Manuka Hiker - South Island of New Zealand

with Active New Zealand (http://activenewzealand.com/)

(3/10-/23/2003)

  Introduction 

  I booked this trip through The World Outdoors, but it is operated by Active New Zealand. It is a well organized tour, but I was not as pleased with this tour as I was with those operated by The World Outdoors. One aspect can't be helped--long distances have to be covered to get from one area to another thus you spend a LOT of time on the bus. The bus is comfortable and they stop frequently, but I still didn't like the inactivity. I was in the bus 2-4 hours EVERY day except for the 3 days I was hiking the Milford Track. Also, the information I received  mentioned that the published itinerary circles the island in a counter-clockwise direction, and when it is full they add a second tour that moves clockwise around the island. But they said if anyone wanted a particular departure, they should just let them know. Well I let them know that I wanted to follow the published itinerary, but they ignored this request.  

The Milford Track was by far the best part of the trip, and the company (Ultimate Hikes www.ultimatehikes.co.nz) that guided this trip provided a fantastic experience. Hindsight is always better than foresight and if I was doing it over again, I would not book the trip with Active New Zealand. Their trip involved way too much time traveling in a bus and I didn't like their a little hiking each day is enough approach.  Instead I would opt for the ultimate hiking package provided by Ultimate Hikes which is an 8 day/7 night package that includes the Milford Track and the Routeburn Track that starts and ends in Queenstown OR I might opt for the Grand Traverse (6 day) which combines the Greenstone & Routeburn, take a day or two off, and then do the Milford Track (5 days). 

For scenery I rate this trip a "perfect 10" but I give Active New Zealand an average rating.

I enjoyed two 14-day adventure trips in New Zealand from 2/24 - 3/23/2003, and this is the second one which was a hiking trip that covered much of the South Island, we started in Christchurch and went around the island in a clockwise direction staying for at least one night in every city on the following map.

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Christchurch Coastline--I spent Sunday afternoon & Monday morning on my own in Christchurch before meeting the Active New Zealand guides for the Manuka Hiking Trip

Victoria Bridge over the Avon River

punting on the Avon River 

Christchurch Cathedral

For all who come in and all who pass by let this building speak today not of our pride but of your glory, God. Let its height speak of your grace, its space speak of your embrace. May the beauty of this place remind us of your love for all people in all the world. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

The Rose Window is 9 meters across and has 31 individual sections with over 4,000 glass pieces. The Lamb of God is at the center surrounded by angels and musical instruments.

The High Altar

The Scott Windows

The center window shows Christ Transfigured. The outer windows show Moses on the left and Elias on the right.

closeup of the center picture depicting Christ tranfigured

The Pacific Chapel - the partner Diocese of Polynesia provided the design, tapa clothed pillars, mats, carvings and this canoe-shaped altar with a kava bowl at the center 

the tapa clothed pillars

This traditional Maori art work is made of native flax, leather and rimu wood. Much of the weaving took place in the cathedral, with worshippers and visitors from many countries adding their stitches to the design.    In that way, the artwork celebrates the Maori proverb on the memorial plaque which translates as: "What is the most important thing in life? It is people, people, people." The outer panels depict Roimata - the splashing of tears, the memorial and redemption of loved ones. The inner panels depict Poutama - the stairway to heaven. The red colouring points to the feathers of the red breasted parrot, worn as a mark of chieftainship by the kakakura and Christ, the paramount chief of his people.

The Millennium Chalice as viewed from the top of the cathedral spire. It is an 18-metre high aluminum and steel conical work incorporating the shapes of leaves of forests long gone. It is in the Cathedral Square, and was commissioned for the 150th anniversary of the city and the dawn of the new millennium.

Both of my NZ trips covered the south island and I visited the

Nelson Lakes NP - on a 3-day hike on the Rimu trip

Paparoa NP - on both trips -  Inland Pack Trail & Pancake Rocks, etc.

Westland/Tai Poutini NP - on both trips - glaciers & Okarito sea kayaking,

Mt Aspiring NP - on the Manuka trip - Dart River Jet Boats, Haast Pass, Siberia Valley

Fiordland NP -on both trips - Milford Sound 1/2 day kayak trip & cruise trip + the marvelous 4-day Milford Track hike

Aoraki/Mt Cook NP - a different scenic hike on each trip

Arthur's Pass NP - on the Manuka trip in a very minor way by simply driving through and viewing the Otira Viaduct

(however, the only activity that was duplicated was the sea kayaking at Okarito in the Westland NP and I looked forward to repeating that experience)

the first day we stopped at Tekapo and hiked up Mt. John

view from my room

It’s less than 50 kilometers from here to the Tasman Sea, but the only direct route is a three-day climb over the 7,000 foot (2,000 meter) Copland Pass. If you are driving you must take a long detour and journey over either Haast or Arthur’s Pass.

the first suspension bridge - After crossing the bridge, you pass a series of rock mounds left behind by the melting Mueller Glacier. Although the glacier is fed with snow created by high mountains and moist westerly air it is not enough to stem the melt rate. A little over 100 years ago you could have walked directly onto the ice of the Mueller Glacier.

this is the Hooker River formed by the melting glacier

the 2nd suspension bridge (note the long approach to it along the cliff)

looking back at the bridge after crossing it

shortly after crossing the second bridge we had a beautiful view of Mount Cook. It rose up at the end of the valley and dominated the valley

the terminus or face of the glacier (it is black from all the dirt and rock)

a view looking back as we descended

this Alpine Monument honors 2 guides who after ascending Mt Cook were killed by an avalanche

view from road near Omarama 

(Damon stopped the bus & let us get off to get a good picture)

view from my terrace at the Oahu lodge - We stayed that night in Oahu Lodge which  sits right beside the Oahu Lake and has stunning views of Glen Mary Glacier, Mt Cook and the Ben Ohau Range 

a picture of the lodge from its brochure - it is MUCH busier in the winter than the summer because of the ski slopes

Ohau Ski Slopes

Green is beginner runs, blue intermediate, & black advanced

A is the learners lift (a rope tow) , B is the platter lift, & C is the T-Bar

Season runs from July-September

a cute animation that I found  on http://www.ohau.co.nz/ 

we stayed at the A-Line Motel in Queenstown

Queenstown, the Remarkables, & Lake Wakatipu from Bobs' Peak via the Skyline Gondola

2nd view from Bob's peak

we had a free day in Queenstown & I spent the morning jetboating on the Dart River and the afternoon shopping

Mt Aspiring National Park

I entered this park on the Dart River Jetboat trip, Siberia Valley excursion near Makarora & the drive over Haast Pass

view from the jetboat near the beginning of the trip

entrance to Rockburn Chasm

a caution sign on the bridge said one person at a time but some people don't read

Rockburn Chasm

exit back to main channel

the beginning of the Rothburn Track is in these mountains

Sally & Ward's picture of the Makarora Homestead (I stayed here on BOTH trips and it was lovely)

after lunch we had the "Siberia Experience"

1) a trip to Siberia Valley in two bush planes, 2) a hike back to the river, and 3) a jet boat ride back to Makarora

views from the bush plane

upstream view of the Siberia Valley

downstream view of the valley

the beginning of the hike

looking back at the Siberia Valley from the trail

one jetboat is leaving and the 2nd one is coming in for the rest of us

Thunder Creek Falls

view from Knights Point - the rest stop commemorates the completion in 1965 of the road connecting the west and east coast via Haast Pass.

to continue viewing the second part of the Manuka trip click here 

Manuka2 

for pictures of other vacations return to the Vacation Photos page