KIA ORA!
Welcome to our totally biased guide to
getting further off the beaten track in
New Zealand. Our guide is of most use to
people travelling on Stray, but the deals
also apply to people in Spaceships and
it should also be helpful to anyone else
wanting to properly experience our great
country.

fascinating local culture, do activities

that will blow your mind and make
friends with some of the best people
you will ever meet. Get ready to see New
Zealand the Stray way!

The Stray way

+ A fully guided hop-on, hop-off bus

Stray gives adventurous travellers a

once in a lifetime chance to explore
New Zealand in a way that they never
imagined. Not only do we take you to all
the amazing places in New Zealand you
may have heard of, but we also give you
access to exclusive off the beaten track
places that cannot be experienced any
other way.
We believe that to fully experience a
place, you have to get involved and
not just be a spectator. Accordingly,
our trips are designed to appeal to
travellers, not tourists. To help you on
your journey, weve recruited a diverse
mix of characters as driver guides who
are hugely passionate and capable of
showing off an alternative New Zealand.
Because of the guides and the customers
we attract, we can really push the
boundaries and take you to incredible
unique stops and attractions. Buckle
up and get ready to immerse yourself in

Get further off the beaten track

Strays travel network:

network where you travel at your own
leisure and spend time exploring the
places you love.
+ We pride ourselves on getting off
the beaten track, gaining access to
otherwise unreachable locations. Our
top rating attractions are often those
unique to Stray.
+ Standard passes include all land
transport, commentary, and guidance.
+ Frequent departures in summer and a
minimum of 3 departures per week year
round.
+ Pay as you go for accommodation
and activities. We guarantee your
accommodation at the night stops by
reserving beds. All beds are at dorm
hostel rates; twin and double options
available.

+ We pick up and drop off from all major

traveller accommodation.

+ We reserve spaces on key adventure

activities and get you discounts.

+ We make supermarket stops so you

can self-cater. There are always cheap

meals available.
+ We take our time on travel days to do
walks and other activities.
+ All passes are valid for 12 months so
you can take your time or for those with
less time stay on board for a tour-type
look around.
Cheers,
The Stray Team

PLEASE NOTE: this magazine is just a guide - activities, times, routes,

destinations and/or prices may change depending on the group, driver, season,
natural disasters and/or the weather. Its all an adventure, just enjoy the ride!!

WHY STRAY?

HOW IT WORKS
In a nutshell:

Waitlists

Tips to help you stray

+ Choose your Stray hop-on, hop-off

Should the bus be fully booked on a

particular journey, don't panic - you can
request to be put on the wait list. If seats
become available, people on the waitlist
will automatically be promoted and we
find that 9 times out of 10 that your seat
will be confirmed by your intended travel
date. Remember that Stray is a hop-on,
hop-off service and people change their
travel plans frequently.

+ Be ready at the designated pick-up

bus pass;
+ Book your travel dates online or with
the Reservations team;
+ Get great deals on activities and Stray
accommodation through your driver;
+ Hop off anywhere along the route for
any amount of time to explore further;
+ Hop on the next bus coming through
whenever youre ready to continue;
+ Stray around New Zealand for up to 12
months and have an awesome time!
If you are short on time, you don't have to
hop off - you can also use your Stray pass
like a tour and complete the itinerary in
its minimum days. With this you will still
enjoy outstanding locations and unique
attractions around New Zealand, and
we have incorporated non-travel days to
break up your journey.

How to book your travel

While your hop-on, hop-off pass is totally
flexible, we do recommend that you book
your seat in advance whenever possible.
This lets the driver know when and where
to expect you.
To reserve your seat on the bus:
1) Book online using Strays online
booking system (see next page)
2) Call the Reservations team
3) Email Reservations (theyll reply within
24 hours)
No worries if you change your mind at the
last minute - just notify the office of your
plans and they can update your booking.

Re-travelling
Your Stray pass is valid for 12 months
from the day you start travelling, and
you are welcome to re-travel most parts
of the route on a space available basis.
In order to be booked as a re-traveller,
you must contact the Reservations team
directly.
Please note re-travel is not available for
routes north of Auckland, Christchurch to
Greymouth or East Cape (East Bro).

Timetables &
departure times
The bus timetable changes seasonally
you can find the most up-to-date
version on our website or ask your driver
for a copy.

location at least 10 minutes prior to the

departure time.
+ In the peak season (November
March), buses can be very busy and
we strongly recommend that you book
your travel legs in advance to avoid
disappointment. Remember that you can
always book something and change it at
the last minute!
+ If you book your seat online after
5pm or forget to book because youre
being spontaneous, make sure you go
to the designated Stray stop 10 minutes
before the departure time listed on the
timetable. Your name will not appear on
the drivers manifest if you book after
5pm and he/she wont know to expect
you.
+ If you hop off in an unusual location,
be sure to re-confirm your next pick-up
location and time with Reservations.
Please provide a contact cellphone
number in case the driver or office team
need to get in touch with you.
Contact Us
Reservations Team Our office team are
the best people to contact for support
when youre out on the road. Call or email
them to book travel dates, confirm pickup locations, or with any questions you
have.
Phone: (+64) 09 526 2140
Email: reservations@straytravel.co.nz
Website: www.straytravel.co.nz
Office hours:
Summer (October April) 7am-7pm MonFri, 8am-5pm Sat-Sun.
Winter (May September) 7am-5.30pm
Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm Sat-Sun.
In Auckland? Visit our Stray Shop located
at 50 Fort Street in the Auckland CBD.

Abel Tasman National Park

Stray Online Booking System

General NZ Travel Info

Passports & Immigration
All visitors to New Zealand must carry a
passport that is valid for at least three
months beyond the date you intend to
leave the country. If you're thinking about
extending your stay in New Zealand, visit
the New Zealand Immigration Service
website (www.immigration.govt.nz) for
more information about visa options and
migration.

Banking
Banks are usually open from 9.00am to
4.30pm Monday to Friday (with a few
open on Saturdays).
Automated Teller Machines (ATM)
are widely available at banks, along
main shopping streets and in malls.
International credit cards and ATM cards
should work as long as they have a fourdigit PIN encoded.

Time Differences
New Zealand is 12 hours ahead of GMT.
In summer New Zealand uses daylight
saving, with clocks put forward one hour
to GMT+13. Daylight saving begins on the
last Sunday in September and ends on
the first Sunday of the following April,
when clocks are put back an hour to
GMT+12

Currency
New Zealand's unit of currency is the
New Zealand dollar (NZ$). Coins have
values of 10, 20 and 50 cents, $1 and $2;
notes have values of $5, $10, $20, $50
and $100.
There is no restriction on the amount of
foreign currency that can be brought in or
taken out of New Zealand. However,
persons who carry more than NZ$10,000
in cash in or out of New Zealand are
required to complete a Border Cash
Report.
Foreign currency can easily be exchanged
at banks, some hotels and Bureau de
Change kiosks, which are found at
international airports and most city
centres.
All major credit cards can be used in New
Zealand. Travellers Cheques are accepted
at hotels, banks and some stores.

Seasons
The north of New Zealand is subtropical
and the south is temperate. The warmest
months are December, January and
February, and the coldest June, July and
August.
In summer, the average maximum
temperature ranges between 20-30C
and in winter between 10-15C. You can
check out our weather conditions on the
New Zealand Met Service website
(www.metser vice.co.nz).

The Bluebridge ferry

Exchange Rates
You can calculate the value of your
currency in NZ Dollars using the currency
converter on the website
www.newzealand.com. The rate you are
offered in your home country is likely to
differ slightly.
The Reser ve Bank of New Zealand
(www.rbnz.govt.nz) provides a monthly
online summary of the New Zealand
Dollar's average value against the US
Dollar, the Pound, the Australian Dollar,
the Yen and the Euro.
Goods And Services Tax
All goods and services are subject to a15
percent Goods and Ser vices Tax (GST)
included in the displayed price. Visitors
cannot claim this tax back; however when
a supplier ships a major purchase to a
visitor's home address they will not be
charged.
The Inter-Island Ferry
Stray uses the Bluebridge Ferry that
travels between the North and South
Island (Wellington and Picton) travels
daily. The normal adult price is around
$51-75. Please book with your driver. The
ferry ticket is not included in the cost of
your Stray pass.

10

Clip AND Save VOUCHERS

Plant a tree for free - Abel Tasman

Trees Planted by Stray Passengers

11

12

A Bit of History

European DISCOVERY

13

14

EUROPEAN SETTLERS A BRIEF HISTORY

The work that Captain Cook did charting
New Zealand opened the way for whalers,
sealers and timber traders.
It was men working in these industries
that founded the first European
settlement at Russell (in the upper North
Island). The rough characters that lived
here gave Russell a bad reputation. It
became known as the hellhole of the
Pacific.
Following these settlers, the missionaries
came bringing Christianity to New
Zealand. Religion was not the only thing
that European settlers brought to this
countr y. They brought with them pigs
(some are still called Captain Cookers),
disease (some really good ones) and
guns. The combination of land, alcohol,
hostile people and guns was great fuel
for conflict.
By 1840 there was a real need for a
formal agreement between the British
and the Maori to stop the violent land
disputes. This was made worse by the
general lawlessness of the settlers.
On the 6 February, 1840, the Treaty
of Waitangi was signed guaranteeing
Maori land rights in exchange for British
Sovereignty. The 6th February is now
recognised by a national public holiday
and the treaty remains as New Zealands
most important and controversial
document.
Ongoing land disputes, not resolved by
the Treaty led to the infamous Land
Wars between Maori and the settlers
(interestingly this is where the British
learnt the Maori invention of trench
warfare). Over this period there was an
influx of settlers, which by 1858 had a
population of 115,000 outnumbering the
native Maori.
At the end of the Land Wars the best
agricultural areas of New Zealand were
owned by the settlers, marking the start
of the major changes and fast moving
progress. Sealing, whaling and the felling
of great kauri trees gave way to farming
the land, mainly because all the other
resources had been totally plundered.
Eventually the sheep was introduced
and began to dominate the economy.
At its peak in the 1980s there were 70
million sheep verse 3 million people.
More recently sheep farming has waned
under the growth of diary and forestry,
however New Zealand still remains the

worlds second largest exporter of wool,

after Australia.

NZs geography
Made up of two main islands
(imaginatively named North and South
Islands), New Zealand is somewhere in
between the size of Japan and the United
Kingdom.
Because New Zealand is positioned
across two tectonic plates - the Pacific
and the Australian - it gets a lot of
geological activity (volcanic eruptions
and earthquakes). This makes for
a diverse landscape which includes
everything from geothermal areas with
natural hot springs to huge mountain
ranges, jagged coastline and amazing
secluded beaches.
Two thirds of the South Island are
mountains which have been created
through the movement of the earths
tectonic plates. The Southern Alps have
a number of glaciers, the largest being
the Tasman Glacier (27km long) on Mt
Cook which is walking distance from
Strays accommodation in Mt Cook. The
most famous are the Franz Josef and the
Fox Glacier on the South Islands west
coast. These are currently amongst the
fastest growing glaciers in the world and
are accessible by foot - we recommend
guided or by helicopter.
New Zealand has over 15,000 kilometres
of coastline. In the far north and much
of the east coast of the North Island
youll find sandy beaches perfect for
swimming, sur fing and sunbathing.
In contrast west coast typically has a
wild coastline with dark sandy beaches,
heav y in iron. There are some beautiful
sandy beaches at the very top of the
South Island especially around Abel
Tasman National Park. There is also the

Straying further, Mount Cook

Marlborough Sounds which is an example

of a high mountain range that has sunk
into the sea. Here the deep green still
water is surrounded by beautiful bush
making it a picturesque location for
boating and kayaking.
World Heritage Areas to exploreTe Wahipounamu - South West New
Zealand
This incorporates Fiordland, Mt Aspiring
and Mt Cook National Parks. The area
features a dramatic landscape shaped by
successive glaciations, fjords, towering
cliffs, lakes and waterfalls. Two-thirds of
the park is covered by forest, including
specimens more than 800 years old. The
Kea, the only alpine parrot in the world,
lives in the area, as does the endangered
Takahe, a large flightless bird.
Tongariro National Park - North Island.
Tongariro was the fourth National Park
to be established in the world. It has a
diverse landscape which ranges from
alpine fields to desert-like plateaux with
active volcanoes and crater lakes. The
Tongariro Alpine Crossing (19km trek) is
renowned as one of the top 10 day walks
in the world

15

16

17

National Parks
Over 20 percent of New Zealand is
covered in national parks, forest areas
and reserves.
Our 14 national parks contain an
incredible variety of unspoiled
landscape and vegetation. The parks
are administered and maintained by the
Department of Conservation
(www.doc.govt.nz) - remember to read
their signs and respect their rules. They
are designed to protect you and the
plants and wildlife.

New Zealand's
National Parks
(North to South)
Te Urewera National Park (212,675ha, established 1954) Together
with the neighbouring Whirinaki Forest
Park, this is the largest remaining area
of native forest in the North Island. Lake
Waikaremoana, which is within the park,
is noted for its scenic shoreline. We travel
by this park on our summer East Cape
trip.
Tongariro National Park (79,598 ha, established in 1887) New
Zealands first national park and the
fourth in the world after Yellowstone
(USA), Royal National Park (Australia)
and Banff National Park (Canada). It
includes the three active volcanoes,
Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro. We
do walks, including the epic Tongariro
Alpine Crossing, and stay in this park. In
the winter you can ski and snowboard
here.
Taranaki (Egmont) National Park (33,534 ha, established 1900) Land
covering a 9 kilometre radius of the
Mount Taranaki summit and some
outlying areas to the north.
Whanganui National Park (74,231 ha, established 1986), borders
the Whanganui River. It incorporates
areas of Crown land, former State Forest
and a number of former reserves. We
stay on the edge of this park at our ecowilderness stop, Whakahoro.

Hiking in Tongariro National Park

Kahurangi National Park (452,000 ha, established 1996) Situated
in the northwest of the South Island, and
comprised of spectacular and remote
countr y, including the Heaphy Track.
It has ancient landforms and unique
flora and fauna. It is the second largest
national park. You can access this from
our Abel Tasman stop.
Abel Tasman National Park (22,541ha, established 1942) New
Zealands smallest national park, this
national park has numerous tidal inlets
and golden sand beaches along the
shores of Tasman Bay. We stay on the
edge of this park for two nights and allow
time to do walks, kayaking and sailing.
Nelson Lakes National Park (101,753 ha, established 1956) A rugged,
mountainous area in the Nelson Region.
It extends southwards from the forested
shores of Lakes Rotoiti and Rotoroa to
the Lewis Pass National Reser ve. We can
drop you off near this park.
Paparoa National Park (30,560 ha, established 1987) On the
West Coast of the South Island between
Westport and Greymouth. We give you
time to explore the celebrated Pancake
Rocks at Punakaiki and you are welcome
to hop off here.
Arthurs Pass National Park (114,357 ha, established 1929) A rugged
and mountainous areas straddling the
main divide of the Southern Alps. The
Arthur, Short Arthur, Q and Short Q
passes travel through this park.
Westland National Park (117,547 ha, established 1960) Extends
from the highest peaks of the Southern
Alps to wild remote coastline. Included
in the park are glaciers, scenic lakes and
dense rainforest, plus remains of old gold
mining towns along the coast. We stay at
Franz Josef in this park and give you time
to explore.

Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park (70,728 ha, established 1953) An alpine

park, containing New Zealands highest
mountain, Aoraki/Mount Cook (3,754m),
and longest glacier, Tasman Glacier (27
km). A focus for mountaineering, ski
touring and scenic flights, the park is an
area of outstanding natural beauty. The
Mount Cook and Westland National Parks
have together been declared a World
Heritage area. We stay in this park at the
base of Mt Cook.
Mount Aspiring National Park (355,531 ha, established 1964) A complex
of impressively glaciated mountain
scener y centered on Mount Aspiring
(3033m), which is New Zealands highest
peak outside Mount Cook National Park.
We stop at the edge and offer a great
flight or jet boat option into this park.
Fiordland National Park (1,251,924 ha, established 1952) The
largest national park in New Zealand and
one of the largest in the world. The
grandeur of scener y, with its deep fiords,
lakes originating from the glaciers,
mountains and waterfalls, has earned
international recognition as a World
Heritage area. We go into this park and
spend the night at the edge of it.
Rakiura National Park (157,000 ha, established in 2002) Made
up of about 85% of the whole land area
of Stewart Island. The relatively small
human population and the untouched
state of much of the environment make
this an amazing sanctuar y for our native
bird life. It is the nearest that you will
find to the way that New Zealand would
have originally been before settlement.
There are many walking tracks on the
island. We have an optional overnight
stay on Stewart Island.

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19

TRACKS, WALKS AND CYCLING

New Zealand is known for its beautiful
landscape and vast wilderness, from
rugged mountain peaks, to lush forests,
cascading rivers, deep gorges and wide
valleys.
Explore New Zealands premier tracks
and trails, passing through diverse and
spectacular scenery as you traverse the
nine Great Walks of New Zealand. Please
remember to follow the environmental
guidelines recommended by the
Department of Conser vation
(www.doc.govt.nz) by taking all your
rubbish with you, sticking to the tracks
to avoid erosion, and respecting plants
and wildlife, so that those who come
after you will be able to enjoy the natural
beauty for years to come.
Stray can drop you off near each of the
Great Walks it may not be right at
the trailhead, but weve indicated the
best stops to hop off and access the
tracks. You will need to make the proper
arrangements for the Great Walks
through the Department of Conservation.

The nine Great Walks

of New Zealand
(North to south)

Abel Tasman Coastal Track Located in

the Abel Tasman National Park, at the
top of the South Island, this track
is renowned for its golden beaches and
sculptured granite cliff. This track takes 3
to 5 days, with streams that can only be
crossed within a few hours either side of
low tide.
Hop off: Marahau (Abel Tasman)
Heaphy Track - Pass through diverse
landscapes from beautiful beech forest
to expansive tussock grasslands, to lush
forests, nikau palms and roaring seas in
the Kahurangi National Park. The longest
of the Great Walks at 78.4km, it takes 4
to 6 days. You can also mountain bike this
track from May to September.
Hop off: Nelson or Westport
Routeburn Track Cross the Southern
Alps and pass through the incredible
landscape of Mt Aspiring and Fiordland
National Park. A 32 km track, taking
2-4 days to complete. This track passes
through beech forest valleys, alongside
clean green rivers and glistening alpine
lakes, showcasing breathtaking views.
Hop off: Queenstown or between Te Anau
and Milford Sound (called The Divide)

Kepler Track A 60 km, 3-4 day loop

track that travels from the beechforested shores of the Te Anau and
Manapouri lakes, to the alpine tops of
Mt Luxmore, with mar velous panoramic
views of the Kepler Mountains, lakes,
rivers and valleys.
Hop off: Te Anau
Milford Track A 53.5 km walk through
the wild and beautiful Fiordland National
Park. Starting at the head of Lake Te
Anau and finishing in Milford Sounds.
This track travels through sheer ice-car
ved valleys, peaceful forests and past
cascading waterfalls.
Hop off: Te Anau
Rakiura Track- Situated on Stewart
Island, travel by ferr y from Bluff, or take
a 20 minute flight from Invercargill, this
is New Zealands most southerly track. A
32 km tramping track, suitable for anyone
with moderate fitness, the track takes 3
days and provides a good introduction to
Stewart Island scener y.
Hop off: Stewart Island

Lake Waikaremoana Located in the

South-West corner of New Zealand in
the Te Urewera National Park, a 3 or 4
day tramp, which follows the shores
of Lake Waikaremoana. Traverse the
scenic shoreline with its various terrain,
vegetation and rainforest, with plenty of
opportunities for swimming and fishing.
Hop off: Rotorua
Tongariro Northern Circuit Tramp
through active volcanic craters, glacial
valleys, beside brilliant blue lakes, and
through steaming geothermal areas over
3 or 4 days. Located in Tongariro National
Park this well-formed and well-marked
track is suitable for people with moderate
fitness in summer season and snow
covered - requiring alpine equipment - in
the winter season.
Hop off: National Park
Whanganui Journey Travel via canoe
or kayak through green hilled landscape
and bush clad valleys along the Wanganui
River. Experience remote scenic
beauty and the historical and cultural
significance of this river to the local
Maori; 3 or 5 day options.
Hop off: National Park or Whakahoro

Find places in New Zealand only locals know, Blue pools Mt Aspiring National Park

20

TRACKS, WALKS AND CYCLING

The New Zealand
Cycle Trail
Why walk when you can ride?
In 2009, New Zealand launched a national
project to build a world class network
of cycle trails. Weve included a brief
overview here, but for more detailed
information check out the official website:
www.nzcycletrail.com.

North Island
Great Lake Trail Follow the western
shore of Lake Taupo, from Whakaipo Bay
to Waihaha, for 93 km of all-weather
riding through pristine native forest with
views across Lake Taupo and Tongariro
National Park.
Hauraki Rail Trail From Thames to
Paeroa, this trail follows a historic railway
through lush green farmland, offering
great views of the Hauraki Plains, Kaimai
Rangers. Some of the highlights include
historic gold mining towns, Karangahake
Gorge and luxurious mineral spas.
Hawkes Bay Trails A mostly flat
trail that explores picturesque coastal
communities, panoramic ocean views
and award-winning wineries as you
meander between the cities of Napier
and Hastings.
Motu Trails Experience the freedom and
adventure of the East Coast, with 3 trails
to choose from depending on age, fitness
and riding ability. Choose from either an
easy ride along the coast or a loop ride
that includes a more challenging section
for mountain bike riders.
Mountains to Sea Mountain bike,
ride public roads and jet boat from the
Central Plateau to the sea in Whanganui.
Traverse the rich natural scenery and
uncover cultural heritage as you ride
through two national parks.

Twin Coast Cycle Trail An easy cycle,

located in the Far North, through early
European and Maori settlements. Follow
ancient Maori trails from the east to west
coast, providing stunning views over
Hokianga Harbour and the Bay of Islands.

Great Taste Trail With panoramic

views over the Tasman Bay, Waimea
Estuary, and the Western Ranges, this
1-4 day track offers cyclist birdlife, award
winning wineries, abandoned railways
and historic tobacco drying kilns.

Waikato River Trails Follow New

Zealands longest river past towering
dams, along meandering boardwalks and
over suspension bridges; as you discover
the magic and beauty of native forest,
exotic wetlands, historic landmarks and
volcanic rock formations along the way.

Otago Central Rail Trail New Zealand

original great ride, the rail trail is
steeped in history and is 150 kilometres,
through ever-changing mountains, rocky
landscapes, high country sheep stations,
spectacular river gorges, tunnels and
viaducts.

South Island

Queen Charlotte Track Stretching

from legendary Ship Cove Meretoto to
Anakiwa, this track takes you through
coastal forest, skyline ridges, and historic
bays used as shelter for Captain Cook
during his voyages to New Zealand.

Alps to Ocean Cycle The longest

continuous ride in New Zealand from
Aoraki Mount Cook to the Coastal town
of Oamaru. This track is 6 days, and takes
you over 2000ft through World Heritage
National Park, by glacial fed lakes, hydro
dams, limestone cliffs, golden tussock
land and Maori rock art.
Around the mountains Explore some of
New Zealands rustic and rural settings in
the heart of the country. Be transported
back in time to historic townships and
see relics left behind by the regions
pioneers, in the Otago and Southland
district.
Clutha Gold Trail A unique heritage
experience, from Roxburgh Dam to
Lawrence, this trail is 73km over 2days
and traverses the Beaumont Gorge,
before branching off into the valleys of
historic gold mining in Lawrence.
Dun mountain Trail A short track of
only 4-6 hours the trail rises to 1129
meters and gives glimpses of Waimea
plains, Nelson, Tasman Bay and Abel
Tasman National Park; taking you
through unspoiled alpine trail from
downtown sunny Nelson.

Roxburgh Gorge Trail A spectacular

one day ride between Alexandra and
Roxburgh Dam, following Clutha Mata-au
River, and through New Zealand very own
grand canyon with rising bluffs on either
side in Roxburgh Gorge.
St James Cycle Trail The 64km trail
offers great riding through diverse and
stunning scenery in the Canterbury
region. From Hanmer Springs to St James
Homestead, this trail passes through
alpine meadows, beech forest, grassy
river flats and by crystal clear rivers, highcountry lakes and mountain peaks.
The Old Ghost Road Ride past mining
relics and ascend through native forest
and climb alpine tops with breathtaking
views, on this advanced cycling track that
goes from Buller Gorge to Seddonville.
The Queenstown Trail 100 kilometres of
spectacular cycling in the Wakatipu Basin
in the Otago region. Meander through the
Gibbston wine area, the gold mining town
of Arrowtown, visit Lake Hayes, Frankton
and Queenstown.
West Coast Wilderness Trail - In the
midst of the West Coast of the Southern
Alps, along the Great Alpine Fault, lie a
series of tracks carved by pioneering gold
rush miners. This 4-day cycling adventure
offers dense rainforest, glacial rivers and
lakes, wetlands, and views of the snowcapped mountains of the Southern Alps.

The Timber Trail Follow old tram

lines down a specially designed track
over eight large suspension bridges and
through lush green forest. Within easy
reach of Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua,
Taupo and Wellington.

Rangitita, Mountain biking

STRAY ADVENTURES

21

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23

Auckland - A number of different tribes

fought for the land that we now know
as Auckland before white men came and
attempted to also lay claim.
The land, which came to be known as
Tamaki-makau-rau (the spouse sought
by a hundred lovers), became the prize
of numerous battles. Kiwi Tamaki ruled
this area from One Tree Hill where he had
established a three-thousand-strong pa
until 1750, when Ngati Whatua attacked
and killed the chief and wiped out the
tribe, and took many of his followers as
slaves. The Ngati Whatua was still in
possession when the first Europeans, two
Anglican missionaries Samuel Marsden
and John Butler came in 1820.
New Zealands Lieutenant Governor
Captain William Hobson first hoisted
the British flag on the 18 September
1840 at the fort of Point Britomart
when a thin piece of land was purchased
from the Maori for the sum of 55 and
some blankets. Auckland was chosen
as a name because Lord Auckland had
given Captain Hobson the command of
the boat the HMS Rattlesnake in which
he first visited NZ in 1837. He was sent
back to New Zealand in 1839 to get
sovereignty for Britain. Part of this was
getting Maori tribes to sign the Treaty of
Waitangi. Unfortunately a month after
his arrival he had a stroke which forced
him to abandon a series of Waitangi type
meetings throughout the country which
in turn left the whole treaty process in a
bit of a mess.
Auckland is by far New Zealands
largest city. Of the nations 4.5 million
population, over a third call Auckland
their home. Auckland is built on the

Aerial shot of Auckland Museum

narrow piece of land between the
Manukau and Waitemata Harbours. The
distance between these two harbours
at its narrowest point is a mere 16kms.
On the Waitemata Harbour you will see
the areas youngest volcano Rangitoto
Island which was formed when it erupted
about 600 years ago. The landscape of
Auckland is dominated by a series of
volcanoes. You can still easily make out

about 20 volcanic cones around the city.

Two outstanding examples are One Tree
Hill (or No Tree Hill since the tree was
cut down by an activist) and Mt Eden.
You will also see boats of all shapes and
sizes. It is estimated that one in four
Aucklanders owns a boat; because of this
fact and that there are more boats per
capita here than anywhere else, Auckland
is known as the City of Sails.

24

Things to do in Auckland
Strays Auckland City tour

Peek into the world of Stray while

exploring our gateway city. Take in
panoramic views of the Auckland
cityscape, wander through native
New Zealand forest and feel the sand
between your toes on one of Aucklands
hidden beaches. BBQ lunch provided and
cooked on the beach - you bring the beer!
Get ready to meet fellow travellers, learn
about Aucklands history and get great
travel tips for NZ with one of our world
famous guides. Book with your hostel
travel desk or at the Fort Street Stray
Shop.

Other Options
Catch a ferry from the downtown ferry
terminal to Devonport (the ferry leaves
ever y half hour) for shops and city
beaches.
Rangitoto Island (the ferry leaves three
times daily) for native bush and lava
caves on Aucklands youngest volcano.
Waiheke Island (the ferry leaves ever y
hour) - a half hour trip to a scenic place
with great vineyards and beaches which
you can explore by hire car or scooter;
or Great Barrier Island (the ferry leaves
infrequently so check the timetable

Bungy jump off Aucklands Harbour Bridge

online) - a four hour trip to a remote
place with great walks, bush, beach and
scenery that is definitely worth a visit for
a few days.
Visit the Auckland Domain, its a great
central park with a view out to the
harbour but the main attraction is the
Greco Roman-style Auckland Museum
(Te Papa Whakahiku; $10 donation
expected and valid for repeated one
day entry). It contains one of the finest
collections of Maori and Pacific art and
taonga (treasures) and they have cultural
shows every weekday.
The shops: The main street of Auckland
is Queen Street. It is the commerce and
business centre for the city. Running
parallel to Queen St is High St, home to
designer label clothes, and upmarket
restaurants and cafes. At the top end of

Queen St is Karangahape Rd, where you

will find alternative shops and some of
the best nightclubs in the city (and Red
Light district). If you head to the bottom
(waterfront) end of Queen St and go left
past the downtown mall youll find the
Viaduct Basin, flash restaurants, yachts
(the old Americas Cup Village) and the
National Maritime Museum. If you want
to explore further out try the Link bus,
which is $2.00 per ride and connects the
shopping areas of Parnell, Ponsonby and
Newmarket.
For adventure: Why not jump off one of
Aucklands icons like the Sky Tower or the
Harbour Bridge? You can also do a guided
climb over the bridge (great views); learn
to sail on a real Americas Cup racing
yacht or head out west for some surfing
or canyoning.

auckland north
Unique Features
+ Mini coach to access back roads
+ Smaller group size means more time for
doing things

+ Free snorkelling at Goat Island Marine

Reserve (summer only)

Other Highlights

+ Access to Whangarei for diving

+ Paihia and the Bay of Islands
+ Ninety Mile Beach and the top of New
Zealand

+ Hokianga day trip to the oldest NZ

Kauri forest

+ Early settlement history

Travel Day: Auckland to Paihia
Depart 7am.

