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July 2017. Issue 158

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The Akaroa Walk

The Akaroa Walk is an icon among New Zealand walking tours.

At 39 km, it is a very achievable journey over 3 days of fantastic scenery, taking you from Christchurch, the Gateway to the South Island, to the charming historic settlement of Akaroa on Banks Peninsula.

This New Zealand walking tour offers spectacular panoramic views from the Godley Head and Crater Rim walkways, a stroll amongst ancient totara forest on the Otepatotu Reserve Track, a close-up view of the twin volcanic craters of the Lyttelton and Akaroa Harbours and the many smaller bays and coves that surround them.

The Banks Peninsula region is also host to a large number of bird species that shelter amongst the pockets of native trees and shrubs, while a marine mammal sanctuary in Akaroa Harbour protects the rare Hectors Dolphin.

The Akaroa Walk incorporates some of the best historical walking tracks in Canterbury. Among these is the Bridle Path Track, the original route travelled by Christchurch’s first European settlers in their arduous journey from the port of Lyttelton to the settlement of Christchurch, carrying clothing, food, and all their earthly possessions. Now you can retrace their footsteps, albeit with only your day pack.

Another walking trail surveyed as a traveller’s road but never constructed is the Summit Road Walkway, used by turn-of-the-century farmers and landowners as they journeyed from bay to bay on Banks Peninsula. In the spirit of the early pioneers and accompanied by one of our informative local walking guides, you will learn about the forces of nature that shaped this stunning landscape and the people that came to tame it, the legacy of the early Maori inhabitants and the influence of the French and English colonists still evident today.

Akaroa is a delightful place to spend a few days after your walking tour, consider extending your stay and enjoy a few days exploring the village at leisure, with its many fine galleries, craft shops and cafes. Your Akaroa Walk experience includes return transport to Christchurch at the end of your journey as well as all meals on tour, portage of luggage so you only need walk with a day pack and accommodation each night in locally owned and operated Lodges and motels

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Generation Defining Climb

31-Year-Old Becomes First Person to Climb Yosemite’s

El Capitan with No Ropes

Alex Honnold, a 31-year-old mountain climber from Northern California, recently became the first person ever to climb the 3,000-foot high El Capitan granite wall in Yosemite National Park, without any ropes or other safety equipment.

Honnold pulled-off the historic, death-defying “free solo” climb on Saturday, June 4th, reaching the top of El Capitan in just 3 hours and 56 minutes. All he used as gear was a bag of chalk powder to improve his grip on the slippery granite. To make his job a little easier, the climber climbed the wall several times before, using ropes, and marked every toe and finger-hold he would use during his free climb, with chalk. Even so, the challenge was monumental, and his success prompted Alpinist Magazine to write “This is indisputably the greatest free solo of all time.”

The brave climber told the Associated Press that things get really hairy around 2,300-foot mark, where the holds used to ascend get so small that they can only be gripped with a thumb. To make sure that he was as able as he could be to tackle these extreme conditions, Alex spent hours every other day hanging by his finger tips and doing one- and two-armed pull ups in his van.

Alex’s fearless approach to free solo climbing has attracted the attention of scientists who studied his brain to see how it copes with fear and if it is different than the average human’s, National Geographic reports.

Tommy Caldwell, one of the first two people to free climb El Capitan (using safety ropes and harnesses only to arrest a fall), called Alex Honnold’s achievement a “generation defining climb”.

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Be assured of your place on one of our exciting tours for the 2017/2018 season.

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West Coast Wilderness Trail

Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail

The Tasman Great Taste

Trail and Golden Bay

Explorer

Otago Rail Trail

Queenstown Cycle Trail

Akaroa Walk

Mesopotamia High Country Walk

West Coast Trail

Queen Charlotte Walk

Queen Charlotte Walk / Cruise

Franz Josef Trail

Abel Tasman Walk - 3 Days

Abel Tasman Walk - 5 Days

Abel Tasman Walk/Kayak - 3 Days

Abel Tasman Walk/Kayak - 5 Days

Coromandel Explorer

Tongariro Crossing

Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk

Hump Ridge Track

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The Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail

Explore the new Alps 2 Ocean Cycle trail which is regarded as one of the best New Zealand cycling tours available, giving cyclists access to some of the South Island's most dramatic scenery and legendary country hospitality, food and accommodation.

See the stunning tussock alpine region of the Southern Alps with its snow capped peaks, breathtaking views of Aoraki/Mt Cook - New Zealand’s highest mountain, golden highlands, stunning turquoise lakes, glacier-carved valleys and the Waitaki Valley with its hydro-lakes – Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki.

The Alps 2 Ocean cycling tour meets increasingly lush farmland as it reaches the lower Waitaki Valley, dotted with vineyards, a lavender farm, Māori rock art and oddly shaped Elephant Rocks, as well as a tunnel which the cycle tour passes through as it follows the path of an old railway line through to Oamaru and the harbour park alongside the town’s magnificent Victorian Precinct right on the Pacific Ocean.

