If your family wishes to experience fishing in some of the most pristine waters in the world where amazing activities abound, then New Zealand is calling you! At this luxury lodge, you will find that the rainbow and brown trout are strong and fight hard. Their home, made up of the fast-flowing, cold waters of the Southern Alps, has created an ideal habitat for them. Your family will love the thrill of reeling them in as you laugh and challenge one another.
Throughout your stay, your seasoned guide will take you from prime fishing rivers throughout the Southern Alps to rivers in conservation lands such as national parks and world heritage sites. Most of these rivers are crystal clear, so you will have the thrill of spotting the fish you are after! It may seem easy, but the challenge comes when they see you too. This will test your abilities and may have you trying new techniques. Some of the popular techniques include dry fly, streamer, and nymph.
Included in every day of your fishing are a private helicopter charter, a guide, and a gourmet picnic lunch. As you take breaks throughout your day, you will be able to take in the breathtaking views around you. New Zealand is known for its mountains, valleys, and stunning greens. You will hardly find a bad view here!
When you are done for the day, enjoy winding down at the luxury lodge. Your meals here will be made up of delightful dishes of seafood, choice cuts, and delicious sides. Curl up with a coffee, hot chocolate, or drink of choice by the fire as you recount the day’s tales. When it is bedtime, enjoy your private chalet with an ensuite bathroom, hot tub, viewing deck, and king bed.
Accommodations & Meals
Welcome to one of the most secluded luxury lodges in the world. With no road access, a helicopter will be your car! As you land at the lodge, you will be in awe of the beatify of the mountains around you, the grasslands below you, and the river that splits them.
This luxury lodge has 4 chalets. Each is decorated in a tasteful high-country style with a king-size bed (or two twin beds), ensuite bathroom, hot tub, and private deck. Your chalet’s floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the grasslands surrounding you and the mountains in the distance. Relax in the evenings with a glass of wine in your hot tub as your take in the sunset.
Connected to the chalets through elevated wooden boardwalks, the main lodge in the heart of the camp. The lodge has two separate living areas, wood-burning fireplaces, a beautiful library, a cellar, and a first-class dining room and kitchen. You will enjoy cozying up on the couch with a fire and hot coffee as you look across to the mountains!
Meals:
Meals here are 5-star. Enjoy delectable seafood, beautiful meat cuts, and fabulous presentation. Lunch could be at the lodge or out in the field depending on your day’s activities. Dinner will be set in the dining room overlooking the mountains as you enjoy the romantic atmosphere.
Fishing
On the eastern side of the Southern Alps, the rivers run from their narrow headwaters into wider, braided streams flowing through high alpine valleys surrounded by high peaks. These rivers hold wild rainbow and brown trout. These fish are known for their strength and fight because of their cold, fast-flowing alpine environment. Setting the hook will be only half the challenge! The region and its rivers provide an incredible landscape in which to spend a day of wilderness fishing.
This lodge privately owns a 50,000-acre parcel of wilderness providing guests with exclusive access to prime fishing rivers in the Southern Alps. In addition to this, they hold independent concessions to fish on conservation lands covering some four million acres including National Parks and world heritage areas.
Crystal-clear water allows you to spot fish easily, but this clarity also means that the fish can also see you. Spot and stalk is the method of choice and by far the most exciting. Anglers often use dry fly, streamer, and nymph techniques on the same stretch of water.
Fishing in the South Island rivers opens at the beginning of October and runs through to the end of April. This season is characterized by distinct periods which present quite different fishing conditions and challenges to the angler. Most of the major lakes can be fished on a year-round basis with varying levels of activity.
Activities
Signature Series: these activities are guest favorites and are the most spectacular privately guided scenic flight experiences that this lodge offers.
Fiordland Heli Traverse: This is a guest favorite! Pass through majestic fiords, get up close to huge waterfalls, hover over ancient ice, explore isolated mountain lake, see the region’s unique wildlife in its otherwise inaccessible natural habitat, and more.
