New Zealand wilderness accommodation, South Island
| country: | New Zealand |
| location: | Lake Moeraki, South Westland on the South IslandSee map here |
| price: | From NZ $290 - NZ $360 (twin room) or NZ $390 - NZ $490 (twin suite) per person per night, depending on season. Price includes 4 course dinner, full breakfast, all facilities and 3 hours daily of activities. Single supplements apply. Family tariff available |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
description
Untouched rainforest and seacoast with seals and Tawaki penguins surround our luxurious Lake Moeraki lodge.
Few places on earth can match this unique natural setting between the Southern Alps and the Tasman Sea in the South West New Zealand World Heritage Area.
Our wilderness lodge is landscaped into a lakeside clearing surrounded by 1,000-year-old rainforest trees. It offers a high level of comfort in 24 attractive rainforest rooms and 4 luxury riverview rooms. Our lounge, saloon, and restaurants all look out across the Moeraki River.
A gourmet meal and a relaxed drink from a surprisingly extensive wine list as you watch the river roll by and the trout jumping is a wonderful wilderness tonic in a hectic world. Radiating from the lodge is a network of rainforest, river and seacoast walks. There is a fleet of canoes and kayaks for you to explore Lake Moeraki and the Moeraki River with trout fishing gear also available.
A team of nature guides from the lodge will introduce you to the Southern Cross, Fiordland Crested penguins (June to December), fur and elephant seals, giant tame eels, unique birdlife and primeval forests. There is a constantly changing programme of walking and canoe adventures organised by the lodge.
Canoeing - 20 single and two-person kayaks/canoes on the lake and river. 'Ancient rainforest discovery walk' to the seacoast, riverbank and lakes. Guided Tasman seacoast fur and elephant seal and Tawaki (Fiordland Crested) penguin walks Nature discovery with tree, fern, orchid and bird identification. Giant eel discovery/freshwater ecology guided trips. Marine Biology seacoast trips Brown trout fishing (these are an introduced fish to New Zealand) Southern Cross and Glow worm walk
Walking: The lodge has an extensive (10km long) walking trail network of our own that we maintain. This includes the Lake Moeraki Lakeside Walk (1.8km), the Giant Rimu/Lower Moeraki ancient rainforest walk (6km) and the Untracked Bush Track (2.2km).
These walks also link with a network of World Heritage Conservation Department Trails best known of which is the 4 km Monro Beach Walk, Ship Creek walks and Historic Paringa to Haast Cattle track.
Cycling: Many cycle tour operations make use of the lodge. Most of these only cycle on the lightly used and sealed Highway 6. There is also a popular cycle trip down to Whakapohai Beach.
Few places on earth can match this unique natural setting between the Southern Alps and the Tasman Sea in the South West New Zealand World Heritage Area.
Our wilderness lodge is landscaped into a lakeside clearing surrounded by 1,000-year-old rainforest trees. It offers a high level of comfort in 24 attractive rainforest rooms and 4 luxury riverview rooms. Our lounge, saloon, and restaurants all look out across the Moeraki River.
A gourmet meal and a relaxed drink from a surprisingly extensive wine list as you watch the river roll by and the trout jumping is a wonderful wilderness tonic in a hectic world. Radiating from the lodge is a network of rainforest, river and seacoast walks. There is a fleet of canoes and kayaks for you to explore Lake Moeraki and the Moeraki River with trout fishing gear also available.
A team of nature guides from the lodge will introduce you to the Southern Cross, Fiordland Crested penguins (June to December), fur and elephant seals, giant tame eels, unique birdlife and primeval forests. There is a constantly changing programme of walking and canoe adventures organised by the lodge.
special things to do and see here
Walking: The lodge has an extensive (10km long) walking trail network of our own that we maintain. This includes the Lake Moeraki Lakeside Walk (1.8km), the Giant Rimu/Lower Moeraki ancient rainforest walk (6km) and the Untracked Bush Track (2.2km).
These walks also link with a network of World Heritage Conservation Department Trails best known of which is the 4 km Monro Beach Walk, Ship Creek walks and Historic Paringa to Haast Cattle track.Cycling: Many cycle tour operations make use of the lodge. Most of these only cycle on the lightly used and sealed Highway 6. There is also a popular cycle trip down to Whakapohai Beach.
rooms, food and facilities
5 hectares of grounds surrounded by hundreds of thousands of hectares of South-west NZ World Heritage Site.
