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VIDEO: ACTIVE PLANET NEW ZEALAND ADVENTURE
VIDEO: THE HEAPHY TRACK - NZ'S MOST STUNNING TRACK
‘PURE ADRENALIN’
DATES: 02. - 13. July 2012
STARTS: PICTON
ENDS: NELSON or CHRISTCHURCH
PRICE: $2350
Included:
All accommodation
All public transport on bus, boat, shuttle(public)
Our Guides and proffesional guides from partner companies.
All food - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Sleeping Bag Hire
Backpack Hire
Mountainbiking
Rockcliimbing Course Indoors
Rockclimbing Course Outdoors
Seakayaking, incl. Guides
Heaphy Track - the greatest Track on earth.
All Hut fees
All concession Fees
Small group Tour - no more than 12 Pax incl. Guide!
Optional:
NOTHING, it is all included!
This is a very different tour compared to everything else we do.
It is all about sports; get to know the scenery, make great friends for life and to have a lot of fun. We use public transport, carry our own pack and help as a team and group with cooking and all the other little things which make life so much easier. This is also the only tour where all the activities are included!
ITINERARY
Day 1: Meet – Meet and get organized
We meet in Picton at about lunchtime. Then we get to know each other while having a bit of time out in a Café in Picton. We check our gear and those ones who want can go for a short or longer walk to a viewpoint or to a secluded beach
Overnight: Picton
Day 2: Mountain biking on the ‘Queen Charlotte Track’
A water taxi brings us to 'Resolution Bay’ at the northern end of the Marlborough Sounds. The track starts right here and it is up and down along the foreshore on our mountain bikes until we reach our hostel for the night about half way along the track.
A water taxi has dropped off our gear and we start to prepare our dinner.
Overnight: Hut on Queen Charlotte Track
Day 3: Mountain biking on the ‘Queen Charlotte Track’
Our second day is a tick harder than Day 1. A steep climb and after that lots of steep corners are lying ahead of us before we have a 10 km Downhill Ride to the end of the Track. We are picked up from there and brought back to Picton.
We enjoy a hearty meal and go for a walk along the foreshore before we hit the sack.
Overnight: Picton
Day 4: Travelling from Picton to Nelson & Indoor Climbing
You have a bit of time in the morning before we catch the bus around lunchtime. In Nelson we check into the hostel and make our way to go Rockclimbing. This is the Indoor Climbing Day! so, lot's to learn and a lot of fun.
Overnight: Nelson
Day 5: Nelson - Golden Bay & Rockclimbing
About 2 hours north from Nelson we reach Takaka in Golden Bay. This is ‘Hippie Central’ – you see it when you walk through the streets of this small, really cool place. We check into the Hostel before making our way to the Cliffs, where we put into practice what we learnt the day before. A full day Rockclimbing lies ahead of you.
Overnight: Takaka
Day 6: Kayaking in Golden Bay & Abel Tasman
An absolute awesome area is waiting for you. Golden beaches, Rainforest, lots of cool islands, a fantastic inlet with lots of stingrays. There is also a Maori site and overnight we stop at the oldest hut in this country. Whariwharangi Hut is our team’s favorite hut. Abel Tasman reached the shore of New Zealand right here almost 400 years ago.
Overnight: Whariwharangi Hut
Day 7: Kayaking and back to Takaka/Golden Bay
It depends what the weather is doing, if we got a great day we paddle to Totaranui and catch a ride back from there by public transport or boat. If we have a few weather issues we may decide to paddle along the foreshore before exploring Wainui Inlet. We are back at the hostel in the late afternoon. We are getting ready for the ‘Heaphy Track’ starting next day.
Overnight: Takaka
Day 8: Heaphy Track – to Perry Saddle Hut
The Heaphy Track is the iconic Track connecting 'Golden Bay' north of Nelson with the West Coast. This is the most diverse and also the longest track in the country. Nowhere else will you encounter so many different climate zones and landscapes.
The track is also re known for being one of the last habitats of the native Kiwi birds - you got a good chance to hear them and with a bit of luck might even be able to see them. You may also be able to see the largest snails on earth.
We start our hike at the beginning of the Track at Brown Hut. We cross a bridge above the first Hut before winding up a well-defined track and into the bush. The track climbs gradually till we reach Aorere shelter after 4 hours. From here, the Aorere Valley is seen extending northwards and on clear days it is possible to see Mt Taranaki/Egmont. Thirty minutes before Perry Saddle Hut, a short track leads to a viewpoint at Flanagans Corner. At 915 meters, this is the highest point on the track. Perry Saddle Hut is 880 meters above sea level and has bunk accommodation for 24. Near the hut in Gorge Creek is a deep but cold pool, popular for bathing.
