Mackenzie Alpine Hiking Tour

This is held on the day prior to your hiking departure date in LAKE TEKAPO at 4PM. The briefing will explain the next few days of your backcountry hike, run through the packing checklist and ensure you have the right gear for the backcountry adventure. Extra gear will be available to hire should you be missing anything.

Accommodation: Not included

Hiking: 3-4 Hours
Level of difficulty: Moderate.
Backcountry Terrain: The terrain is reasonably smooth on the valley floor, with some river crossings. A steep but short tussocky ascent to the hut.

Rising to the picturesque shores of the turquoise waterways of Lake Tekapo, today your guides will pick you up in our Classic Land Rover Defenders, load up, and travel to explore the stunning and private High Country of Glenmore Station.

This Iconic New Zealand High Country Sheep Station is situated on the Western shores of Lake Tekapo and runs deep into the Cass Valley wilderness, bordered to the West by the Lieberg Range. Our Scenic 4WD Travel through the Cass Valley this morning is a beautiful introduction to the Outstanding Natural Landscapes and their values that are unique to the Mackenzie Basin.

The Cass Valley offers a variety of inherent natural geological features, unique to the Mackenzie Basin itself, along with a wonderful narrative from your guides about the rich history and hardships this incredible part of the world encompasses.

We’ll travel past roaming Merino sheep grazing, and numerous endangered bird species to name a few. We’ll park the Land Rovers, and start off hiking Into the wilds of the Cass Valley, as we enter what feels like another country. Filled with high dry aired ranges, moraine walls and towering glaciers, cascading waterfalls, and impressive High Country scenery, we’ll stop in for lunch at an old Musterers Hut, and learn about how endearing and hardy the first run holders in the area were.

This afternoon’s hike starts off along the valley floor before we start a climb to our first private backcountry hut, perched amongst some of the finest alpine scenery in The South Island. Offering fabulous views of surrounding glaciers and deep vistas over The Leiberg Range and Mt Hutton.

Enjoy a wine or a hot cuppa far away from the hustle and bustle of the world and deep in the heart of the mighty Mackenzie backcountry.

Tonight you’ll experience the awe and wonder of the clearest skies in the world, under The Aoraki Nighttime Sky Reserve, at an unforgettable location.

Accommodation: Private Backcountry Hut Mackenzie Alpine
Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 6-8 Hours
Level of difficulty: Moderate.
Backcountry Terrain: The terrain is a mix of tussock grasslands, scree runs and rocky terraces, stream crossings, and some steep terrain.

Rising early to the shimmering gold carpet of alpine beauty, and a Kea or two – we’re off for a full day backcountry hiking, starting with a gentle climb through glistening tussocks up to a stunning saddle.

Enjoy lunch at the saddle offering views of the impressive scenery cast over Mt Fitzwilliam , and the Jolley Valley below. After lunch we’ve got a fabulous ridgeline hike offering magnificent views over endless peaks, glaciers and giant rocky summits! We’ll savour nature and this beautiful landscape before making our descent down a scree run to another picturesque alpine hut, centered amongst towering peaks and glistening streams. Stargazing at its finest yet again tonight!

Accommodation: Private Backcountry Hut Mackenzie Alpine
Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Hiking: 4-5 Hours
Level of difficulty: Moderate.
Backcountry Terrain: The terrain is a gentle descent through rocky terraces, tussock grasslands and various stream crossings.

Our final morning rise in the Mackenzie backcountry, and we’ll enjoy a nice breakfast before packing up and heading out for our final leg of the hiking journey.

Today’s hike is an interesting descent as we follow a lovely stream and pass impressive moraine walls, enchanted rocky valleys and roaming herds of wild Himalayan Thar.

Our final descent down to the valley floor will have us passing grazing Merino Sheep, making for a sure signature New Zealand high country experience. As we arrive at the valley floor, we’ll load up the Land Rover Defenders and make our journey back across the many river crossings to the beautiful glaciated shores of Lake Tekapo.

Accommodation: None
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

• Transport ex LAKE TEKAPO only (pick up from your hotel In Tekapo & Drop Off)
• Scenic 4WD Drive Cass Valley Backcountry Tour
• 2 nights accommodation in our private backcountry alpine huts.
• All meals, and snacks while on trail (2 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners + snacks)
• A 40 ltr backpack – that will contain your personal belongings and you will carry with you.
• A sleeping bag liner
• Experienced hiking guides

• Transport to and from Lake Tekapo, pre and post trip
• Accommodation Day 0 & Day 3
• Alcoholic beverages
• Extra snacks, coffees, etc
• Extra Gear for hire (Hiking Poles, Gators, etc). Please contact us if you require any extra Gear.