The spectacular 270km Alps 2 Ocean cycling tour descends 780 metres on a ride with a moderate grade. The terrain varies, with easy riding on canal paths, quiet country roads, old railway lines and expertly cut cross-country tracks.

Alps 2 Ocean has been picked as one of the world's top 16 attractions by Frommer's Travel Guides. The reputed travel publisher describes the trail as "stunning and cheerfully hospitable", and setting the "perfect standard for awesome".

The Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail - See More

This Smartphone Case Doubles as an Espresso Machine

Mokase is the world’s first smartphone case that also serves users a warm shot of espresso whenever and wherever they want. It’s aimed at people who are always on the go, whose hectic lifestyle prevents them from stopping by a coffee shop or even a vending machine for a dose of caffeine.

Smart K, the Italian company that came up with the concept for Mokase, claims that they were looking for a way to make coffee available anywhere, and pairing it with the smartphone just made the most sense.

The heat-proof case works with thin capsules containing the water and ground beans necessary to prepare the espresso. All you have to do is insert a capsule into the case, and whenever you feel the need for a fresh shot of espresso, all you have to do is access the Mokase app on your phone and press a virtual button. A built-in battery will heat up the coffee in the capsule to around 50 – 60 degrees Celsius. When it’s ready, another button press in the Mokase app will allow you to pour the espresso through an orifice at the top of the case. Smart K says that the pipe through which the espresso is pumped is made of an alloy aluminum-silicon that can handle hot liquids without releasing any toxins.

The special case also comes with a cleverly-designed pop-up cup that doubles as a coloured key-ring when not in use. You’ll only get around 25ml of espresso out of a single capsule, slightly less than a regular shot of espresso, which is an ounce, or 29ml.

The Mokase case is available for pre-order on the Mokase website. You can also order disposable coffee capsules in packs of 15, 30 or 50. In case you’re interested, the coffee-making case fits a variety of smartphone models from brands like Apple, Samsung or LG.

The Queenstown Cycle Trail

The Queenstown Cycle Trail starts in Otago’s world renowned Wakatipu Basin.

Queenstown’s reputation as one of the world’s favourite adventure and cycling destinations is enhanced with the addition of this New Zealand Cycle Tour.

The new Queenstown Cycle Trail is part of the New Zealand Cycling Trails network and unveils stunning new vistas, hidden ruins, spectacular architecture and world-class food and wine.

The cycle trail meanders through some of New Zealand’s most breathtaking scenery, taking in the stunning landscapes of Lake Hayes, Frankton and Queenstown, Arrowtown, Gibbston Valley, Clyde, Alexandra (Roxburgh Gorge Cycle Trail), Roxburgh (Clutha Gold Cycle Trail) and Wanaka and brings to you 5 days of spectacular cycling and local experiences.

For the first time ever, you can cycle across unspoilt private land.... over mighty suspension bridges, ride alongside six iconic rivers and six lakes... all set in dramatic landscapes, some used for the now famous Lord of the Rings films.

We integrate into this New Zealand cycling tour The Queenstown Cycle Trail -The Roxburgh Gorge Cycle Trail and the Clutha Gold Cycle Trail.

Roxburgh Gorge Cycle Trail – Discover another world. This cycle trail offers a wilderness experience through the remote and stunning Roxburgh Gorge. Sit back and become immersed in the splendid isolation that is the Roxburgh Gorge.
Clutha Gold Cycle Trail – A journey of discovery - Ride alongside the powerful Clutha Mata-au River, through a secluded valley and gorge network and into lush green farmland. It is an easy grade trail that is full of variety, from undulating to flat to meandering.

Your fully guided Queenstown Cycle Trail journey starts and ends in the adventure capital of the southern hemisphere, Queenstown (or Christchurch), with transport available to and from Christchurch.

Cycle tour includes all accommodation, meals, and support vehicles and guide.

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Patagonian Penguin Always Returns to the Human Who Saved His Life 5 Years Ago

João Pereira de Souza, a retired bricklayer from Rio de Janeiro, shares a heartwarming bond with a Magellanic penguin native to South America’s Patagonian region. For the past five years, the bird seems to have altered its natural migratory pattern just to be able to visit de Souza several times a year.

The unlikely friendship began in 2011, when de Souza found the bird, nicknamed Jinling, soaked in oil on the beach near his house. He brought the penguin home, cleaned him up, and offered him a meal of sardines and a shady spot to rest. Since then, Jinling has never stayed away from de Souza for too long.

Even though the kindhearted man tried to get the penguin reacquainted with the open sea after he got better, the bird just kept coming back. He even took him out in a boat, far from land and turned him loose in the ocean, but by the time he got back home, Jinling was already waiting for him.

Although Magellanic penguins migrate thousands of miles each year between breeding colonies in Patagonia and feeding grounds further north, Jinling doesn’t stay away from Rio for more than four months at a time. He always waddles back to de Souza’s little shanty by the sea, sometimes spending as long as eight months to a year with the old man. And he’s possessive too – he apparently can’t stand other animals getting anywhere close to his human.

