There’s a multitude of horse trekking experiences on offer in New Zealand. Choose from coastal treks along white-sand beaches in Northland or ride under the shadows of snow-topped dormant volcanoes in Ruapehu. If you’re a Middle‑earth fan, head to Glenorchy in the South Island, which was used for many filming locations from The Lord of the Rings. Located at the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park, Glenorchy offers horse trekking among turquoise lakes and the towering peaks of the Southern Alps.
For the ultimate trekking experience there are several options that will take you through some of the countries most class alpine landscapes. Varying from 2-6 days (North and South Islands) following is an example of sort of itinerary is offered. For more options just get in touch with us and we can find something to suit your individual needs.
For the ultimate trekking experience there are several options that will take you through some of the countries most class alpine landscapes. Varying from 2-6 days (North and South Islands) following is an example of sort of itinerary is offered. For more options just get in touch with us and we can find something to suit your individual needs.
Musterers Mountain Pack Trail (6 days)
December 2019 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
March 2020 28th 29th 30th 31st
April 2020 1st 2nd 3rd
Cost per rider $ 3,950.00
Includes transfers from Queenstown airport and return to Queenstown Airport (this is subject to traveling on set dates to meet rides)
March 2020 28th 29th 30th 31st
April 2020 1st 2nd 3rd
Cost per rider $ 3,950.00
Includes transfers from Queenstown airport and return to Queenstown Airport (this is subject to traveling on set dates to meet rides)
Riding Day 1 – Meet at 2pm St. Bathan’s Township, outside the historic Vulcan Hotel, Central Otago
2 hours riding
You will meet your tour guide and wranglers and luggage will be taken to our accommodation for the evening. We will then introduce you to your horse that will be saddled and ready for the afternoons ride in the surrounding St Bathan’s area. This is to ensure that we have a happy relationship between horse and rider. There will be opportunities to have a group photo outside the historic hotel. On our return riders can enjoy some time in the beautiful historic gold mining town. Many of the old mud brick buildings have been restored or if you prefer a few drinks at the hotel.
Dinner will be served at our accommodation for the evening with drinks and nibbles followed by a hearty home cooked feast. Our accommodation for the evening is one of the historic cottages or the Vulcan Hotel within the township.
2 hours riding
You will meet your tour guide and wranglers and luggage will be taken to our accommodation for the evening. We will then introduce you to your horse that will be saddled and ready for the afternoons ride in the surrounding St Bathan’s area. This is to ensure that we have a happy relationship between horse and rider. There will be opportunities to have a group photo outside the historic hotel. On our return riders can enjoy some time in the beautiful historic gold mining town. Many of the old mud brick buildings have been restored or if you prefer a few drinks at the hotel.
Dinner will be served at our accommodation for the evening with drinks and nibbles followed by a hearty home cooked feast. Our accommodation for the evening is one of the historic cottages or the Vulcan Hotel within the township.
Riding day 2 – 6 hours riding
Look forward to a spectacular day as we crisscross the Dunstan River 24 times and make our way alongside this beautiful glacial river through St. Bathan’s Station and into Dunstan Downs Station. This is a very good fly fishing river and keen eyes may spot trout feeding in the many pools we view along our trail. We will be following in the footsteps of the old gold miners from the time of New Zealand’s gold rush.
The old water races constructed by the miners can be seen along the mountain ranges leading back to the Blue Lake. This gives you a strong sense of history, as you start to understand the numbers of men and women that lived and worked in this area and how difficult life must have been for them, as they sought to make their fortune. Gold fever can be a strong draw card however; the reality of this arid environment took many lives.
As we ride up the valley the majestic Old Man peak stands in front of us (waiting for us to conquer the following day.) Our accommodation for the evening is in “Fat Mans Hut,” the original hut is over 100 years old and has been utilised by musterers to tend their sheep. A new cook shop has been constructed alongside the existing building which includes a welcome hot shower (high country style) After dinner enjoy the most breath-taking display of stars, the lack of light pollution makes the starlight very intense. Tents are offered here if people would rather have their own privacy.
Look forward to a spectacular day as we crisscross the Dunstan River 24 times and make our way alongside this beautiful glacial river through St. Bathan’s Station and into Dunstan Downs Station. This is a very good fly fishing river and keen eyes may spot trout feeding in the many pools we view along our trail. We will be following in the footsteps of the old gold miners from the time of New Zealand’s gold rush.
The old water races constructed by the miners can be seen along the mountain ranges leading back to the Blue Lake. This gives you a strong sense of history, as you start to understand the numbers of men and women that lived and worked in this area and how difficult life must have been for them, as they sought to make their fortune. Gold fever can be a strong draw card however; the reality of this arid environment took many lives.