Fiordland & West Coast Highlights: Explore the grandeur of northern Fiordland and the West Coast by helicopter, including unique and uninhabited environments such as glaciers, forests, mountains, ice carved cliffs, and wildlife.
Aoraki Mt. Cook: A phenomenal helicopter adventure taking in New Zealand’s highest peak, Aoraki Mt. Cook from both the air and the ice, as well as breathtaking blue ice caves.
Dusky Sound Series: Spend the day exploring the Dusky Sound with luxury ocean and aviation explorations.
Dusky Sound Day Expedition: After a stunning scenic flight you will land on our custom-built floating helipad and transfer to our boat to enjoy a day of fishing, discovery and wildlife viewing throughout Dusky Sound.
Adventure Series: Go beyond the beaten path and explore the best of New Zealand’s outdoors.
Heli Skiing: The ultimate New Zealand winter experience! Join us for a unique New Zealand alpine heli ski experience with your own private guide and helicopter.
Mountain Biking: New Zealand’s most exclusive guided mountain bike experience. Enjoy the benefits of helicopter access to remote single tracks or lakeside scenic traverses.
Hiking: Enjoy bespoke guided hiking experiences to help you explore backcountry corners of New Zealand rarely visited by others.
West Coast Adventure: Walk along isolated, inaccessible west coast beaches, explore ancient beach forests and encounter New Zealand’s unique wildlife with the stunning backdrop of Mt. Aspiring and its glaciers.
Guided Hunting: Focus on the highly sought-after big game animals found in the South Island, Red Stag, Bull Tahr and Chamois. Choose to hunt for one day or for multiple days.
Backcountry Fishing: On the eastern side of the Southern Alps, the rivers run from their narrow headwaters into braided streams which are home to wild rainbow and brown trout known for their strength and fight.
Discovery Series: Shorter experiences at a slower pace. Perfect for those special occasions to share with friends or family.
Mountain Kitchen Lunch: This phenomenal lunch experience combines a spectacular scenic helicopter flight from Queenstown or Wanaka, a snow or alpine landing enroute, with lunch at the world-renowned lodge.
Minaret Station Highlights: Start the day by hiking down the valley from the Alpine Lodge with your guide. Here you will be picked up by helicopter and flown onto the 50,000-acre farm where you will enjoy a combination of private farm tour, lake fishing, gourmet lunch and the opportunity for further exploration on this private property.
Mt. Aspiring Discovery: Explore the area around the lodge with a tailored hike, followed by a flight through the glaciers of the Mt Aspiring massif, is an incredible way to spend a morning or afternoon.
Length of Stay / Itinerary
Each itinerary is custom built for your interests. A typical stay at this lodge is 4-7 nights plus any additional touring.
Family Expeditions will build a perfect touring itinerary to compliment your hunting.
Day 1: Arrive in Wanaka where you will be greeted by your host and transfer to the property via helicopter.
Day 2 -?: Enjoy your choice of hunting, fishing, and the many other activities available!
Departure day: Your host will transfer you by helicopter back to Wanaka
Travel Details & Location
Your flight destination is Wanaka, New Zealand which is located on the South Island.
Trip Insurance & Cancellation Info
Trip insurance is highly recommended to protect your investment on this trip. We will assist you with trip insurance upon booking. See links at the bottom of this page for the two providers we suggest for our clients.
Family Expeditions, LLC confirmation and refund policy:
If your trip is more than 90 days out from date of departure, a 50% non-refundable deposit confirms your reservation and must be received within 10 days of booking to confirm your dates. All trips must be paid in full at least 90 days prior to the departure date. If your trip date is within 90 days, FULL payment for the trip is required. All payments to Family Expeditions are non-refundable. Should you need to reschedule or cancel your trip, we will do everything in our power to assist you in finding a suitable substitute or transferring your dates per the lodge/providers/government requirements. Trip insurance protects your investment!
