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Tekapo Adventures

Our Scenic 4WD Tours offer you the opportunity to experience The Outstanding Natural Landscapes of The Mackenzie Country, accessed through private High Country Stations surrounding Lake Tekapo.

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Hiking to Lady Emily Hut Lake Tekapo

Mackenzie Alpine Hiking Tour

NZ

Cass Valley, Lake Tekapo

Location

Jan-May

View Dates

Dates

1795

per person

Price

8

persons

Max Small Group

A Lake Tekapo Hiking Tour through New Zealand’s most unique and outstanding natural landscapes of The Mackenzie Country.

Our Mackenzie Alpine Hiking Tour takes place on Glenmore Station, a private High Country Station which borders Mt Cook National Park and spans over 50,000 acres of outstanding backcountry of the Southern Alps.

Unlike the crowded Mt Cook Hiking Trails, our Lake Tekapo Hiking Tour explores the private Cass Valley alpine. Hike through the most legendary scenery in The Mackenzie Country, and enjoy this exclusive guided multi day hike through private terrain all to yourself.

Some of the finest alpine hiking in New Zealand awaits, as you multi day walk through the Mackenzie alpine, to a series of private huts perched amongst Lake Tekapo’s backcountry.

Access to this remote part of The Mackenzie backcountry starts in Lake Tekapo, as you journey into the remote reaches of the Cass Valley wilderness by a Scenic 4WD Tour , before hiking into the Gammack Range, bordered by Mt Cook. Private alpine huts, a warm meal and a cold beverage await you, after a spectacular day being guided through NZ’s most outstanding natural landscapes.

DAY 0

TEKAPO ARRIVALS, PRE HIKE/BACKCOUNTRY BRIEFING

This is held on the day prior to your hiking departure date in LAKE TEKAPO at 4PM. The briefing will explain the next few days of your backcountry hike, run through the packing checklist and ensure you have the right gear for the backcountry adventure. Extra gear will be available to hire should you be missing anything.

Accommodation: Not included

DAY 1

DEPART LAKE TEKAPO, FOUR WHEEL DRIVE CASS VALLEY – HIKE TO LADY EMILY HUT

Hiking: 3-4 Hours
Level of difficulty: Moderate.
Backcountry Terrain: The terrain is reasonably smooth on the valley floor, with some river crossings. A steep but short tussocky ascent to the hut.

Rising to the picturesque shores of the turquoise waterways of Lake Tekapo, today your guides will pick you up in our Classic Land Rover Defenders, load up and travel to explore the stunning and private High Country of Glenmore Station. 

This Iconic New Zealand High Country Sheep Station is situated on the Western shores of Lake Tekapo, and runs deep into the Cass Valley wilderness, bordered to the West by the Lieberg Range. Our Scenic 4WD Travel through the Cass Valley this morning,  is a beautiful introduction to the Outstanding Natural Landscapes and their values that are unique to the Mackenzie Basin. 

The Cass Valley offers a variety of inherent natural geological features, unique to the Mackenzie Basin itself, along with a wonderful narrative from your guides about the rich history and hardships this incredible part of the world encompasses. 

We’ll  travel past roaming Merino sheep grazing, and numerous endangered bird species to name a few. We’ll park the Land Rovers, and start off hiking Into the wilds of the Cass Valley, as we enter what feels like another country. Filled with high dry aired ranges, moraine walls and towering glaciers, cascading waterfalls and impressive High Country scenery, we’ll stop in for lunch at an old Musterers Hut, and learn about how endearing and hardy the first run holders in the area were.

This afternoon’s hike starts off along the valley floor , before we start a  climb to our first private backcountry hut, perched amongst some of the finest alpine scenery in The South Island.  Offering fabulous views of surrounding glaciers and deep vista’s over The Leiberg Range and Mt Hutton.

Enjoy a wine or a hot cuppa  far away from hustle and bustle of the world and deep in the heart of the mighty Mackenzie backcountry. 

Tonight you’ll experience the awe and wonder of the clearest skies in the world, under The Aoraki Nighttime Sky Reserve, at an unforgettable location. 

Accommodation: Private Backcountry Hut Mackenzie Alpine
Meals: 
Lunch, Dinner

DAY 2

BACKCOUNTRY HIKING – MACKENZIE ALPINE HIKE TO FALCONS NEST HUT

Hiking: 6-8 Hours
Level of difficulty: Moderate.
Backcountry Terrain: The terrain is a mix of tussock grasslands, scree runs and rocky terraces and stream crossings and some steep terrain.

Rising early to the shimmering gold carpet of alpine beauty, and a Kea or two – we’re off for a full day backcountry hiking, starting with a gentle climb through glistening tussocks  up to a stunning saddle.

Enjoy lunch at the saddle offering views of the impressive scenery cast over Mt Fitzwilliam , and the Jolley Valley below. After lunch we’ve got a  fabulous ridgeline hike offering magnificent views over endless peaks, glaciers and giant rocky summits! We’ll savour nature and this beautiful landscape before making our descent down a scree run to another picturesque alpine hut, centered amongst towering peaks and glistening streams. Stargazing at its finest yet again tonight!

Accommodation: Private Backcountry Hut Mackenzie Alpine
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 3

BACKCOUNTRY HIKE OUT TO CASS VALLEY, 4WD TO LAKE TEKAPO

Hiking: 4-5 Hours
Level of difficulty: Moderate.
Track Terrain: The terrain is a gentle descent through rocky terraces, tussock grasslands and various stream crossings.

Our final morning rise in the Mackenzie backcountry, and we’ll enjoy a nice breakfast before packing up and heading out for our final leg of the hiking journey. 

Today’s hike is an interesting descent as we follow a lovely stream and pass impressive moraine walls, enchanted rocky valleys and roaming herds of wild Himalayan Thar. 

Our final descent down to the valley floor will have us passing grazing Merino Sheep, making for a sure signature New Zealand high country experience.  As we arrive at the valley floor, we’ll load up the Land Rover Defenders  and make our journey back across the many river crossings to the beautiful glaciated shores of Lake Tekapo.

Accommodation: None
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Call us!
020 4156 4900