It will take one more hour to reach

Paihia where your driver will take you
on a tiki tour of this quaint seaside
town before stopping off at the Fullers
office to confirm the activities you have
chosen. Your driver will drop you at your
accommodation at 2pm and then the
afternoon is free for you to explore.
In winter we skip the Goat Island Marine
Reserve in favour of a brief stop at the
Parry Kauri Forest and cruise up to Paihia
arriving at approximately 12pm. The
afternoon is yours to relax or participate in
some fishing off the shore.
Regardless of season, our
recommendation for the afternoon could
be a walk to the Haruru Falls, explore
the Waitangi grounds for $25, take a
ferry across the bay to Russell, or some
kayaking. You cannot stop in Paihia
without trying Doyleys awesome kebabs
(lamb, chicken or falafel) at Kebabulous
Stray passengers get $1 off kebabs!
Parry Kauri Park - after flax and whale
blubber, kauri timber and gum was our
third major export for early settlers. The
tall, straight, rot resistant timber was
sought after for ships masts amongst
other things. Unfortunately the trees grow
very slowly and this meant that many of
the forests were quickly destroyed. This
makes it special that some of the trees in
this park are over 600 years old.

A: Hostel along from the beach.

$: Catch the ferry to historic Russell,
skydiving, Hole in the Rock cruise,
diving.
: Snorkelling at Goat Island (summer
only), hug the kauri trees at Parry Kauri
Forest (wet weather/winter option).
If you dont head over the Harbour Bridge
within the first hour of your trip north, tap
your driver on the shoulder as you may be
heading south towards Raglan.
The journey starts with introductions and
an outline of whats happening over the
day and what your options are for the days
ahead. The first stop will be Goat Island
for snorkelling (we supply snorkels and
goggles) at the Marine Reserve (summer
only). The amount of time that we play
here is dependent on you, the weather and
what else we want to do today.
From there we cruise up the east coast
to arrive in Whangarei at 12pm for lunch.
You may choose to hop off here to explore
Jacques Cousteaus well-loved diving spot,
the Poor Knights Islands.

Goat Island - Goat Island was established

as a marine reserve in 1975. It was New
Zealands first marine reserve; it stretches
5km along the shoreline and 800m off the
coast. It is a popular diving spot, where
you can see large rock lobster and huge
snapper in the clear water. Snorkelers can
look at kelp forest on the sea floor, and
you can also check out the bright blue fish
called Maomao.
Whangarei - Settlement dates back to
1839, but when war broke out in the Bay
of Islands, the 48 Europeans living here
fled for the safety of Auckland. Originally
settled for kauri timber and gum; today
Northlands economy is based on tourism,
dairying, sheep and citrus orchards.
Whangarei is a good base to get to Poor
Knights Island - a diving mecca in the
Marine Reserve.

25

Kawakawa - has a unique entrance sign

constructed in the style of Frederick
Hundertwasser. This Austrian born
designer lived here for 25 years and his
major contribution is the very prominent
public toilets. Designed in 1998 they are
literally a work of art, with notable tile
mosaics, bottle glass windows, copper
handwork and a living tree integrated into
the structure.
Paihia - was first settled by Europeans
when the Reverend Henry Williams was
seeking a suitable site for a mission
station. Apparently the name came about
when he looked out along the golden
beaches and island studded bay and said
PAI (meaning good in Maori) and the
English word Here.
Russell - named after Lord John Russell,
secretary of the State of Colonies and later
Prime Minister of Great Britain. Whaling
ships began calling here in the early 1800s;
by 1840 Russell was the largest European
settlement in the country, and despite
the missionary station nearby, became
known as the hellhole of the Pacific, a
rough hang out at the end of the known
world. Russell was the first capital of New
Zealand but in 1841 this title was moved
to Auckland where it remained until 1865
(when it was moved to Wellington to be
more central).
Haruru Falls - Haruru means big noise.
Maori legend states that a taniwha (water
monster) lives in the lagoon below so be
careful. You can walk to Haruru Falls along
the Waitangi walking track.
Waitangi - Waitangi is one of the most
important historical places in New
Zealand. On 6th February 1840 the Treaty
was signed between the British Crown
and Maori Chiefs as an attempt to control
the sale and ownership of land. As an
official agreement between the natives
and settlers this day is now recognised as
New Zealands Day with a national public
holiday. However the document remains
both controversial and central to race
relations in New Zealand and Waitangi
Day is often marked with protest and
demonstrations.

26

AUCKLAND NORTH DAY TRIPS

NB You cant hop off the bus on the Cape
Reinga or Hokianga travel days as those
are another operators day trips.

Day Trip - Option 1

Cape Reinga
Depart: 7am.
NB The order of events may change
dependent on the tides.
Today we head to the top of New
Zealand.
The first stop is the mighty kauri
forests then through Kaitaia to Ninety
Mile Beach (which is actually 64 miles
long!) on the West Coast. We drive on
the sand and through the surf until we
reach Te Paki Stream and some of New
Zealands biggest sand dunes. Here you
get a chance to try a bit of dune surfing.
We stop for lunch and a swim before
we head to Cape Reinga. Take in the
iconic lighthouse, rugged scenery and
watch the clashing of two oceans. In the
afternoon we return to Paihia via the east
coast, stopping in Mangonui for a feast
of fish and chips en-route (optional).
Accommodation is the same as last
night.

Ninety Mile Beach - is a stretch of almost

endless sand flanked by the Tasman Sea
in the west and by forests in the east. Its
closer to 90km than 90 miles and isnt
even NZs longest beach.
Cape Reinga - It overlooks the meeting
place of the Tasman Sea and the
Pacific Ocean. Legend has it that it is
the departure point for Maori souls
from NZ (Te Rerenga Wairua) back to
their spiritual homeland Hawaiki. The
Pohutukawa tree, from which souls
make their final leap, grows out from the
face of the Cape and is said to be 800
years old. The lighthouse is one of New
Zealands most powerful lights, visible
for up to 50 km.

Day Trip - Option 2

Hokianga
Depart: 8am.
Follow the old stagecoach trail from
Paihia to Hokianga - a trail originally
marked out by early Maori and then
frequented by traders and merchants
who transported supplies between
the coasts during the 19th and 20th
centuries. As we wind along the Wairere

27

Boulder Valley, see 2.8 million year old

rock formations and clusters of 30m high
basalt boulders.
Your local Maori guide will take you
back to the days of Kupe, the first Maori
voyager to discover NZ over 1,000 years
ago. Learn of the many myths and
legends of the local hapu (sub-tribe) and
be led into the Waipoua Kauri Forest to
meet Tane Mahuta, the largest kauri tree
in the world!
Hokianga - The Hokianga Harbour is
generally accepted as being the home of
Kupe the very first voyager, and Maori,
to discover New Zealand. Later some
of the earliest European settlers came
to Hokianga and formed the oldest
European settlements in New Zealand.
The Waipoua Kauri Forest - provides
a natural stage for an unforgettable
encounter with some of the largest
remaining kauri trees in the world. The
mighty Tane Mahuta (the Lord of the
Forest) is a national icon and the largest
known kauri tree in the world. Estimated
to be 2,000 years old his mighty girth
is over 13 metres and he stands an
impressive 51 metres tall.

28

Auckland NORTH
Travel Day: Paihia to Auckland
Depart: 3pm (summer) /2pm (winter)

A: Central Auckland hostel.

Today, enjoy a morning at leisure to try
out the number of activities on offer
including sailing, kayaking, dolphin
swimming, fishing, diving, ferrying to
Russell, walking the Waitangi Treaty
grounds or just relaxing on the beach;
or if you are travelling on a Murphy Pass,
enjoy the Hole in the Rock cruise. We
leave by 3pm (2pm in winter) to express
back to Auckland via Whangarei and
Wellsford. We drop off at central city
hostels around 6pm (5pm in winter).

Cape Reinga Lighthouse

29

30

Auckland South
Unique Features
+ Stay in a lodge in the bush in Raglan for
nearby walks and Raglan Surf School

+ Interactive overnight Maori cultural

stay at Mourea

+ Remote lake edge accommodation on

Lake Aniwhenua

+ Award-winning eco-wilderness stop,

Whakahoro
+ Stay in a stunning alpine lodge in
Tongariro National Park for access to
Tongariro Crossing

Other highlights

+ Special price on black water tubing/

caving

+ Geothermal activity
+ Maori culture and 800 year old carvings
+ Great Lake Taupo
+ Dual World Heritage Area, Tongariro
National Park

+ An option to go to Te Papa - our

national museum

Travel Day: Auckland to Raglan

Depart 7.30am

fourth largest city (which used to have

the great slogan of Better than youd
expect) before heading out towards our
night and activity stop of Raglan. We
have an option of visiting the remote
and scenic Bridal Veil Falls (unless the
surfs up), before we stop in Raglan
township for supplies. This afternoon
you have options: soaking up the sun on
a black sand beach, walking in the bush
on Mount Karioi, or surfing - this is a
world-famous surf spot after all. You can
choose from simply hiring a surfboard or
taking excellent lessons provided by the
surf school they guarantee that you will
stand up. Accommodation tonight is in
Karioi Lodge in the bush overlooking the
Whale Bay surf area. You should seriously
consider getting off the bus here to
spend extra time in what is one of New
Zealands great alternative towns. There
are cool shops, cafes and a lively music
scene.
Waikato River - means flowing water and
is the longest in New Zealand, flowing
425km from Ruapehu to Port Waikato.
For the Maori this was a well-used travel
route for small hunting canoes and
large war canoe. During the 19th century
wars British gunboats and troop carriers
steamed up the waterway and its banks
became the scene of some fierce and
gruesome battles.

A: An eco-lodge surrounded by native

bush near the beach.
$: Learn to surf.
: Walk to the waterfall, bush walk
around Mt Karioi, relax on the beach,
glow-worms in the bush, Inspiration
Point.
We start the day with pickups around
the city and make a quick stop at Strays
Head Office in Penrose to get everyone
together for a chat about how Strays
trips work i.e. a reminder of how you
book on and off buses and how we book
accommodation and activities.
We then head south towards the
Waikato. This area is known to be the
most productive dairy farming land in the
world (measured by butter fat output per
cowisnt that great to know?!); which
explains why youll see heaps of cows
(dont stress you country boys as youll
see plenty of sheep soon enough). We
pass around Hamilton, New Zealands

Learn to surf, Raglan

31

Bridal Veil Falls - got its name because

someone thought that it looked like a
brides veil. Its a 5 minute walk to the
top of the falls and a 15 minute walk
to the base of the falls for an even
more impressive view. The falls are 55
metres high. The Maori name Waireinga
translates to leaping waters.
Raglan - named after Lord Raglan
after it was used as a base during the
Land Wars. The towns known history
goes back as far as 1000 years when the
Tainui waka of the local Maori people first
landed here during the Great Migration.
Legend has it that they saw Mt Karioi
in the distance and after what seemed
an age finally got there. They named
this area Whaingaroa meaning the long
pursuit.
The thing that really sets Raglan apart
is its relaxed atmosphere and huge
reputation for surfing. It is one of the few
great surf towns that have maintained
its style. The left hand surf break (which
you can see from the lodge we stay in) is
reputed to be one of the best in the world
and was featured in the classic surf film
The Endless Summer.

32

MOUREA
Travel Day: Raglan
(via Waitomo) to Mourea
Depart 8am
Raglan

Mourea

Waitomo Caves

A: Unique Stray stay in the Wharenui

(Maori meeting house).
$: Must-do caving adventures.
: Walk around Ruakuri Reserve,
Waitomo Valley Caves walk.
NB The cultural night is an all-inclusive
price of $80 including dinner, interactive
performance, storytelling, bed and
breakfast.
We take a back road through the Waikato
down to the amazing town of Waitomo,
famous for holes in the ground and for
the huge network of caves throughout
the area.
The extra cool thing is that many are lit
by a type of naturally glowing worms that
are unique to New Zealand.
You have many options to explore the
area ranging from simply doing one of
the local walks, such as the one around
Ruakuri Reserve, to one of the mustdo trips offered by the local adventure
companies (they are your only option for
really exploring the caves and no matter
which trip you do you will be blown
away).
Try one of the Waitomo Adventures

More culture, Mourea

trips which include options for black

water rafting, caving and abseiling down
underground waterfalls. If youre after
something gentler, take a walk or boat
cruise through magnificent limestone
caves to check out the glowworms. We
spend about 4 hours in Waitomo so
people can complete caving adventures.
There is accommodation here if you want
to hop off.
We then head across to the Bay of
Plenty to Mourea for our unique and very
special cultural overnight stay. We are
welcomed on to the marae with a powhiri
(traditional welcome). We then learn
about Maori traditions, history and be
wowed with an interactive Kapa Haka
performance (Maori song and dance)
before enjoying a delicious group dinner.
This is an awesome experience learning
about the local culture and bringing the
group together. Tonight we sleep in the
Wharenui (Maori meeting house), where
visitors sleep when attending a hui (tribal
meetings) or a tangi (funeral).
Waitomo Caves - The largely uncharted
network of caves under Waitomo was
created by water running through
the soft limestone. The water, which
continues to flow through the network
creates stalactites (which form
downwards) as the lime in the water
reforms from drips from the roof and
stalagmites (which form upwards) as
the water hits the floor. The Maori name
Waitomo means water hole.

Glowworms a tiny cave larva which emit

light to attract food. Its 4 stage lifecycle
(egg, larva, pupa, adult) takes about 11
months to complete. They remain in
the glowing larva stage for about nine
months. If you have seen glowworms in
Australia you will notice that the New
Zealand glowworm is a lot larger in size
(of course).
Mourea is home to the Ngati Pikiao
people, who are a sub-tribe of the
prominent New Zealand Iwi of Te Arawa.
Settled on the shores of both Lake
Rotorua and Rotoiti, Mourea is home to
a number of small Maori communities
with multiple Marae running down the
side of the Ohau Channel, which connects
the two lakes together. Between 15 to
30 minutes from Rotorua (dependent on
traffic), this small community is full of
readily available Maori culture, history
and adventure with the mighty Kaituna
River on its doorstep.

33

EAST BRO TOUR

East Bro - summer only option.
Te Kaha
Te Araroa

Mourea

Whakatane
Gisborne

The East Bro trip is unique to Stray.

We work with an East Cape local who
owns and operates the trip to give
Stray travellers the best access to the
region and to get fully involved in the
culture. You can still hop-on and off the
bus, but expect smaller groups and a
really chilled out vibe. There are lots of
adventure activities, group meals and
all accommodation is beachfront. You
can join the East Bro trip from Rotorua.
Dont miss out its only available from 3
November to 30 April!
The East Cape is a special place. Not
only does it have amazing scenery particularly its beaches - it is rich in Maori
culture in what is arguably the purest
form that you will find it.
It is also the birthplace of New Zealand
history - where the first Polynesian
migration canoes landed, where Captain
Cook first set foot, and where Maori and
European people first encountered each
other.

Day 2: Gisborne to Te Araroa

Day 3: Te Araroa to Te Kaha

A: Historical convent.
$: Surfing.
: Pier jumping, visit traditionally carved
Maori church.

A: Waterfront hostel.
$: Cray fishing or boat fishing, ice cream
tasting.
: Swimming, kayaking, snorkelling.