Our accommodations on the Mackenzie Alpine Hiking Tour offer cozy, rustic huts nestled in New Zealand’s breathtaking wilderness. Perfect for unwinding after a day’s hike, these private backcountry huts provide warmth and comfort amidst the stunning backdrop of the Southern Alps, all under the star-studded skies of the Aoraki Night Sky Reserve. It’s a unique blend of simplicity and serenity, designed to enhance your connection with nature.

New Zealand weather is 4 seasons in one day, and we mean it!
No matter the season here, we want to ensure our guests are equipped for all weather conditions. The Mackenzie backcountry is a very exposed area, with limited tree cover.

The days can be extremely hot in the sun, and cold at night. The area is very exposed, and wind can also play a factor, which can make for cold days.

Average temperatures can range from 10C – 30C in the daytime, and 0 – -8 C at night.

We have created our Gear List very specifically to the terrain and weather with the elements of The Mackenzie Country a key factor. Please follow the list appropriately, your guides will be doing a gear check on Day 0 in the pre trip briefing.

It is advised to contact us prior to departure should you be unsure or in need of any extra gear. We have extra gear for hire, should you require.

EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS
The Mackenzie Basin is New Zealand’s largest intermontane basin, an area of land bordered by mountain ranges. What happens is the Mackenzie Basin is often protected from the adverse weather systems that slam into the mountains from either side, and it creates a protected area whereby we miss out on a lot of the bad weather.

However, Instead the area gets slammed with super high winds that come from a Westerly. The winds can get up to 150Kms an hour in exposed places. It creates a semi-desert like landscape, which can get extremely hot and dry temperatures in the summer season.

There is also a lack of tree cover, so it can get very sunny and hot at certain times of the year (December – March)

At a minimum you should be able to hike for 5-7 hours, carrying around 7kgs of weight and be comfortable on uneven terrain, and some uphill hiking.
There are no formed groomed tracks on this hike. The terrain is of true backcountry nature with uneven surfaces throughout.

LEVEL OF FITNESS
We suggest that hikers have a reasonable level of fitness, in terms of good cardio output.

Hikers should be comfortable with uphill walking and able to hike up to 5-7 hours with some extra weight, and capable of hiking up to 7km with a variety of descending and ascending.

TRAINING
We suggest hiking on uneven terrain, uneven ground, and hill walks. This progression should reduce the chance of getting injured on rough ground.

Stair walking is a reasonable substitute for hill walking, although it will not give you the rough ground that is useful to train on. You should aim to hike uphill for training for this hike.

HIKE PREPARATION
Train in the hiking boots (and socks) that you intend to hike in. This will ensure that they are adequately broken in and will lessen the likelihood of getting blisters or sore feet.

It is highly recommended to train while carrying a small backpack, increasing the weight carried until you are carrying 7-10kg.

We highly suggest using hiking poles during your trip, so you should train with them too. This kind of terrain is made for hiking poles and gators!

LEVEL OF FITNESS
We suggest that hikers have a reasonable level of fitness, in terms of good cardio output. Hikers should be comfortable with uphill walking able to hike up to 5-7 hours with some extra weight, and capable of hiking up to 7km with a variety of descending and ascending.

HIKING BOOTS
This type of terrain requires a proper hiking boot with a 1.5-inch step and proper ankle support. No trainers, running shoes or low ankle hikers. You will not be able to participate without the proper footwear for safety reason, so if you are unsure of your boots, please EMAIL US and refer to our list below.

There are no groomed trails on this alpine hut–hut hiking tour, which offers a true wilderness hiking experience. Your guides follow a wonderful route between the huts, which offers a more natural ease of footing within the backcountry terrain and landscapes.

The terrain in this incredible part of the Mackenzie Backcountry is a mix of gravel river beds, golden tussock grasslands, rocky scree, and uneven surfaces.

You will be hiking through rougher terrain that requires more of a sure-footed hiker.

GAINING ELEVATION
Hiking between the huts will be a mix of gradual climbing on tussock-covered terrain, with uneven surfaces. The climbing can be sometimes steep in places, and will definitely get your heart rate up, but they are not for very long ascents. Day 2 is the main ascent day as we reach a saddle in between the two huts.

RIVER CROSSINGS
This hiking tour requires a crossing of the beautiful lifeline of the Valley, The Cass River.

There are specific areas where we cross the river, and do so with great care and experience with your hiking guides. There are a variety of small stream crossings along the journey.

You will have lovely wet feet & boots.

DESCENDING
Most of the descending is gradual. There is a steeper section from the main saddle down to Falcons Nest hut, on scree.

GATOR COUNTRY
Gators, it's true backcountry terrain, and no better place than to bring your gators!

Long knee-length gators are ideal, to keep the loose small rocks out of your hiking boots, and protect your calves from prickly matagouri, long grasses, or Spaniards. We highly recommend bringing a pair or hiring a pair from us.