Sierra Club Outings | Land of the Long White Cloud

Photo: MoaTrek Inc.

Highlights:

See exotic and rare wildlife
Hike varying and spectacular landscapes
Visit remote Stewart and Ulva Islands

Includes:

All lodging, ground transportation, gratuities
All meals
Local naturalist guides

New Zealand stretches 1,000 miles from sub-tropic to sub-arctic, from island dotted coasts to high mountains, from waterfalls to glaciers. The Maori arrived here only 1,000 years ago. Before that it was left to evolve on its own, without the impacts of human settlement.

Kiwis, as New Zealanders call themselves, offer visitors a friendly reception. Kiwis are also passionate conservationists; more than one-third of the country is protected in national parks and conservation reserves managed by the government.

The North Island, where most of the people live, is mostly volcanic. The South, where we�ll be, is mostly tectonic, with the Southern Alps still rising as the Pacific and Australian plates continue to crash together. Here we�ll hike in the Mount Somers and Arthur�s Pass areas, regions of high mountains, and along the scenic Catlin Coast. We�ll also visit Stewart Island, the third largest and most remote of New Zealand�s islands. Called Rakiura in Maori (Land of the Glowing Sky; a reference to the aurora australis). Most of Stewart Island is now a national park.

Flora and fauna on the islands of New Zealand is unique because it split from the landmass of Gondwanaland 80 million years ago, after birds evolved, but before mammals. Not until humans came, the daring Polynesian explorers of 1,000 years ago, were there any mammals on these islands. The new settlers brought with them vermin as well as livestock. Hunting and rats made huge impacts on the native species. Later, the introductions of exotic species, most significantly the Australian Possum, have continued the damage to the local ecology. The giant moa is gone, but some birds that remain, and that we will be looking for, include kiwis, kea parrot, weka, tui, bellbird, and penguins. Flora will include the towering rimu tree, nikau palm, kowhai, matai pine, many ferns, grass trees, Mt Cook lily, gentians, and over 60 varieties of daisy.

Day 1: We meet in the morning at Queenstown on the South Island, and immediately set out by charter bus for Faveaux Strait and the ferry across to Stewart Island. Queenstown is an outdoor enthusiasts’ heaven, and a good place to arrive a few days early. The drive to Bluff for the ferry will take about five hours, the crossing another hour. Along the way we take the Scenic Southern Route, and include a short walk on Monkey Island Beach to look for Hector’s Dolphins.

Day 2: In the morning, we ferry across to Ulva Island, a predator free open sanctuary. We’ll walk under a mantle of podocarp forest rich with mosses, ferns, liverworts, and native orchids. Ancient rimu, totara, kamahi, southern rata, and miro trees abound. Back on Stewart Island in the afternoon, we’ll walk the fuchsia forest trail and on to the Raroa Reserve track through ancient forest to Watercress Bay.

Day 3: Today we walk the beautiful coastal trails of the Rakiura National Park with our naturalist guide. Stewart Island kiwis are not nocturnal so there is a small chance we may come across some on the track in the daytime. We boat to our trailhead, and then walk 7 ½ miles back to our lodging.

Day 4: We cross back to South Island and head out for the Catlins Coast and a change in scenery as well as wildlife. Stops today include Curio Bay; at low tide a 180 million year old petrified forest is exposed, and Surat Bay. If time allows, there are other short stops we can make.

Day 5: A full day to explore the coastline. We walk along tracks through beautiful native forests to waterfalls, forest lakes and rock formations - McLean Falls, beech and rimu forests along the trail to the Purakaunui Waterfall, Matai Falls, Cathedral Cove and Lake Wilkie - to name just a few of the treasures. We also have a chance of seeing New Zealand sea lions. At dusk, from a special hide, we can watch the rare yellow-eyed penguins come ashore.

Day 6: We get a break from hiking, as our drive up to Mount Somers will take most of the day. Mount Somers is in Canterbury, a much drier region, and we will get up to some sub-alpine areas the next two days.

Day 7: The first day of hiking in the Mount Somers area. Our naturalist guide will lead us through ancient beech forest towards Woolshed Creek and along the flanks of Mount Somers. The length of today's hike will be adjusted to fit the group's ability and local conditions.

Day 8: Today we may make the difficult ascent of Mount Somers (Te KieKie) itself, hopefully getting to the summit at 5,533 feet elevation. seven hours, ten miles, and 3,000 feet of elevation gain make this the most challenging of our possible hikes. Otherwise, we have the option of a low altitude walk around the flanks of the mountain, depending on weather conditions and the group's desires and abilities.

Day 9: We take an old coach trail today to hike to Porter's Pass, and then visit the Cave Stream scenic reserve and its 1948-foot long cave, and then among the limestone rock formations at Castle Hill. Afterwards, we continue on our drive through magnificent alpine scenery to Arthur’s Pass village in the Southern Alps.

Day 10: There are a large number of trails to choose from in the Arthur’s Pass area. One possibility for today is the scenic trail up Bealey Spur with its views of Avalanche Peak. Our choice will depend on current conditions at the park.

