Stewart Island Guided Walk

Accommodation | Departure Dates | Getting There | Fitness Level | Prices

Guided Walk Itinerary
DAY 1: Arrive in Riverton

Stay in the Riverton Rock Guesthouse a restored historic guesthouse in the sleepy fishing village of Riverton. Meet your guide in the evening for a meal and discuss the days ahead. Rental cars and any excess luggage can be left in Riverton or forwarded to the end of your journey at Invercargill.

Shuttles available from Queenstown (9am), Invercargill (2pm) and Te Anau(8am).

DAY 2: Riverton, Mason Bay
Walk 4 hours / 10km

In the morning we take a short walk to Riverton Airport - the beach. We have a twenty minute flight by small plane to Mason Bay passing Codfish Island, an important Kakapo sanctuary. Landing at the southern end of Mason Bay beach we take some time to explore The Gutter, a staging post for early Maori in their travels to the Mutton Bird Islands.

kiwi tokoeka We then walk along this sweeping beach to the Mason Bay campsite. Please note this is the one night where we "rough it" a little.

This evening we will see if we can spot one of the local residents, a kiwi. Stewart Island Kiwi, or Tokoeka in Maori, are unique in that they are sometimes seen during the day.

DAY 3: Mason Bay, Freshwater, Halfmoon Bay
Walk 4 hours / 14km

An easy ( flat ) walk across the Island to Freshwater. Massive sand dunes, head high tussock and Manuka trees house many native birds, including kiwi's and robins.
At Freshwater Landing we meet the water taxi for a half hour ride down Freshwater River and across Paterson Inlet to Halfmoon Bay. Tonight we stay in a classic Southland "crib" or holiday home with power and a shower! Dinner is generally fresh Salmon from Paterson Inlet.

DAY 4: Paterson Inlet, Ulva Island
Sea kayak 3 hours, walk 3 hours

Today we explore Paterson Inlet by sea kayak, water taxi and foot. In the morning (this can alter depending on the weather) we take to the sea kayaks. After a thorough briefing from our sea kayak guide we paddle around the coastline, exploring a few of the inner harbours with the chance to see seals, shags and little blue penguins.
Then we visit Ulva Island, an open sanctuary playing an important role in the conservation of threatened species. Birds we may see include the weka, kaka, kakariki, kukupa, mohua and tieke. Dine at the infamous Church Hill Cafe on our second night in Halfmoon Bay.

DAY 5: Halfmoon Bay, Invercargill
Flying time 20 minutes

Time to explore Halfmoon Bay. Try one of many short walks, visit a local craft gallery, or just soak up the island ambience. In the afternoon ( generally the 1:30pm flight ) we fly to Invercargill for the completion of our journey. Many customers chose to stay an extra night or two on Stewart Island or back at The Riverton Rock Guesthouse.

Accommodation
Accommodation is based on share twin and a single supplement is available. In Riverton we stay at the Riverton Rock Guesthouse a restored historic guesthouse
overlooking the Aparima River. It has a range of themed rooms including the infamous Scarlet Bath Room - complete with old victorian bath.
At Mason Bay we stay in a campsite alongside the public hut. Bunk beds are generally available in the hut and our camp is well set up with a range of tents, camping chairs and inflatable mattresses. We provide sleeping bags. No power, toilets are outside and there are no showers .... sorry that's the price you pay to see a kiwi in the wild and all of our customers agree it is worth it!
In Halfmoon Bay we stay in a local holiday home with all the mod cons....power, showers and flush toilets. Linen is provided. Carry only your own personal items.

Departure Dates
From November to April we have regular guaranteed departures. Other departures are available on request with a minimum of three people or for less than three a surcharge applies. Yes we do operate during the winter.... it is actually a great time to be on the Island. The dates listed below are "Day 1" or the first night in Riverton. We depart first thing on "Day 2" although it is tide dependent.

2007/2008		2008/2009
Nov 2007	9, 25	Nov 2008	1, 27
Dec 2007	8, 13, 26	Dec 2008	2, 14, 27
Jan 2008	6, 11, 21, 25	Jan 2009	10, 14, 24, 28
Feb 2008	7, 10, 19, 24	Feb 2009	8, 13, 24, 28
Mar 2008	6, 10, 22	Mar 2009	10, 15, 28
Apr 2008	7, 20	Apr 2009	9, 13

Getting There
Riverton is 37km from Invercargill and 130km from Te Anau on the Southern Scenic Route. Scenic Shuttle operates a daily service departing Invercargill 2pm (pick up from 1.30pm) and Te Anau 8:15am (pick up from 7:45am). Shuttles from Queenstown depart at 9am and connect via Invercargill. These shuttles are not included in the price but we are happy to book these for you.

Fitness Level
A medium level of fitness is required for Stewart Island. The walking is generally flat. The tracks can be muddy and wet after heavy rain. The sea kayaking is in protected waters and no previous experience is required.

Prices
Your guided walk package includes 4 nights accommodation, all meals, flights to and from the island, sea kayaking, water taxis, concession and guiding fees, all equipment and maps. The trips are usually 4 - 6 people with a maximum of six.
Price per person include GST. Children 10 to 15 subtract NZ$150. We do not recommend the track for children under 10. Prices are valid to 1 November 2009.

Shoulder Season - NZ$1 595
( 25 October to 12 December 2008, 16 March to 13 April 2009

High Season - NZ$1 695
( 13 December 2008 to 15 March 2009 )

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