Overnight: Perry Saddle Hut
Day 9: Perry Saddle Hut - to James Mackay Hut
From Perry Saddle Hut, cross Perry Saddle and sidle above Perry Creek through tussock clearings and patches of beech. Soon the valley widens and the track climbs a small rise to where the open downs are revealed stretching out to the west. The track meanders easily down to Cave Brook, passing the famed pole to which trampers have tied old boots over the years. Just beyond is Gouland Downs Hut. Nearby, a small patch of beech grows on a limestone outcrop which has escaped erosion. This area is worth exploring. The track crosses one of several limestone arches, which are the remnants of old caves. A small waterfall flows out of another cave passage. Beyond Gouland Downs Hut the track is relatively level as it crosses the northern part of Gouland Downs. The tussock country and riverbeds make for good exploring but, when the mist lowers, the featureless downs can be confusing and it is easy to become disorientated. We have our lunch break at the Saxon Hut. Leaving the hut the track drops slightly to grassy flats beside the Saxon River. After the flats, the track climbs gently up to a broad ridge, which joins Gouland Downs to Mackay Downs and marks the boundary between Nelson and the West Coast. A section on Mackay Downs floods in extremely wet conditions. This is a 70 meter piece of the track across a wetland and a bridge. The track now skirts the edge of Mackay Downs to James Mackay Hut, winding in and out of several small streams, just before they tumble off the downs and fall to the Heaphy River on the left. The vegetation is alternately tussock field and shrub-fringed patches of beech forest. Small creeks dissect the landscape and the pink granite sparkles and crunches beneath your feet. The hut is named after the explorer who first pressed for a bridle track to be established between Collingwood and the West Coast. It has 26 bunks and is situated just above the track on an open terrace. The Tasman Sea and Heaphy River mouth can be seen from here, 15 km to the west and 750 meters below.
Overnight: James Mackay Hut
Day 10: James Mackay Hut to Heaphy Hut
Beyond James Mackay Hut, the downs landscape ends and a gradual descent to the Heaphy River begins. The track is through beech forest at first but soon the richer and taller forest typical of the West Coast becomes dominant. Occasional tantalizing glimpses of the Heaphy River below are seen through the forest; the sounds of rushing water grow louder and suddenly the hut is reached, at the junction of the Heaphy River with the smaller Lewis River. Sand flies and the first nikau palms appear around Lewis Hut. Charles Lewis was a Collingwood surveyor who, in the 1880s, was first to investigate Mackay’s proposed bridle route.
From Lewis Hut, head back up the track for a short distance to a junction. Turn left and walk over a ridge to a footbridge. Cross the Lewis River here, and then follow the right bank of the Heaphy River to another bridge.
The track crosses the Heaphy here and continues along the left bank to the river mouth through a forest of kahikatea, rimu and rata. Glossy-leaved shrubs perch precariously in the tall trees, flourishing in the abundant light and extracting nutrients from humus (accumulated plant debris) in their hosts’ branches.
In dry spells, the sluggish river meanders along peacefully, but in times of heavy rain especially when it’s high tide, sections of the track and bridges get flooded. In an area of limestone and karst locally known as Cave Stream about fifteen minutes before Heaphy Hut, floods after periods of heavy rain. Extra care is required at both places in flood conditions and walkers should wait for the water to recede.
Towards the river mouth, nikau palms become more common, the sea’s incessant roaring grows louder and, in some conditions, small waves can be seen running upriver. Heaphy Hut is situated far enough back from the sea to be spared the worst of the winds. The river mouth is at the junction of two pounamu (greenstone) trails and archaeological work has uncovered evidence of occupation by Maori that extends back 500 years. In 1905, an extensive European settlement was surveyed in the lower valley, but it was never built.
Overnight: Heaphy Hut
Day 11: Heaphy Hut to Track end & Bus to Westport The Heaphy River mouth is an exciting place. The river surges out through a narrow gap into the sea; in-coming waves halt the flow and the churning of salt and fresh waters is spectacular. The track south to Kohaihai is through forest although beach walking is possible in some places. Some of the small streams are not bridged and can be dangerous after heavy rain. The forest has rata and karaka trees, many vines and groves of nikau palms. Be careful of the stinging nettle that grows in places. Just beyond Katipo Creek is Crayfish (Koura) Point. There is no high tide track over the point and where the track follows the top of the beach can be impassable two hours or so either side of high tide when sea conditions are rough. Check tide tables in the Heaphy Hut or Kohaihai Shelter before proceeding over this section. Tide tables are displayed in the Heaphy Hut and Kohaihai Shelter. Soon Scotts Beach is reached, the clearing here is a good spot to rest before climbing over Kohaihai Saddle and down through wind-blasted shrubs to a bridge across the Kohaihai River. The track follows the riverbank for 400 meters to Kohaihai car park. We are picked up from here and make our way to Westport. We got time to relax in the afternoon.
Overnight: Westport
Day 12: Travelling from Westport back to Nelson or Christchurch
We catch the bus back to Nelson or to Christchurch. From there you can catch a plane back to Auckland.
An awesome experience comes to an end! Thank you everyone for coming along for the ride!
What to bring:
-Tramping Boots - or good sport shoes
- Sport shoes
- Sandals
-Backpack - we can help you here!
Sleeping bags – we can help you here!
-Sport Shorts
-Leggings
-Short Polyprop T- Shirt (2x)
-Long Polyprop Underwear
-Long Thermal Shell
-Rain Jacket
-Underwear
-Tramping Socks (2x)
-Hat wear
-Gloves/Scarf
-Sunglasses
-Camera
-Bare Essential Cosmetics
Okay it is not a beauty contest – so PLEASE do not bring anything unnecessary on the tour, you would have to carry all that 80 km’s!
