Braemar College New Zealand Winter Adventure

Stay the night in the private Rex Simpson Hut | Steve Tulley

Snow Farm cross country skiing resort | Snow Farm Lodge

Skiing at Ohau Snow Field | Ohau Snow Field

Cycling the Alps 2 Ocean Trail | Colin Monteath

Snowshoeing in the Two Thumb Mountain Range | Steve Tulley

Dinner at Lake Ohau Lodge | Lake Ohau Lodge

A starry night sky at our Lake Ohau Lodge accommodation

Code: SOG7580

Overview

Highlights

Cycle along side the snowy peaks of the Southern Alps
Two nights at a backcountry hut
An exhilarating boat ride down the Kawarau and Shotover rivers on the K-Jet
Learning avalanche rescue techniques and snow cave building
Cross country skiing
Stunning trekking along glaciers and huge now cap peaks

In 8 days, you’ll learn the ropes of a range of new outdoor alpine activities in the South Island of New Zealand, discovering unforgettable winter landscapes following the paths of early NZ mountaineering pioneers as you go. We’ve included a fun and action-packed line up that will leave you feeling challenged and inspired from start to finish, all while putting your outdoor education skills to the test in a real-life setting. From Queenstown to Christchurch, this journey covers everything from nordic skiing, cycling, avalanche rescue, hiking, jet boating, a visit to the Sir Edmund Hilary museum at Aoraki/Mt Cook Village and even building your own snow cave. This tour has been designed to be human powered, so you travel as much as possible by foot and bike to discover the wonders of the Southern Alps. As Sir Edmund Hillary once said; “you don't have to be a hero to accomplish great things”, so let's get out there and enjoy it!

Countries:

Start and Finishing Point:

Melbourne

Activities:

Grading:Moderate

Itinerary

Expand all | Collapse all

Day 1
Fly Melbourne to Queenstown, Maori welcome, night walk

This afternoon, make your way to the International Airport with enough time to check in at least 2 hours prior to your flight. Welcome to New Zealand! On arrival you will be met at the airport by your guide and transferred to our centrally located hotel. You will have a traditional Maori Welcome at Marae before settling into your accommodation. Your guide will run through a full trip briefing and team introduction. Once the sun has set, we will embark on a relaxed night walk to explore our surroundings.

Meals: D

Day 2
Cycle Queenstown Trails to Arrowtown, K jet boat ride

After breakfast, we get set up on our bikes and then head out along the Queenstown trails to the historic gold mining village or Arrowtown. Here we learn about the history of a Chinese gold mining settlement before following the Arrow River trail to arrive at the famous Kawarau Bungy bridge to watch the bungy jumpers plunge towards the deep blue Kawarau River. We then return to Queenstown along the cycle trails following the shore of Lake Wakatipu. Once back in Queenstown we embark on an exhilarating jet boat ride of the narrow Kawarau and Shotover Rivers complete with 360 degree spins. When we return to the pier, we visit the Underwater Observatory to get up close and personal with rainbow trout and other lake life. Cycle Distance: 50km

Meals: B,L,D

Day 3
Nordic ski lesson, ski to Musterers Hut

Today we pack up and head to Mt Pisa Snow Farm where we are kitted out with our skis and snow gear. We’ll receive instruction about how to nordic ski from our experienced guides and we’ll have plenty of time in the morning to practice our technique. This afternoon we set out on a traverse to a remote backcountry hut where we will spend the night.

Meals: B,L,D

Day 4
Nordic ski touring, snow craft including igloo building and avalanche technique

Today we have a day of snow activities'. This morning we will put our Nordic Ski lessons from yesterday to test before our guides teach us avalanche rescue techniques using snow probes and we dig snow pits to understand snow packs. We even have the chance to work up a sweat and build our own snow caves. Overnight Musterers Hut

Meals: B,L,D

Day 5
Leave Snow Farm. Diamond Lake walk and Dean Bank ride. Stay Wanaka.

Today we leave Musterers Hut and head to the stunning town of Wanaka. Here we complete a walk around Diamond Lake allowing for stunning views ober the nearby ranges and Wanaka Lake. In the afternoon, we drive down to Cardrona where we can see the iconic hotel, store and post office. We then hop on our bikes for a downhill ride to Wanaka, taking about 1 hour. We arrive at our accommodation in the early evening and prepare another group meal together. Overnight Wanaka.

