Glenorchy Things to Do

This was the jet boat ride that we chose, we didn't want the adrenlin rush of the Shotover Jet, we wanted to experience a Jet boat ride, but be able to see some beautiful scenery as well.
Well, we were not disappointed, it was one of our most memorable experiences in New Zealand.

In saying that, the Jet boat ride is not all sedate touring, you do get the 180degree spins, you do get water on you, and you do get very close to rocks, and wizz through small areas at high speed. The river is massive, and it is very shallow, and the boat just skimmed across the shallow water at fast speed!

It was great!

JOURNEY IS 1.5 hours.

PRICE in 2010....$229

It was the best value jet boat ride when we did it, but I see now, the price has gone up incredibly, I really wouldn't pay that much myself even though I did enjoy it! Your decision!

Thinking of going to Glenorchy? Well, Glenorchy is SMALL, there isn't much here, and only has a population of approx 200 people. To me, it was the nice location, nice to be away from busy Queenstown, and to be staying in what seemed like paradise!

This is an area for hiking, for scenic jet boat rides, horse riding, kyaking, general outdoor activities in this beautiful area.

Located in the small town of interest, is the grass roof log house.

My wife and I went on an afternoon "River Wild" tour on Sunday November 29, 2009 and my wife got a temperament ex-racehorse who threw my wife from the saddle. The result is broken arm in three pieces, ruined vacation, and long recovery ahead.

We realize that every time you engage in activity like horse riding you're taking risk. But when you rent skies you don’t expect to get a broken ski or when you rent a car you assume that it's got good brakes. The horses you get at Dart stables are ex-race horses that are NOT suitable for recreational use by non-professional riders. And when something happens they don’t even have an emergency plan, you're on your own.

We learned our lesson and the risk wasn't worth the ride with Dart stables. Unless you're a professional horse rider don’t risk it, go somewhere else where it's safer.

This is now one of the most popular tracks and while not overcrowded with trampers, you will need to book in the peak season (Nov to April) to get hut accommodation.

The track covers 32kms and starts at the Routeburn shelter which is 25kms from Glenorchy. Most walkers do the track over 3 days and 2 nights. The routeburn is not a circular track, you need to organise transport at one end. However, you can also link into a longer trip by continuing on back down the Greenstone or Caples tracks arriving back at Lake Wakatipu just south of Kinloch. This does make it possible to end up near your start point.

Transport connections can be arranged at each end depending on what options are selected.

From the shelter point start, it is 6.5kms (.15-2.5 hours) to the first hut and campsite (the flats hut) and a further 2.3km (1-1.5 hours) up a stepper climb to the Falls huts (no camping). The next stretch is 11.3kms (4.5-6 hours) to the Lake McKenzie Hut and camping area. This is an alpine exposed area, so you need to be aware of the weather, it can change quickly. This section passes the superb Harris Saddle area. From here it is another 8.6km (3-4 hours) to the Lake Howden Hut and another 3.4kms out to the end of the track. From the Howden Hut is where you can connect and continue down the Greenstone or Caples tracks or continue onto the Divide on the Te Anau - Milford Road and end up about 85kms from Te Anau.

This is a very worthwhile tramp.

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infotrack offer full day guided tours on the world famous Routeburn Trail, which is one of New Zealand's most stunning alpine walks and is located in the pristine Mt Aspiring National Park.

The guides will pick you up at 8am from your accommodation in Queenstown and drive you to the start of the walk not far from Glenorchy, which is about an hours drive away.

They were very informative throughout the day and shared a lot of interesting information about the history of the Routeburn Trail, including the wildlife and alpine beech forests. They also pointed out the sapplings that were used for making Gandalf's staff for the 'Lord of the Rings'.

You will cross many swing bridges to cross numerous stream, which the kids seemed to treat as an opportunity to test everyone's sense of balance by creating some serious wavy motions!

The trail takes you past many waterfalls, through native beech forests and up to the edge of the tree line up the mountain where we still found plenty of fresh, powdery snow.

The cost was NZ$175 per adult and included lunch, trail mix snacks and drinks. Your water bottle can be topped up at the many fresh water streams throughout the park.

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Whether you just like horse riding through some stupendous mountainscenery or if you a a 'Lord of the Rings' fan, this ride takes you through some breathtaking vistas around Glenorchy.

You will find yourself in the woods of Lothlórien, passing through Amon Hen, views of the Wizard's Vale and the mighty peak of Methedras are simply stunning.

I had never ridden a horse before but I found the 2 hours in the saddle no hardship at all. But with the gorgeous scenery you wouldn't notice any discomfort anyway.

Our guide, Georgia, kept us suitably entertained with constant anechdotes of the various locations for 'The Lord Of the Rings' an more recently, 'Wolverine'. Although the commentary for the latter was more to do with her efforts at Hugh Jackman spotting ;).

The cost for this ride was NZ$165pp and worth every cent!

The Dart Valley is the western valley of the two and the present landscape of the area has been shaped by glaciation.

The Dart Glacier is now a small valley glacier but at the peak of the last ice age, about 18,000 years ago, it was part of an enormous glacier system that terminated at Kingston, at the southern end of Lake Wakatipu, about 135 km from its present location. Huge moraine walls in the upper Dart Valley beyond Dart Hut show the previous extent of the glacier and how much it has receded even in the last few hundred years. This is a long way in.

Southern beech, or Nothofagus, dominates the forest. Red beech is found on the warm valley floor of the Dart Valley, while mountain and silver beech dominate the rest of the Dart Valley and the Rees Valley. Some of the beech forests are quite spectacular.

The Rees is one of two valleys just north of Glenorchy and each has differing features.

The Rees follows a dirt track narrow road into the valley across braided river flats and into beech forest before coming out onto alpine like flats.

Once the track ends, you need a 4WD to continue or walk a little to get a feel for the rugged and remote nature of the place. Further down the valley are the Lennox Falls and Mt Earnslaw.

It is not hard to why the area was chosen to portray "Middle Earth" in the epic movie "Lord of the Rings". Mt Earnslaw is infact known as Methedras in the Wizards Vale at Isengard. While the wild combination of water, trees, mountains, and glaciers provided director Peter Jackson with a perfect backdrop for Isengard at Nan Curunir, Lothlorien, Amon Hen, and Dunharrow.

There are a number of walking options in this valley.