The South Island is the island of action and adventure and here where the northern
tip of the Southern Alps meets the Murchison / Nelson Lakes region visitors have
two choices: relax and soak up the beautiful scenery, or break personal boundaries
and enjoy a new activity in the great outdoors.
day one: murchison
Key
- Destinations
- Apex Locations
And from snow sports such as skiing, snow-boarding and ice-skating; to mountain
biking; jet boating; kayaking; fly fishing; or even cometing – an activity unique
to this region – there’s no lack of adrenaline pumping activities to choose from!
During the winter the Rainbow Ski Field near St Arnaud provides a range of skiing
and boarding trails for the novice through to the more advanced. Access to the top
of the range is provided by chairlifts, while skiers at Mt Robert Ski Field must
take a stiff two hour hike up the aptly named Pinchgut track to the slopes, or catch
a ride in a helicopter for around $40.
However it’s the year-round whitewater rafting and kayaking opportunities that provide
the greatest drawcard to the region. Murchison is fast earning a reputation as the
kayaking capital of NZ as it has a wide range of accessible paddling on offer from
steep creeks to big volume rivers and runs. Reliable river flows ensure excellent
paddling year-round and the region is becoming a popular destination for experienced
international paddlers.
Ultimate Descents offer kayak expeditions ex- Murchison for first-timers aboard
inflatable or sit-upon kayaks and no previous experience is necessary. The guaranteed
ratio of one guide to every four paddlers ensures everyone gets the most out of
their kayaking experience.
Murchison is also the base for The New Zealand Kayak School which runs residential
kayak courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced paddlers, with coaching provided
by some of NZ’s top professional instructors.
The crystal-clear upper reaches of the mighty Buller River provide some of the best
stretches of white water in NZ. There are plenty of thrills and spills for both
first timers and experienced paddlers alike...
Please click the link to download the full Murchison
action, courtesy of apex car rentals new zealand... the kiwi way
To read more extracts from our driving holiday's guidebook please click on any of
the following links:
north island scenic drives
south island scenic drives
purchase new zealand driving holidays online
If you would like to purchase a copy of this stunning nz pictorial guidebook online
please click here (RRP $24.95 plus postage)
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