Off-road adventures

ON THE TRAILS AT FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER

Some of our roads aren’t even roads. Take off on a thrilling off-road adventure with Franz Josef Wilderness Tours tackling an ancient glacial landscape of rough, stony riverbeds, muddy rainforest tracks and grass-covered river terraces. 

No experience required. Learn to ride a Can-Am all terrain vehicle — a single or 2-seater quad bike, or a 3-seater buggy — on the test track at the Franz Josef base, then follow an experienced leader on a guided 2.5-hour off-road tour. There’s a bike for each type of rider, and the buggy (driver plus two passengers) is great for families with kids.

On a clear day there are magnificent views of the Southern Alps and Franz Josef Glacier, but the fun really amps up when it starts to rain. Splash through muddy puddles in lush rainforest – the wetter the better, they say! Full wet weather gear —jackets, pants, boots, gloves — is supplied, meaning everyone stays warm and dry. It’s the ultimate rainy day activity, and riders come away with complimentary photos to show off to friends.

OFF ROAD AT WESTPORT

Hop aboard for a thrilling 4WD adventure. Outwest Tours, based out of Westport, runs a fleet of 4WD Mercedes Unimogs custom-built to tackle rugged off-road West Coast terrain en route to outback adventures in mining country. Owner and tour guide Mickey Ryan is a former miner and passionate amateur historian who knows more than most about the hills and mining operations around Westport.  

Visiting the former mining town of Denniston is a spectacular history lesson.

High on the Denniston Plateau, the ruins of the Denniston Incline rail line — a precipitously steep track, once described as the eighth engineering wonder of the world — recall the days when Denniston was both a source of high grade coal and home to mining families who lived in impoverished circumstances in an extreme environment. With no road access, the terrifying rail descent was the only way to transport coal and brave humans down to the coastal lowlands. 

For a more contemporary mining experience, take an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of New Zealand’s biggest active mining operation — the Stockton Coal Mine. Watch massive machines working the open cast mines, visit the mining control centre and eat lunch with the miners on this fascinating 5-hour on and off-road adventure. You’ll also witness how the land is rehabilitated and returned to its natural state.

ON THE BEACH AT BARRYTOWN

Wagons away, slow and steady. Settle in and let Sophie Allan of Golden Sands Horse & Wagon Tours and her gentle Clydesdale giant Duke show you the wildly beautiful stretch of beach at Barrytown. It’s a relaxed clip clop across the sand, true slow travel following in the footsteps of the West Coast’s early pioneers.  

Kids, big kids and parents will love this 2-hour experience exploring the seascape and hearing about times past — of hardy pioneers and gold miners — when the beach was the main highway here. It’s simple and social with time for exploring, fossicking for gem stones on New Zealand’s best jade hunting beach, spotting wildlife and taking photos of the stunning scenery. 

The highlight might just be the old style refreshment stop to build a camp fire, boil the billy, make tea and cook damper bread — eaten warm with jam. There’s also the chance to groom and pet the horse. Tours are tide and weather dependent so bookings are essential. Barrytown is between Greymouth and Punakaiki.

ON THE RAILS — SCENIC JOURNEYS

Arrive on the West Coast in style aboard the TranzAlpine — voted one of the top six train journeys in the world. The TranzAlpine runs daily between Christchurch and Greymouth, traversing 223 km (140 mi) of spectacular landscapes, 16 tunnels (the longest at 8.5 km / 5 mi) and four viaducts. This 5-hour journey crosses the Southern Alps via the Canterbury Plains, braided rivers and dramatic gorges and over Arthur’s Pass before descending towards the West Coast’s mirror lakes and lush rainforest. Book ‘Scenic Plus’ for the new hosted premium class gourmet dining experience. 

There’s an exceptional treat for railway buffs at Shantytown Heritage Park, near Greymouth, where the full-scale replica gold mining settlement houses an impressive collection of historical trains. Climb aboard to travel the Infants Creek Tram Line, an old sawmill track through the bush, behind one of two 19th century steam locomotives — the 1877 L-Class ‘Gertie’ or the 1896 F-Class ‘Kaitangata’. 

Ride into a ‘lost world’ on the Nile River Rainforest Train line. From the Festival Site train station, near Charleston, the little train travels through rainforest on the banks of the Nile/Waitakere River Canyon, where visitors can explore the magical subterranean world featured in the BBC’s ‘The Lost World’. Meanwhile, on a somewhat smaller scale, kids — big and small — love to ride the miniature Mudfish Bush Railway through the manuka forest and wetlands at Hokitika’s Westland Industrial Heritage Park.

ON THE WATER — CRUISING

Intrepid adventurers and early settlers travelled the lakes, rivers and waterways of the West Coast long before there were any real dirt tracks or roads. Contemporary adventurers can retrace the watery highway paddled by miners transporting gold from Ross to Hokitika via Lake Mahināpua and the Mahināpua Creek on board West Coast Scenic Waterways’ Eco Adventurer. It’s a slow cruise on tranquil waterways through forested wetlands and a photographer’s dream with amazing reflections of the mountains and remnants of the virgin rain forests.

New Zealand’s largest unmodified wetland Ōkārito Lagoon is home to an incredible 76 species of native birds including kōtuku/white heron and royal spoonbills. To get up close to some of this amazing wildlife, take a slow 2-hour cruise across the usually tranquil glassy waters with Okarito Boat Eco Tours. The flat-bottomed, open air boat is perfect for quiet cruising and, on a clear day, the mountain backdrops — Aoraki/Mount Cook, Mt. Tasman and Franz Josef Glacier. 

Waiatoto River Safari is an ocean to Alps jet boat journey into the vast UNESCO World Heritage wilderness of Te Wahipounamu South West New Zealand. Travel the glacial blue waters of the Waiatoto River into some of New Zealand’s most remote and least visited reaches. Walk through pristine lush virgin forests, enjoy refreshments beside the river and learn about local conservation efforts with the rare Haast tokoeka kiwi.