New Zealand - Family Adventure

Family Adventure

Hiking, Rafting, Jet Boating and Kayaking

(13 Days)

Slide Show

The New Zealand Family Adventure is specially designed to ensure parents and kids enjoy a range of activities as a family, but also to provide opportunities for parents to get away on their own while our specialist guides look after the kids. The itinerary is flexible, so we can make adjustments on the road to make sure everyone’s having a good time. The accommodations are family-friendly and the meals are designed to suit all ages. We venture into several national parks, do an overnight hike to Mt. Aspiring Hut, check out one of New Zealand’s most spectacular glaciers and do some unforgettable jet boating, rafting and hiking in various parts of the South Island. We maintain plenty of options for all ages and there’ll be lots of activities to keep parents busy too! We use specialist guides on our family trips, who have lots of experience looking after kids and adults alike. New Zealand is a safe destination, and the Family Adventure is an awesome trip for the whole family. To enjoy all the activities, children should be nine years of age or more, but with notice we can often cater to younger children too.

Trip Highlights

• Jet Boating the Rakaia Gorge through narrow shallow rivers
• Free time in Queenstown
• Overnight hike to Mt. Aspiring Hut

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival Christchurch (Wildlife Reserve and Kiwi Viewing)

If you have arrived in New Zealand via Auckland, you’ll need to take a short flight to Christchurch in the South Island, where we’ll meet your family either in central Christchurch, or at the airport. You’ll lose a day crossing the international dateline - but you get it back on the way home! If you’ve travelled from Europe or elsewhere, you’ll have the weekend to get here and unwind before the adventure kicks off! You’ll need to be in Christchurch by 10am or so, then we’ll meet you and head towards the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, a relaxed and fascinating start to our journey. At Willowbank we’ll get a great introduction to the wildlife of a country that has been isolated from the rest of the world for over 80 million years! You’ll experience many of New Zealand’s unique creatures first-hand, such as the Tuatara lizard, Kune kune pigs, the endangered Kiwi bird and of course the namesake of our trip - the Kea - our cheeky mountain parrot. After an afternoon exploring, we’ll head south and inland to Methven. Overnight at Methven Lodge, Methven. (L,D)

Day 2: Rakaia Gorge - Mt. Cook (Jet Boating and Star-Gazing)

After breakfast, this morning’s activity will knock your socks off! We’ll experience a thrilling jet boat ride through the winding Rakaia Gorge. Jet boats are fast and maneuverable and were originally invented by a New Zealander to navigate our narrow shallow rivers. You’ll be jetting down rapids, braided river sections and through shallow water less than a foot deep in places. This adrenaline-pumping, yet safe, activity is fun for the whole family. From Methven, we’ll travel a short distance south to Peel Forest to hike through ancient podocarp forest, dense with many different types of ferns. The fern is a national symbol of New Zealand, worn by our famous rugby team - the All Blacks. After lunch in the area, we’ll travel inland towards Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain. We stay near the shore of Lake Pukaki - an unworldly turquoise-blue colored glacial lake. It’s the middle of nowhere out here. The wide open spaces, regular clear evenings and lack of artificial light gives us the perfect opportunity to check out some of the Southern Hemisphere’s constellations, including the Southern Cross and Orion’s Belt. Lofty particularly enjoys teaching the kids a bit of basic southern astronomy, and he’ll really bring the sky alive. Overnight at Glentanner Lodgings, Mt. Cook. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Mt. Cook National Park (Hiking)

This morning it’s a short drive to Mt. Cook village, at the head of Lake Pukaki. We have a few hikes available to us in the area, and our favorite is the stunning and little-known day hike (weather permitting) to the main ridge above Mueller Glacier. It’s a tough slog up, but it’s a real achievement for the whole family to share and 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 is a true alpine climate that sometimes has 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! Overnight at Glentanner Lodgings, Mt. Cook. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Queenstown (Whitewater Rafting)

This morning we’ll head through mountainous countryside towards Queenstown. We’ll stop along the way for the best ice creams in the whole of New Zealand - you’ll soon find out why! We’ll then continue on through fruit orchards and vineyards, before arriving in Queenstown for a family rafting trip in Skippers Canyon. Set in a deep, beautiful, rose-lined schist gorge, it’s a spectacular trip - perfect for the whole family. Queenstown is a great place to spend a couple of days. You’ll have plenty of time to wander about and explore while you’re here, and you’ll find all sorts of options to keep you and the kids busy. Overnight in Queenstown Apartments, Queenstown. This family adventure operates year around, with minor changes for the New Zealand winter. From June ‘til September, rather than rafting, we continue on to Queenstown and jump aboard the historic TSS Earnslaw steamship for a cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Station. Once we arrive on the other side of the lake, you’ll have a chance to learn about farming on this remote sheep station. The views back across Lake Wakatipu to Queenstown are amazing too. (B,L)

Day 5: Queenstown (Free Day)

Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand! You’ll find all the comforts of civilization here, and plenty of family entertainment: lakeside walks, gondola and luge rides, restaurants and cinemas. There’s also some more adventurous activities such as bungy jumping, horse trekking, skydiving and fishing too - it’s all here! Queenstown is not a big place - the population is about 8000 - so if you decide to take a break it’s the perfect place to relax and just soak up the atmosphere too. Your time in Queenstown also offers the perfect opportunity to take a day trip or overnight excursion to the world famous Milford Sound, in Fiordland National Park. Just let us know if you would like to do either of these options and we’d be happy to arrange this for you. (B)

Day 6: Queenstown (Free Day)

Today you can join your guide to check out more of the amazing scenery and history of the Queenstown area, or do your own thing with the family. It’s also a great chance for parents to have some time on their own, while we look after the kids - whatever you prefer. In the morning, we’ll take a short drive to the picturesque historic village of Arrowtown and explore an old Chinese gold mining area. There’s also a chance to try your hand at gold panning in the Arrow River. After lunch, we have several options including a hike up Queenstown Hill, cycling around the lake front or even a game of frisbee golf in the local Queenstown Botanical Gardens. Overnight in The Queenstown Apartments, Queenstown. (B,L)

Day 7: Start Mt. Aspiring National Park and Glendhu Station Options)

This morning we’ll leave Queenstown and head over the Crown Range to Wanaka. At the time of booking, you have the choice of one of two different 2-day/1-night options - a backpacking trip in Mt. Aspiring National Park, or an overnight stay at Glendhu Bay Station - a large high-country sheep and cattle farm on the shores of Lake Wanaka. After lunch, we head off for our various activities:

MT. ASPIRING NATIONAL PARK OPTION

Day 7: (Continued) Mt. Aspiring National Park (Hiking)

After leaving Wanaka we’ll venture up the Matukituki Valley and hike for two to three hours into Mt. Aspiring National Park, to reach our home for the evening - a mountain hut nestled in the valley. This track meanders through a World Heritage Area with majestic peaks, fresh mountain streams and natural beech forest all around us. Everyone will carry a pack, but it won’t weigh much more than a regular day pack. 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. Mt. Aspiring Hut is a spacious and modern mountain hut, albeit in the middle of nowhere, and the scenery is off the charts with Mt. Aspiring looming 10,000 feet above you. For such a short walk, it’s amazing how far you’ll feel from civilization! Your guide will whip up dinner in the backcountry kitchen, while you and the kids relax in front of the fireplace and play some cards or tell tall stories! To minimize our impact on this beautiful but fragile environment, we limit availability on this option. Overnight at Mt. Aspiring Hut. (B,L,D)

Day 8: Mt. Aspiring National Park (Hiking)

We have a leisurely start today, enjoying breakfast and a cuppa while admiring the view, before hiking back out to the trailhead. Along the way we might encounter the cheeky Kea again - this time in its natural habitat - and though we don’t feed them, you’ll find they come really close to us in the hope that we’ll throw some chocolate their way!

GLENDHU STATION OPTION

Day 7: (Continued) Glendhu Station and Lake Wanaka (Exploring)

After leaving Wanaka we’ll drive a short distance to Glendhu Bay, a sunny cove, tucked in beside the mountains, on the shores of Lake Wanaka. Glendhu Station (“Station” is the New Zealand word for a big ranch) is a 7,500 acre high-country sheep and cattle farm. The station has been farmed for three generations by the McRae family and the original homestead was first established in the 1880s. Glendhu Station is the perfect destination for a taste of New Zealand rural life and history. While we’re here, we stay in a cottage on the farm. It’s not a 5-star hotel but it’s not far from being that either - with a spa bath, open fireplace and plenty of space for the kids to explore outside. It’s an ideal location to soak up the atmosphere whether you’re skipping stones on the lake edge or just relaxing by the fire. As there is also limited availability on this option, we offer the opportunity to stay at a comfortable lodge in Wanaka if both options happen to be full - or if you’d rather have this time to yourself. Overnight at The Cottage, Glendu Station. (B,L,D)

Day 8: Glendhu Station (Free Day)

After a relaxed breakfast you'll have the morning to do your own thing on the farm before meeting up with the rest of the group.

