Hiking Nelson’s lakes
About this Adventure
Fact File:
Duration: 3 days
Price: 678 GBP
Explore Nelson Lakes National Park, home to New Zealand’s most impressive lakes and beautiful landscape.
Nelson lakes National Park is home to New Zealand’s most impressive lakes and one of her most beautiful landscapes. Located in the north of New Zealand’s south island, Nelson Lakes National Park is the place to find the largest lakes in the area; Rotoiti and Rotoroa. The products of glacial movements thousands of years ago, the imprint left by the ice can still be seen in several places in the landscape.
The region is famous for its wildlife. The birdlife is particularly rich, as is the amount of beech trees and colours of the alpine plants. You can spend days exploring each new section of the park, and by the end of your time there, you will understand why the Nature Recovery Project works so hard to conserve this nature area.
The highlights on this adventure are in its diversity – from long walks along ridges and trails, to peaceful strolls along the lakesides, it will feed your senses and inspiration with all that this region has to offer. You will be able to explore several aspects of the park, from seeing Lake Rotoiti from the sides of Mt Robert – just above the bush line for the best view of the lake and surrounding valleys – to strolling along its still shoreline, whilst exploring the hills and undergrowth nearby.
For a more detailed itinerary and a number of different options please look below:
On the first day, you will be picked up from your accommodation in Nelson, and taken to the Nelson Lakes region. Both nights will be spent at the Alpine Lodge, from where you will make your day trips. Due to changing weather conditions, the order of the different options will be decided by the guide to give you the maximum possible enjoyment and outcome.
Option 1
From Mt Robert Car Park, you ascent to Paddy’s Track and Bushline Hut, where spectacular views of Lake Rohiti and the surrounding valleys are to be seen. On your descent, you follow the Pinchgut Track that trails its way along and into beech forests.
Option 2
Depending on group and weather conditions, this trip can be as short as 9 and as long as 19 km. If the latter, you will start by taking a ‘water taxi’ up Lake Rohiti, and start from the Cold Water Hut, heading through Travers valley and over the swing bridge to reach Lake Head Hut, where the short trip option begins. From here, it is a three hour walk through beech forest to St Arnaud, from where you will return to your accommodation.
Option 3.
Lake Rotoara is the starting main feature of this trip, which goes through Podocarp forest accompanied by the sound of birdsong and running water, as you explore the shores and views on offer. Once satisfied, you head back to Lake Rotoiti, from where you will ascend a hill that has been shaped by New Zealand’s glacial movements – now host to a variety of Kanuka, Manuka and Lichen forests, sheltering the mossy rocks that were once moved by the ice. 16 km in total.
Option 4
After a drive to the area of Rainbow Ski, the day is spent trekking the St Arnaud Rigde, next to Lake Roititi. The view across the lake is unbeatable, and lunch will be besides a lovely mountain lake before return to Nelson.
Visit Tourdust to organise this adventure.
