A luxury hike in paradise
Where I am standing was once under an enormous glacier. It would have been hundreds of metres high. This massive, slow-moving river of ice would have extended for kilometres down to the sea.
And over thousands of years, it carved out one of New Zealand’s most spectacular landscapes: the Hollyford Valley.
Deep in this valley, I am walking along a path that is so densely packed with trees it resembles a tunnel. All of a sudden, the relative stillness of the forest is shattered. Two enormous kereru¯ hurtle down the ‘‘tunnel’’ at high speed. They look like nature’s version of a rocket, aiming straight for us.
The birds flap furiously as they try to gain altitude: ‘‘whoop, whoop, whoop’’. They are not used to having people in their way.
A split second later, the pair pass just above our heads, with many of us ducking. I feel goosebumps on my neck, as cool air from the birds’ wings rushes down my back. Welcome to a version of New Zealand that few of us get to experience.
Most of us have Aotearoa’s Great Walks, such as Milford Track, on our bucket lists. But there is another tramp that needs to go right to the top.
This one not only involves spectacular scenery, but has three-course dinners at the end of the day, a jet boat trip and even a helicopter ride into Milford Sound. I am on a luxury hike called The Hollyford Wilderness Experience.
The Hollyford Valley is an enchanting part of Fiordland National Park, but it is difficult to walk if you do it yourself. That is because it involves the formidable Demon Trail, which as the name suggests, is recommended for advanced hikers.
However, Nga¯ i Tahu Tourism offers a superb four-day tour of the Hollyford that makes this trip accessible to novice hikers by using a jet boat to get around the hardest bits. It means one of the most beautiful slices of New Zealand is much easier to reach. And instead of basic DOC huts, you stay in a series of luxury lodges along the way.
Like many, I have long had this trip on my bucket list but was a little confused as to how it works. Here is how our four spectacular days unfolded.
Day 1
The shuttle picked us up from The Rees Hotel in Queenstown, the perfect place to relax before and after the trip. We meet our fellow hikers – excited Kiwis and a few from the other side of the world. The mood is buoyant, especially with the weather forecast. Fiordland has a reputation for being one of the wettest places on Earth, but we are not expecting a drop of rain.
After a scenic two-hour trip to Te A¯ nau, we settle in at the Distinction Luxmore for the night, before our pre-departure briefing where we meet our entire group of 14 fellow trampers. The talk is run by our guide Robyn.
We are given an overview of our trip, run through a safety briefing, then all head out to dinner, then call it a night as we have a big walk ahead the next morning.
Day 2
We meet at 7.30am and are introduced to our lead guide, Sue, who is as welcoming and knowledgeable as Robyn. There are two guides and a maximum of 16 people on any trip.
On the hour-long bus trip into Fiordland National Park, as the mountains get higher, our smiles grow wider. We pull over for a scenic stop overlooking the valley we are about to walk, and out pops the first snack of the day. It is a fresh madeleine cake. Our guides have large backpacks, which aren’t just carrying a first aid kit and emergency beacons. They are loaded with food.
Before long, we are at the start of the trail with 19km to cover this day. One great thing about this walk is that it is almost all gently downhill, making it relatively easy.
The scenery is spectacular. We enter a wildly contorted beech forest, covered in thick moss and tree ferns. Everywhere we look is a rich blanket of green. And occasionally, the track clears to reveal the emerald Hollyford River, which is lined by the Southern Alps.
Our walk is peppered with the guides’ fascinating stories of early explorers who battled some of the country’s toughest terrain to live here. It was a hard life, full of enormous challenges.
I reflect on how things have changed – how much easier life is – as I eat a delicious pre-prepared lunch on the banks of the river. My watch tells me I am being exposed to so much noise my hearing could be damaged if it continues long-term. Almost unbelievably, it is referring to the sounds of the cicadas.
By 6pm, we reach luxurious Pyke Lodge, for a hot shower, clean clothes, cold drinks and an enormous cheese platter. We are then served a three-course dinner, including venison, before a short walk to see glow-worms and giant we¯ ta¯ . Above, the stars and Milky Way are the brightest we have ever seen.
A few of us stay outside watching shooting stars. I set up my camera to record the stars overnight, and in the morning discover it captured the southern lights putting on a spectacular show. Fiordland National Park isn’t just a kaleidoscope of greens during the day, you might see them at night too.
Day 3
We start the morning with a hearty cooked breakfast, and a short walk to glistening Lake Alabaster. We are much lighter on our feet today because our bags are being transported by jet boat to the next lodge. Once you have tried luxury hiking, it is hard to go back.
We then board a jet boat to head downriver along Lake McKerrow/Whakatipu Waitai. Walking this section would take days along rugged terrain. Instead, we cover it in just an hour or so.
After a morning on the lake, which includes a stop at the long-abandoned settlement of Jamestown, we arrive at a magnificent podocarp forest where our journey continues on foot. This ancient forest looks like it is straight from an Avatar movie set, with dramatic rimu, to¯ tara and kahikatea.
Our guides lead us off the main track, and nobody quite knows why. Without warning, a safari tent comes into view, and it is like finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Inside is an elaborate lunch buffet, including hot soups, cold drinks and even delicious desserts. It turns out a small staff from the next lodge set up the elaborate affair that morning.
By afternoon, we reach the coast and one of New Zealand’s most remote seal colonies. After taking photos, we walk to a lagoon for a quick swim before a jet boat takes us to Martins Bay Lodge for the night.
Drinks, a cheese platter and a three-course meal is waiting. The main is Stewart Island blue cod, which has been flown in. We raise a toast to our guides, and all agree it is one of the best trips in the world. And it is not over yet.
Day 4
After another delicious breakfast, we are back on the jet boat to head to Martins Bay for a 5km coastal walk to learn more about the region’s early explorers. We return to the lodge for lunch, before two helicopters swoop in to pick us up.
What is the best way to end New Zealand’s best walk? With a flight into Milford Sound, of course.
We follow the dramatic coastline south before turning into New Zealand’s most famous fiord. I notice one of my fellow hikers has a tear in her eye. It is hard not to get caught up in the beauty of the moment. We land at Milford Sound Airport, where a bus is waiting to take us back to Queenstown along Milford Rd.
We are all a little tired but manage to stay awake for the first spectacular hour along the country’s most scenic road. There is a pit stop in Te A¯ nau for a quick drink in a pub to toast the trip of a lifetime. And you don’t need to go far to find it. It is right here.