Hollyford Track, Fiordland National Park.
South Island, New Zealand.
Spring/Summer 2016
Travelogue by Mieke Buchan
The Hollyford Track is a remarkable journey for the heart, soul and feet. Whether you are an expert ‘tramper’ or simply treasure the crystal clear air of a walk in the wild, this adventure will wrap you up in a fern-frond curly cuddle.
The itinerary itself is pretty enticing –
3 days and 56ks of hiking through Fiordland’s pristine ancient rainforests.
Twinkling waterfalls, brilliant glacial rivers.
A buffet of nature-loving and wildlife-watching.
All entirely off-grid (double Yay!)
Local foodie fare, freshly prepared each evening by hosts at our two forest lodges
Jet-boating and helicopter-ing..
There is even a glow-worm cave. Score!
It’s a pretty impressive trek to-do list.. But the experience itself?
In 4 words - It blew my mind.
Air NZ0830 from Sydney to New Zealand is just long enough to spend almost all of Lord of the Rings 1 with the swarthy-ness of Viggo Mortneson, while he strides and rides his way past Orcs and the like in the New Zealand wild.
Consider my appetite for the lush green forests of the South Island officially STIMULATED!
Queenstown gives me a cheeky wink through the plane’s portholes on descent and its one of the few times I am not happy to have an aisle seat.
Alighting to the tarmac, the Remarkables Mountain Range literally steals my breath and reaches into my little eye-wells to pluck out a few tears.. the scene is that beautiful.
Uber-zen local tourism guru Kate is there to meet me. Lucky Kate becomes my travel buddy (and emergency mummy) over the next 3 days. She is also mid-prep for the infamous God Zone enduro event, so I am in doubly capable hands.
For surprisingly only the second time in my many years of travelling, Ive abandoned carefully selected hiking gear in my roll on bag back in Sydney airport (I blame this on temporary amnesia caused by villainously unavoidable Duty Free perfume war-zone).. so Kate and I now have to speed-shop a new set and borrow hiking boots. *I can recommend the Warehouse near the airport if you are similarly prone to abandoning travel attire.
To make sure a lavishly well-rested evening sets me up for the next morning’s early start, Im checked into the (independently owned) Rees Resort, right on the stunning Lake Waitikapu. The Remarkables fill the vista from my Lake View Suite with her minxy razorback spine and snow-dusted peaks.
Attention to detail bursts out of every character-filled corner of The Rees. It is a ‘must-stay-here’ spot when you visit Queenstown.. Click on the little house to check out the Rees -
Day 1
6.45am Our mini-bus of hikers travel down to Te Anau where lead guide Graham aka ‘G’ jumps aboard. A veteran of the Hollyford, he is SO the part! Imagine Thor had a secret, rugged, tradie/mountain-man brother with a Kiwi accent. That is G.
Completing the crew in Te Anau is fab family group of Mark and Rachel and their vibe-packed twins Ruby and Scarlett.
Secretly Im thinking.. ‘Kids on a trek,. with twenty ks to cover on day one, with packs.. hmm, could be interesting.. ‘ *I soon discover, they are little tramping CHAMPS!
Day 1 is warm and dreamy-bright as we set out on the Hollyford. The carpet moss of the forest floor is lit up by teeny beams of sun, poking through the canopy above. The Hollyford river (Whakatipu Ka Tuka) saunters beside us as we travel and it is so turquoise it literally looks like it is made of turquoise!
Surreal and rugged, I can understand why Hobbit-wrangler Peter Jackson is so taken with this part of the world. *I am also now playing ‘Where’s Viggo’ in my mind.
Occasionally emerging from the 5 layer temperate forest to cross river-ways rushing out of the mountains (on very safe walkways and swing bridges), a highlight of day 1 is Hidden Falls. All of the falls are damn impressive, actually, and it is literally impossible to not shoot off a few hundred photos at each one.
*We discover this is true of everything on the Hollyford. It could be re-named – ‘STOP, look – natural fireworks EVERYWHERE’.
The morning has been a pretty easy guided stroll, so after lunch I partner up with bad-ass dentist/professional tramper (also Kate) and we do the bolt.
The next 10ks (of the clearly marked path) is a more intense mix of steeper climbs and descents, up and down the mountain trails of the Bryneira Range.
