G’day everyone!
Oh my, isn’t the year going fast! So tell me, do you like tramping?
You do! That’s great because I have some great stuff on tramping. Or maybe it’s not Tramping to you but then, oh I don’t know. You choose what you think it may be!
Kiwi Wild Life Tours
They know what they look like and sound like, and of course where to find them. Come with them in a small group and they will show you the secrets of New Zealand’s unique birds, bats and marine mammals. At the same time, you will see some of the most wild and beautiful places on earth.
South Island Tour of the East Coast, West Coast and Mount Cook
12 days of tracking birds and other wildlife (88 species of birds, plus various other native animals). Christchurch to Christchurch. Includes braided river species, sperm whales and fur seals, Marlborough Sounds, islands, lakes, wetlands, glaciers and
Kakariki (Red-crowned parakeet). This gorgeous green bird is susceptible to introduced predators but has been successfully released on the island sanctuary of TiriTiri Matangi, which we visit on our ‘Children of Tane’ tour. The other most likely place to see it will be on the ‘Friends of Maui’ trip to Stewart Island.
Tour departures
18 October – 29 October 1999
9 December – 20 December 1999
17 – 28 February 2000
Tour Includes:
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Tour Costs
Share Twin $5330.00 ($NZ)
Single Supplement $495.00 ($NZ)
Day 1 Christchurch – Kaikoura
Coastal Wildlife
Pick-ups from hotels between 8.00 and 8.30am. We then drive north over the Canterbury Plains and its braided river systems. We stop briefly at one of these to look for banded dotterel. Lunch beside the sea at Kaikoura. During the afternoon either take a boat trip to see the magnificent sperm whales of Kaikoura or we take a coastal walk to a red-billed gull colony and a chance to see the NZ fur seal. During the evening we look for little owls.
Highlights: Banded dotterel, NZ fur seal, dolphins, red-billed gull, North Island robin and little owl.
Accommodation: Local B&B – unique homestyle accommodation and French cuisine.
Day 2 Kaikoura – Blenheim
Coastal Wildlife continued
Coastal walk or whale watch in the morning. Drive on to Blenheim. Stop enroute to look for sea birds. Also at a lake for possible sightings of hoary-headed grebe and the chestnut-breasted shelduck, plus other waterfowl species. We also visit a magnificent wetland supporting thousands of birds and a black-fronted tern colony. Then search for rare sightings of cirl buntings.
Highlights: Hoary-headed grebe, chestnut breasted shelduck, paradise shelduck, Canada geese, black-fronted tern, harrier hawk, Royal spoonbill plus other waders and duck species, cirl bunting.
Accommodation: High quality bed and breakfast.
Day 3 Blenheim – Island Paradise
The Marlborough Sounds
Up early to drive to Havelock where we join our boat – the ‘Nancy Jean’ for an exploration of the Marlborough Sounds. We cruise to the outer sounds (weather permitting) and hope to see the very rare king shag which only breeds in this area. During the evening we relax on a beautiful island, or go for a bush walk or kayak on the sea with the chance of seeing dolphins.
Highlights: Fluttering shearwater, fairy prion, broad-billed prion, spotted shag, king shag and possibly dolphins.
Accommodation: Remote Island in Pelorus Sound, a working sheep station offering homestyle accommodation.
Day 4 Marlborough Sounds – Lake Rotoroae
Pristine Nelson Lakes
In the morning relax, take a stroll through bush or take out a sea kayak for a close encounter with dolphins, seals and sea birds. Travel back to the mainland by boat and drive on to beautiful Nelson Lakes. We walk in magnificent beech forest looking for glimpses of rare kaka and more common bush species.
Highlights: South Island kaka, South Island robin, yellow-crowned parakeet.
Accommodation: At the fabulous wilderness lodge.
Day 5 Lake Rotoroa – Punakaiki
Punakaiki National Park and Spectacular Coastline
After the morning chorus we drive down the mighty Buller Gorge to the West Coast of New Zealand. We visit the New Zealand fur seal colony and continue on beside a stunning coastline of rocky islets, blowholes and limestone cliffs. Here we will see the unusual Pancake Rock formations and for the more energetic a walk to a sea cave. During the evening we visit the Westland black petrel breeding colony and possibly hear the call of the great spotted kiwi (roa).
Highlights: NZ fur seal, South Island weka, Westland black petrel (winter and spring only) and spotted shag.
Accommodation: At a rustic retreat where we enjoy a traditional kiwi style BBQ.