Meals: B,L,D

Day 6
Travel Wanaka to Mt Cook Village, meet DOC ranger, walk the red Tairns

The backdrop of a snow covered Aoraki/Mt Cook (NZ’s highest peak) against turquoise waters is a sight you’ll never forget. After breakfast, we head to the World Heritage area, Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park and enjoy one of a number of walks determined by the weather and snow conditions. We will have a meeting with the Dept of conservation ranger before we embark on our walk. Walks could include a hike up to the Red Tarns or along the amazing glacial Hooker valley to admire the alpine environment. Here we learn about the striking glacial geomorphology in the region and witness the very landforms carved by recent glaciation. Hike: 2-5 hours

Meals: B,L,D

Day 7
Explore Mt Cook Village, Hooker Valley and Tasman Glacier Trek

Today we have the day to explore the surroundings of Mt Cook. We aim to complete The Hooker Valley and Tasman glacier view trek. One of the best walks for huge payoffs in the Mt. Cook area. If you love mountains then you’ll love Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park in New Zealand’s south island. The tallest peak in New Zealand, Mt. Cook, dominates the landscape in this area. The walk provides us with truly breathtaking views of glacier, glacial moraines, lake, and mountains. The views are incredible!

Meals: B,L,D

Day 8
Cycle Alps to Ocean Trail, Return to Christchurch

Today we will cycle a section of one of New Zealand's most famous cycleways, the Alps to ocean cycle. We will complete the Irishman’s Creek to Tekapo 15km section before for the final drive back to Christchurch where we help unload and clean all the gear. Depending on our finishing time (and the weather!) we may be able to head down to New Brighton Beach for a game of volleyball or beach football and fish and chips. Tonight we will head out in Christchurch for a farewell dinner.

Meals: B,L,D

Day 9
Explore Christchurch if time allows, fly to Melbourne

This morning we wake and enjoy our last breakfast in New Zealand before checking out and transferring to Christchurch Airport for our flight back to Melbourne.

Meals: B

Learning outcomes for students

A World Expeditions Schools adventure is a unique learning experience. Our journeys are designed to encourage thriving and positive youth development along with leaving the communities and environments where we travel in a better condition than when we arrived.
The programs are designed to enhance the following life skills that will help you grow as an individual:
• the confidence to lead a group and make decisions
• the value of working together as a cohesive team to achieve a common objective
• the ability to face mental and physical challenges
• the ability to adapt to new environments outside of their 'comfort zone'
• to appreciate and care for the natural environment. The environments we trek through are beautiful and often pristine, invariably the students will gain a deeper appreciation and understanding about how their individual actions impact on the environment
• build strong friendships and bonds with their peers and also the local peoples
• basic outdoor skills obtained on trek such as personal hygiene, pitching a tent, helping to prepare meals
Importantly our adventures help increase general well-being and build resilience in young citizens to help them deal with adverse situations in life.

Inclusions

What's included

International Airfares including tax and fuel surcharges ex Melbourne to Queenstown / Christchurch to Melbourne
7 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 8 dinners
6 nights lodge/backpacker accommodation in a dorm with shared facilities
2 nights in a private mountain hut (shared facilities)
2 Professional qualified driver/guides
Teachers from Braemar College accompanying each group
Private vehicle transport including all airport transfers
Nordic skiing
Hire of skis, snowshoes, waterproof boots and gaiters
Mountain bike hire and helmet
Water and snacks on the trail
Dept of Conservation concessions fees
NZ Goods and Services Tax (GST)

What's not included

All beverages, other than breakfast
Water bottle (please help us save the environment and bring your own water bottle or hydration pack)
Optional activities not mentioned in the itinerary
Personal expenses (eg. phone calls, internet, laundry, shopping etc)
Travel insurance

About Your Leader

Our guides are one of our biggest assets. We pride ourselves on the standard and quality of these great people who you will be spending your holiday with. They come from all walks of life but they all have a common desire to give you the best possible experience, heaps of fun and lots of fond memories to take home with you. We provide you with the services of two guides for many of our trips, (this may depend on the size of the group). All are certified in first aid and CPR and many are advanced mountain guides. To check out more about our guides see ‘Our Team’ page on our website (www.adventuresouth.co.nz).

Grading

Moderate

To determine the grade of a particular adventure we consider a number of factors. These include the condition of the terrain, the altitude and the length of the trip. Cycling, trekking, cross country skiing and snow shoeing all require some physical exertion. However, these are all conducted at your own comfortable pace and ability level.

Why travel with us

Assisted over
14,000 Students Worldwide

Since the 1980's, we have helped students from around the globe to experience the world's most exciting destinations, allowing them to travel, give, grow.

400+ Service Learning
Programs

Together with students, we have completed over 400 Service Learning programs in developing countries. We will always continue to support causes including social justice, animal welfare, the environment and more.

Fully Customised
School Travel Programs

Want to include service learning, your school curriculum and a physical challenge, or any of the above? Contact us and we can design a program fully catered for your students and budget.

Safety and
Support - Our #1 Priority

Every school receives a detailed risk management plan that is guided by government advisories and the local partners we work with. We never compromise on the safety of your students to reduce the price of the program.

Testimonials

Want to find out more?

Our educational travel experts are ready to help you tailor an itinerary or service learning project to suit your school’s needs and budget. Contact us today to receive a free consultation.