24 rooms all with rainforest views and private bathrooms 4 suites all with balconies out over the Moeraki rapids and spa baths 2 restaurants Lounge bar and extensive list of NZ & Australian wines Complimentary guest laundry/driers/drying room Guest nature library Complimentary satellite broadband wireless internet
There are 10km of lodge rainforest and river walking trails and we have 20 lodge canoes and kayaks for complimentary guest use (and lifejackets and training). Brown trout fishing gear/licence packages are available (NZ $49 per day).
Family friendly: Wildlife discovery, rainforest and seacoast walks and canoe safaris are ideal for families. The lodge is family friendly and our nature adventures are adapted for children where they make up our guest mix.
We accept people with babies at the lodge but are not geared up to provide activities or babysitting for children 2 years and under.
Disabled access: The lodge has 6 disabled rooms (20% of capacity). It is located on a flat landscape that makes access easy. Next to the lodge is the Monro Beach Walk that is a high standard rainforest trail suitable for people with disabilities. Lodge canoes and kayaks are suitable for paraplegics and have been used by them.
Lake Moeraki, South Westland, New Zealand. Accessible by road/rental car on State Highway 6 and located 90 km south of Fox Glacier and 30 km north of Haast.
Public transport services: 240 km from Queenstown on daily Newmans and Atomic Shuttle bus services. These continue through to Greymouth 265 km north and to our lodge.
There are 10km of lodge rainforest and river walking trails and we have 20 lodge canoes and kayaks for complimentary guest use (and lifejackets and training). Brown trout fishing gear/licence packages are available (NZ $49 per day).Family friendly: Wildlife discovery, rainforest and seacoast walks and canoe safaris are ideal for families. The lodge is family friendly and our nature adventures are adapted for children where they make up our guest mix.
We accept people with babies at the lodge but are not geared up to provide activities or babysitting for children 2 years and under.Disabled access: The lodge has 6 disabled rooms (20% of capacity). It is located on a flat landscape that makes access easy. Next to the lodge is the Monro Beach Walk that is a high standard rainforest trail suitable for people with disabilities. Lodge canoes and kayaks are suitable for paraplegics and have been used by them.
how to find us
Lake Moeraki, South Westland, New Zealand. Accessible by road/rental car on State Highway 6 and located 90 km south of Fox Glacier and 30 km north of Haast.
Public transport services: 240 km from Queenstown on daily Newmans and Atomic Shuttle bus services. These continue through to Greymouth 265 km north and to our lodge.
how this holiday makes a difference
 Our lodge operates under our 2006 wilderness lodge conservation and environment protection policy and operation plan. We are leaders in our community in the protection of nature through sensitive nature tourism. This has resulted in strong community support for protecting rainforests and wildlife. From initial opposition to forest protection in our area (the residents called a day of mourning when the World Heritage Site was announced in 1991) there has developed acceptance and even a degree of support 16 years on for this very large protected area. We have worked to help the Department of Conservation develop public walking tracks and nature interpretation facilities in our local area (Monro Beach Walk, Ship Creek Walks, Hapuka Estuary Walk, Haast Visitor centre). This has also built support for nature protection amongst New Zealand people and overseas visitors. We lead by example. Since the establishment of the lodge 18 years ago a range of other eco tourism businesses in our region and elsewhere in New Zealand have followed our lead and we have encouraged them to do this. We continue to provide a mentor role to many of these businesses.  We have inspired tens of thousands of lodge visitors over 18 years of operation with our passion for nature, wildlife and 'going easy on the earth'. We do not allow tourist helicopters or jet boats to operate from the lodge. Visitors are inspired by the sympathetic architecture and landscaped surroundings, the great food, wine, hospitality and our enthusiasm for discovering and appreciating nature from the lodge. We have large numbers of return guests. The forests/wildlife around the lodge have also benefited from the pest control efforts that we carry out and that are carried out by the Department of Conservation. These have received our strong and public support in the face of some controversy. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |