Itinerary
This small group walking tour explores the 62km of the Humpridge Track through diverse and stunning scenery, from sub-alpine wilderness to sea-level views.
Your experience begins with check-in to your pre departure Bed & Breakfast accommodation.
Meet your guide and fellow walkers at 5.30pm at the Humpridge Track office (31 Orawia Road, Tuatapere). There you will be given a comprehensive account of what to expect on your walk. You are then free to return to your accommodation for the evening.
A scenic helicopter ride over Te Waewae Bay delivers you to the start of your walk. You will climb up to the top of the Hump Ridge, experiencing the beautiful bush first hand as it changes dramatically with elevation as you head up the ridge to the Stag Point where the trees part and you are welcomed by the beautiful bay once more – this time from a different perspective. Not far to the top of the ridge now and on a nice day you can see many of the neighboring islands off the South Coast and of course the Fiordland mountains and lakes nearby.
When you arrive at Okaka lodge, all you will have to do is unwind as you admire the views, settle into your multi-share room (private room upgrade available) and take a hot shower. You will feel at home with the lodge managers’ home cooking and hospitality.
After breakfast you will wander down the Hump Ridge, with 360 degree views of Te Waewae bay, the South Coast, Waitutu terraces and mountains behind them. While you are walking over the mighty wooden viaducts on the way to Port Craig Village, consider the men who built them almost a century ago. Your guide will share many stories from the days when Port Craig was a bustling sawmill town in the 1920’s.
If you are interested in the history and relics that surround Port Craig, choose to take the interpretive trail or just meander down to the beach and spy the resident Hector’s dolphins who live at the old wharf poles in the surf. Awaiting you at the lodge, your friendly lodge manager will welcome you to your room and you can put your feet up and once again enjoy their hospitality while taking in your new coastal backdrop.
To complete the track, you will first walk out under native bush canopy, then along beautiful golden beaches – one named Blowholes because of the ring of rocks the waves blow up through as they come to shore – a spectacular finish to a fantastic trip. Walk back along the section you flew over on day one, and enjoy it once again but at beach level.