Watch the first sunrise in the world

right in our front-yard, before setting off
to do your chosen activity. Go surfing,
wine-tasting, feed stingrays; or just
chill at our accommodation - there is
no checkout time. We depart from our
hostel at 1.00pm to head for Te Araroa.
We have plenty more historical and
scenic sights to visit before arriving at
our next destination. Tonight we stay
in an old nunnery, hosted by a friendly
local woman, in a small Maori coastal
community. Go Maori and make a
greenstone or bone necklace, or make
a handbag from flax. You also have the
option to go surfing.

We depart Te Araroa to head for the East

Cape lighthouse, regarded as the furthest
eastern lighthouse in New Zealand. We
do an easy hike to the lighthouse and get
some great views. Continuing onwards
we stop to sample native manuka honey
and oils, then head to a macadamia
nut farm to taste some homemade ice
cream. Our hostel for the night is located
directly on the coastline. Here you can go
kayaking, fish off the rocks or snorkel.
For dinner you have the option to have
a fresh seafood meal our hosts really
know how to lay-down the hospitality.

Day 4: Te Kaha to Rotorua

A: Central Rotorua hostel.
$: White Island tour.
Continuing on the East Capes coastal
road there are more beautiful bays
and beaches to see, along with slowpaced Maori communities. For those
wanting to visit the marine volcano
White Island (Whakaari), you can hopoff in Whakatane your driver will sort
accommodation and activities for you.
We arrive back into Rotorua by 12pm
where you can connect with the Stray bus
travelling south.

Day 1: Rotorua to Gisborne

A: Surf shack right on the beach.
$: Surfing, boogie boarding, wine tasting.
: Walks, swimming, chill on the beach.
We depart Rotorua around 12.30pm
and head to Gisborne, the birthplace of
New Zealand history. Our journey takes
in some stunning lake views, beautiful
coastlines and rugged bush scenery,
before arriving in Gisborne where we visit
some historical and scenic sights. Our
accommodation for the night is situated
right on the coastline, abundant with
marine-life; and the perfect place to
watch the sunrise in the morning. For
dinner, get to know your tour buddies and
enjoy a group meal.

Wharf jumping in Tologa Bay

34

MOUREA (VIA ROTORUA) TO LAKE ANIWHENUA

Maori dance

MOUREA (VIA ROTORUA) TO LAKE ANIWHENUA

Travel Day: Mourea (via Rotorua) to
Lake Aniwhenua
Depart: 8am - Mourea, 12:30pm - Rotorua

Mourea
Lake
Aniwhenua

A: Lakefront lodge.
$: Traditional fishing, eeling, weaving
lessons, cooking classes and kayaking.
: Relax by the lake, walks.
NB The cost of this incredible cultural
night is an all-inclusive price of $75
including accommodation, guided tour
and bush walk to see Maori rock art,
dinner and breakfast.
There are many things to do in Rotorua,
which makes it a popular spot for Stray
customers to hop off the bus and spend
an extra day or two. Options include:
walking around Kuirau Park for free
geothermal activity, rafting over the
highest commercially rafted waterfall
in the world or on a sledge jetboat in the

Tutukau Gorge, squeezing through a cliff

gap to explore a secret natural thermal
bathing area or visiting the Hobbiton
Movie set if youre a Lord of the Rings
fan. We do hostel pickups around town at
12.30pm (confirm with your driver or the
office if you are unsure about your pickup
point) before heading towards our night
stop at Lake Aniwhenua.
At Rainbow Mountain pick up your Maori
Guide who will take you on a journey back
in time en route to Murupara, where the
Ngati Manawa tribe resides. Together
well explore Maori cave art, hear tales
of battle and revenge, along with stories
of mystical creatures (taniwhas) which
to this day still protect the people
and the waterways that cut through
the tribal lands. Journey past historic
sites and hear the stories of how Ngati
Manawa ancestors secured its tribal
boundaries and protected a land rich in
resource and breath-taking beauty. Visit
a waterfall and site where the highly
valued eel departs every year on their
journey from the rivers to the ocean for
spawning. Continue to follow the river to
a beautiful lake edge where you will stay
this evening. Join your hosts, meet our
aunties, and help with the preparation of

35

dinner - your traditional ground cooked

hangi feast. Enjoy a selection of optional
afternoon activities including night time
eeling, weaving, cooking and more. Your
communal dining experience overflows
with food that has been traditionally
prepared. Enjoy storytelling around the
outdoor fireplace with a respected elder
from the Ngati Manawa tribewho has a
wicked sense of humour!

Traditional Maori Marae

36

37

Rotorua
Rotorua - in Maori roto means lake,
and rua means two, so Rotorua is the
second lake. The full name is Rotorua Nui
a Kuhumatamoemoe, the second great
lake of Kuhumatamoemoe (who was the
uncle of Ihenga the explorer). Over 35%
of the population in the area is Maori
so you will see plenty of their culture.
Youll also notice the smell of rotten
eggs - from the sulphur - which is caused
by the Earths crust being thin here and
leading to a lot of geothermal activity.
The Maori culture, the boiling mud pools
and shooting geysers make Rotorua
one of New Zealands biggest tourist
destinations.
Prior to the turn of the century Rotorua
was already becoming world famous
for a natural attraction, the Pink and
White Terraces that were located near
Mount Tarawera on the edge of Lake
Rotomahana. They were considered to be
the eighth wonder of the world and drew
visitors from all over at a time when New
Zealand was at best very difficult to get
to. They were made up of silica-based
terraces filled with geothermal water.
This great attraction was destroyed by
the eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886,

which also destroyed nearby villages

and killed about 120 people. A cool thing
about Rotorua is that many homes are
able to take advantage of the natural
resource with private bores allowing
them to do everything from having
private geothermal pools to heating their
houses. It used to be a bit of a free-for-all
until the 1980s when the council noticed
that all the private use was reducing the
level of geothermal activity throughout
the city and put restrictions on private
use.
Kaingaroa Forest - This is the largest
hand planted forest in the Southern
Hemisphere. During the 1930s, the
government hired cheap labour (available
because of the Depression) to plant
Radiata Pines (a Californian native which
usually reaches maturity in 50 years but
only half this time in New Zealand). The
trees on the highway between Rotorua
and Taupo are between 20-25 years
old. Between 12,000 - 15,000 trees are
planted per hectare and blocks of up to
80,000 hectares are clear felled at one
time. The trees in this forest are used for
timber, paper and pulp.

Secret hot pools, Rotorua

38

Lake Aniwhenua
Murupara The region is precious
wilderness steeped in history. The
Ngati Manawa tribes have lived here for
centuries and their culture still thrives;
65 kilomentres southeast of Rotorua
in an isolated part of the Bay of Plenty
between the Kaingaroa Forest and Te
Urewera National Park. Surrounded by
dense native bush, deep flowing rivers
and lush farmlands, lays a small township
called Murupara, a rustic and serene
corner of New Zealand. Aside from the
rich Maori culture and the many sites of
historic significance - including ancient
Maori rock art- Murupara is also the
entry point for the Whirinaki Forest Park,
which offers a myriad of walking tracks
that can be enjoyed by anyone with basic
fitness and mobility.
Lake Aniwhenua - The Stray cultural
stop here showcases your hosts way
of life, and their aim to create lasting
memories for their visitors while making
positive and practical changes within
their community. This is a unique
experience that will stir your heart and
allow you to connect spiritually with the
people and their beloved home. They will
share with you their history, stories, and
family. Maori have lived in the region
for centuries and it has not always been
an easy existence, but their culture still
thrives and your hosts strive to create
a positive influence in the area. You
can help make a difference too - as part
of your stay at Lake Aniwhenua, after
breakfast you will visit a Murupara school
and personally deliver individual prepacked hangi meals prepared the night
before for the children to enjoy for lunch
that day.

Learn how to weave with flax

Learn how to weave with flax

LAKE ANIWHENUA (VIA TAUPO) TO WHAKAHORO

Travel Day: Lake Aniwhenua
(via Taupo) to Whakahoro
Depart: 8.30am

Taupo - had a violent past. In 181AD the

volcanic crater erupted causing such a
mess that its effects on the weather and
sky were recorded in ancient Rome and
China. After the massive explosion of the
crater the resulting hole filled with water
and created Lake Taupo, our largest lake
(which is about the same size as the
whole land area of Singapore). The Maori
pronunciation of Taup is toepaw. The
full name of the Lake is Taup -nui-a-Tia,
which means The Great Garment of Tia.
Tia was one of the Polynesian chiefs who

A: Country station lodge.

$: Skydiving, bungy, river jet Taupo.
: Huka Falls, Spa Road walk.
Upon departing the lodge this morning,
your hosts will take you into one of the
local schools to meet the children from
the tribe, enjoy a cultural performance
and deliver hangi meals providing you
with another very real insight into the
colourful community that is Murupara.
If school holidays, or other events, are
scheduled during your stay; your hosts
will deliver the hangi meals on your
behalf to the local kaumatua and kuia
(elders of the tribe).
We head around Lake Taupo to the most
remote part of the North Island. We
stop on the way for a short walk and
look at Huka Falls. Weather permitting,
you get a chance to do what is one of
our most popular activities skydiving
(we recommend Skydive Taupo - see
their ad). Skydiving is really popular here
because of the amazing lake views and
mountain scenery, but also because it
is amongst the best value in the world
(apparently because it is cheaper to
operate light aircraft here). Taupo is also
a popular place to get off the bus.
Our destination today is Blue Duck
Lodge, a 9,000 acre high country farm
that is both a working station and an
environmental conservation leader. Once
you arrive, you will be greeted by your
hosts and listen to the story of this truly
amazing property over an afternoon
cuppa. We recommend a walk around the
property and take in the lush scenery,
or enjoy your host Dans fantastic
hospitality and stories on the local
wildlife and history. Spend the evening
sitting around and listen to tales from
this unique and incredibly remote region.

Lake Taupo

39

came to our shores from Tahiti in the

canoe Arawa, who believed one of the
cliffs resembled the flax cape (taupo) he
was wearing.
Huka Falls - New Zealands most
visited natural attraction. Located on
the Waikato River and whilst only 11m
high, they are famous for the speed and
volume of water they produce. Ever
y three seconds enough water flows
through the falls to fill an Olympic sized
swimming pool.

40

WHAKAHORO BLUE DUCK STATION

Whakahoro (Blue Duck Station)
- This area is an outdoor enthusiasts
playground. Located in the Ruapehu
District on the banks of the Whanganui
and Retaruke Rivers, and surrounded by
Whanganui National park. Whakahoro
has a very colourful history, both Maori
and European, and there are remnants
of this all around Blue Duck Station.
There is also a huge conservation effort
in preserving the Blue Duck (or Whio in
Maori), which is an endangered species.
The rare blue ducks can be observed
while kayaking down the Retaruke River
or walking along the Kaiwhakauka track
above the waterfall. You can get involved
in the various conservation projects
when you stay at Blue Duck Station, from
surveying the Kiwi and Whio population,
to helping restore some of the historic
buildings in the area, which were
abandoned by the early farmers. If you
feel connected with their conservation
efforts, you can sponsor a trap and keep
in touch by monitoring its success online.
We stay two nights at Blue Duck
Station so you have an entire free day
to experience one of the many optional
paid activities the farm has to offer.
Heres your chance for an environmental
focused bush safari, a half day horse
trek, a guided wild animal hunt, a paddle
down the Whanganui river by kayak and
jet boat back or firing a gun at clay birds.
We recommend them all, but some of the
activities on offer are:
4WD Bush Safari learn more about the
stations environmental focus and see
conservation in action than with a halfday guided 4WD with one of the resident
eco-warriors. Make sure you keep your
eyes peeled for the rare blue duck.
Guided horse trekking no experience
required, just a desire to take in the
spectacular views like a real cowboy. One
of the best ways to explore the station
and really absorb the fantastic natural
surrounds.
Guided hunting do your part for the
environmental cause with a guided hunt.
In this part of the country, deer, pigs and
goats are considered pests and hunting
them will help protect the native bush
and birdlife. Plus, you can cook and eat
what you kill!

Horse riding

41

42

NATIONAL PARK
Travel Day: Whakahoro to
National Park
Depart: 6:45am (changes seasonally)

A: Beautiful alpine lodge.

$: The Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
: Taranaki Falls walk, visit the Volcanic
Centre, Tawhai Falls (Gollums pool).
Todays departure time depends on
season and weather. Please see your
driver or the latest timetable. If the
conditions allow it (not too much rain,
wind or snow) you get a chance to do
what is rated as one of the worlds best
one day walks - the Tongariro Alpine
Crossing. It is not to be taken lightly
because of its remoteness, length and
height above sea level (which gives
changeable weather). Your driver/guide
will make sure that you are properly

Mt Doom

prepared by going through a checklist of

what you need to take and ensuring you
get suitable food supplies. Please note
there is a transport/concession fee to
do this walk and in winter, for safety, an
equipment/guide charge as well.
The walk takes about 6 -7 hours and
crosses the National Parks scenically
amazing volcanic plateau, complete with
steaming craters. For those not doing
the walk or on days that the walk isnt
possible we spend the day exploring
the National Park with a couple of
shorter walks and visit the Volcanic
Centre Museum. In winter you also have
the option to ski or snowboard at Mt
Ruapehu (NZs largest ski area).
At the end of the day we head back to
National Park Village where we stay
in a beautiful alpine lodge The Park.
You can relax in the spa or have a few
drinks in the Spiral Bar to toast your
achievement! This is a great place to hop
off the bus to stay longer with options
of mountain biking, rafting, canoeing,
skiing/boarding in winter, or maybe
some traditional kiwi lawn bowling!

Tongariro National Park - The Tongariro

National Park was New Zealands first
National Park, and is a World Heritage
Area. The park was created in 1887 when
Te Heuheu Tukino IV, paramount chief
of the Ngati Tuwharetoa, gifted its
three volcanoes, Ruapehu, Tongariro,
and Ngauruhoe, to the people of New
Zealand. Ruapehu is the most active of
the volcanoes. It has a simmering crater
lake and last erupted in 2007 sending a
mudflow of debris down the mountain.

Summer in Tongariro

43

WELLINGTON
Travel Day: National Park to
Wellington
Depart: 9am

Tongariro National Park

Wellington

A: Central city hostel.

