Lake Mapourika Kayak Adventure: Explore Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary & Hike

87 Ratings

Franz Josef / Waiau

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Embark on a thrilling half-day kayak adventure on Lake Mapourika, near Franz Josef Glacier. Explore the Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary, hike through the rainforest, and enjoy breathtaking views of New Zealand’s tallest peaks and glaciers. Free photos included!

Duration: 4 hours

Cancellation: 24 hours

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Highlights

30 Main Road - Dip your paddle into Lake Mapourika’s glassy waters and set foot upon the ancient soils in the Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary. This is your chance to get up close and personal with South Westland’s oldest untouched Jurassic age rainforest.

What's Included

Equipment
Beverages (tea/coffee)
Local guide
All taxes, fees and handling charges
National Park fees
Tea and coffee
Complimentary photos

What's Not Included

Meals (please pack your own small snack or lunch)
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Additional Information

Discover the wonders of Lake Mapourika on this comprehensive half-day Kayak & Walk trip, conveniently located mere minutes from Franz Josef Glacier! Traverse the serene, mirror-like lake and soak in the stunning vistas of New Zealand’s highest-mountains and glaciers. Accompany your guide on a journey through the rainforest trail and savour a hot coffee…

Location

30 Main Road

Main Road

Please check-in at our office 15 minutes prior to your trip departure time. We are located in the building next to The Landing Restaurant.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

4.9

(87 Ratings)

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1 star

Danni_l

Oct 23, 2024

Would definitely recommend - Absolutely loved this experience! Was a bit nervous as we hadn’t kayaked before but the guides explained everything really well and let you take it at your own pace. The walk was lovely and we learned so much about the area and what they do there. Our guides Kurt and Pickles were so friendly and helpful, really knew their stuff about the area. Would definitely recommend.

Review provided by Viator

Norton0924

Sep 18, 2024

Kayak and Walk - Even in wet weather, which is to be expected, the scenery was great and included wonderful reflections. It was so peaceful and full of bird noises. The bush walk into a remote area was magical and a hot drink at halfway was an unexpected and pleasant surprise. The guides were helpful, informative and friendly.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Courtney_c

May 3, 2024

Peaceful, relaxed day on the lake - Sydney was a great guide, taking photos and giving nice information about the land and its formation. Was a calm day on the lake so very peaceful journey, I love kayaking so could have gone for much longer! (not a rigourous kayak at all so if looking for something more physical, would not expect this to be it). The little walk was nice to see the friendly birds and learn about the various conservation efforts in place to help the native birds and help solve the problems of the invaise species.

Review provided by Viator

Bdcrane

Apr 18, 2024

Beautiful lake paddle and forest walk with the birds. - Even with the mountains hidden by clouds, the lake is really beautiful and the forest walk was fascinating. Our guide was very knowledgeable, and we were fortunate to see several different kinds of birds close up.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Tai_hkg

Mar 30, 2024

Relaxing lake kayaking and hiking experience - We were a small group of 3. The kayak and other equipment were well maintained. The lake was beautiful and the hike was nice - our guide Laura is very knowledgeable and could explain everything 😁 Bonus: we saw three Keas!

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Anonymous

Mar 29, 2024

Easy, relaxing and beautiful - The kayaks were stable and easy to use. Our guide, Sydney, was friendly, informative and efficient with setup. The hike was really nice, and I really appreciated the hot coffee during our rest. The eels were really cool too!

Review provided by Viator

Jamescx4573lc

Mar 26, 2024

Active and interesting afternoon - Our guide, Laura, was very friendly and helpful in getting us set up with our kayaks and sharing interesting facts about the area and nature reserve / sanctuary. We were a small group and the weather was a bit choppy at first, but thoroughly enjoyable with all the equipment provided. Would highly recommend.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Ria_moheko

Mar 18, 2024

Mapourika - Flower of the Dawn - Our whānau spent the day on Lake Mapourika, kayaking and adventuring on a beautiful nature walk. We learned that "Mapourika" roughly translates from Te Reo Māori to English as the "Flower of the Dawn". We felt it was a fitting place to be on the day of the new year, welcoming in 2023. We kayaked to a small island in the middle of the lake, and our guide took us on a tour of the island, speaking about the native flora and the different manu (birds) that have frequented the area over hundreds of years. Afterward, we enjoyed a cup of tea and biscuits, and received some pictures of our whānau together, which was a lovely way to remember the experience.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Amy_a

Mar 13, 2024

Great experience! Better than doing it on your own. - Our tour guide Dillon "Pickles" went above and beyond to share information about flora, fauna, history, and the area. He was a wealth of information and made it a lot of fun.

Review provided by Viator

Matt_t

Mar 4, 2024

Fun experience - We had a superb time kayaking and adventuring through the woods. Sydney was a brilliant guide very knowledgeable on facts of the local area. Highly recommended.

Review provided by Viator

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up to 15 guests

1 Adult