Eastern Epic

Day 1. Thursday. Tour begins in Christchurch - 10km/6 hours hiking
We meet at Christchurch Visitors Centre and after a quick briefing by the guide we drive north to the wild and rocky Kaikoura coast. After a picnic lunch we pack up for an overnight hike and walk to Mt Fyffe hut in the seaward Kaikoura range. These spectacular mountains rise steeply from sea level providing a stunning backdrop to coastal views. In the evening we get to know each other better through an introduction session.
Day 2. Friday. Kaikoura - 15km/2 hours hiking
Up early to climb to the summit of Mount Fyffe (1765m) and watch the sunrise over the Pacific Ocean. Superb views of the Kaikoura Peninsula below and the coastline stretching northwards. We descend through a rocky arid alpine environment returning to Mt Fyffe hut, then follow a track down the ridgeline to the carpark. From here we head out to the coast. This area is rich in marine wildlife due to the up welling of nutrients from deep underwater canyons. Sperm whales live here feeding on the giant squid that inhabit the Hikurangi trench. Kaikoura was an important food gathering area for the Maori – the name means ‘meal of crayfish’. A whale watching boat trip ($117-optional) provides a thrilling opportunity to see whales, dolphins and seals in their natural environment. We drive north up the coast and then inland to our lakeside camp at Lake Rotoiti.
Day 3. Saturday. Nelson Lakes National Park - 16km/4 hours hiking
Start a 3 day hike into Nelson Lakes National Park. Hike around the shores of Lake Rotoiti through beautiful beech forest, the forest floor carpeted with bright green mosses. Continue up the Travers Valley before branching off up Hukere Stream. Slowly we make our way higher up this valley towards Mt Angelus. We camp in a clearing beside the stream, with views of high mountains all around.
Day 4. Sunday. Nelson Lakes National Park - 9km/5 hours hiking
We start the day with a steep but extremely rewarding climb following the cascading Hukere stream up into the Angelus Basin. Time to relax and have a cup of tea when we reach the hut, which is perched on a tussocky saddle overlooking Lake Angelus. In the afternoon we scramble up to the top of Mt Angelus, 2077m (optional). Because this is such a special place we allow lots of time for just sitting back and enjoying the jaw dropping scenery. Tonight we either stay in the hut, or camp by the lake.
Day 5. Monday. Nelson Lakes National Park - 12 kms/ 4 hours hiking
Follow a rocky alpine ridge back out to the vehicle. Incredible views down to lakes Rotoiti and Rotoroa. . We traverse tussock slopes and shattered rock, while looking out for alpine plants such as the bizarre vegetable sheep. Below us emerald tarns sparkle in alpine basins. When we reach the vehicle there is time for a swim and some lunch before driving through to Marahau, to our peaceful campsite at the entrance to Abel Tasman National Park.
Day 6. Tuesday. Abel Tasman National Park - 10 km/6 hours kayaking
Enjoy a whole day sea kayaking ($99). A great way to explore the golden sand beaches, islands and sea caves of the park. Time to swim and lay back in the sun. If the conditions are right we may join the kayaks together and sail home on the gentle sea breeze. For those not kayaking, there is the opportunity to go for a walk on the coastal track and make the most of the excellent water taxi service, which can drop you off at a number of idyllic bays. In the late afternoon we drive to our campsite at Siberia Flat. Excellent swimming holes and gold mining relics to explore.
Day 7. Wednesday. Kahurangi National Park - 8km/6 hours hiking
Today we pack up for a 3-day hike in New Zealand’s second largest national park, Kahurangi. After a steep climb through beech forest we drop into Ghost Valley, passing the remains of an historic slab-construction prospectors hut. We follow Blue Creek up to Granity Pass where we set up camp, nestled among hardy Dracophyllum in the alpine shrub zone.
Day 8. Thursday. Kahurangi National Park - 10km/6 hours hiking
Today we explore the glaciated karst landscape of Mt Owen where scenes from Lord of the Rings were filmed. The geology here is fascinating –the massif is limestone metamorphosed into marble and is riddled with caves (where dwarfs may dwell), the longest being Bulmer with 36 km of passages. We cross gentle tussock slopes (watching carefully for the elusive elves and hobbits) to the sculptured marble maze of Mt Owen where careful route finding takes us to the summit (1875m). We are rewarded with panoramic views across the mountains of Kahurangi and Nelson Lakes. Return to campsite, and enjoy another night in this incredible place.
Day 9. Friday. Kahurangi National Park - 8km/5hours hiking
Take a leisurely descent down through the beech forest to the vehicle. Take a refreshing swim in the river before driving through to the Buller Gorge. We spend the night in a character cottage, and enjoy a home cooked meal made from organic produce by our host. This is a great place to spend the last night of the safari, you will love the funky outdoor shower, which looks out over the confluence of the Buller and Maruia Rivers
Day 10. Saturday. Tour ends in Christchurch - 4km/2 hours hiking
After a relaxing morning at the cottage and a quick vehicle and gear clean up we drive over the scenic Lewis Pass and back to Christchurch. We stop on the way for a short hike and a soak in the Maruia hotpools.

Note: People heading north after the safari - we can drop you off in Murchison to meet a Nelson bound bus ($15) at 1.50 pm. Please advise guide on day 1 if this is required. Guide can arrange the booking.

Grade: E
Up to 8-9hrs physical activity each day.
Altitude gains of 900 to 1000m.
Some exposure to heights.
Pack weights of 12-15kgs.
High level of fitness required.

No previous hiking experience is required, but you need to be reasonably fit and enthusiastic.
Terrain mostly tracks. Some may be slippery or rough; some off-track hiking, scree, and river crossings.

If you are unsure about your Hiking and Fitness please fill in our Safari Application Form and send it to us either as an email attachment or as a fax.

Your enthusiastic New Zealand guides have a thorough knowledge of natural history and will enjoy sharing and discussing this with you. Each has over a decade of outdoor experience; their knowledge of the back-country and its weather will ensure a safe trip. In addition, they are all trained in mountain first aid. The guides enjoy meeting and getting to know new people and have the skills to make everybody feel part of the group.

Mark Brabyn (MSc) founded Hiking New Zealand in 1993 (then known as NZ Nature Safaris). He has a Masters in zoology and did research on whale strandings for his thesis. He has assisted with conservation projects around the world including humpback whales in Tonga, southern right whales in the Sub-Antarctic and elephants and chimpanzees in Uganda. Mark has been active in the outdoors all his life, and his interests include tramping, sea kayaking, scuba diving and mountain biking.

Daniel Murphy studied agricultural science and has worked in the tourism industry for several years including in Spain where he managed an adventure lodge. Dan is the General Manager for Hiking New Zealand.

Regan Hellyer (DIPAR) studied Outdoor Leadership and Adventure Tourism. When not guiding he works at an International Sports Training Camp in the USA. Regan also enjoys kayaking and cycling.

André Booth has worked in parks and reserves through New Zealand and Canada, including the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. He enjoys tramping, scrambling, snowboarding, rock climbing, and mountain biking. He has also trained as a rural fire-fighter. You can usually find André listening to his favourite New Zealand music.

Mark O’Connor is a keen surfer, rock climber, snowboarder and guitarist. He has spent time around the world, in USA, UK, South Africa and Australia, plus a year in Guatemala. Mark studied Geography and will make sure you find out exactly what makes New Zealand so beautiful! More recently Mark has studied teaching.

Ali Hollington is an enthusiastic sportswoman, and spent 10 years competing at an international level in running, pentathlon and triathlon, competing in 13 countries! She is a qualified teacher and has been heavily involved in youth development through outdoor experiences in New Zealand and the UK, including planting trees in Peru, training teams for the Ten Tors, and coaching swimming, running and cycling.

Glenys Erskine is a local South Islander, from Tuatapere. She will most likely take your booking when you call or email our office – but also guides, and will make sure you get to some secret locations in her home town. She is passionate about the outdoors and has travelled and lived in several countries around the world.

Nick Groves (BSc) has worked as a tour guide in Nepal, an outdoor instructor and as a safety officer at Scott Base, Antarctica. He is a very experienced mountaineer and has climbed extensively in the Southern Alps and Himalayas. He has a BSc in physical geography and is also a professional photographer.

New Zealand’s weather is changeable and we can experience extremely cold weather at any time of year, especially in the mountains. Our huts/camps vary in altitude from sea level to over 1000 metres. It is necessary to have warm clothing. Jeans are not suitable for hiking.

Essential Items

hiking boots (not shoes)

backpack (at least 60 litres capacity)

backpack liner (plastic bag)

3-season sleeping bag

waterproof raincoat (gortex or similar)

warm fleece/wool jersey (not cotton)

shorts for hiking

polypro/thermal underwear – top & and long-johns

3 pairs of socks (they get wet)

warm hat or balaclava

sunscreen and sunglasses

drink bottle (1 litre)

spare shoes or sandals

flashlight/head lamp

insect repellent (sandflies like foreign blood)

spare set of clothes

Optional items: Therm-a-rest sleeping mat,(self-inflating foam mat), gaiters, binoculars, gloves/mittens, earplugs, walking poles, camera.

We supply: Sleeping mats (dense foam), tents, cooking equipment, plates/cutlery, first aid kit, safety equipment and maps.

Luggage: We allow space for 120 litres per person (one large pack plus one day pack). You may be required to forward excess luggage if you exceed this. Any gear you do not need while hiking can be locked in the vehicle. Hiking New Zealand accepts no responsibility for security of your luggage. We highly recommend travel insurance.

Equipment Hire: We have high quality hiking equipment which you can hire for our Hiking Safaris. Please arrange hire gear when you book. Requests for hire equipment must be made at least 5 days before the departure date. Cancellation of gear hire must also occur at least 5 days in advance or no refund will be given.

Equipment Hire (NZ$)	10 days
Sleeping bag	$50
Backpack	$50
Therm-a-rest	$20
Polypro top+bottom	$20
Fleece jacket	$20
Raincoat	$40
Full set (all of above)	$160
Gaiters	$20
Walking pole	$20each

We travel in a 10 or 12 seat minibus towing a trailer with camp equipment and your luggage. All vehicles have a public address system, and a stereo with a variety of music. We also carry a range of natural history reference books. We average 2-3 hours driving per day and we drive on a range of roads - sealed and unsealed. We often stop the vehicle for you to take photos. On some of the nights you will be camping by the vehicle.

Safaris are run on a food kitty system - each person contributes about $10 per day. Our first stop is usually the supermarket where we all help with buying food for the next few days. Everybody is involved with the preparation and cooking of meals: barbecues, salads, pancakes, stews, pasta, dampers, hangi...Vegetarian meals are no problem. When we are on overnight hikes we tend to eat pasta and rice meals. We usually take lots of hiking food - chocolate, peanuts, raisins, biscuits. The vehicles carry a full range of cooking equipment including gas burners, woks, frying pans and billies. When we go on an overnight hike we carry a portable stove.

The Hiking Safaris use a range of accommodation: camping, back-country huts, cribs (summer house), hostels and cabins. We generally camp if the weather is fine, so you get to enjoy the outdoors more and it costs you less. In less pleasant weather your guide will arrange accommodation for the group. Note that the accommodation and food costs are not included in the price of the safari.

Camping - We camp as much as we can in a range of range of locations; under natural rock overhangs, on the beach, Department of Conservation campsites ($5), established campgrounds with showers ($10). We provide 2 person tents for you to sleep in and closed cell foam sleeping mats. We frequently have a small campfire.

Huts - We make use of excellent Department of Conservation huts ($5 -$10/night). They are equipped with mattresses, running water and an outside toilet. Cooking is done on a portable stove. We do not have sole rights to huts and so must share with other hikers.

Cabins/Cribs - When the weather is bad we will seek out alternative accommodation. This can be anything that is available, from a private crib (summerhouse) to a cabin at a campground. Cost is never more than $20 per night.
You must be prepared to go for 3 days (sometimes more) without a hot shower. There is always a river or lake for you to wash in. Some of our campsites/huts have saunas or natural hotpools!

Do we all get involved with camp duties...?
Everyone is fully involved with the running of the safari, from collecting firewood, to setting up camp and cooking meals. You are expected to do your share of work. If you are not a great cook, don't worry - your guide and other people in the group will help you.

Does it matter if I am travelling alone?
Most of the people on safaris are travelling alone. The safaris are strong on group activities and participation including playing outdoor games, going for swims, helping one another to cross rivers and explore caves, and overcoming obstacles and challenges. We encourage you to participate in activities, but if it's not your thing that is also OK. We allow time for people to be by themselves on safari if they need it.

Can I do more than one safari?
Yes. More and more people are doing connecting safaris covering the whole of New Zealand. We really are the hassle-free way to experience New Zealand's best adventures.

I am travelling and have a lot of stuff that I will not need on the safari - what should I do with it?
You can store it at your accommodation if you plan on returning to the area. Or, you can travel with it on safari. We allow a maximum space of 120 litres per person (1 large pack plus a daypack). Depending how full the safari is, we may require you to forward excess luggage if you exceed this. During overnight hikes every thing is locked securely in the vehicle.

What do I do with my valuables (passport, airline tickets, money, etc) while we are hiking?
Keep them with you in your hiking pack. We pack all those things in plastic bags to keep them dry and keep them with us while we are hiking.

Can I be picked up at my hostel or accommodation?
No. On safari we try to leave the city early so we can spend more time in the wilderness. If we had to drive around the city picking everyone up it would delay our departure. It is much easier for everyone to meet at a central location - usually the local Visitors Information Centre - and it doesn't cost much to get there on a taxi, shuttle or bus (or walking!).

I'm a vegetarian - is that a problem?
Not at all. We usually have vegetarians in the group. All the guides are familiar with vegetarian cooking. We also have lots of excellent vegetarian recipes. Sometimes the whole group will cook vegetarian or we may cook a separate vegetarian meal. The hangi is always a mixture of vegetarian and meat foods.

What is the weather going to be like?
New Zealand experiences very changeable weather - especially in the remote mountainous regions where we spend most of our time. Some days we can be broiling in 30 degrees and then the next day we could be freezing in a cool southerly from the sub-Antarctic. It is best to be prepared for the worst conditions we are likely to expect - see the 'What To Take' section. We may get some rain on the trip so a good waterproof raincoat is important.

Which is the best trip to go on?
It depends on what you want, how much time you have and where you want to go. You can do anything from our 5 day Far North beach trip to a combination of safaris for 40 or more days! The Volcanoes and Rainforest trip has amazing volcanic scenery, the West Coast Wilderness has grand mountains and rain forests, the Secret South has a lot of tops travel and wildlife (dolphins, penguins, sea lions and seals) and the Eastern Epic has wild mountains and scenic coasts.

Will I be fit enough?
Our safaris are graded medium or easy. Read the section 'Hiking and Fitness' and choose a trip to suit you. If you are concerned about your fitness get out there and do day hikes in the weeks prior to your safari departure.

Who is in my group?
A small group (maximum 11 people), with a range of ages, nationalities and work backgrounds. Seventy percent of people are between 20 and 40, though we have had people from 17 to 72. On average, half are women and half are men. Everyone shares an enthusiasm for outdoor adventure and an appreciation of nature.

How far in advance do I need to book?
The sooner the better for safaris departing in the peak season (November to April). We get many advance bookings so it is important to book early to avoid disappointment. Availability for our trips are updated regularly on our departure dates page.

Do I really need boots and will they get wet?
Yes and yes! Good hiking boots are essential to protect your feet and provide support. We hike through rough terrain, sometimes off-track. We frequently have to cross rivers with our boots on - again this protects our feet from getting cut on sharp rocks. If we had to take our boots off every time we crossed a river we'd take forever. A person who recently completed a safari had this to say:- 'My most favourite part of the safari was the discovery that walking in soggy boots and socks after crossing rivers is quite comfortable'.

What type of gear should I buy?
If you intend to do a lot of hiking then it is worth buying quality equipment - good leather hiking boots and hiking clothing. If you think you might not do any more hiking after safari then you could buy cheaper alternatives - just remember that it won't last as long or do the job as well.

What if I can't keep up with the rest of the group?
We hike together as a group, stopping often for snacks and a good lunch. Some activities are optional if you feel like having some time out.

Are we going to encounter dangerous animals?
New Zealand does not have any snakes, bears, lions or alligators. We have a small poisonous spider called the katipo that is so rare that it was recently made a protected species. At certain times of the summer and autumn, wasps can be a problem in some of our beech forests. If you are allergic to their sting, then make sure you carry medication, and tell your guide about it at the beginning of the safari. Otherwise, it is great to climb through the bush and lie in the grass without a thing to worry about.

Kitty fund for food and camp/hut fees NZ$20/day
During winter (April - September) or wet weather summer safaris you may need to budget an extra NZ$10/day as we use accommodation more often.
Optional activities: Kaikoura whale watch $115, Marlborough Sounds sea kayaking $75.

Kitty fund and optional activities are paid for during the trip

Payment: For bookings 4 or more months in advance of the departure a 20% deposit can be paid with the remainder due 65 days prior to your trip. For bookings within 4 months of the departure, full payment is required.

Transferring: You can transfer to another safari/ departure as long as it is more than 20 days prior to your pre-booked departure. Transfers within 20 days will require a cancellation and new booking. All transfers are subject to seat availability.

Cancellations:
More than 20 days prior to departure - 80% refund if full amount paid
20 to 10 days prior to departure - 50% refund
Less than 10 days prior to departure - NO REFUND
Deposits are not refunded

Travel Insurance: We strongly recommend that you have travel insurance. We ask you to fill out a disclaimer before you begin a Hiking Safari. You must follow the instructions of your guide at all times.

Medical Conditions: When you book you must notify us of any medical condition, medical history, or medications that you are on. In particular, asthma, diabetes, heart conditions, allergies to wasp/ bee stings and food allergies.

Client Responsibilities: With any outdoor activity, there is an element of risk. Hiking New Zealand operates in remote and mountainous areas. Risks in undertaking this activity could include hypothermia due to adverse weather conditions, personal injury, or property damage from hiking over rugged and uneven terrain.

The staff and management of Hiking New Zealand take all practicable steps to identify and minimise potential dangers. However you must follow our instructions (and use the safety equipment provided) at all times. Adults accompanying any person under the age of 18 must ensure that the underage person follows our instructions at all times. You must release or indemnify Hiking New Zealand and our staff against any liability we incur to anyone else, resulting from your failure to follow our instructions or the failure of any person accompanying you under the age of 18 to follow our instructions.

Hiking New Zealand and their guides reserve the right to make any alterations to the itinerary in the interest of safety, comfort or unforeseen circumstances due to causes such as weather, illness, or misadventure.

Hiking New Zealand operates in remote areas. Every reasonable endeavour will be made to keep to published schedules but no guarantee is given. Hiking New Zealand will not be held liable for costs incurred by change, delay, or the missing of connecting services.

Hiking New Zealand reserves the right to exclude a person from a tour at anytime if in the opinion of the guide or operator that person may be likely to risk the health, safety or comfort (including unsociable behaviour) of other clients, him or herself, or the environment. In such circumstances Hiking New Zealand will not be obliged to offer any refund or transfer of ticket.