A fabled landmark on this stretch is Little Homer Saddle - home to the famous ‘hugging tree’. All primed to give it a G-rated grope, when we do arrive its a little, um, less.. ‘girthy’ than we’d expected.. so we hug it with a giggle and speed onwards.
Its dusk when we arrive at Peak Lodge. Marvellously positioned to take in soaring mountain-scapes on all sides, the light is morphing into an evening glow golden-purple and New Zealand slays me again. Its so beautiful I literally shout ‘Get OUT!’ and look for someone to push, Elaine style.. so Kate gets it in the arm.
Our lodge hosts come out to meet us with warm hugs and beaming smiles and its another ‘moment’. The sense of accomplishment from our 20k first day is a happy endorphin shot in my fatigued glutes. Lemon barley water awaits just inside the door and the smoky aromas of tonight’s feast tease our sweaty nostrils.
Hot showers, evening tights, and the cozy main lodge is a laid back scene of new friends recounting the day. Local Central Otago region wines are uncorked and Im well informed by Queenstown hotelier Mark that the best option is the peppery, warm-dry New Zealand pinot. P.S. Amersfield Pinot Noir, I love you.
Gathered around the long table for dinner and farmed venison is our fare. A first for me (Ive previously only tried the wild stuff). It is outstandingly tender and I don’t think about Bambi once.
Tummies stuffed, its off to the glow worm cave!! I squeal with excitement (way louder than Ruby and Scarlett) and notice that everyone in our walking group is also pretty amped (in their own way). Nature does that I think. Takes us back to our curious kid selves.
The Christmas-sparkly cave becomes even more lovely as movie-perfect soft rain appears on cue and we all nestle in, while G explains the phenomenon. Basically, this pretty bioluminescence stuff is Luceferin.. aka.. their poo. Genius!
Day one has been a doozy and we are all ready to crash (after another pinot in the Lodge, naturally). As a life-long night owl, falling dead asleep at 10pm, unassisted, is quite the treat.
Day 2 kicks off early with delicious breakfast – a choice of Eggs Benedict, porridge, cereals, fresh fruits and bacon. I opt for everything, as does my new hike mate Sally B. We’ve bonded over our desire to eat all of the yummy things, all of the time (in general, but also specifically on this trek)
7.30 and we are off to Lake Alabaster. Its as special as the name suggests.. The mirror surface reflects the sky and raw bush scenery flawlessly. Its another long and peaceful happy sigh moment.
9am Back at Pike Lodge and things are wetter and cooler. After a quick fix of fresh gluten free pikelets and jam and fresh cream.. and lemon barley water. (So, you know, roughing it) we head to the Pike Swing Bridge.
At 80m, it’s the longest in this part of the world and provides one helluva view from the middle. On the other side we take a peek down the ominously and appropriately named Demon Trail. Its all dark-moss, gnarled tree roots and jagged, slicing rocks. *I swear I see Viggo down there, but an equal love of my ankles prevents me from sprinting after him.
Next up, the jetboat whips us to Jamestown – a deserted colony up-river. It’s a sad story of settlers perishing despite all of their best efforts. And you can see why – the remote and harsh conditions are amplified as the air turns frosty around us.
The famously unpredictable Hollyford weather has flipped and apparently my lips are blue. (A common occurrence since childhood. Its really quite a fetching shade of cobalt). I know my mood-ring lips have lit up because Kickass Zen Kate is suddenly removing beanies and hats from her pack with a concerned look on her face. They are applied to my extremities and all is right with the world again.
The next part of the walk is probably my favourite. The light rain, denser canopy and dimmed light has the effect of shining up nature (Like adding a hyper intense ‘Chrome’ effect on your iphone). The rocks and roots on the forest floor become a slick Voldemort black, the ferns and mosses are more emerald vivid.
G invites us to try a Coca Cola leaf.. it’s a sexy little gum leaf dipped in Cherry Bomb red at the tip. Scarlett and I step up and chew away dutifully. Its spicy. Very very spicy. Which is, of course, properly hilarious.
Native birdlife makes several appearances today.. curious Fantails wiz about here and there, and we even catch sight of a pretty honey-eating Tui. The star for me is the eccentric Kakapo, casually hanging out on his Rimu tree. A lorikeet-green prehistoric giant owl of sorts, he’d be the sage old story-teller in the Pixar version of our trek.
*there are only 125 of left in the wild!