Day 11: Today we may choose to walk Temple Basin in the morning, a three-hour round trip zigzag ascent to views of Mount Rolleston across the valley. In the afternoon, we could take the historic walking tour of Arthur’s Pass Township. Yet another option is to link a series of short walks into a day's activity.

Day 12: We drive back through the Southern Alps and the Canterbury Plains to arrive in Christchurch in the early afternoon. Christchurch sits at the edge of the Canterbury Plains and the foot of the Port Hills. It’s an English city renowned for stately stone architecture, large, leafy parks and stunning gardens. Here the trip ends. Participants can be left off either at the airport or downtown hotels.

Both Queenstown and Christchurch have regional airports, and that is the best way to get there and return. Flights to Queenstown originate either in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin or Wellington, or from major airports in Australia. From Christchurch, you can return to any of these, or to a range of other international destinations. Most flights to the US will go through Auckland. Our charter bus will be able to meet arrivals at either the airport or at in town hotels in Queenstown (for those who arrive early), and drop off at either the airport or your lodging in Christchurch. Details will be provided after registering for the trip.

Keep in mind that the international dateline runs between the US and New Zealand. That means you lose a day going west; for example if you leave LA on February 19, you arrive in Auckland on February 21. On the return flight, you gain the day back, and may well even land before your takeoff time!

We will be staying in simple hotels throughout the trip. Double rooms are provided with toilet and shower/bath included. Single rooms may be available, but can only be booked when the trip begins. Participants desiring that would have to pay any extra costs at the time of booking. Otherwise, a same gender roommate will be assigned to those traveling alone. All meals are included, from dinner the first day to breakfast the last. Breakfasts and some dinners will be provided by the lodgings. Other dinners will be at nearby local restaurants. Vegetarians can usually be accommodated, and the leader will work with anyone having special dietary needs. Lunches will mostly be picnic or box lunch style. Participants are expected to help prepare the lunches, as well as carry them on our hikes. Our travel will be in a comfortable, air-conditioned charter bus with a full-time driver.

This is a moderate hiking trip. On most days we will be out for a full day of walking, with distances around seven miles and elevation gains and loses not more than 2,000 feet. As we will have naturalist local guides, we will be stopping often to learn about some feature or wildlife as we come across it. You will need to carry a daypack at all times with your rainwear, warm clothing, lunch, and water.

Trails in New Zealand are generally well maintained. Most are wide, but expect some to be narrow and with steep sections. Also, because of the large amount of rainfall here, be prepared for muddy and slippery trails.

The best way to prepare for this trip is by hiking in hilly terrain. Carry as much or more than you expect to have on the trip. If you can�t do this, then you need to have a regular exercise program that includes aerobics (at least 20 minutes, three times per week) and strength conditioning for your legs.

Besides a pack, well broken in, but not broken down, boots are essential. If you plan on getting new boots, wear them for at least two months before this trip to break them in and help prevent getting blisters. Waterproof boots are best. Complete rainwear is also necessary � we will be hiking in rainforest, and it gets its name legitimately. The leader will provide additional details on equipment at a later date.

After Maori and European settlers introduced non-native mammals, many of New Zealand's indigenous species became extinct or threatened. The Australian bushtail possum, introduced in the 1900s, is the most serious threat to the environment. The possum has no natural enemies and can now be found throughout the country. It is causing serious destruction to vegetation, especially fuchsia forests at high altitude. European goats, meanwhile, strip vegetation and cause erosion.

In general, New Zealanders favor vigorous protection of endangered and threatened plants and animals. New Zealand�s national park system is the fourth oldest in the world, having been established in 1887 after only the US, Australia and Canada. The Department of Conservation is very active in relocating endangered species to islands and areas that have been cleared of pests. Rigorous standards for camping and hiking are in place in all national parks and reserves in an effort to lessen impacts on the environment and to maintain high water quality. All coastline is in public ownership.

This trip requires a $200 per-person deposit. An additional payment of $300 per person is due six months prior to trip departure. International trip prices are subject to change and are based on double-occupancy or group accommodations as described above. Single rooms may not be available or may cost more than the listed price. If you have any questions regarding double occupancy, please contact the trip leader.

The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.

The Sierra Club accurately and fairly budgets and prices our trips. However, unforeseen costs such as devaluation of the dollar compared to other currencies and fuel surcharges assessed by our international providers may necessitate adjustment in trip price. We will make every effort to mitigate and absorb these fees. If a price increase is necessary, however, you will have 14 days after announcement to cancel without penalty.

Gene leads club outings in the Colorado Rockies as well as the Alps, Spain, New Zealand, and Italy's Dolomites. His career with the National Park Service gave him insight into conservation and preservation efforts. When not hiking or otherwise traveling, he enjoys brewing his own beer and wine. This will be his fourth visit to New Zealand, a country he finds extremely beautiful.

John O�Donnell has led natural history and backpacking/trekking trips for the Sierra Club in North America, Central and South America, Africa, and Asia. He is an avid backcountry trekker, a birding enthusiast, and an ardent wilderness aficionado. Much of his life has been devoted to natural history exploration, cultural mythology, and birding. When not beating the bushes somewhere, he is a practicing psychologist.