The Star: August 03, 2017

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32 Thursday August 3 2017 Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi The Star Scenery that never goes out of style. The Canadian Rockies. Where timeless beauty meets the luxury of a Rocky Mountaineer rail journey. Journey Through the Clouds Explorer VANCOUVER TO CALGARY 8 days/7 nights from $ 3240pp share twin SilverLeaf Service. Flights additional H O T B O N U S Receive CAD$ 1000 per couple in added value GoldLeaf Service from $4460pp share twin INCLUDES: 2 day Rocky Mountaineer Train Journey • 7 nights hotel accommodation • 2 breakfasts & 2 lunches onboard • Jasper Tour • Icefields Parkway Tour with Ice Explorer • Yoho National Park Tour – Banff to Lake Louise • Lake Louise to Calgary Tour with Banff Gondola • Panoramic Helicopter Flightseeing The best holidays are created together. HOT.CO.NZ BARRINGTON 331 7182 I CHRISTCHURCH CITY 365 7687 I FERRYMEAD 376 4022 I HIGH ST LANES 339 3440 HORNBY 344 3070 I MERIVALE 355 2200 I NORTHLANDS 352 4578 I RANGIORA 313 0288 I RICCARTON 341 3900 SHIRLEY 385 0710 I UPPER RICCARTON 343 0869 CONDITIONS: Valid for sales to 25 Aug 17 or until sold out. Valid for new bookings only. Prices and are valid as at 14 Jun 17 and based on departures between 16-23 Apr 18. Prices are subject to exchange rates at time of booking. Deposits are required at the time of booking. Flights additional. Credit applies to selected travel dates over the RM 2018 season between Apr-Oct 18. Travel in SilverLeaf or GoldLeaf Service on package tours of 7 nights or more and receive $500CAD per adult credit. Credits must be requested at the time of booking. Credits can be used toward: extra accommodation nights in Seattle, Vancouver or Calgary, additional activities and tours, meal plans/meals and transfers. Credits cannot be used to upgrade rail service or accommodation. of the package. Not applicable to child prices, 2-day rail only bookings or group bookings. Amendment & cancellation fees may apply. Further terms & conditions apply, please ask instore or visit houseoftravel.co.nz. FLYRMEB010617
The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi Thursday August 3 2017 33 Travel Hollyford Track – a walk in the park • By Mike Yardley DREAM OF embarking on an unforgettable trek in Fiordland? Earlier this year I lost my multi-day hiking virginity, undertaking a three-day guided walk on the Hollyford Track with Ngai Tahu Tourism. It’s the only major low altitude track in Fiordland National Park – ideal for newbies like me. Add to that the lure of well-appointed private lodges with twin share rooms, piping hot showers, flush toilets, first-rate cuisine, jet boats and chopper rides, and these all-inclusive indulgences soften any qualms about physical discomfort. In spite of that, I had spent several weeks getting “trampready”, hauling a backpack with bricks in it, all over the Port Hills. In hindsight, my training was far more arduous than the actual hike, itself. Truth be told, it’s a walk in the park. Our lead guide was Justin, a gregarious 30-year-old with a disarming, free-spirited Kiwi demeanour. He was like a walking, talking wilderness Wikipedia, with a trusting, first-hand sense of authority, knowledge and reverence for the natural realm. In spite of Fiordland’s notoriety for high rainfall, the weather gods were on their best behaviour as the sun was blazing and the mercury was nudging 25 deg C. Beneath the exalted gaze of the serrated Southern Alps, our first day’s assignment followed the crisp, swift blue-green waters of the Hollyford River, on a gently undulating track through native beech forest, along the valley at the base of the steep and darkforested slopes of the Darren Mountains. Refuge from that beaming sun soon unfurled as we walked in dappled light under the cooling shade of the vast canopy of beech and ferns. The pace was leisurely as Justin brought to life the fascinating history, geology, botany and ecology of the Hollyford. Sections of ribbonwood and podocarp forest, liberally draped in mosses, ferns and lichens, added great variety and texture to the dominance of the silver beech, before the relatively flat track served up a short climb over Little Homer Saddle. With an elevation of 182m, it was entirely manageable, after which we took in the gushing cascades of Little Homer Falls ahead of the day’s triumphant finish line of Pyke Lodge. As the lodge shuffled into view, a frisson of ecstasy rippled through my body, as lodge hosts, Jesse and Skye, warmly greeted us on the lawn with an inviting tray of thirst-quenchers. After settling in to our private rooms and savouring a steaming hot shower, we retired to the lodge lounge, to be showered again, with an evening of pampered hospitality. I gazed out the window at the dreamy view of Mt Madeleine, tinged in pink, as the lowering sun spangled her peak. Dinner was a delight, headlined by a succulent venison steak and drool-worthy lemon tart. As much as I was ready to fall into a deep sleep, Justin had a playful nocturnal encounter lined up for willing night owls. We followed Justin by torchlight to the banks of the Hollyford River, where a voracious feeding frenzy fast ensued, as he fed the native eels the leftovers from the evening’s venison. They’re possibly the best fed eels in New Zealand, growing 3m long – and some are 70-years-old. This frenetic riverside exposition, alongside the glow worms and a powdered sky of bright stars, brought the curtain down on a cracking day. UNSPOILT: Fiordland’s Hollyford Valley offers magnificent views. Right – At the end of a day’s tramping, a venison steak at Pyke Lodge was delightful. FAST FACTS •The Hollyford Track is a three-day easy-paced walk, across 43km, from the mountains to the sea. The walk is suitable for all ages – it’s particularly popular with 40-70 year olds. This is ‘glamping’, or glamorous tramping so you carry little and are well catered to. Expert guides, top-knotch cuisine, comfortable lodges with private bedrooms, transport from Queenstown or Te Anau, day packs and rain jackets are included in the price. Hikers carry a light pack with clothing and lunch on their first day and thereafter an even lighter day pack. A maximum number of 16 guests provides for a fabulously personal experience. The guided walk departs every second day from mid-October to late April. Book well in advance! For more information www. hollyfordtrack.com
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The Star: August 03, 2017

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