last day of the trip we can drop you off at the Queenstown airport in time for the flights above, or anywhere in central Queenstown in mid-afternoon.

TRIP DIRECTION: To keep our group sizes down, we run Rimus in two different directions around the South Island - northbound (refers to the initial direction of travel from Queenstown) and southbound. This itinerary happens to be written up in the Southbound format. We also run Rimus starting and ending in Christchurch. Whichever direction you take, you'll do all the activities we've mentioned, just in a different order. This trip is a product of many years of evolution and fine-tuning - it works well whichever way you do it!

If you want to take a look at the Northbound itinerary, click here.

FITNESS: You must have a reasonable level of fitness to enjoy yourself on the Rimu. You don’t have to be young and extremely fit (although if you are, you won’t be bored) but you should be in the habit of doing at least some exercise. Age and experience are not important. For example, a person in their 50s who hikes every couple of weeks will be happier than a 22-year-old couch potato. If you’re concerned about your fitness level, have a chat with us so we can help you choose between the Rimu and our other trips.

EXPERIENCE: You don’t need any outdoor experience at all to enjoy our trips. All our trips allow you to make the most of New Zealand’s incredible environment. Our experienced guides are highly trained, and will look after you! You don’t have to carry a heavy pack. You don’t need to have been in a sea kayak to enjoy kayaking Okarito Lagoon or Milford Sound. You don’t need to be a serious cyclist to enjoy some of the rides we have available. In fact we have so many options available that you don’t need to ride at all, if you’d rather hike, fish, or just laze around! All we ask is that you be energetic and in reasonable shape - and we guarantee you’ll have an incredible time. The challenges are there though, if you’re looking for them. For instance, on the second day of the backpacking trip we spend the day climbing to Lake Angelus on the Robert Ridge. The views are incredible - and they get better the higher you go, so the fitter members of the party often push on to the top of the ridge for some unforgettable views of both sides of the South Island, while others enjoy just staying at the hut and admiring the view. We manage the level of commitment to suit your experience and we have an impeccable safety record. We hold all relevant government licenses and our staff are highly trained and experienced.

FLEXIBILITY: Because of the off-the-beaten-path and non-commercial nature of some of our accommodations on this trip, we sometimes need to change a night stop. For instance, every now and then the shearers’ quarters at Braemar Station are required by the shearers. We try to make as few changes as possible, but we ask that you know we retain the flexibility to make sure your trip is as good as it can be.

INCLUDED: The trip fare is US$2999 + 12.5% NZ government taxes. We quote all prices in US dollars, so our guests from all over the world can more easily relate prices to their own currencies. You can also join for shorter periods of time, at a pro-rated fare. The trip fare includes just about everything, specifically:

• All guiding services. We have two guides per trip, a lead guide/driver and a co-guide who is responsible for meals and accommodations. This means we can really make sure you have a great time! We operate with small groups and we don’t hesitate to offer a second departure when our trips start getting full. (Click here to read what our previous clients have said about their guides).
• Comfortable accommodation for the entire period you are with us. We can also organize accommodation for you if you want to arrive earlier or leave later.
• All your meals, except in Queenstown where we’ve found people prefer to check out the wide range of restaurants. Alcohol is not generally included, although we do spring for a few drinks here and there!
• All hiking, cycling, and kayaking described in the itinerary, except the optional extra activities. There are many optional activities available at extra cost, particularly in Franz Josef and Queenstown. None of these activities are compulsory, nor will your trip seem less awesome if you do the cheap or free options. Although some people enjoy sampling hang gliding, bungy jumping, jet boating, skydiving, and so on, others prefer to focus more on the hiking, paddling and cycling, which is of course the reason you’re coming to New Zealand in the first place!

We'll see you soon!

Itinerary valid though April 2008