Kayak & Walk
Kayak across Lake Mapourika and step ashore onto a private rainforest track, accessible only by water within the Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary.- 4 HOURS
- FROM $169
- FREE PHOTOS!
IN THIS SECTION
OVERVIEW
Explore the best of Franz Josef Glacier’s wilderness on our small group Kayak & Walk tour, combining the calm waters of Lake Mapourika with an exclusive rainforest experience within a UNESCO World Heritage landscape. After paddling across the lake, surrounded by alpine and glacier views, you’ll step ashore into the predator-free Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary.
Led by our qualified local guides, follow a private, custom-built rainforest track developed and maintained by our team. Accessible only by water and used exclusively by our tours, this is a truly unique and uncrowded way to experience one of New Zealand’s most protected environments.
Walk beneath towering kahikatea and rimu, some over 1,000 years old, in a peaceful forest alive with native birdlife. With small group sizes and a remote setting, you’ll often feel like you have the area entirely to yourself.
This guided Kayak & Walk experience combines the tranquillity of kayaking with an intimate walk through a thriving conservation area, leaving you with a genuine sense of connection to Franz Josef Glacier’s wilderness and the efforts being made to protect it for the future.
Free photographs are taken by your guides throughout the tour and emailed to you afterwards, at no extra cost.
TIMES & DURATION
- DURATION:
- 4 hours
- SUMMER:
- 1 Nov – Mar 3st,
8:30am / 2pm.
- REST OF YEAR:
- 9am / 1pm
PRICES
- Adult
- $169 (from Oct. 1st – $179)
- Child (17 & under)
- $110 (from Oct. 1st – $115)
BUNDLE
AND SAVE!
Book 2 tours to save 10% (COMBO10*)
Book 3 tours to save 15% (COMBO15*)
* Direct bookings only. Not valid with other offers. Discounts apply only when booking 2+ tours with the promo code.
WHAT TO BRING
- Light snack
- Closed toe shoes
- Warm top layer
- Comfortable pants or shorts (no denim please!)
What’s Included
- FREE high quality digital photos
- Hot Drinks
- Kayak Skirt
- Wet weather equipment
- Paddling Jackets
- PFD
- Personalized Tour Guides
- Dry Bag
REAL STORIES FROM REAL ADVENTURERS
Amazing day out with the children kayaking. The lake is beautiful and walk through the forest was amazing. Our tour guide Ollie was brilliant. His knowledge of New Zealand, the forna and flora was exceptional. He was really enthusiastic and taught the children lots of different things about the rain forest. Highly recommend.
Jamie Jackson
REAL STORIES FROM REAL ADVENTURERS
Had an excellent time on the kayak and walk with Max. He was very engaging, entertaining and knowledgeable. Feel this is a guaranteed good morning out rather than hoping to get into the skies.
Chris R
REAL STORIES FROM REAL ADVENTURERS
I went for the Kayak Tour in the lake and rainforest walk during my time in Franz Josef. Despite a bit of heavy rain, it was an amazing and fun experience!! Thanks to Max (our leader) for being so prepared with the rain jackets which helped a lot.
Maggie Lin
GALLERY
FAQS
How old do children need to be?
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.
I can’t swim! Is this OK?
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.
Is there a weight limit for the kayak tour?
We do not have a weight limit for our kayak tours. Generally speaking, we can take most people out who ask us this question. If you’re concerned, please email us in advance or feel free to stop in to the office and we can have you sit in the kayak to see if it’s comfortable. If you feel comfortable in our stable, commercial double sea kayaks you should be fine a tour.
Will I see the glacier on my kayak tour?
On a clear day we can see many different Glaciers on our kayak tours from Lake Mapourika, including the Neve of the Franz Josef Glacier. The Southern Alps and Glaciers are magnificent to view afar from the lake as you will see a panoramic vista of the regions Glaciers and even Mt Cook and Tasman.
If the clouds are lower in the valley, then we will not see the Glaciers – but this really doesn’t matter as the primary focus of our tours is the lush rainforest and learning about the conservation and Lake Mapourika. Mirror lake reflections are often really dramatic when it’s cloudy. As we navigate our kayaks deep into the rainforest it’s truly stunning – and even comes to life – in the rain!
CANCELLATION
We want you to be confident when you book directly with us! We provide hassle-free full refunds without any penalties. We do ask that any cancellations and changes are made a full 24 hours prior to the trip time. Cancellations made within the 24 hour time frame cannot be refunded (for any reason including medical or other) so please let us know in time if you need to change, or cancel your booking! Private/Group bookings or charters incur a 48 hour cancellation policy.
We reserve the right to cancel tours if minimum numbers are not met or in the event of unsafe conditions, in which case full refunds are issued.
We're here to help, so feel free to drop us an email if you have any questions.
