6 Day Hollyford Track Experience

On arrival to Queenstown make your way to the Super Shuttle departure point to meet your transfer who will take you to your first nights accommodation.

You will be meet by the Hollyford private coach to travel from Queenstown to Te Anau. The journey will take approximately 2 hours. You will be taken straight to your accommodation. Included in your package is accommodation for the night at the Distinction Hotel & Villas with dinner after the briefing and breakfast before meeting the coach next day.

Pre-departure briefing

Whilst we will send you all the information you need to prepare for your journey with us, we also conduct a pre-departure briefing, which you are required to attend.

Venue: Hollyford Valley Walk Office (10/23 Town Centre, Te Anau)
Time: 6:30pm

Pre-departure briefings provide an opportunity to meet the other guests in your group. We will cover the details you will need to know for your departure the following morning such as what to bring, what’s provided, and an itinerary breakdown. This is also the opportunity to ask any questions and to collect and make use of our backpacks and rain jackets if required.

On the morning of departure from Te Anau, you will be able to enjoy breakfast at the Distinction Hotel at 7:00am. At 7:45am we will depart Te Anau and make our way by private coach to the majestic Hollyford Valley, where we will officially begin our walk.

Once at the start of the track we put on our packs and start our 19.5km journey to Ka Tuku lodge. You will follow the swift, clear waters of the Hollyford River, beneath the gaze of the mighty Southern Alps, including Fiordland National Park’s two highest peaks of Mt Tutoko (2746m) and Mt Madeline (2537m). Retrace the footsteps of original Māori and early pioneer explorers as the track undulates gently through native beech forest and beside impressive, tumbling waterfalls.

At the end of the first day of walking you’ll be welcomed at Ka Tuku Lodge by your friendly lodge hosts. Here you’ll enjoy a hot shower, impressive 3 course cuisine and the opportunity to relax with a post dinner drink while reflecting on a great first day of your guided walk experience.

As the morning sun shines over the mountains enjoy a delicious breakfast before a short walk to the glistening Lake Alabaster and the optional crossing of one of Fiordland’s longest swing bridges.

Today we cover 15km by foot. Your main pack will be transported to Waitai Lodge and we will provide you with a light day pack for your daily essentials.

After a short walk to the jetty, you’ll board our jet boat for the next part of your adventure. These powerful and safe machines provide an exciting scenic ride along the Hollyford River and down to Lake McKerrow, where the glassy waters whisk past and the mountains rise dramatically above. Make a short stop in at the ill-fated Jamestown to hear the tales and tragedies of this early settlement.

Say farewell to your jetboat driver as you make your way into the awe-inspiring podocarp forest. You’ll pass ancient forests with thousand year old giants such as native Rimu, Totara and Kahikatea. Stop for lunch as the towering lowland forest transforms into a tenacious coastal garden.

In the late afternoon we explore the rugged West Coast before heading to Waitai Lodge where a warm welcome awaits you. Take off your boots and relax with a glass of wine before dinner is served. Watch the sun set over the Hollyford River and toast the memories of a wonderful day.

After another hearty breakfast you’ll be ready for your final 5km walk, exploring Martins Bay Spit, a famous landmark separating the powerful Tasman Sea from the Hollyford Valley. Here you will view historical sites, where Chief Tutoko and his people guarded entry into the Hollyford Valley, controlling access into and out of highly valued pounamu (greenstone/jade) gathering areas. Your guide will also highlight the plant and wildlife of this unique environment helping you to discover the diversity of this remote area. You will have the opportunity to explore the sand dunes, and wander along the isolated beach at your own pace, with the Tasman Sea as your companion.

Returning to Waitai Lodge for lunch, your lodge hosts bid you farewell as you board the helicopter for a scenic flight along the rugged coastline and into the dramatic Milford Sound, where you’ll marvel at the grandeur of vertical granite walls rising from the sea.

Once in Milford you’ll be met by our private coach and travel along the impressive Milford Road, up through the famous Homer Tunnel, which was cut through a divide of sheer granite rock. The drive time from Milford Sound to Te Anau is approximately 1 hour 30mins (118km).

In Te Anau we will stop at the Explorer Bar to say farewell and collect any luggage stored at the Distinction Hotel. Your coach driver will drop you back to your hotel accommodation in central Queenstown.

Today your holiday comes to an end. Your Super Shuttle transfer will collect you from your accommodation and take you to the airport.