As we ride up the valley the majestic Old Man peak stands in front of us (waiting for us to conquer the following day.) Our accommodation for the evening is in “Fat Mans Hut,” the original hut is over 100 years old and has been utilised by musterers to tend their sheep. A new cook shop has been constructed alongside the existing building which includes a welcome hot shower (high country style) After dinner enjoy the most breath-taking display of stars, the lack of light pollution makes the starlight very intense. Tents are offered here if people would rather have their own privacy.
Riding day 3 – 9am – 7 hours riding
After a cooked breakfast with lunches packed we saddle up riding out of Fat Mans hut and head onto the mountain track which leads us up Old Man Peak. This is the highest stock pass in New Zealand at just under 6000 feet above sea. The landscape on top is the nearest you will find to being on the moon. On a clear day you can see the four highest peaks in New Zealand’s South Island, Aorangi (Mount Cook) Mount Aspiring, Mount St. Bathan’s and Mount Tutoko, lakes Dunstan & Pukaki. As we descend we enjoy views out towards the Southern Alps with Mother Earth laid out before us like a patchwork quilt. We descend into the Dunstan Downs cattle yard at 2000 feet to enjoy our lunch beside the Alpine Lindis pass.
After lunch we cross the road, riding into Dalrachney Station. Here we ride along the river filled with wild lupin’s and roses (depending on the time of year), painting the landscape blue, pink and purple, (keep the camera handy it is a unique feature of the McKenzie and Lindis pass area’s)
Leaving the river behind we begin our ascent on the steepest part of our trail. You will begin to understand the type of horses you are riding as they are purpose bred for this terrain. We are heading to our accommodation for the evening, at the Lindis Ridge hut set high on the edge of the Southern Alps @ just under 5000feet above sea. This site is looking out over typical, “Lord of the Rings” Country. This hut has 10 bunks with two separate bedrooms, a long drop toilet, solar lighting and a log burner, with a deck that faces out into the mountains and overlooking our spectacular ride the following day. We enjoy nibbles, a glass of wine and a hearty dinner.
After a cooked breakfast with lunches packed we saddle up riding out of Fat Mans hut and head onto the mountain track which leads us up Old Man Peak. This is the highest stock pass in New Zealand at just under 6000 feet above sea. The landscape on top is the nearest you will find to being on the moon. On a clear day you can see the four highest peaks in New Zealand’s South Island, Aorangi (Mount Cook) Mount Aspiring, Mount St. Bathan’s and Mount Tutoko, lakes Dunstan & Pukaki. As we descend we enjoy views out towards the Southern Alps with Mother Earth laid out before us like a patchwork quilt. We descend into the Dunstan Downs cattle yard at 2000 feet to enjoy our lunch beside the Alpine Lindis pass.
After lunch we cross the road, riding into Dalrachney Station. Here we ride along the river filled with wild lupin’s and roses (depending on the time of year), painting the landscape blue, pink and purple, (keep the camera handy it is a unique feature of the McKenzie and Lindis pass area’s)
Leaving the river behind we begin our ascent on the steepest part of our trail. You will begin to understand the type of horses you are riding as they are purpose bred for this terrain. We are heading to our accommodation for the evening, at the Lindis Ridge hut set high on the edge of the Southern Alps @ just under 5000feet above sea. This site is looking out over typical, “Lord of the Rings” Country. This hut has 10 bunks with two separate bedrooms, a long drop toilet, solar lighting and a log burner, with a deck that faces out into the mountains and overlooking our spectacular ride the following day. We enjoy nibbles, a glass of wine and a hearty dinner.
Riding day 4 - 3 1/2 hours riding
After a late breakfast, to allow us to take in the stunning mountain scenery which surrounds the Lindis Ridge hut. We pack our lunch and descend down into the head of the Lindis basin to our accommodation for the evening,”Burnt Bush hut.” This is an old musterers hut set in the bush next to mountain stream. This is a short day to enable the riders and horses to rest before tomorrow’s stunning and dramatic ascent to the top of Mount Prospect. Tents will be erected at this site as the hut is a six bunk accommodation.
For those riders who enjoy walking and observing Alpine plant life, this is a great opportunity to do so. This location is filled with unique New Zealand flora and fauna. Tonight we enjoy a hearty back country meal flanked by the Southern Alps.
After a late breakfast, to allow us to take in the stunning mountain scenery which surrounds the Lindis Ridge hut. We pack our lunch and descend down into the head of the Lindis basin to our accommodation for the evening,”Burnt Bush hut.” This is an old musterers hut set in the bush next to mountain stream. This is a short day to enable the riders and horses to rest before tomorrow’s stunning and dramatic ascent to the top of Mount Prospect. Tents will be erected at this site as the hut is a six bunk accommodation.
For those riders who enjoy walking and observing Alpine plant life, this is a great opportunity to do so. This location is filled with unique New Zealand flora and fauna. Tonight we enjoy a hearty back country meal flanked by the Southern Alps.
