Lake Mapourika Kayak Adventure: Explore Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary & Hike
4.9
87 Ratings
Franz Josef / Waiau
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: 1 day learn more
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 or tea while admiring the scenery. Additionally, you’ll get FREE photos (sent via email post-trip).

  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Minimum child age is 4 years
  • Wear loose comfortable clothing, jeans are not recommended. We do our best to keep you dry.
  • Comfortable walking shoes
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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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!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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
John_t
Feb 29, 2024
Nice experience - Ideal conditions for kayaking, easy crossing, Cody was very knowledgeable and the hike was very interesting
Review provided by Viator
Odyssey45211182513
Feb 9, 2024
Great tour suitable for beginners - Just brilliant. As beginner kayakers we were a little nervous but it turned out to be very easy. After a quick lesson and safety tips we were off without even getting our feet wet. We paddled at an easy pace over to the island (about 3km) where we got out and went on our hike. There were frequent stops where our excellent guide, Sydney, showed us things of interest and talked about the flora and fauna and then, after a short stop for tea/coffee we retraced our steps. Although the hike took about an hour the stops meant that it was not taxing. We then retraced our paddle strokes. It was a very good tour and we were given free copies of all the photos Sydney had taken so we didn't have to risk losing our cameras or phones in the lake. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
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