$: Lord of the Rings tour, Weta Studies
workshop.
: Walk Oriental Parade, head up Mt
Victoria for fantastic views, visit the
national museum Te Papa, gumboot
(welly) throwing.
We head to Wellington by heading round
the mountains to Ohakune.
This is a great little ski village also known
as the Carrot Capital of New Zealand;
you may consider hopping off here to
take in more of the National Park (or for
skiing and nightlife in the winter). We
then cruise down to the bottom of the
Desert Road and through the great rural
towns of Taihape and Bulls. Today is
mostly an express to get to Wellington
for the sights of our capital. We strongly
recommend walking Oriental Parade or
visiting Te Papa, the national museum.
Wellington, known as the coolest little
capital in the world, is a nice place to
hang out for its arts, shopping and
vibrant caf culture and to check out the
home of NZs parliament. Tonight, we
stay in a backpackers hostel in central
Wellington.

the cheeks. The proposed design was

to cost the town more than $226,000.
Check out the awesome puns and murals
theyre increda-bull!
Kapiti Island -the big island as you head
towards Wellington 1,700 Hectares).
This island was the home base of the
famous warrior Te Rauparaha; before
becoming a significant whaling base
with seven whaling stations. There are
now two marine reserves off its shore.
Kapiti is one of New Zealands most
valuable nature reserves, and one of
a few relatively accessible islands. It
provides an opportunity for people to
observe birds that are either very rare or
absent from the mainland, and to see the
recovery of vegetation after intensive
modification during last century. Check
out the Kapiti Island Stray Adventure
to learn what you can do to help this
excellent environmental initiative.
Wellington - Wellington is New Zealands
third largest city and has been the
capital and home of the New Zealand
Government since 1865. It is named
after the first Duke of Wellington Arthur
Wellesley who commanded the British
army against Napoleon and was also
British Prime Minister (which must have
seemed like good reasons to name a town
in the place on the opposite side of the
world after him). New Zealands capital
was originally up north in Russell, then
moved to Auckland before being moved
south to keep the gold rich southerners
happy.
The central city is jammed between the
hills and the harbour, so is relatively
small and is easy to walk around. It is

Taihape - is locally famous as a down to

earth Kiwi farming town. Depending on
the group and timing we sometimes stop
to celebrate this with a bit of gumboot
throwing.
Bulls - caused a stir during World War II
when milk exported from here labelled
Milk from Bulls got everyone guessing.
Recently Bulls made international news
when a proposed architectural design for
the new public toilets resembled a bulls
rear end from the air. People paying a
visit to the Bulls public toilet would walk
up the tail of the bull and enter between

Te Papa

known as the windy city (the local rugby

team is called The Hurricanes). Wind is
channelled through the Cook Strait, which
is the only gap in New Zealands 1400km
chain of mountains. The city is located on
a major fault line and Wellington leads
the world (they hope) in the development
and application of technology to
create earthquake resistant buildings.
The harbour is a large volcanic crater.
Wellington is home to Te Papa, New
Zealands National Museum; its free
to enter although a donation is much
appreciated. Inside its walls you will find
many exhibitions detailing New Zealands
precarious position on the tectonic
plates, its birds and marine life, cultural
history, a contemporary designed marae,
and copies of the Treaty of Waitangi. It
also hosts many temporary exhibitions
as well (that sometimes have a small
charge). The Wellington area is also home
of Peter Jackson and his Weta Studios
of Lord of the Rings, King Kong and The
Hobbit fame. Forget Holly wood and Bolly
wood we now have Welly wood.
Cook Strait - is only 23km wide at its
narrowest point. Because the ferry trip
has to make its way across Wellington
Harbour on one side and through the
Marlborough Sounds on the other the
average crossing time is roughly 3.5
hours. The fastest recorded time for
someone swimming the Strait is 4 hours
and 37 minutes. This record is held by
21-year-old Casey Glover, who swum
the Strait on the 13 April 2008. His time
equates to nearly 6kmh and compares
roughly with how long it takes the ferries
to make the crossing (although they take
a slightly longer route).

44

Unique Features
+ Stay beside Abel Tasman National Park
with sailing, walking and kayaking options
+ Unique activities ranging from greenstone
hunting to bone carving
+ Special deals on glacier trips
+ Milford Sound included en-route
+ Stay in stunning Fiordland National Park,
with world famous walking tracks
+ Optional overnight on Stewart Island with
incredible wildlife and remote scenery
+ Stay at the base of NZs highest mountain,
Mt Cook
+ Lord of the Rings scenery at Rangitata
with awesome rafting options
(summer only)

Other Highlights
+ Lush rainforest at the base of
mountains
+ Caving tours in NZs unmodified West
Coast caving systems
+ Awesome Franz Josef glacier
+ Incredible mountains and fiords
+ Every adventure activity you can think of!

Kayak at Abel Tasman

Abel Tasman Sailing

45

South Island Travel Days

Travel Day: Wellington/Picton
to Marahau (Abel Tasman)

Abel Tasman
Marahau (2)
Nelson
Picton

Wellington

A: Unique Stray accommodation on the

edge of the national park.
$: Wine tasting, skydiving, sailing,
kayaking, water taxi, hang gliding,
stand-up paddle boarding.
: Walk the national park, mussel
tasting, stargazing.
We need to be at the Bluebridge ferry
terminal by 7am to catch the 8am ferry
(the ferry will cost between $51-75). Ask
your driver or at the hostel reception to
explain the options for getting to the
terminal from where you are staying. If
you are flying you can sleep in for at least
an hour longer.

We pick up our new coach in Picton and

depart from the Bluebridge ferry terminal
at 11.45am - this is particularly important
for people who have not carried on with
the same driver, are just starting their
trip, or those who have flown over, who
will be dropped off at the ferry terminal
as well.
Our journey today passes through the
famous Marlborough vineyard area and,
depending on the groups wishes, we may
stop to do a bit of a wine tasting. We also
stop at the coastal city of Nelson, a cool
relaxed town to hop off and stay longer if
you have time. We stock up on supplies
in Motueka before arriving at our night
stop, Marahau. This is a relatively remote
place right at the edge of the stunning
Abel Tasman National Park. The park
is famous for its beautiful golden sand
beaches and the area boasts to have the
most sunshine hours in New Zealand.
This is a popular place for Stray people to
get off the bus and spend an extra day or
two exploring and/or relaxing; however,
we already built a two night stay into the
itinerary.
After a long day of travel, your driver
will offer free mussel tasting around the
campfire to those interested in sampling
the local delicacy.

Abel Tasman National Park The Abel

Tasman National Park is listed in the
top nine Great Walks of New Zealand so
this is an ideal spot to hop off and do the
whole track in 2-3 days. Otherwise, take
an Aqua Taxi into the park and wander
back to our accommodation at your own
pace. Other options are a relaxing sailing
boat or a guided kayaking trip. For the
more adventurous there is skydiving,
hang gliding and exploring the secluded
waterways by canyoning.

Abel Tasman Coastal Walk

46

47

WEST COAST
Travel Day: Marahau to Wesport

Depart 8am
A: Charming character villa in the centre
of town
$: Surfing, horse riding, jet boating,
caving
: Westport seal colony, West Coast
sunset.
Connect with nature and get your hands
dirty as the group will plant a tree in
Marahau before we leave, just one of
Strays conservation efforts. The drive
today will pass the Kahurangi National
Park to stop for lunch in Murchison
before continuing south through the
Buller Gorge to the wild West Coast,
which stretches over 600km. If weather
permits, well walk the coastal track
of Cape Foulwind to spot the seals
dotting the rocks. Before our arrival into
Westport you can select from a variety of
activities: 1.5hour horse trek, a brilliant
high speed jet-boat ride on the mighty
Buller River, an underworld rafting/
glowworm cave tour in one of NZs
largest unmodified cave systems, or hit
the surf in Tauranga Bay. A sight not to
be missed on the West Coast is the sun
setting into the Tasman Sea, so keep your
camera handy.
The Buller Gorge - The Buller Rivers
Maori name Kawatiri meaning swift
and deep gives an idea of what an
obstacle it used to be. It used to take
travellers up to seven weeks to get
through the gorge - the only way to cross
the river was by boat until 1890.
Westport - set at the mouth of the
Buller River, this relaxed port town is
the largest centre of the northern West
Coast with a population of about 6,000.
In 1858, a surveyor named John Rochfort
discovered coal and gold in the region.
Westport was infamous for having
some 60 hotels on the main street in its
heyday; now there are only a dozen or so

left and they remain the centre of town

social activity. The town was primarily
founded on gold and later coal which is
still mined. However the future of "King
Coal" is uncertain as it seems the coal
industry is now in decline.
West Coast - The major influx of settlers
arrived between 1864 and 1867 when gold
fever drove the population from
250 to 26,000. Coal was also discovered
during the same period and lead to
the establishment of a more stable
and ongoing industry. The relative
isolation (mobile phones still dont work
throughout much of the area) means that
West Coasters really are a breed apart
from the rest of the country rock solid
and hearty characters.

The 'wild' West Coast

48

WEST COAST
Travel Day: Westport to
Franz Josef

Depart 8am
A: Lodge in the middle of the rainforest
$: The Ice Explorer trip onto the
glacier (entry to hot pools included),
kayaking, skydiving.
: Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and the
mighty blowholes; Truman Track walk.
Over the next couple of days we will be
travelling down State Highway 6 that
stretches over 1000 kilometres from
Westport to Haast. It weaves in and
out of amazing rugged shoreline to lush
rainforest and was recently rated as
one of the top ten drives in the world by
Lonely Planet.
One stop thats not to be missed is
Punakaiki, best known for its Pancake
Rocks and the blowholes associated with
the rock formations. If you have days to
spare you may choose to hop off here and
explore this little West Coast gem.
At this point there is a popular option of
bone or jade carving where you can make
your own jewellery, the perfect souvenir
to take home. You get to choose what
you make and can do anything from
traditional designs to your family crest.
Our next stop is Greymouth where
we pick up people joining us from
Christchurch, then on to Hokitika where
time almost stands still. If you didnt
make your own greenstone masterpiece,
we take the time to stop at the pounamu
(greenstone) factory. We then travel
onto our two night stop of Franz Josef, a
town set in rainforest squashed between
the Tasman Sea and the mighty Franz
Josef Glacier, the head of which can be
seen from the town itself.

Punakaiki & Paparoa National Parkwith 30,000 ha of rainforest, cliffs and

caves, Punakaiki is the service centre
for Paparoa National Park. The most
famous feature is the Pancake Rocks and
Blowholes. These are made up of soft
and hard layers of rock, which have been
eroded by the sea to leave formations
that look like stacks of pancakes. The
sea still roars through the formations
creating huge blowholes that shoot
impressive sprays of water into the air.
There is a great 20 minute loop walk
around the formations. The community
surrounding Punakaiki is made up of
many laidback artists, potters, carvers,
glass blowers and weavers all inspired by
the rugged beauty and mystery of this
region. If you have time, its definitely
worth sticking around our friends at the
Te Nikau Retreat are excellent hosts for
Stray passengers wanting to hop off and
will help you meet up with the bus when
youre ready to hop back on.

Make your very own custom Bone Carving

Truman Track - is an easy 20 min walk

through subtropical forest down to
the coastline. If it is low tide, you can
follow some steps down to the beach,
where you will be able to see an amazing
overhanging sandstone cliff.
The bush - this coastal area is plant
paradise. There are hardly any frosts,
over 2000 hours of sunshine and
2000mm of rain ever y year. The forest is
made of a variety of broadleaf trees with
great Maori names including kamahi,
mahoe, and kawakawa. It used to be
dominated by big trees called rimu, matai
and kahikatea but many of these areas
were extensively logged in the past. As
you walk in the bush, you will also notice
a number of bushy things growing on
other trees. These are called epiphytes.
Nikau palms are another characteristic
feature plant of this area and appear
often in local art.

49

Christchurch to West Coast

Travel Day:
Christchurch to West Coast
PLEASE NOTE: The 1st sector of this
day is not on the Stray bus so please call
the Stray office at least 48 hours before
departure to confirm pick up details.
Valid with Arthur, Short Arthur, Q and
Short Q passes.
Pick-up for the Atomic Shuttle service
will be at 7.15 am, but be waiting at 7am.
The service heads over the stunning
Arthurs Pass to the West Coast town of
Greymouth, where youll connect with
the Stray bus.
For a more comfortable journey and one
of the top 10 rail rides in the world, you
have the option to upgrade to travel on
the Tranz-Alpine Railway. You must make
your own way to the Christchurch Railway
Station on Troup Drive, Addington by
7.45am. The train departs at 8.15am
sharp.
Both options arrive into Greymouth in
time for you to meet the Stray bus at 1pm
outside the train station (down by the
bus stop).
NB: Please contact Stray if your bus/train
is running late.
Greymouth - with a current population
of about 14,000 it is much smaller than
it would have been during the gold rush
but its still the largest service centre of
the West Coast. One of our great annual
sporting events starts just south of here
at Kumara Beach each February. The
Coast to Coast is as the name suggests
a race from the West Coast of New
Zealand to the east. The real challenge is
that the Southern Alps just happen to be
between these two points.
Hokitika - yet another town that owes
its existence to the gold rushes of the
1860s. Despite the treacherous bar at
the river mouth, the port briefly became
the countrys busiest. Hokitika is
exceptionally well known in New Zealand
for greenstone (or pounamu as the Maori
know it).
Pounamu - Pounamu has always been
held in high regard by New Zealand
Maori. It has high spiritual significance
and is worn in remembrance of passed
ancestors (tipuna) where the tiki is often
regarded as holding the power (mana) of
the previous owners. Greenstone took
the place of metals for practical, war

faring and decorative uses. Adzes and

chisels were used for carving, specific
weapons were created for hand-to-hand
combat and pieces were created and
worn as jewellery.
Poutini - is the name in Maori for
the West Coast. Legend has it that
Poutini is also the name given to a
taniwha (monster) which swims up
and down the West Coast of the South
Island protecting both the people and
the spiritual essence of pounamu,
greenstone.
The Wild Food Festival held every year
in March, it began as a simple celebration
for the completion of a heritage area
development. The idea was to celebrate
with the wild food tastes of the West
Coast. It now attracts a crowd of tens of
thousands who get to sample everything
from the well-known local delicacy of
whitebait fritters to the scar y option of
stuffed and fried sheep testicles.
Ross - is another small historic gold
mining township and in fact gold is still
mined in the town today. It was the place
where New Zealands largest gold nugget,
the 99-ounce Honourable Roddy was
found in 1907.
Hari Hari - a small dairy farming
settlement whose claim to fame dates
back to 1931 when a young aviator from
Sydney named Guy Menzies made the
first solo flight across the Tasman Sea,
and landed upside down in a swamp on
the outskirts of town!
Whataroa - This farming and sawmilling centre is the base for tours to the
nearby kotuku (white heron) sanctuary.
Although common in other Pacific and
Asian countries there are only about 150
kotuku in New Zealand and they nest
in a single streamside colony south of
the outlet of the Whataroa River. To
the Maori kotuku were a bird of a single
flight, a bird seen perhaps once in a
lifetime and a symbol of things both
beautiful and rare.
Okarito - The nearby lagoon is the largest
unmodified tidal inlet in New Zealand
and a major feeding area for many wading
birds (including kotuku white heron).

Nikau Palms - West Coast

50

FRANZ JOSEF
Franz Josef - The township is a cool
little place in the rainforest which
contains little more than a couple of
cafes, booking offices, a gas station, a
supermarket, money machines and an
internet cafe.
According to Maori legend, the glacier
is actually the frozen tears of a maiden
called Hinehukatere. They were made
from her crying for the one she loved.
She made her man (Tane) climb the
mountains with her but unfortunately
near the top he slipped and fell to his
death. Hinehukatere was heartbroken
and with her crying at such a high
altitude her tears turned to ice and
formed the glacier we all see today.
The name Franz Josef was given to the
glacier by the geologist Julius von Haast
to honour the emperor of his native
Austria. The glacier itself is 12 kilometres
long and is one of the fastest moving
glaciers in the world with growth of as
much as 1.5.metres a day. While Franz
Josef glacier is unique because of its ease
of access by road, we recommend that
you do one of the guided trips because of
the changeable and difficult conditions
and the danger of getting beyond the
glacier face. By choosing one of the tours
on offer, you will be shown the right way
to go but more importantly get flash
shoes with steel grips and an ice pick for
some fantastic photos.
Activity options - A visit to Franz Josef
is not complete without viewing the
glacier itself; however as we are on the
West Coast, the weather determines
the outcome of your free day. There are
many walks in the Westland National
Park to view the ice and the Franz Josef
Glacier Guides have different options for
you to choose from. If a hike on a glacier
isnt your cup of tea, eco-kayaking on
Lake Mapourika with the Glacier County
Kayaks offers stunning views of the
Southern Alps whilst paddling round the
rarest kiwi bird habitat in NZ.

Boys getting amongst the ice, Franz Josef

FRANZ JOSEF

Franz Josef Glacier Guides

51

52

FRANZ JOSEF TO WANAKA

Travel Day:
Franz Josef to Wanaka
Franz Josef (2)
Fox Glacier

Wanaka
Depart 9am
A: Central hostel.
$: Skydiving, jetboating, scenic flights.
: Mirror Lake walk, Ship Creek walk,
Blue Pools walk, Thundercreek Falls walk.
This morning you have the option of
skydiving over Fox Glacier before we
depart. The bus will collect you as we
pass through the town en-route to Lake
Matheson for some amazing upside-down
scenery viewing. Today we will be leaving
the West Coast behind us and making
our way through the mountainous Haast
Pass and Mount Aspiring National Park.
This is one of the most scenic drives youll
ever do.
This area is so rugged that the road
(vitally important as it completes the
South Island circuit) was only opened in
1965 and fully sealed in 1995. Have your
walking shoes and raincoats ready as
there are a few great short walk options
including Ships Creek, Thunder Creek Falls
and Blue Pools (watch out for nibbling
sandflies). We visit the remote town of
Makarora on the edge of Mt Aspiring
National Park. Theres a great jet boating
option or, if you have time to hop off, do
one of the amazing walks or scenic flights.
We pass the beautiful lakes of Wanaka
and Hawea and aim to arrive in Wanaka
by 4.30pm (depending on how many
walks we do). Tonight you may like to
head down to the lake to take photos or
maybe check out a film at the funky, cool
Paradiso cinema.
Knights Point - named after a dog
belonging to one of the men who worked
on the road. The Haast Road was
started in 1929 as part of a government
employment scheme. It follows what
was a track used by Maori who used to
wander over the West Coast searching
for greenstone. The war and engineering
problems meant that it wasnt finished
until 1965.

Haast - is probably the most remote

wilderness area that you can drive to
relatively easily in New Zealand. Its a
landscape of rainforest, wetlands, sand
dunes and shingle beaches. The area is
part of the South West New Zealand
World Heritage Area. The township has
little more than a pub, a gas station
and an information centre. You can see
800-year-old rimu trees, kahikatea
(New Zealands tallest tree), kowhai and
manuka trees and flax.

Thunder Creek Falls - a great short walk

takes you to these falls that drop about
30m.
Makarora - The area of Makarora was
once covered with thick forests; this
lead to it being a key saw milling area,
supplying timber to the Otago Goldfields.

Haast Pass - The road reaches 564m at its

highest point. A simple glance out the bus
window is all you need to understand why
it took so long to turn what used to be a
track used by Maori into a sealed road.
It cuts straight across the rugged main
divide. It was named by a bloke called
Julius Von Haast who was apparently the
second white man to cross over the pass.
The road was opened in 1965 but was
only fully sealed in 1995 which is quite
significant when you remember that this
is the only way to cross the Southern Alps
for 400km.

Wanaka Skydive

53

WANAKA
Lake Wanaka - As you drive through
the gorge past the lakes you will see
long horizontal lines carved into the
mountainsides. These were created
by the large glaciers which led to the
formation of the large lakes as the
rocks they pushed blocked the valleys.
Lake Wanaka is the third largest of the
Southern Lakes. It is 45km long and 312
metres deep. It is fed by the Makaroa
and Matukituki Rivers and is the source
of the Clutha River, which is the longest
river in the South Island. Lake Hawea is
35km long and 410 metres deep.
Legend has it that the great chief Te
Rakaihautu carved out the beds of Lake
Wanaka and Lake Hawea with his mighty
Ko, or digging stick, piling up the debris to
form mountain ranges.
Wanaka - is both a summer holiday
town for Kiwis and travellers alike and a
winter base for access to Mount Aspiring
National Park, Cardrona and Treblecone
ski-fields. Wanaka is like a sister city to
Queenstown and is a good place to jump
off the bus for a couple of days to chill
out.

Stray Bus in Wanaka

Lake Wanaka

54

Queenstown
Travel Day: Wanaka to
Queenstown
Depart 10.15am

Wanaka
Queenstown (2)

A: Central hostel.
$: Puzzling World, skydiving, bungy
jumping, pilot your own microlight plane.
: Walk Mt Iron, watch people jumping
off a bridge!
This morning you have the option of
hiking to the summit of Mt Iron (1.5
hours), getting disorientated at Puzzling
World, flying your own plane or skydiving
over beautiful Lake Wanaka. We make
our way through the rugged rocky

Kawarau Gorge and visit a historical

suspension bridge where AJ Hackett set
the first commercially operated bungy
jump in 1988. We have time for you to
take the plunge here or signup for the
epic 134m Nevis bungy jump or swing
before heading to Queenstown.
There is a wide range of adventure
activities accessible here, more than
anywhere else in the world. The region
offers a number of multi-day treks, as
well as great shorter walks and amazing
mountain biking...and if this all sounds
a bit much, you can just sit and stare
at some of the worlds most aweinspiring scenery. Queenstown offers
an optional big (make that huge) night
out with excellent restaurants, pubs and
live music. Whilst here take the time
to indulge in an incredible Fergburger,
recently voted by the BBC as the best
burger in the world!
Queenstown - It was gold which bought
the first settlers to the area, followed
by sheep stations but all of this has
now been totally outdone by adventure
tourism development. Coronet Peak Ski
area (one of the two closest ski fields)
was opened in the 1950s. In the 1970s,
the now hugely successful Shotover Jet,

the worlds first commercial jet boat

operation was opened. The jet used
an invention by a Kiwi guy called Bill
Hamilton (basically a powerful water
pump for propulsion), which enables
specially designed boats to be really
manoeuvrable and to be driven in rocky
rivers with a depth of as little as 10cm.
Quick to follow were white water rafting
and the AJ Hackett Bungy development.
These iconic activities have been draw
cards for years and have made it possible
for many other lesser-known activities to
become viable.
Kawarau Suspension Bridge - was
originally built in the 1880s to provide
access to the goldfields around Lake
Wakatipu. The bridge then fell into
disrepair and was deemed unsafe until
Henry van Asch and AJ Hackett applied
for a one-month license to use the
bridge commercially for bungy jumping
in 1988and so it became the location
of the worlds first fulltime commercial
bungy operation. A fee is paid to the
Department of Conservation for ever y
jump by AJ Hackett Bungy to maintain
the site.

55

Queenstown
Bungy Jumping - created by New
Zealanders Henry van Asch and AJ
Hackett. They were inspired by the
Oxford University Dangerous Sports
Club who tried jumping off bridges while
holding onto big rubber bands back in the
70s. This was also similar to the ancient
passage to manhood ritual of the people
of Vanuatu in the Pacific who throw
themselves from huge towers with vines
tied to their feet (yes, it hurts). Henry and
AJ did much testing and experimentation
to come up with the ideal latex cord and
attachment system then set off around
the world to do some high profile jumps
first in Tignes, France from a ski area
gondola 91 metres above the snow,
followed by the Eiffel Tower and the
Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
This gained them huge profile from the
start and they still dominate the world of
Bungy.

Non Travel Day: Queenstown

Adventure Capital of the

world
Queenstown is a great place to spend
some extra time no matter what you
choose to do with your time.
Today is yours to explore. Options
include: doing nothing, great local
walks, taking a side trip to Dunedin
and any adventure activity that you
can think of. Obviously you can break
your journey in Queenstown for as long
as you want. If time allows you should
take the opportunity to do one of the
many multi-day adventure activities
or walks. If heading straight north to
Christchurch (via Mt Cook and Rangitata),
look at doing a one day Milford Sound or
Doubtful Sound trip before you go.

Lake Wakatipu - New Zealands third

largest lake after Taupo and Te Anau. The
temperature of the lake only varies by a
few degrees from the hottest summer to
the coldest winter. The name Wakatipu
means Space of the Demon relating to a
Maori legend of the lake.

Throw yourself over the edge, bungy jumping, Queenstown

56

57

58

QUEENSTOWN TO FIORDLAND
Travel Day: Queenstown to Gunns
Camp (via Milford Sound)
Depart 7.30am (changes seasonally
check latest timetable).

Milford Sound
Gunns Camp

Queenstown (2)

Te Anau

A: Historic camp in the heart of Fiordland

National Park.
$: Milford Sound Cruise.
: Humbolt Falls walk, visit
the historic museum or take in the
incredible surroundings at Gunns
Camp, Chasm walk.

Enjoy a scenic drive alongside Lake

Wakatipu before we arrive into Te Anau,
the gateway to a walkers paradise. Some
people may choose to jump off here
and explore further. Due to our remote
overnight accommodation, we need to
gather a few supplies before we leave
including our Milford Cruise and Stewart
Island ferry tickets.
(NB: Bed spaces are limited on the island
so we will book your accommodation at
the backpackers today.)
Passing through the farmlands of
Southland, the scenery shifts into
mountain valleys carved by glaciers as
we climb up to the Homer Tunnel and
descend on the other side. Along the way
we stop for a couple of short walks and
amazing photo opportunities in NZs
largest National Park. Once we arrive into
Milford, you have the option of a scenic
cruise to really appreciate this stunning
fiord. Upon the return from the cruise
we travel to our unique overnight stop at
Gunns Camp, a historic camp on the edge
of the Hollyford Track.

The Homer Tunnel - was named after

Harr y Homer, the bloke who started the
construction project. It began in 1935
as a work project for the unemployed
during the Depression. The tunnel was
entirely carved out by hand which as
you can imagine was not an easy task
- and explains why it is not one smooth
curve. The tunnel is 1200m long and has
a gradient of 1 in 10. There are no lights
in the tunnel and the traffic lights are a
very recent addition. The view at the exit
is one of the most spectacular that you
will see. The weather proved to be the
biggest hazard to the workers during the
Milford Road project. The terrain was
also harsh, high in altitude, rugged and
steep and plagued by floods and deadly
avalanches. The route to Milford was not
finished until 1952 and was shut ever y
winter until the 1970s.

MILFORD SOUND / FIORDLAND

Milford Sound - is actually a fiord. This is
an absolutely stunning place, considered
a must see when you come to NZ. Its
most well-known feature is Mitre Peak,
the worlds highest sea cliff at 1692m. It
was given the name Mitre Peak by early
explorers because it resembled the mitre
headwear worn by bishops. The fiord is
290m deep in the middle but only 120m
at the sea entrance. This is because it
was the terminal point of the glacier
which created it. The fiords in this area
have a 2-4m layer of fresh water which
sits above the salt water because it is so
calm and only weak light filters through
to below. This means that there is a great
deal of sea life which would usually only
be found in very deep water relatively
near the surface. You could see wildlife at
and above the surface including fur seals,
crested penguins, bottle nosed and dusky
dolphins.
Initial development in this area is
largely attributed to a guy called Donald
Sutherland (not the actor) who was an
old sea dog that settled here in the late
1800s and became known as the hermit
of Milford. He discovered the huge
waterfalls, which he named after himself.
He claimed that the Sutherland Falls were
over 1000m high and the highest in the
world. This was a great trick as it attracted
tourists and he was able to build the first
hotel in the Sound and went from living
like a hermit to being the host of people
from around the world. While indeed high
and spectacular, the falls are actually
581m and are not the highest in the world.

Captain Cook who did not actually enter

the sound as he was doubtful he would
be able to sail out.
Lake Manapouri and Doubtful Sound
are joined by a man-made tunnel which

The Takahe - one of New Zealands rarest

birds. It is about 25cm tall, has green
feathers and a red beak and legs. Like all
of our favourite birds it cannot fly. For over
half a century they were thought to be
extinct and were only rediscovered in
1948. A large part of the park is closed off
to minimalise disturbance to the bird.
Manapouri - New Zealands second
deepest lake at 444m (after Lake Hauroko
which is the deepest at 463m) and is
regarded by many as one of the most
scenic.
Doubtful Sound - the deepest of all fiords.
It is three times longer than Milford and
over 10 times the area. Its remoteness and
physical grandeur with towering peaks,
huge waterfalls (some over 600 metres),
and calmness created by the protection of
the steep walls mean that this is a pretty
mind blowing place. It was named by

Milford Sound

59

takes water from the lake through an

underground power station and on to
Deep Cove in Doubtful Sound.
Ask your driver guide for day and overnight
packages on offer spaces are limited.

60

Fiordland Walking Tracks

Kepler Track - is a 60 km circuit through
the spectacular scenery of Fiordland
National Park. It can be walked in either
direction (although anti-clockwise is
recommended) and approximately 8000
walkers complete it each year. It was
originally established to take pressure off
the Routeburn and Milford Tracks but is
now one of New Zealands Great Walks in
its own right.
Routeburn Track - traverses 33km of
Mount Aspiring and Fiordland National
Parks. It can be walked in either
direction and may be combined with
the Greenstone or Caples Tracks. Most
walkers take three days. It has about
13,000 walkers each year. Between
October and late April bookings are
essential to guarantee your hut or
campsite accommodation. This is not a
circuit track and there are about 350km
of road transport between the ends. It is
accessed by road at either the Routeburn
Shelter, (the starting or finishing point at
the Mount Aspiring National Park end of
the track), or at The Divide (the starting
or finishing point at the Fiordland
National Park end of the track). Public
transport services both ends of the track.
There is no cell phone coverage in the
area.

Weather - Fiordland National Park has

high rainfall and changeable weather.
Unpredictable weather patterns mean
that cold temperatures, snow, strong
winds and heavy rain can occur at any
time of the year. It is estimated that it
rains 276 days of the year down here
so be prepared for at least one wet day
on your trip. Remember, exposure and
hypothermia (low body temperature) can
affect anyone when the weather is wet,
cold and windy and hypothermia can kill.

Milford Track is 53.5 kilometres

through Fiordland National Park and is
New Zealands most famous hike with
approximately 14,000 people walking it
each year; it has been described as the
finest walk in the world. It starts at the
head of Lake Te Anau and finishes in
Milford Sound. It passes New Zealands
(not the worlds) highest waterfall
(Sutherland Falls at 581 metres). The
track may only be walked in one direction,
from Glade Wharf to Milford Sound,
during the booked walking season (late
October to late April), with a maximum
of 40 independent walkers permitted
to start the track each day. Booking
is essential to guarantee your hut
accommodation. To walk the Milford
Track you require a bus or private
transport to Te Anau Downs, then boat
transport to Glade Wharf. Boat transport
is also required from Sandfly Point (the
end of the track) to Milford Sound. There
is no cell phone coverage in the area.

Fiordland National Park

Correct clothing is essential - Traveling

along the alpine sections can be difficult
due to the strong winds, which are
common in the area. Wind gusts up
to 80km per hour are possible and will
greatly increase the wind-chill factor on
cooler days. Be prepared.
Bookings - In peak season limited spaces
are available. You must book in advance
before starting your walk at
www.booking.doc.govt.nz to ensure you
have a place to sleep for the night.

61

DEEP SOUTH
Travel Day: Gunns Camp to
Invercargill / Stewart Island
Depart 8.30am

Milford Sound
Gunns Camp
Te Anau

Invercargill
Waipapa
Point (Catlins)
Stewart Island

A: Central hostel or island backpackers.

$: Stewart Island Ferry, Ata Whenua
Shadowland film, Te Anau Wildlife
Centre.
: Key Summit walk, Viewing Gantry
walk.
We start the morning with a great hike
up to the Key Summit Track for stunning
views over the Fiordland Mountains
(weather dependent). We then head
across the farmlands of Southland
to Invercargill and Bluff. Next stop
Stewart Island - New Zealands 3rd
island. We catch the 4.30pm ferry from
Bluff (check in at 4pm), which takes an
hour. The ferry times vary seasonally so
check the time with your driver.
For those not heading to Stewart Island
the bus will drop you off at our hostel
in Invercargill on the way through to
Bluff. However, we strongly recommend
that you head over to the Island (there
are great combo deals for the ferry and
Milford Sound cruise ask your driver
about them).
There are many activity options available
on Stewart Island including: incredible
walks, fishing trips (which people rave
about), a cruise to Ulva Island an open
air bird sanctuary, scooter hire and
mountain bike hire to explore this remote
oasis, or even a Great White Shark
wilderness cruise option!
The one and only Stewart Island Pub is a
must do if you want to meet the highly
interesting locals. A few years back the
pub forgot to renew its liquor license,
which forced the whole island to go dry,
caused havoc for the beer loving locals
and made national news headlines.

Invercargill - is New Zealands

southernmost city. The upside is that
it gets long daylight hours in summer.
The downside is that it has the lowest
average temperature, the lowest annual
average of sunshine hours, and the
highest number of rain days. Invercargill
shares much of its history with Dunedin
and both cities have very distinct
Scottish influences as they were both
initially surveyed by Scottish companies
looking to create settlements in the new
world. White settlement in Invercargill
was always focused on being a service
town for beef and dairy farming in the
area. Recently there has been relatively
significant growth in the number of dairy
farms in the area as land has become
too expensive to be viable for milk
production in the Waikato and many
farmers have moved south. A lot of the
recent rejuvenation of the town can be
put down to its mayor Tim Shadbolt, a
colourful character known throughout
New Zealand. It is thanks to his efforts
in introducing the free fees scheme to
the polytechnic that attracted young
people to the South and a breath of life
into the city. The mayor and the town
featured in a recent Holly wood movie
The Worlds Fastest Indian, which is a
true story about a local who set out to
break the speed record for motorbikes
of less than 1000cc. In fact you can see a
replica of the Indian, the bike which he
rode to achieve this, on display in a local
hardware store.

Gunns Camp

Bluff - The first Europeans to visit the

area were Sydney merchants in about
1813. They were keen to set up a flax
milling industry to supply rope for ships.
Unfortunately while there was heaps of
flax in the area there was no wood, which
was needed to burn the flax to get the
fibre out.
Tiwai Aluminium Smelter - our only
aluminium smelter is situated at Tiwai
Point on the northeast side of Bluff
Harbour. This uses most of the power
created by the Manapouri power station.
The smelter operates continuously,
24 hours a day, 365 days a year. More
than 90% of the smelters production is
exported, primarily to Japan and other
Asian markets. It employs approximately
1000 people.
Oysters - Bluff Oysters are a New Zealand
delicacy. They drift on the seabed
throughout New Zealand. They are found
in their biggest quantities and in the
best quality in the Foveaux Strait (the
bit of water between the South Island
and Stewart Island). They have a limited
harvest season each year from March to
August which may be restricted further if
it is a poor season. We recommend trying
them naturally or beer battered.

62

STEWART ISLAND
The anchor stone from Mauis canoe (see
the earlier legend of the fishing up of
New Zealand) is definitely worth a visit.
It has over 85% conservation land
and only a small human population
mostly fishermen who live around
the township of Half Moon Bay. Formerly
called Oban it has the islands only pub,
also well worth a visit. There is only
20km of road on Stewart Island with
a large part being a bird sanctuary. All
introduced predators were removed
(mainly rats and cats) so the bird
life is amazing and is a lot like New
Zealand would have been before human
settlement. The first settlers were
whalers in the 1830s and there are some
cool ruins from this early settlement,
which can be seen on a number of the
well signposted walks. Accommodation
can be an issue on the island so make
sure that you sort something out before
you go. We recommend Real Journeys
ferry to get there. Note: you can go
to Stewart Island for a night without
breaking your journey with Stray but
youll probably fall in love with the island
and want to extend your stay.

Ulva Island - sits in Patterson Inlet

below Half Moon Bay. It used to be the
home of naturalist Charles Traill, who
combined the running of a general store
with a passion for botany, birdlife and the
study of shells. Charles was appointed
postmaster for the most southerly
post office in the world. The post office
lasted until the island was made into a
bird sanctuary. There is a great boat trip
which allows you to take in the relatively
untouched plant and bird life. Ulva Island
is one of the most densely populated
areas of Kiwi in New Zealand, but you
probably wont get to see one as they are
nocturnal.
Muttonbirds - birds that hang out mainly

Native birdlife, Stewart Island

on the islands to the south west of

Stewart Island that are not surprisingly
called the Muttonbird Islands. They are a
traditional Maori delicacy and ever y year
during April and May Maori with direct
historical connections are permitted on
the islands to catch the chicks, which are
so fat they cannot fly.
Up to 250,000 are taken from the islands
each year and sent to shops throughout
the country. The birds are very oily and
have to be boiled before they are roasted.

63

DEEP SOUTH
Travel Day: Stewart Island/
Invercargill to Queenstown

Queenstown (2)

Invercargill
Waipapa
Point (Catlins)
Stewart Island
A: Central hostel.
$: Stewart Island: fishing, hire a scooter,
go to Ulva Island.
: Explore native parkland and view
amazing birdlife on Stewart Island;
sea-lion, penguin, dolphin spotting
at Waipapa Point, find Burt Munros
Worlds Fastest Indian, Bluff Hill walk,
visit Henry the 100-year-old Tuatara in
Invercargill.
The morning is yours to explore Stewart
Island, meet the locals, go fishing or enjoy
some of the magnificent walks.
We catch the ferry back to the mainland
at 3pm.
If you stayed in Invercargill, we depart
at 10.30am and head to Waipapa Point
for some sea-lion spotting. We then
head to Bluff where we meet up with
the island-goers before expressing back
to Queenstown, arriving approximately
7.30pm.

Stewart Island

Kingston - sits on the pile of rocks

where the great glacier that carved out
Lake Wakatipu stopped and retreated.
Kingston is another old gold mining
town, which is now known as the home
of the 'Kingston Flyer', a vintage steam
train. The Flyer is over 120 years old. The
original Kingston Flyer was a passenger
service that operated between Kingston
and the Main South Line at Gore from
1878 through to the mid-1950s. It
provided a passageway to Queenstown
and the surrounding stations, by meeting
up with the lake paddle steamers (such
as the Earnslaw which you should have
seen in Queenstown) at Kingston Wharf.

Explore Stewart Island

64

Dunedin
If you want to visit Dunedin - you can
easily get a return express bus ticket with
Intercity from Queenstown or Invercargill.
With a population of about 120,000
Dunedin is New Zealands 5th largest
city. It was developed and first settled by
Scottish immigrants and is known as the
Edinburgh of the South. Dunedin is Gaelic
for Edinburgh and the Scottish influence
can still be seen everywhere from the
architecture to the street names. The
Otago University was established here in
1869 as New Zealands first university and
is still our second biggest. Not surprisingly,
during the gold rushes Dunedin became
the financial capital of New Zealand. As a
result, many major companies still had their
head offices here until very recently.
Baldwin Street recorded by the Guinness
Book of Records as being the steepest
street in the world.
Speights Brewery Heritage Tour - takes
you on a journey through the art of making
beer from the Babylonians in 6000BC to
the modern day brewing that operates
today. Speights has been a part of Dunedin
since 1876 and has a wonderful history.
It is a much-loved part of the city and of

course no tour would be complete without

a tasting session in the Brewery Bar!
Larnach Castle - is probably the nearest
thing that New Zealand has to a castle and
is a great example of some of the eccentric
behaviour of homesick early settlers. It
was built in 1871 by William Larnach who
for a while was a successful businessman
and member of parliament (which is an
interesting combination in its own right
many early politicians in New Zealand
were businessmen who would only have
been there to help their businesses). To
put it simply, he had very unfortunate
luck with relationships starting with his
wives. His first died unexpectedly so he
married her sister who then promptly did
the same. He then married a much younger
woman who ran off with his son. He built
the ballroom for his daughters 21st she
unfortunately died not long after what was
apparently a great party. To top it all off
(excuse the pun), old William took his own
life in parliament in 1898 when faced with
financial ruin. The building is reportedly one
of the most haunted in NZ.
Otago Peninsula - is a 40 minute drive out
of central Dunedin and is well worth visiting
for the stunning scenery and amazing

wildlife particularly New Zealand seals

and sea lions and the colonies of Royal
Albatross and Yellow Eyed Penguins.
The Albatross colony - on the Otago
Peninsula is the only place where the birds
breed on the mainland in the world. With a
3 metre wingspan these birds are huge and
it is great to simply watch them glide in the
air currents.
Hoiho: the Yellow-eyed Penguin - the
worlds rarest species. Known to the Maori
as Hoiho (meaning noisy), the YellowEyed Penguin is the 3rd largest species
of penguin in the world. Penguin Place
is a Yellow-eyed Penguin Conservation
reserve, a self-funded project aiming to
save this rare species. Native bush has
been replanted to recreate the original
habitat and encourage breeding, while
attempts are being made to eliminate cats,
ferrets and other predators. Its a great
place to visit as you can do an hour-long
guided trip down into the nesting area and
view the penguins as close as from a few
metres away with the help of tunnels and
camouflage netting. As well as the Hoiho
there are other species of penguins that
visit the area such as the Emperor, Little
Blue and Royal Penguins.

QUEENSTOWN TO AORAKI MT COOK

Travel Day: Queenstown
to Aoraki/Mt Cook
Depart 8.40am

Omarama - Omarama is known as a

world-class gliding area, hosting the 1995
World Gliding Championships and 2006
Gliding Grand Prix. Its name translated
from Maori means place of light some
say this is because it is so sunny. The
statue of the ram is a great photo
opportunity, especially for the Welsh.
Aoraki/Mt Cook - at 3754 metres it is
the highest of the 23 mountains in New
Zealand that are over 3000 metres. If
it is clear you should be able to see it
today. The area, which was designated a
National Park in 1953 includes 22 peaks
over 3000m and glaciers cover 40% of
the park. By way of comparison (and
because we like to beat the Australians)
it is more than 1500 metres higher than
Australias highest peak, Mt Kosciuszko.
It was named after Captain James Cook.

A: Stunning alpine lodge.

$: Argo tour of Alpine Region, visit the Sir
Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre.
: Take photos of awe-inspiring scenery,
do one of the many great short walks
to the Hooker glacial lake (weather
dependent).
We make our journey north today,
passing back through the Kawarua Gorge
and turning inland over the Lindis Pass
through to Mackenzie Country.
After stopping for lunch in Omarama
we turn off the highway to drive to our
amazing stop at Mt. Cook where breathetaking views of Lake Pukaki will blow you
away.
We arrive into Mt Cook village in the early
afternoon and you have time to take
a boat to view the Tasman Glacier and
its icebergs, check out the Sir Edmund
Hillary Alpine Centre, take an Argo tour or
do one of the many great short walks in
the park. There are also some incredible
longer walks in this stunning area if
you want to hop off the bus and stay
for a few days (we recommend leaving
climbing Mt Cook to the mountaineers
though).
Lindis Pass - The dramatic Lindis Pass
with its tussock covered hills, links the
Mackenzie Basin with Central Otago. The
actual pass crosses a saddle between the
valleys of the Lindis and Ahuriri Rivers at
an altitude of 97 1 metres above sea level.
For many months of the year, you can
expect to see snow in this mountainous
area - often down to the roadside.

Stay at the base of Mount Cook

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Mackenzie Country - The Mt Cook region

is sometimes referred to as MacKenzie
Countr y, situated in the high inland basin
beneath the Southern Alps and Aoraki/
Mount Cook, south west of Christchurch.
It has an interesting history - the area
was named after Jock Mackenzie, New
Zealands most notorious sheep rustler,
who used a secret route through the
mountains to move his stolen flock.
Now its known for its amazing scenery,
turquoise lakes, tussock covered hills and
great off the beaten track ski areas.

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RANGITATA (PEEL FOREST)

Travel Day: Mt Cook
to Rangitata (Peel Forest)
Depart 8am

A: One of Canterbury's original sheep

stations.
$: White water rafting, horse trekking.
: Take photos of stunning scenery, walk
through Peel Forest.
We head past the scenic Lake Tekapo,
with time for a photo of the turquoise
lake and the picturesque Church of the
Good Shepherd.
We arrive late morning in Geraldine and
then head through to our night stop of
Rangitata to take in some incredible
Lord of the Rings scenery. You have
options of doing one of the best rafting
trips in the country (October-April only
make sure you have your swimwear in
your day pack) or a horse trek.
NB. In winter we will depart a little later
from Mt Cook and, depending on the
group, we can stop in Tekapo for the
chance to ice skate, snow tube or soak in
the hot pools.
Lake Tekapo - Lake Tekapo is New
Zealands highest lake at 7 10m and is the
largest of the 3 lakes in the Mackenzie
area (the others are Lake Ohau and Lake
Pukaki.) Tekapo is a Maori word meaning
night sleep place it derives from the
words Takaor Teka (sleeping mat) and
Po (night). It is reputed to have one
of the clearest and most unforgettable
night skies in the world. Finely ground
rock from the glaciers fed from the
Southern Alps via rivers to the lake give
Lake Tekapo its beautiful turquoise
colour. On the shores of the lake are
two iconic features the dog statue,
dedicated to the working collie dogs of
the Mackenzie Country; and the Church of
the Good Shepherd, built in 1935. It was
the first church in the area and is now
a favourite location for weddings ( just
in case you meet someone nice on your
travels!)

Rangitata River and Peel ForestRangitatas name means low sky

in Maori. The river passes from the
Southern Alps through the Rangitata
Gorge, in the alpine foothills, and then
out to the Pacific Ocean.
The Maori name for Mount Peel is
Tarahaoa. Tarahaoa is still sacred to Ngai
Tahu, the local tribe. The mountain is
part of their heritage, but is also seen
as part of their family. Legend has it
that Chief Tarahaoa and his wife Huatekerekere washed up ashore at Shag Point
while trying to migrate north from South
Otago. They wandered inland and lived
the remainder of their lives where they
could always see the sun go down. They
prayed to their gods that on their death
they should be changed into mountains.
The Gods obliged and Big Mount Peel and
Little Mount Peel are really Tarahaoa and
Hua-te-kerekere, inseparably linked to
each other. Their grandchildren became
the Four Peaks, the mountain range
adjoining Big Mount Peel and Little
Mount Peel/ Huatakerekere.
In 1849, Charles Torlesse was the first
white man to explore the foothills hoping
to discover coal near Rangitata.
This is an incredibly scenic area at the
base of the Southern Alps some of the
Lord of the Rings was filmed nearby and
youll be able to see why.

