South Coast Track - Otago Youth Adventure Trust

South Coast Tramping and Lodge Trips

Bookings open Thursday 10th July 2025 @ 10.00am

Trip 1 - 9th - 12th April 2026 (Jet Boat In/Heli Out)

Trip 2 - 12th - 15th April 2026 (Heli In/Jet Boat Out)

Price; $1410.00

If you have any queries about any of our trips, please contact the trip co-ordinator

Tim Wiel 021 294 5051 southcoast@ortt.org.nz

ABOUT THESE TRIPS:

The South Coast track heads into the southern reaches of the Fiordland National Park. The South Coast track is close by to the rugged southern coast of the South Island that borders the Southern Ocean - where there is nothing between us and Antarctica but the southern ocean.

We stay at the wonderful Waitutu Lodge for both these lodge based trips. The Waitutu lodge is a warm and quirky "backpackers" in the middle of some of Fiordland's virgin podocarp forest.

For our day walks we head both east and west from the Waitutu lodge.

The track east travels along stunning bush tracks and an old bush logging tramway so it is almost all flat. It sometimes has sections of mud in places (although the track has been upgraded with the new Humpridge Great Walk nearby). We visit 3 of the 4 very large wooden viaducts – including the Percy Burn Viaduct that is one of the largest wooden viaducts in the world.

On the western side of the Waitutu Lodge/Wairuarahiri River you will get to experience the stunning Waitutu forest - a virgin forest that has never been milled so represents a small insight into what NZ's forest might have once been like - there is even a large flock of wild kaka and tui. We also get to hear from the Waitutu Lodge caretaker some of the amazing history and heritage of the SILNA lands we are travelling on ... this is not an often heard part of NZs history.

And yet another highlight of our tramp is catching the Wairaurahiri Jet along the Wairaurahiri river and across Lake Hauroko. The boat ride lasts 90 minutes and is one of the most spectacular jet boat trips in the world as the 1st trip drops around 200 metres of altitude over 34kms of Grade 3 rapids, and in reverse on the 2nd trip. This river is the fastest-flowing navigable river in New Zealand and is a breath-taking ride! The Wairaurahiri River is sometimes referred to by locals as "New Zealand's longest waterfall". Lake Hauroko is NZ's deepest lake and is locked away in a timeless forest and is often cloaked in mist ... creating a mystical place to visit!

Please ensure your fitness and health is of a standard that can cope with strenuous excercise in the remote Fiordland National Park.

ITINERARY

Trip 1 Lodge Based : Jet Boat > Waitutu Lodge > Helicopter

Trip 2 Lodge Based : Helicopter > Waitutu Lodge > Jet Boat

Day 1: Vans leave the Leviathan Hotel in Dunedin at 9.00am for Tuatapere, stopping on the way for lunch at your own cost. The vans will drop you off for an (depending on the trip) an afternoon Jet Boat Ride, 90 minutes down the Wairaurahiri River from Lake Hauroko to Waitutu Lodge (Trip 1), or an adventurous Helicopter Ride across the humpridge to the lodge (Trip 2).

Day 2&3: We Stay both nights at Waitutu Lodge and the day options depend on your fitness and preference:

Come on the optional planned day trips exploring the Waitutu Forest as far as Angus Burn (or further if party capabilities allow). The forest and terrain just gets more impressive the further west you go. Walk through to the Percy Burn Viaduct along the Humpridge Track which also encompass two other of the South Coast viaducts.
Other less active options you might like to do at Waitutu Lodge is enjoying the rugged beach, exploring rock pools at low tide, short bush walks around the lodge, painting the scenery, enjoying the birdsong and fauna, feeding the sandflies, etc.

Day 4: Helicopter out (Trip 1), or enjoy the equally exhilarating Jet Boat back up the Wairaurahiri River (Trip 2). Then homeward bound.

ACCOMMODATION, TRANSPORT AND FOOD;

Our vans leave from the Leviathan Hotel in Dunedin. We can pick you up enroute. Prices are all based on travel from Dunedin and there is no discount if we pick you up enroute.

Please DO NOT BOOK flights on the same day we come out from Waitutu Lodge at the end of the trip as it's becomes too much of a rush to get back to Dunedin if we are delayed for any reason. Also it is wise to take out flight insurance in case we get delayed.

We organise all the food and equipment to cook it with. You help carry it, cook it and eat it. Your share of the food/equipment you need to carry will be approximately 2kg. You will need to bring your own utensils and plate/mug, and sleeping bag.

The Waitutu Lodge is quite literally a backpackers in the bush with warm showers, radiator heating and shared dorms. The jetboat drops of or picks up us approx 150m from the lodge itself and the helicopter lands on the front lawn of the lodge about 10m from the front door ... so there are no great distances you'll need to carry your gear!

CONTACT;

Tim Wiel

Phone; 021 294 5051

Email; southcoast@ortt.org.nz

SEE ALSO;