Riding day 5 – 7.5 hours riding
Today is one of the trail bosses favourite days riding; enjoy a day filled with mountain scenery on horseback, second to none in New Zealand. You can be forgiven if your mind tells you that you are riding through the Rocky Mountains in USA or Mongolian mountain ranges (without the worry of grizzly bears or mountain lions).
Breakfast over, pack horses loaded and horses saddled we forge even deeper into the mountain ranges. Today is filled with adventure as we follow old pack trails around the side of Mount Prospect. Our trail leads us over shingle slides and through snow fed creeks. Here keen eyes may spot Shammy (Chamois -an agile goat/ antelope with short hooked horns) and Himalayan Tahr (is associated with wild goats from the Himalayas in southern Tibet). We cross two mountain ridges before descending into native beech forest and bush arriving in Timaru Creek where we will have our lunch. (we are extremely high in the mountains on this day, if the weather is adverse as mountains can be, the trail can be changed for safety reasons, with nonetheless dramatic scenery with less riding time at high altitude)
Tummies full, we begin the second half of our days ride along the side of Timaru Creek, looking up into the rock formations that we have ridden before lunch. Our trail takes us up and over the Mount Martha saddle which is part of the famous “Te Aroha trail” https://www.teararoa.org.nz/ Our accommodation for the evening Birchwood Station Homestead where there are flushing toilets, soft beds with electric blankets and a beautiful lounge snug complete with fire to warm us up.
Dinner tonight will be a traditional Kiwi barbecue
Today is one of the trail bosses favourite days riding; enjoy a day filled with mountain scenery on horseback, second to none in New Zealand. You can be forgiven if your mind tells you that you are riding through the Rocky Mountains in USA or Mongolian mountain ranges (without the worry of grizzly bears or mountain lions).
Breakfast over, pack horses loaded and horses saddled we forge even deeper into the mountain ranges. Today is filled with adventure as we follow old pack trails around the side of Mount Prospect. Our trail leads us over shingle slides and through snow fed creeks. Here keen eyes may spot Shammy (Chamois -an agile goat/ antelope with short hooked horns) and Himalayan Tahr (is associated with wild goats from the Himalayas in southern Tibet). We cross two mountain ridges before descending into native beech forest and bush arriving in Timaru Creek where we will have our lunch. (we are extremely high in the mountains on this day, if the weather is adverse as mountains can be, the trail can be changed for safety reasons, with nonetheless dramatic scenery with less riding time at high altitude)
Tummies full, we begin the second half of our days ride along the side of Timaru Creek, looking up into the rock formations that we have ridden before lunch. Our trail takes us up and over the Mount Martha saddle which is part of the famous “Te Aroha trail” https://www.teararoa.org.nz/ Our accommodation for the evening Birchwood Station Homestead where there are flushing toilets, soft beds with electric blankets and a beautiful lounge snug complete with fire to warm us up.
Dinner tonight will be a traditional Kiwi barbecue
Riding day 6 – 6 hours riding
Begin our last day’s equine adventure. Heading towards the Ahuriri River we ride alongside a safaris park which is filled with Red, Fallow and Wapiti stags with heads full of impressive antlers. We ride through many small streams, this is Merino sheep country whose fine wool has made New Zealand famous. Often times the station is mustering the sheep whilst we ride through which a wonderful site to see, shepherd and his dog is working together.
Today we will enjoy views of the Ahuriri conservation park. As we head to the end of our ride at the Historic Ahuriri River Lodge our accommodation for the evening. This beautiful homestead has been renovated but has retained its historic beauty.
Accommodation has hot showers and a comfy bed, electricity. We share a glass of wine and the stories of our adventures in the Southern Alps over our home cooked Kiwi dinner.
Day 7 – Final day, after breakfast you will be picked up by our bus driver at 10am and returned to Queenstown Airport or your accommodation.
Begin our last day’s equine adventure. Heading towards the Ahuriri River we ride alongside a safaris park which is filled with Red, Fallow and Wapiti stags with heads full of impressive antlers. We ride through many small streams, this is Merino sheep country whose fine wool has made New Zealand famous. Often times the station is mustering the sheep whilst we ride through which a wonderful site to see, shepherd and his dog is working together.
Today we will enjoy views of the Ahuriri conservation park. As we head to the end of our ride at the Historic Ahuriri River Lodge our accommodation for the evening. This beautiful homestead has been renovated but has retained its historic beauty.
Accommodation has hot showers and a comfy bed, electricity. We share a glass of wine and the stories of our adventures in the Southern Alps over our home cooked Kiwi dinner.
Day 7 – Final day, after breakfast you will be picked up by our bus driver at 10am and returned to Queenstown Airport or your accommodation.