Manapouri Expedition

• This is a self-guided expedition
• We can run this all year round if you are brave enough
• It includes a minimum of half-a-day of prep and instruction from qualified guides
• Maximum 4 people per expedition departure date
• Suitable for confident outdoors-people, with limited paddling experience
• 3 day, 2 night trip
• Includes both river and lake paddling
• Overnight options are tents or huts
• We supply a trip guide book to help you with getting organized for this 
• All specialized packrafting gear (boats, paddles, PFDs, etc) is included
• Accommodation before and after your trip is optional (extra cost)

• Walking and hiking clothing (for all seasons)
• Camping and overnight clothing (for all seasons)
• Personal kit (incl. backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, head torch, water bottle etc)
• Camping gear (incl. a tent, cooking gear, cups/cutlery etc)
• And whatever else you normally take on outdoor adventures (sunglasses, bug spray, sunblock etc)

• Because this is a self-guided trip and conditions in Fiordland can change rapidly, even when forecasts are favorable, you will need to be reasonably fit and possess moderate to high water confidence in order to safely enjoy this experience. 

• This expedition is best suited for reasonably fit people and/or adventurous families wanting to experience the packrafting expedition lifestyle first-hand in one of the most stunning environments imaginable!
• All participants (young and old) should be strong and capable enough to handle their own Packraft efficiently.

• You may choose to stay with us the night before you head out into the bush or when you come back out
• Stay with us and book your accommodation in our Packrafting NZ Eco Village – basic, glamping-styled tenting, shared facilities, and epic views. Available for the night(s) of your course dates. You can choose the option to stay with us when booking. 

• Our Eco Tent site has very basic cooking facilities with USB charging stations for your mobile phone. Usually, you share a 4-meter bell tent with someone else

• There is also a composting toilet and a basic shower available.

• Everything here works on solar power and is as environmentally friendly as we can.

We’ve been in the industry for a while and we’ve noticed that sometimes there is a disconnect between what we’re offering and what people think they are getting. The idea of ‘adventure’, especially in the tourism space, has been pretty watered down. Our trips–at least those that require a short face-to-face catchup, are actual adventures. Whether guided or unguided, they demand a certain level of fitness and resilience from participants to be both enjoyable and safe.  While we can (and do) simply outline this in our written material, trip descriptions, etc, we’ve found that unfortunately this often fails to land as it needs to. In some cases, people don’t even seem to be aware of what they’ve signed up and paid for!

In an effort to make sure that our trips are a good fit–to give us (and you!) confidence that at the end of the trip, you’ll be not just exhausted, but smiling too–we reckoned a quick face-to-face does wonders.

So there you go–that’s why we put faces to names. You’re a person, a partner in these trips–not just a client. We like to know who we’re dealing with, and want you to feel comfortable with who you’re dealing with too! We look forward to meeting you!

–The Packrafting NZ team.