As the walk flattens out, G explains some of the natural harmonies and symbioses of the forest. Contrary to the opinions of many botanists and natural scientists (even the beloved David Attenborough), G explains that the entire forest isn’t actually in competition with every other organism for survival, but in fact, they support each other.
A giant silver beach has fallen here, leaving a huge hole in the canopy above. To protect the precious and delicate forest floor, massive umbrella-like ferns have grown up into the middle layer of the forest to provide protection from the light and the rain. The scene is stunning in its clever practicality. He also shows us an umbrella moss that has sprouted in this area.. to diffuse the heaviness of the rain-drops that do get through. Evolution and adaptation in motion.
Several of the soaring beeches in this area have that Avatar ‘Mother Tree’ look and feel about them. They are genuinely awe-inspiring. At over 1000 years old, they’ve certainly seen the works in this forest.
G opens up the frond of an enormous fern to reveal the grub-like baby leaves curled within. Offering these as another ‘made in nature’ snack because ‘it tastes like walnuts’.. I get the ‘go’ sign from Scarlett and we pop them in our trusting gobs. And they DO taste like walnut!
*while we’re on food, I also have to note that todays lunch at the Sunshine Hut is superb – hot pumpkin soup and every kind of savoury slice you can imagine. All laid out for us, hot and fresh, by the mysterious lunch fairies.
Another day 2 highlight is the Goblin Forrest.. and it is properly that. Peculiarly blackened trunks throw a greater contrast on the filtered light and lush foliage on this stretch of winding trail. Its Dark Narnia in Middle Earth and Im really wishing Id brought my costume box!
The treat at the end of today’s trek is waiting at Long Reef. We’re mid-spring and the fur seal colony is in full swing. Pups frolic while protective mothers look on. The Fiordland Crested penguins also give us a shy show, considering us carefully from under their bright yellow Charlie Chaplin eyebrows.
Martins Bay lodge welcome us that night, and its another insane spot. This time, instead of a river bubbling along outside, its the Tasman Sea pounding onto the beach on the other side of the dunes.
Our hosts are gorgeously engaged again and tonight we are treated to a selection of local Otago region cheeses before a lovely dinner of poached cod and green beans. My gluten free chocolate brownie survives on the plate for exactly 30 seconds.
6.45am and Day 3 is stunning again. Clear blue skies with only the occasional long white cloud, snaking by in the distance.
Bellybutton is curled up into a massive smile after another mad breakfast and we are off to explore the dunes. It’s an impressive stretch of white sand calm, meeting the wild lusty energy of the southern sea.
The dunes protect each-other almost as perfectly as the layers of the rainforest and we are able to visit ancient Maori sites that have been preserved for eons.
Our walk is peppered with folklore of an ocean princess falling in love with a Maori chieftan - with devastating consequences (Little Mermaid without the happy ending) and tales of an early settler family who actually did manage to make it here, in the isolated South (for a while, at least).
Regrouped back at the lodge and we are (mostly) all pumped for the helicopter flight around the coast to Milford Sound.
Up and hovering above the terrain we’ve trekked over in the last day and my love for this epic, brutally beautiful landscape grows again.
Rising higher and tracing around the edge of the island from the sky, we are able to see the gigantic scale of the territory we’ve ventured through on the Hollyford. Exquisite glacier-formed valleys and river-ways are revealed to our left. Awestruck mouth-open wonder is the only way to describe this moment.
We’ve been spoiled for highlights on the Hollyford and we are ending on an especially special one.
A helicopter swing around this stunning, crusty coastline into Milford Sound is worthy of a trip (and a story) all of its own. Ive used so many ‘wow’ words in this travelogue already, so this time I’ll just say.. like the rest of this great journey..
DO IT, DO IT ALL, I promise it will blow your beautiful mind.
*Ladies, its a lung expanding walk, but certainly not a slog. You can do it.
Many thanks to –
Kate ‘Zen’ Baxter and Nigel at NT Tourism.
At the Hollyford - Our guides, Graham and Michaela. All of our hosts and behind-the-scenes fairies.
Queenstown tourism.
Fellow hikers – thank you. You MADE this trip!
What a wonderful bunch of warm, hilarious legends.
Ruby, Scarlet, Mark, Rachel, Sally, Karen, Raf ;) Neil, Sue and Kate ‘Bolter’ Collins.