The local fishermen are bewildered by this unusual behaviour. “The funniest thing is that the penguin might stay here for a week, then it walks down to the beach and leaves,” said Mario Castro, a fisherman. “It spends 10, 12, 15 days and comes back to the same house. They’re supposed to join together, find some path to the south, but he doesn’t.”

When they are not swimming in the ocean together, the unlikely duo hang out with the locals from João’s village, where Jinling is known as the village mascot.

The West Coast Trail

The West Coast Trail is a walking adventure created for hikers and nature lovers keen to explore a variety of landscapes and terrain.

Incorporating some of the best short, and some longer day walks in the Arthur's Pass National Park, and on the West Coast of the South Island, your journey of discovery takes you from East to West Coasts over 4 days of walking.

Starting from Christchurch on Day 1, you travel out over the Canterbury Plains and into the foothills of the Southern Alps with walks at Castle Hill and Flock Hill. These areas are known for their distinctive limestone rock formations, remnants of a time 30-40 million years ago when much of New Zealand lay at the bottom of the ocean. Forced up by the earth’s movement and weathered by the elements, these boulders assume a majestic presence and have been captured in films such as the “The Chronicles of Narnia”.

Arthur's Pass National Park is the next destination on your West Coast Trail walking tour and here the terrain changes dramatically; from lush native beech forest to sub alpine tussock and wetlands, steep sided valleys and majestic towering peaks carved by glaciers long since vanished. Discover the numerous native alpine plants and birds that exist in this beautiful, remote location. Listen for the call of the kea, New Zealand’s native alpine parrot and be charmed by the melodious tones of the bellbird.

Descending over the famous Otira Gorge into the dense green rainforest of the West Coast is like stepping back in time. Your local walking guide will share stories of the original Maori travellers that made this journey from coast to coast in search of precious greenstone, and the hardy explorers that followed in their footsteps carving out routes for the transport of gold and coal. Walk the Tunnel Loop Trail at Goldsborough where scars of pickaxes on rock are a very real reminder of the sheer determination of early goldminers to wrestle their fortune from the land.

The final destination on our West Coast Trail Walk is Punakaiki and the Paparoa National Park. This section of the coastline is considered one of the most scenic drives in New Zealand and we explore this region over two days, walking several of the coastal trails through unspoilt sub-tropical forest rich with podocarps and nikau palms. Enjoy spectacular blowholes cut by the ocean through layers of limestone rock (the aptly named Pancake Rocks) and the grandeur of the Pororari River Gorge with its steep sided cliff faces.

The West Coast Trail is achievable for all levels and is recommended for those wishing to explore the region in depth with a series of day walks. Incorporating walks in two National Parks and over a variety of landscapes from rainforest to alpine forest, coastline and river valleys, the West Coast Trail Walk provides an excellent snapshot of the best of South Island scenery.

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Upgraded tourism infrastructure for DOC.

The Government announced it will invest $76 million over four years on new and upgraded tourism infrastructure for DOC. This will allow DOC to better manage the impact of visitor growth.

What will the $76 million over four years be spent on?

In summary:

$23m for increased maintenance, cleaning, wear and tear on huts, tracks and facilities, improving the quality of roads, and compliance activity
$12.7m towards expanding the Great Walks network of premier multi-day tracks
$9.1m for exciting new products Great Short Walks and Great Day Walks
$11.4m for new customer focused technology including improving booking system, marketing and better understanding visitors
$19.8m to improve visitor experiences in regions.

The total above is a mix of new operating and capital funding over four years as part of Budget 2017.

Where will the two new Great Walks be?

It’s too soon to tell, because there is a lot of work to be done to identify the best locations. DOC will run a contestable process and engage iwi to select the most beneficial locations, and encourage co-funding with regional authorities and partners.

What is the difference between a Great Short Walk and a Great Day Walk?

Great Day Walks are full day experiences such as the Tongariro Alpine Crossing (usually more than 6 hours). DOC are developing 10 Great Day Walks to showcase exceptional places with the aim of spreading the visitor load away from busy visitor hot spots. The development of these walks will offer greater opportunities for regions, as a Day Walk encourages visitors to extend their stay.

Great Short Walks will be a selection of around 20 short walks (usually less than 2 hours) that visitors with shorter itineraries can enjoy. Regions will be able to promote these walks as one of their must-do activities, and as part of a package of attractions enticing visitors to visit and stay longer.

When does DOC expect to have new Great Walks and new Short and Day Walks in place?

They are aiming to have Short and Day walks up and running by the end of this year. The new Great Walks will also be this year but development will take some time.

How many international vs domestic visitors currently visit our Great Walks?

Last year 118,000 people visited the Great Walks. Of these, 71,000 (60%) were international visitors and 47,000 (40%) domestic visitors. Many more visit the Great Walks as a day experience.

How does DOC propose to manage increasing numbers of visitors?

Most places on public conservation land have very low use, and thus have capacity to accommodate the number of visitors anticipated in the next five years. Only a small number of places are experiencing significant pressures.