The
Abel Tasman Inland track is a true wilderness track and a
great place to experience the real beauty and variety of New
Zealand’s bush and forest.
The track takes from 3 to 4
days, depending on the route taken. This is one of the few
places in the area where you may see kakariki, the native
parakeet, and there is plenty of other bird life. There is
a huge variety of bush, from bracken-covered clearings, to
big beech trees and the gentle tussock landscape of the giant
sinkhole called Moa Park.
We stay in the Department of
Conservation huts, so you will need a pack and sleeping bag,
but we supply, carry and cook the food.
This is very different track
to the Coastal Track; large portions are at the surprisingly
high altitude of 900m, and there is sometimes snow and ice
in winter, but for the rest of the year it is a spectacular
walk. It is strictly for those who want a more wilderness
experience.
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Itinerary
Day 1 (5 hours)
Depart Nelson and drive over the Waimea Plains to Marahau. We walk
a short distance along the Coastal Track before arriving at the junction
of the ascent into the ‘interior’. We then climb gently
through regenerating fern and bracken bush to Holyoakes Clearing with
spectacular views of the coast. After lunch we start the undulating
bush track towards Castle Rock Hut where we stay the night.
Day 2 (5 hours)
Leaving Castle Rocks Hut, the track continues to climb up to the area
known as ‘Moa Park’ passing through several stages of
forest habitat. Here we will visit Viewpoint Rock and Porters Rock,
both of them granite ‘tors’, and some of the most spectacular
viewpoints of the Inland Track. We stop at Moa Park Hut for lunch
and a visit to this very unusual area of native tussock with vegetation
that should be at a much higher altitude. Then we drop down to Canaan
and carry on to the historic Wainui Hut, the oldest in the park.
Day 3 (5 hours)
Leaving Wainui Hut we cross the Wainui River and climb steeply to
the main ridge. This is dense beech forest, rarely visited and the
best place to hear native birds and possibly a view of the native
parakeet, the kakariki. There is also a good chance of seeing the
rare native Powelliphanta land snail. We stay the night at Awapoto
Hut with spectacular views of the forest and the coastal track far
below.
Day 4 (3 hours)
The track from Awapoto out to Pigeon Saddle continues along the ridge,
travelling continuously up and down. At Pigeon Saddle our vehicle
is waiting to transport us to Golden Bay and the return trip to Nelson.
Or you can stay in Golden Bay for the night and visit various sights,
including the largest cold-water springs in Australasia - Waikoropupu
Springs, Takaka, Collingwood, and maybe some of the local arts and
crafts of Golden Bay.
Grade: Medium
Price Includes:
• Meeting you in Nelson or Motueka
• Transport to and from the track
• The services of a trained and experienced guide
• You carry your backpack with clothes, sleeping bag and a small
amount of food
• Souvenir map
To help you plan your trip, we offer the following
list of what to pack.
• 1 Pack of suitable size
• 1 Plastic inner pack liner
• 1 Good quality sleeping bag in a plastic bag
• 1 Good quality weatherproof jacket
• 1 Pair of tramping boots (lightweight recommended)
• 1 Pair of lightweight sandals for evenings
• 1 Pair trousers or sweat pants for evenings
• Spare underwear
• 1 Hiking shorts (non denim)
• Spare shirts
• 1 Woollen jersey or polarfleece
• Spare socks
• 1 Warm hat in winter
• 1 Cool hat in summer
• 1 Plastic bag for clothes
• 1 Toilet gear and towel
• 1 Sunblock
• 1 Sandfly lotion
• 1 One Litre drink bottle
• 1 Camera
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