Mt. Aspiring and Glendhu Station Options Regroup

Day 8: (Continued)

After regrouping at Glendhu Bay we’ll head to Puzzling World for a run around one of the world’s largest modern mazes with over a mile of passageways! Kids of all ages really enjoy trying to beat our wily guides through this labyrinth! Tonight we spend the evening in a lovely family-style homestead in Makarora, and share stories about our experiences over the last couple of days. Overnight at The Homestead, Makarora. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Lake Matheson - Franz Josef (Exploring Forests, Beaches and Glow Worm Caves)

This morning we’ll travel over Haast Pass to the wild West Coast, stopping to play on a deserted beach to stretch our legs and look for the friendly dolphins that often pass by this area. A little further north we'll reach Lake Matheson, where we'll have a short walk and some awesome vistas of the Southern Alps stretching away to Mt. Cook in the distance. This afternoon we’ll get settled into our accommodations in Franz Josef, where we’ll be staying for the next two nights. After dark we can head out with flashlights for a short night walk to look for the native glow worm - and to listen for some of New Zealand’s nocturnal birdlife, such as the Morepork. Overnight at Franz Josef Lodgings, Franz Josef. (B,L,D)

Day 10: Lake Mapourika - Franz Josef Glacier (Hiking and Sea Kayaking)

It’s an early start this morning for our kayaking trip on Lake Mapourika. This ancient lake was formed during the last ice age and its tranquility provides a great introduction to kayaking. This is an awesome trip, run by specialist kayak outfitters, and it’s equally suitable for beginners or experts alike. After lunch back in Franz Josef, we’ll take a hike up to the terminal face of the Franz Josef Glacier for some breathtaking views. Franz Josef Glacier is one of the steepest and fastest moving glaciers in the world, and is unique.

Heli-hike option (add US$350)

A less strenuous, but outrageously scenic option today is to heli-hike on Franz Josef Glacier itself. After being fitted with crampons, ice axes and so on, you’ll board a modern turbine helicopter and fly towards the highest peaks of the Southern Alps, landing on the glacier at 4,000 feet above sea level. Led by specialist glacier guides, you’ll hike through the grand ice formations of the glacier, checking out its crevasses, seracs and tunnels - no previous experience required! The constant movement of the glacier means every day is different, so your guides will cut steps in the ice, and make sure you make the most of the conditions. At the end of your hike on the ice, you’ll take another helicopter ride out of the mountains, and back to civilization.

The heli-hike is extremely popular with the general traveling public, so we offer advance reservations with the helicopter operators and guiding company. At the time of booking, or up until one month before your trip, you can reserve a space on the heli-hike, and we’ll make sure a spot is held for you. You can leave your decision until you’re actually on your trip, and we’ll get you a spot if it’s available.

After we’ve finished our various activities, we’ll rendezvous at our accommodations for the night. Overnight at Franz Josef Lodgings, Franz Josef. (B,L,D)

Day 11: Hokitika (Bushman's Centre and Leisure time)

Today we’ll head further up the coast to the Bushman’s Center - a “living museum” that combines an inter-active history of the West Coast’s early settlers with the chance to introduce the kids to brush-tail possums. We’ll then continue on to Hokitika, where you can spend a little time checking out the local art galleries and pounamu carving workshops (“pounamu” is Maori for jade). The beach here is also a great place for playing games or making sculptures out of the driftwood and rocks washed up on the beach. This afternoon, we head over the Southern Alps to Flock Hill Station - a stunning location for our final two nights together. Overnight at Flock Hill Lodge, Flock Hill. (B,L,D)

Day 12: Castle Hill Basin (Farm Show and Hiking)

This morning, after a hearty breakfast, we’ll head to the start of our last hike together. Near Cave Stream we hike to the top of Flock Hill. It’s a bit of a climb, but it’s worth every step as we arrive at an eerie limestone landscape where much of the recent movie “Narnia - the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” was filmed. After lunch, we’ll head to the small farming community of Springfield, at the foothills of the mountains, where we’ll check out a working New Zealand high-country sheep farm. We’ll watch highly trained huntaway dogs rounding up stock and see a live sheep shearing demonstration. All the kids (young and old!) will have the chance to join in and give sheep shearing a go themselves! Overnight at Flock Hill Lodge, Flock Hill. (B,L,D)

Day 13: Departure from Christchurch

In the morning we’ll travel back to Christchurch, where we first started our adventure 13 days ago. We’ll arrive by lunchtime, so any international flight after 2pm is ideal, and we can make 1pm domestic flights with a little notice. Flights between Auckland or Christchurch and North America usually leave in the evening, so you’ll arrive home some time on Sunday, even though you left New Zealand on Sunday evening! Flights back to Europe, of course, take a little longer. Your family will be refreshed, invigorated, and have lasting memories of the exercise, adventures, great food, rest and fun times you’ll have had with us in New Zealand! (B,L)

All content and photography within this website is copyrighted by BikeHike Adventures Inc. and may not be reproduced without our permission.
BikeHike Adventures Inc. 200-1807 Maritime Mews, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3W7 , Canada | Phone: 604-731-2442 Fax: 604-677-5514
Toll Free Phone: (888) 805-0061 | Email: info@bikehike.com | Sitemap | Privacy Policy