Trek New Zealand's Southern Alps

You're free to arrive at the lodge in Christchurch at any time on day 1. In the evening you'll meet up with the rest of the group and with your guide to chat through the adventure ahead.

Hop in the van around 8:00 for the drive south to Lake Tekapo, a famous South Island spot known for its turquoise waters. Head out for your first hike from the lake, winding up through wild conifers and tussock grasslands to the summit of Mt John, giving you a 360-degree panorama of the Mackenzie Basin and its riverbeds and glacial lakes. The sweeping views are reminiscent of Patagonia. Carry on in the van to your lodge in Mt Cook Village and relax with views of New Zealand's highest mountain; Aoraki/ Mt Cook (3,724m).

Head out for your first big hike in the Mt Cook National Park, setting off on the Sealy Tarns Track, dubbed 'The Stairway to Heaven' due to its more than 2000 rugged stairs you'll soon reach incredible lookout spots over the Mt Cook Range and the mirrored reflections in the lakes below. Hike further up the Hooker Valley to the steep Mueller Ridge for yet more vistas, returning to the lodge by the same route. You can pop into the Information Centre late afternoon to get some inspiration from the tales of pioneering mountaineers and to learn about the park’s natural history.

After breakfast, hike up steep glacial moraines to the Red Tarns, named for the colour of their pond-weed, and on further up to a superb panoramic viewpoint of the valleys below and Aoraki/Mount Cook. Bid farewell to Mt Cook National Park as you drive over to lakeside town of Wanaka in the southern lakes district. Grab a quick stroll around town and stock up on any supplies before heading over to your cabin at Makarora beside Mount Aspiring National Park. Tomorrow is a big day, so enjoy dinner and a drink or two in a classic NZ pub before heading back to your cabin to pack for the wilderness.

Once across the Makarora River we follow the Young River. The Young Valley is a wonderland of dense native forest and high peaks. The trail steepens and climbs steadily to the tree line. The track climbs steeply for 100m and then sidles through a series of unstable slips to reach Stag Creek. From here, it’s a steady climb to Young Hut.

This morning the trail meanders its way up the valley sidewall beneath the imposing east face of Mount Awful. This section of the trek is right in the thick of a proper alpine paradise, with towering snow-capped mountains making a constant backdrop. 3-4 hours of alternating steep climbs and plateaus lead you to the Gillespie Pass and one of the great viewpoints of the Southern Alps with Mount Alba dominating the skyline. Descend steeply before sidling down through a series of snow grass basins down to Gillespie Stream and on switchbacking to Siberia Stream and finally Siberia Hut where you can rest up after an epic day.

Nestled beneath Mount Alba is Lake Crucible, an iceberg-studded lake hidden away in the heart of Mt Aspiring National Park. Hike up the valley flats to Crucible Stream, where the track climbs a narrow spur, crossing a river, before coming out on a snow grass flat, home to fragile alpine herb fields, before reaching the lake; a turquoise treat in the middle of the wilderness.

Today you head down the valley trailing above the Siberia River with yet more spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and waterfalls of the lower Siberia Valley. Reaching the confluence of the Siberia and Wilkin valleys you'll finish the adventure in style, jumping into a jetboat for a thrilling 45-minute journey downstream back to Makarora. From here you'll drive on to Queenstown, stopping for a lakeside lunch en route to your lodge and a well-earned hot shower. Queenstown makes for a cracking post-trek night out to toast a memorable week of mountain hiking.

Your adventure comes to an end this morning as you bid farewell to your fellow adventurers and head off to your next destination in the South Island, or head to the airport for your flight home.