Kayak & Walk

Most children 3 years old and up can happily join any of our Kayak Classic or Kayak & Walk tours! We do always recommend the morning trip times when booking with young children as this is the calmest time of day for kayaking.

Younger kids? If they fit our life jackets, they can come along on our kayak tours! We can often run shortened tours for families with children under 3 years old, simply get in touch with the team to discuss these options.

No. The track is privately maintained by Franz Josef Wilderness Tours and used exclusively by our tours, it’s hidden on the far shoreline of Lake Mapourika. It sits within the predator-free Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary and can only be reached by water.  It’s a true West Coast experience! 

The walk is approximately one hour and requires moderate walking ability- though it is fairly short approximately 1 km round-trip. Our private track has been carefully developed to minimise its impact on the surrounding rainforest, so it remains a natural wilderness trail and can be uneven ground. Closed-toe walking shoes are required. Please contact us before booking if you have limited mobility or are unsure whether the walk will be suitable.

No previous kayaking experience is required. We use stable double kayaks, and your qualified guide will provide a complete safety briefing and paddling instruction before setting off. You should be comfortable with approximately 2 hours 15 minutes of gentle paddling and an hour-long nature walk which includes a rest with a hot drink and biscuit along the way.

You do not need to know how to swim, as a correctly fitted life jacket is worn throughout the kayaking portion of the tour.

You do not need to know how to swim to join our kayak tours. This a very common question we receive. We will fit you with a PFD suitable for your size. Our guides are trained and qualified in all aspects of paddling instruction and your safety on the water. Our company is Safety Audited through Adventuremark NZ. It’s extremely unlikely that you might end up in the water.

Both tours cross Lake Mapourika and explore its remote far shoreline. The Kayak Classic focuses on paddling and enters a hidden rainforest creek, while the Kayak & Walk allows you to step ashore and explore our exclusive rainforest track within the Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary. Choose the Classic if you would prefer more time kayaking, or the Kayak & Walk if you would like to combine paddling with an immersive rainforest experience.

The surrounding sanctuary is home to rowi, New Zealand’s rarest kiwi. Because kiwi are nocturnal, they are very rarely seen during daytime tours. However, you will walk through their protected habitat and learn about the conservation work helping the local population recover. Other native birds, including fantails, robins, tomtits, tūī and kererū, are regularly encountered.

Yes. The rainforest can be especially beautiful in the rain, when the colours become more vibrant and mist settles around the lake. We provide paddling jackets and wet-weather clothing. Tours only operate when conditions are considered safe; if we need to cancel, we will offer an alternative or provide a full refund.