Rafting, Rangitata unique Stray overnight stop and activity

Travel Day: Rangitata

to Christchurch
Depart 7am

This morning we leave early to express

across the Canterbury Plains to
Christchurch.
If you are stopping here for the night,
make sure you have pre-booked your
accommodation as it is limited since the
2011 earthquakes.
For travellers whose Stray adventure
is coming to an end, we arrive at
Christchurch International Airport at
9.30am.
You can add on a Christchurch Kaikoura
sector for only $35, talk to your driver if
you wish to do this. There are a number
of transport options from Kaikoura back
to Christchurch and also from the airport
into the city.
For those continuing north see the next
travel day page for the Christchurch to
Kaikoura sector.

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Christchurch
NOTE: Stray only picks up and drops
off from the Christchurch International
Airport.
Christchurch is known as The Garden
City and is the South Islands largest
city, and New Zealands second largest.
European settlement started with the
English who arrived in large numbers
starting from 1850 and the city still
shows huge signs of their influence from
the street names to the River Avon which
runs through the middle of town, to the
early gothic architecture including what
was the fantastic Cathedral in the towns
square (imaginatively named Cathedral
Square). Christchurch became a city by
Royal Charter on July 31, 1856, making it
officially the oldest established city in
New Zealand.
On February 22nd 2011, a major
earthquake with a magnitude of
6.3 struck the Canterbury region,
forever altering the beautiful city of
Christchurch. The earthquake caused
widespread damage across Christchurch,
especially in the central city and eastern
suburbs. The city has undergone a
massive facelift, with lots of chic
restaurants, urban bars, and funky new

Christchurch Mall

cafes being built, and although much

of the citys heritage architecture was
damaged during the earthquake, the city
still displays some traditional English
charm. The rebuild started the day after
the quake hit and they still have a long
way to go, but Cantabrians are a resilient
lot and are committed to rebuilding their
city and restoring it to its former glory.
New Brighton Beach - reminiscent of
England, Christchurch must be one of the
few cities in the world where the coastal
property is often cheaper than inland.
New Brighton is a great example of this
- a great beach with a pier which until
recently was quite undeveloped.
Cathedral Square - was a focal point for
the city with the Cathedral being the key
point of the square. Sadly the
Cathedral was badly damaged in the 2011
earthquake.
Sumner and Lyttleton - originally
Christchurch city was to be built in
Lyttleton but the planners quickly
realised that its location between the
hills and the harbour would be too small.
The Port Hills provided a significant

barrier which early settlers had to literally

get over. They either walked over the
hills with all of their stuff or offloaded
their gear into small punts (rowboats) to
be taken up the estuary then walked
in. The port is actually a volcanic crater,
and the tunnel was the first road tunnel
to be built through a volcano and was
only opened in 1967. There is a road over
the hills but all freight goes through the
tunnel so it is a critical link between the
port and the city. Much of Lyttelton's
architectural heritage was lost as a result
of the earthquakes because damage was
deemed too extensive for reconstruction.
The town's oldest churches have
collapsed, including Canterbury's oldest
stone church, the Holy Trinity.
The Port Hills are now an excellent
recreation area with everything from
mountain biking and parasailing to a
gondola.
Akaroa - dont let the Maori name fool
you this is New Zealands very own
French town complete with French street
names. The French colony here was
what prompted the British to make New
Zealand a formal colony, leading to the
Treaty of Waitangi.

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KAIKOURA
Travel Day: Christchurch to
Kaikoura
Depart 9.45am

Kaikoura

Christchurch

A: Warm modern hostel.

$: Whale watching, swimming with
dolphins, go fishing and eat your spoils.
: Walk around the peninsula and up to
the lookout.
We welcome any new travellers starting
their trip with us today.
Please see your driver for the current Stray
timetable.
Leaving South Islands largest city behind we
cruise up the scenic coast to Kaikoura. We
arrive in the afternoon in time to participate
in the major activities which feature some of
the worlds best wildlife viewing. The main
draws here are whale watching or dolphin

swimming/watching, but other options

include albatross viewing, catching your
own fish for dinner, seal swimming (summer
only) or walking around the Kaikoura
Peninsula to the seal colony.
Kaikoura - means meal of crayfish. It
started as a whaling base and you could say
that it still is - although now people come to
watch the whales rather than catch them.
George Allwright his headstone is beside
the railway line just south of Kaikoura. The
story of his death has sometimes been used
to prove the power of tapu (a Maori curse).
Allwright arrived in Kaikoura in April 1846
wanting to establish a whaling station. He
asked the local Maori chief for permission
to do so, but the chief had already given
permission to someone else and he would
not go back on his word. At this, Allwright
lost his cool and started abusing the chief.
The chief said Enough! Go! You may reach
your boat or you may not. Allwright stormed
off but dropped dead just before he got to
his boat.
Dolphins - The Kaikoura region is home of
many dusky dolphins. They are very friendly
and can be seen year round. They are also
very social and live in pods sometimes
numbering in the hundreds. Fun fact: they

dont only mate for reproductive purposes,

but studies show they sometimes do it just
for fun.
Albatross - The region is unique in having
12 species of albatross visit the coastline,
including the one with the largest wingspan
in the world at 3.4m - the Wandering
Albatross. It takes its name because of the
huge distances they can cover in one day just
to find some food and return to the chick on
their nest.
Described as the best place in New Zealand
- if not the world - to view albatross,
Kaikouras coastal waters offer a rich food
supply, which supports a large array of other
marine life. The deep-water canyon, the
Hikurangi Trench, is very close to shore and
these spectacular ocean going birds can
be viewed easily and at close proximity.
Albatross tours have grown in popularity
as a result of increased awareness of how
precious some of these species are.
Some of the regularly sighted species in
Kaikoura are in decline due to high mortality
rates resulting from fishing practices in the
Southern Ocean, mainly from being caught
on hooks from long line fishing vessels.
Much research has been undertaken to find
safer methods of setting lines to prevent
seabirds from dying in this way.

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KAIKOURA TO WELLINGTON
Whaling - was the first big export
industry for New Zealand and much of
the first European settlement was with
whaling bases. The first one in Kaikoura
was established in 1842 by Robert Fyffe.
The whales were sought mainly for oil.
At first the whaling stations were very
successful but in many places whales
quickly became rare so the business
slowed down significantly by the 1850s.
There are over 79 species of whale and
dolphin in the world today. About 34 of
these have been sighted in New Zealand
waters, over half of these in the waters
off Kaikoura. The deep-sea trench only a
couple of kilometres off the coast means
you dont have to go very far to gain
access to a wide variety of mammals.
This makes it one of the best places in
the world to go whale spotting.
Sperm whales are the most common seen
in Kaikoura but you sometimes also see
Orca/Killer whales, Humpback whales,
Right whales, Minke whales and even
giant Blue whales. The Humpback whales
pass through Kaikoura on the annual
migration to Antarctic waters to feed.

Travel Day: Kaikoura to Wellingon

(or Picton if you are heading around the
South Island)
Depart 9am

Picton

Wellington

Kaikoura
A: Central hostel (Wellington), Cosy villa
(Picton).
: Seal colony; Queen Charlotte Sound
View walk, mountain biking, fishing or
relax in the villa spa (Picton); explore
the city (Wellington).
Thirty minutes from Kaikoura, we stop
at a seal colony for photos and then
continue winding our way up the rugged
coastal road passing through Blenheim
en-route to Picton.

If you are staying in this port town

tonight your driver will organise a
bed for you. The afternoon could be
spent walking to the Queen Charlotte
Sound view lookout or using a free
mountain bike or fishing gear from the
accommodation.
Those heading to Wellington will catch
the Bluebridge Ferry crossing the Cook
Strait to arrive early evening into the
capital. Your new bus will be waiting
at the terminal to escort you to your
accommodation.
Lake Grassmere Saltworks - where
seawater is evaporated from wide
shallow ponds at the countrys only solar
salt works.
Blenheim - lies deep in the heart of the
Marlborough region, an area which is
becoming world famous for the quality of
its wines, most particularly its Sauvignon
Blancs. Blenheims original name was
Beaver Town a name gained when the
first survey party to the area were caught
in a flood and had to sit on piles of wood
to escape the water like beavers on a
dam. The town still has a beaver as its
mascot.

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WELLINGTON TO AUCKLAND
Travel Day: Wellington to Auckland
(via National Park)
Depart 6.40am

We leave the capital nice and early to get

into the central parts of the North Island
before midday.
We stop at National Park before heading
through the Waikato and back to the big
smoke of Auckland in the early evening.
We recommend hopping off at National
Park to experience the Tongariro Alpine
Crossing or Blue Duck Station at
Whakahoro, if you havent already had a
chance (or if the weather didnt cooperate
the first time).
For information on Auckland please see
pages 21-22. Theres plenty to do before
you leave - check out the Viaduct and
Americas Cup Village area, go sailing on
an Americas Cup yacht, jump off the Sky
Tower or Harbour Bridge, walk
along Tamaki Drive or visit the Auckland
Museum, the home of the greatest
collection of Taonga (Maori treasures).
Stray has a great city tour contact the
Stray office to book! If you have a few
extra days head over to Waiheke Island or
Great Barrier Island, or head up north to
the Bay of Islands.

Looking back to Auckland

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STRAY Accommodation
SOUTH ISLAND

NORTH ISLAND
AUCKLAND
Base - ACB
Level 3, 229 Queen Street,
Auckland
Ph 0800 227369

LAKE ANIWHENUA
Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours
3836 Galatea Road
Galatea
Ph: 07 366 47 7 7

Nomads Auckland
16-22 Fort Street, Auckland
Ph 0800 220198

TAUPO
Urban Retreat
65 Heuheu Street, Taupo
Ph 07 378 6124

Nomads Fat Camel

Cnr Gore / Fort Street,
Auckland
Ph 0800 220198
YHA City
Cnr City Road & Liverpool
Street, Auckland
Ph 09 309 2802
PAIHIA
Base - Pipi Patch Lodge
18 Kings Road,
Paihia
Ph 09 402 7 111
YHA Paihia
10 Kings Road,
Paihia
Ph 0800 4 4 33 22
RAGLAN
Karioi Lodge*
5B Whaanga Road, Whale Bay,
Raglan
Ph 0800 867873
ROTORUA
Base Hot Rocks
1286 Arawa Street,
Rotorua
Ph 07 348 8636
Rotorua Downtown
Backpackers
1193 Fenton St
Rotorua 3010
Ph 07 347 1170

PLEASE NOTE:

Base Taupo
7 Tuwharetoa Street, Taupo
Ph 07 37 7 4 464
WHAKAHORO
Blue Duck Lodge*
4265 Oio Road, Whakahoro,
RD2 Owhango 3990
Ph 07 895 6276

PICTON
Picton Villa
34 Auckland Street, Picton
Ph 03 573 6598
MARAHAU
The Barn
Har veys Road, Marahau
Ph 03 527 8043
PUNAKAIKI
Te Nikau Retreat
19 Harmont Place
Punakaiki
Ph 03 731 1111
FRANZ JOSEF
Rainforest Retreat
State Highway 6, Franz Josef
Ph 0800 435 673

NATIONAL PARK
The Park Travellers Lodge
Finlay Street, National Park
Ph 0800 800 491

WANAKA
Base Wanaka
73 Brownston Street, Wanaka
Ph 03 4 43 4291

WELLINGTON
Base Wellington
21-23 Cambridge Terrace,
Wellington
Ph 04 801 5668

YHA Purple Cow

94 Brownston Street, Wanaka
Ph 0800 4 4 33 22

Nomads Capital
118 Wakefield Street,
Wellington, 6001
Ph 04 978 7800
Wellington YHA
292 Wakefield Street (cnr
Cambridge Trce),
Wellington
Ph 04 801 7280

QUEENSTOWN
Base - Discovery Lodge
40 Shotover Street,
Queenstown
Ph 03 4 41 1185
Nomads Queenstown
5-11 Church Street,
Queenstown
Ph 03 4 41 3922
FIORDLAND
Gunn's Camp*
Hollyford Valley Rd, Fiordland
NP. No phone, gunnscamp@
ruralinzone.net

INVERCARGILL
Tuatara Lodge
30 Dee Street, Invercargill
Ph 03 214 0954
STEWART ISLAND
Stewart Island Backpackers
Ayr St, Oban
Ph 03 219 1114
DUNEDIN
Leviathan Hotel
27 Queens Gardens, Dunedin
Ph 0800 7 73 7 73
MT COOK
Mt Cook Backpacker Lodge
11 Motel Access Rd
Mt Cook National Park
Ph 0800 100 512
RANGITATA
Rangitata Rafts
Peel Forest RD20
South Canterbury
Ph 03 696 3534
CHRISTCHURCH
(NOTE: Pick ups and Drop offs
for Stray heading
north or south are from the
Christchurch International
Airport).
Jailhouse Accommodation
338 Lincoln Road,
Christchurch
Ph 0800 524 546
YHA Rolleston House
5 Worcester Blvd
Christchurch 8013
Ph 03 366 6564
KIAKOURA
The Lazy Shag Backpackers
37 Beach Road
Kaikoura
Ph 03 319 6662

Once youre travelling on the Stray bus your guide will organise your accommodation at each overnight
stop. You simply tell them your preference (twins, doubles, dorms...) and theyll book it- you just pay as
you go.
Please note: in peak season twins and double rooms may have limited availability.All accommodation
is at backpacker hostel rates (about $25-30 per night for a dorm bed and $60-90 for a double or twin
room). * = no cellphone coverage

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Where to next?
You got further off the beaten track in
New Zealand - now keep straying around
the world! There are lots of fantastic
travel options we can recommend.
Spaceships camper vans in Australia with
depots in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane
and Cairns so if youve made a special
friend or two on your NZ travels and want
to go road tripping round Oz, check out
www.spaceshipsrentals.com.au or email
info@spaceshipsrentals.co.nz - ex-Stray
customers get deals!
If youre heading to Southeast Asia,
Stray now operates in Thailand, Laos,
Cambodia and Vietnam, so you can stray
some more and enjoy the flexibility,

Spaceships are a great option to explore the UK and Europe!

guidance and adventure of Stray Asia.

Check out www.straytravel.asia for more
info!
Wanting a pacific island holiday before
you head home? Get one of the cheap
flights from NZ to Fiji and chill out island
styles for a while! Fiji is right on New
Zealands doorstep (only 3 hours from
Auckland) and is made up of over 300
islands set in unbelievably crystal clear
waters with palm fringed, white sandy
beaches, coral reefs and lagoons.
Lastly, we operate your favourite two
berth camper vans in the UK and Europe!
Thats right, Spaceships now has a depot
in London where you can head off on your

own personal adventure from chasing

hair y cow in the Scottish highlands,
supping with the best on a vineyard tour
of southern France, soaking up the art
and culture while camping in Italy, or
doing the big European roadie - running
with the bulls in Pamplona and chugging
beers with frauleins at Oktoberfest!
Check out www.spaceshipsrentals.co.uk
and dont forget to mention you strayd
so you can get special deals!
For more info on any of the above
companies you can also ask your Stray
driver or visit our travel experts at the
Stray Shop, 50 Fort St, Auckland Central.

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