Stewart Island Track Guided Walk |
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Stewart Island Walk - 5 days from Invercargill |
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"Picture yourself in the Southern most island of New Zealand wandering under a stadium of stars to try your luck at native kiwi spotting". Stewart Island offers the best chance most people will ever have to see New Zealand's national bird, the kiwi, in its natural environment. Rest assured not many New Zealanders can make that claim. Many centuries ago Maori came by canoe to the island to harvest shellfish and mutton birds, traditions still carried out today by local iwi. They named the island Rakiura - 'Land of the Glowing Skies' as it is renowned for lingering summer sunsets and the Aurora Australis or Southern Lights. Our five day Stewart Island guided walk takes a nice loop across Stewart Island. Starting in the southern town of Invercargill we travel to Mason Bay on the West Coast of Stewart Island. Then walk, water taxi and sea kayak our way across the island to Halfmoon Bay. A visit to the stunning open sanctuary Ulva Island and some time to explore Halfmoon Bay before flying back to the mainland at Invercargill. ItineraryDay 1: Arrive in Invercargill Stay in the Victorian Railway Hotel In Invercargill. Pre track briefing and evening meal starts at 6pm. Rental cars and any excess luggage can be left at the hotel. Shuttles available from Queenstown and Te Anau. Day 2: Invercargill, Mason Bay Walk 4 hours / 10km Departure time changes with the tide ( literally ! ) Fly by light plane from Invercargill airport to Mason Bay passing Codfish Island, an important Kakapo sanctuary. Landing on Mason Bay beach we take some time to explore this isolated wonderland walking to the Mason Bay Hut, the one night where we "rough it" camping alongside the Mason Bay Hut. This evening we will see if we can spot one of the local residents, a kiwi. Stewart Island Kiwi, or Tokoeka in Maori, are unique in that they are sometimes seen during the day so if you do miss out under the stars there is always tomorrow! Day 3: Mason Bay, Freshwater, Halfmoon Bay Walk 4 hours / 14km An easy ( flat ) walk across the Island to Freshwater. Massive sand dunes, head high tussock and Manuka trees house many native birds, including kiwi's and robins. At Freshwater Landing we meet the water taxi for a half hour ride down Freshwater River and across Paterson Inlet to Halfmoon Bay. Tonight we stay in a classic Southland "crib" or holiday home with power and a shower! Dinner is generally fresh Salmon caught that day. Day 4: Paterson Inlet, Ulva Island Sea kayak 3 hours, walk 3 hours Today we explore Paterson Inlet by sea kayak, water taxi and foot. In the morning ( this can alter depending on the weather ) we take to the sea kayaks. After a thorough briefing from our sea kayak guide we paddle around the coastline, exploring a few of the inner harbours with the chance to see seals, shags and little blue penguins. Then we visit Ulva Island, an open sanctuary playing an important role in the conservation of threatened species. Birds we may see include the weka, kaka, kakariki, kukupa, mohua and tieke. This is our second night in Halfmoon Bay. Day 5: Halfmoon Bay, Invercargill Time to explore Halfmoon Bay. Try one of many short walks, visit a local craft gallery, or just soak up the island ambience. In the afternoon ( generally the 1:30pm flight ) we fly to Invercargill for the completion of our journey. Many customers chose to stay an extra night or two on Stewart Island or back in Invercargill. General InformationAccommodation Accommodation is based on share twin. That's two singles or one double sharing a room. If you are single and want to stay that way we can arrange single rooms. In Invercargill we stay at the Victoria Railway Hotel a restored historic guesthouse in the centre of Invercargill. At Mason Bay we stay in a campsite alongside the public hut. Bunk beds are generally available in the hut and our camp is well set up with a range of tents, camping chairs and inflatable mattresses. We provide sleeping bags. No power, toilets are outside and there are no showers .... sorry that's the price you pay to see a kiwi in the wild and all of our customers agree it is worth it! In Halfmoon Bay we usually stay at Rakiura Lodge, a beautiful home with all the mod cons....power, showers and flush toilets. Linen is provided. Carry only your own personal items. Weather Is unpredictable. Extreme conditions can develop at any time. Be prepared for cold and wet weather and have warm waterproof equipment. It makes it even nicer when it is warm and sunny: Equipment We will provide all camping and cooking equipment, sleeping bags and maps. You provide and carry a pack, personal and hiking equipment. We have packs and wet weather gear available if required but please advise in advance. What to Bring A good pair of comfortable walking boots or shoes is essential. The walking is relatively flat on a mixture of beaches, natural bush tracks and well formed paths. You will need to carry only your own personal belongings during the day and your sleeping bag. Payment 25% deposit is required to confirm a booking. Payment in full is due 30 days before departure. Bookings are essential. |
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