Day 6 Lake Rotoroa – Hokitika
Greenstone and Glow-Worms
Drive on to Hokitika with spectacular views of wild beaches and green forests. We visit a nearby lake to look for bush birds in adjacent podocarp forest. We also explore nearby rivers for the blue mountain duck. In Hokitika we visit the a greenstone factory to watch the beautiful stone being crafted. During the evening we look into a glow-worm grotto.
Highlights: Brown creeper, tom tit, grey warbler, scaup, blue mountain duck and glow-worms.
Accommodation: At a cosy B&B with dinner at a local ‘wild foods’ restaurant.
Day 7 Hokitika – Fox Glacier
The Wild West
We drive on down through the wild west coast where gold discovered in the 1860’s attracted thousands of fortune seekers. It’s much quieter today but the pioneering west coast spirit lives on. Our drive passes through magnificent lush podocarp forest from mountain to sea with many pristine lakes. We stop at some of these to look for crested grebe and other water birds. We travel by boat to the only breeding colony of the sacred kotuku or white heron, in the afternoon. We visit the Franz Joseph Glacier, a unique situation where glacier emerges into temperate rainforest. At Fox we look for kea and the NZ falcon and visit Lake Matheson for evening or early morning sunset/sunrise reflections on our highest mountains – Mt Cook and Mt Tasman.
Highlights: Crested grebe, kea, kotuku and royal spoonbill.
Accommodation: Local Hotel.
Day 8 Fox Glacier – Lake Moeraki
South Westland Magic
Free morning, take a flight over the glacier or take a guided walk on the ice. Or search for the elusive NZ falcon with us. Drive on to Lake Moeraki, stopping at various lakes to look for water birds. Take a short bush walk to look for shy bush birds. Then walk to a secluded beach to look for the world’s rarest penguin, the Fiordland crested penguin. Energetic people can walk on to a fur seal colony.
Highlights: Crested grebe, scaup, grey duck, white faced heron, bell-bird, tom tit, grey warbler fantail and possibly kaka or kakariki and Fiordland crested penguin.
Accommodation: Stay at a luxurious wilderness lodge.
Day 9 Lake Moeraki – Queenstown
Beech Forests and Tussock
Relax at the lodge enjoying the bush and lake surroundings or take a canoe out onto the lake. After leaving the lodge, nearby, we look for the shy South Island fernbird in wetlands surrounding a dune lake. Also look out for a resident pod of Hectors dolphins off the coast. Leaving the West Coast podocarp forests, we head over Haast Pass and enter beech forest again, this time searching for the rare yellowhead or bush canary. We then head down into dry tussockland country and the lakes district. Passing Lake Wanaka we take a break at an historic goldfields hotel, before driving over the Crown Range looking for chukar, Californian quail and the New Zealand falcon.
Highlights: Yellowhead, brown creeper, pied tit, possibly chukar, Californian Quail and NZ falcon.
Accommodation: Queenstown hotel with breathtaking views of the Remarkables Mountains and Lake Wakatipu.
Day 10 Queenstown
Adventure Capital or Paradise
Explore Queenstown’s wildlife at various lakes and lagoons and take a trip to once again look for the elusive New Zealand falcon. Or spend the day doing a wide range of adventure activities of your choice.
Highlights: NZ falcon, scaup, grey duck and other waterfowl.
Accommodation: Adelaide B&B. Dine out at one of Queenstown’s excellent restaurants.
Day 11 Queenstown – Mt. Cook
Power Schemes and Rare Waders
Head over the Lindas Pass stopping enroute at wetlands around the newly created Lake Dunstan. Enormous numbers of waterfowl have already made this an excellent place for birding. Over the pass and near Twizel we look for the endangered black stilt and visit a captive rearing reserve, black fronted terns, the unique wrybill, banded dotterel and Caspian tern.
Highlights: Black stilt, caspian tern, banded dotterel.
Accommodation: At a famous mountain hotel with fabulous views of our highest peak.
Day 12 Mt Cook – Christchurch
Alpine Habitats to the Sea
Explore the alpine habitat around Mt Cook, especially look for the magnificent Mt Cook Lily, not a lily at all but the biggest buttercup in the world! We search for pipit, rock wren and listen for the cry of the kea circling overhead. Leaving Mt Cook head to nearby mountain lakes looking for crested grebe and other water birds. We also search again for chukor and return to a braided river – in search of breeding wrybill. Then on to Christchurch where our tour ends.
Highlights: Rock wren, kea, crested grebe and wrybill.
Accommodation: An historic Victorian style villa luxuriously restored. We will dine out at one of the city’s fine restaurants and discuss the adventures of the past 12 days.
Accommodation:
Tuscana
– luxury suites
Stonehurst
Apartments – dorms to self contained units
Want to have a good chat about Christchurch?
My ICQ is: 12163770 or
email me: jessicar@ihug.co.nz
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