This tour is a special tour as you will get to know about the high-country farming operations in a remote part of New Zealand. Includes Merino farming for specific clothing companies, the use of genetics also beef farming on a large scale. Bring your own 4X4 vehicle to drive in convoy over some High Country Stations in Marlborough.
We meet one or two farmers for a chat. Some of the Stations included are the historic Molesworth Station, the picturesque Rainbow Station, and the rugged St James Stations plus other private stations. Follow our fun and informative lead guide with a 2 way radio where you can listen to the rolling commentary of history, farming and stories. Enjoy your four days of driving in the fabulous unspoilt high-country regions, with towering mountains, meandering rivers, and native beech forests through rolling farmland to the famous Marlborough vineyards. Includes a two-night stay in a 5 Star stylish new shearers quarters on one of New Zealand’s most remote high-country stations, nestled in the upper reaches of the Awatere Valley, with x2 3 course evening meals x2 cooked and continental breakfasts and x2 packed lunches. A talk on the operation of the station is given and a chance of looking through the woolshed. The meals are cooked by a qualified chef, pre dinner nibbles are served also. There is a small bar with wine beer and non-alcoholic drinks available. Imagine being surrounded with high-country vistas sipping on a local Sauvignon Blanc or enjoying a cold one. Included in this package is the use of hot tubs so bring your togs.
On your first or last day in Hanmer Springs try the Thermal Pools, walkways, hire a bike and try some of the many cycle tracks in and around Hanmer.
Hanmer Springs
8.00am
Rich in history of the areas you are travelling through. Opportunity to speak and meet with local high country farmers. Meet like minded people travelling in your group and enjoy the personalised aspects of a small tour group where all the planning has been done for you down to the smallest detail. We are an Adventure Mark certified tourism business which means we have passed a robust assessment of all our business procedures and you can be assured you are purchasing a quality safe experience. Last but not least we hold a license to access Molesworth Station so you are guaranteed travel through the station when it is not open to the general public.
Make sure you fuel up before leaving Blenheim; Hanmer Springs has a Caltex petrol station as well as puncture repair and tyre changing facilities.
4WD with a high and low ratio gearbox is mandatory.
Ground clearance recommended of 225mm both front and rear of vehicle.
Tyres ‘all terrain’ tyres with a good amount of tread on them are required.
Low profile road tyres are not suitable.
All wheel drive SUV’s (Sports Utility Vehicle) are not suitable.
Please contact us if you are unsure if your vehicle would be suitable.
All vehicles must have a current registration and WOF.
You need to have a good knowledge of your vehicle and have some previous 4X4 off road driving experience.
Pre tour
Night before tour starts, arrive in Hanmer Springs at our partner motel.
6.30 meet your driver guide in the carpark of the motels. Walk to the restaurant for the evening meal with the driver / guide.
Accommodation:
A friendly owner with a spacious, comfortable motel in the Alpine village of Hanmer Springs, a short walk to the Hot Pools with a variety of shops and restaurants/bars.
Meal:
Evening meal in Hanmer Springs.
DAY ONE (220km drive)
Departing at 8am and heading into the back country over Jacks Pass. We stop off at the old accommodation area of St James station is see the historic woolshed and other buildings. We travel further up Molesworth Station following The Clarence River and wide-open valleys, stopping at historic places with a detour into Mailings Pass with stunning views of the Southern Alps and the vast Adda Valley. We stop to enjoy the scenery at various vantage points enjoy morning tea beside the Waiau River. We drive back over Mailings Pass, stopping off at the picturesque Lake Tennyson with its amazing backdrop of mountains. Highlights will include Island Saddle, the Tarndale Lakes, and driving through towering mountains ranges. Our drive takes us through beech forest and farmland of Rainbow Station. After coming out of Rainbow station we drive through the many vineyards that are creeping into the upper reaches of the Wairau Valley, overnighting in Blenheim.
Accommodation:
A modern spacious motel close to the centre of Blenheim. A short walk to the restaurant for an evening meal.
Meals: Continental style breakfast served in your room. Tea breaks will be served from our on-board supplies of locally roasted coffee or tea and home baking. Picnic style lunch. Dinner at a local restaurant.
Your drive starts by taking the coastal route around the Wairau Lagoons over Redwood Pass into the Awatere Valley with its interesting history. Enjoy morning tea with Martin and Jane on their vineyard, hear all about the wine industry and enjoy a wine tasting before we head up the Awatere Valley. Can purchase wine. We will drive up to the Black Birch Range to a height of 1693m, with amazing views up the Awatere Valley, Inland Kaikoura Range and The Wairua Valley. We then visit a high-country sheep and beef farm for lunch and see the range of clothing their merino wool is made from. In the afternoon we drive up The Awatere Valley to our 2-night accommodation in one of New Zealand’s most remote high-country stations, nestled in the upper reaches of the Awatere Valley. After arriving and settling in enjoy drinks and nibbles and a hot tub soak all before your Farm to Table evening dining experience with a meal cooked for you by the station’s private chef.
Meals:
Continental breakfast in room. Morning tea at a vineyard homestead. A beautiful 2 course lunch will be on a private high-country station today served by Hugo’s wife, Kelly our informative hostess. Tonight, a Farm to Table evening dining experience with a meal cooked for you by the station’s private chef, wine and beer available for purchase tonight.
Accommodation
Tonight’s stay is at Middlehurst station. Spacious and delectably comfortable rooms in The Quarters, one of New Zealand’s most remote high-country stays. Features luxury linen and bedding, robes, underfloor heating, unlimited Wi-Fi and sliding doors opening out to lawn and mountain vistas, shared lockable bathrooms. outdoor wood fired hot tubs for you to enjoy.
After breakfast, cooked or continental or both, we set off around 9am to drive to a neighboring farm to explore the 35,000-acre station with the owner Bill. Morning driving includes multiple river crossings, driving round spurs, through bush and flat grassy expanses with a cuppa in a back-country hut. We return on the same route with multiple river crossings, arriving back at the homestead for lunch. After a short drive back up the road we turn off onto a farm track. We drive up onto flat grassy flats ascending to a lookout point. Here on a clear day, you can see Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku, the highest peak outside of the Southern Alps. Views of the Upper Awatere Valley and the remnants of an extinct volcano Driving down from the heights back to the valley floor for dinner and stories of the day over a few drinks.
Accommodation:
As the night before.
Meals:
Chef prepared breakfast, tea breaks will be served from our onboard supplies of locally roasted plunger coffee or tea and home baking. Picnic lunch today. Farm to Table evening dining experience with a meal cooked for you by the station’s private chef, wine and beer available for purchase tonight.
After breakfast, we head further south to enter Molesworth Station. See the original Cob Cottage and enjoy a picnic lunch surrounded by history, nature and the extensive hills. Driving through the legendary station with stories along the way and stops for the massive views, reaching Hanmer Springs via Jacks Pass around 4pm. Say goodbyes to your driver.
Accommodation: not included tonight.
Meals: Chef prepared cooked and continental breakfast. Lunch will be picnic styled cuisine enjoyed in the wide-open spaces of the back country. Tea breaks will be served from our on-board supplies of locally roasted coffee or tea and home baking.
I joined this tour with my son in his Toyota wagon. There were only 5 of us plus Chris the guide which made it a very personal and jolly tour.
The tour and everything associated with it was utterly fabulous and far far exceeded expectations.
The pre tour organisation was excellent and Chris the guide friendly, helpful and very informative. The driving was fun and challenging in equal measure – even a little scary at times! Not perhaps for the faint hearted.
Accommodation especially at Middlehirst was stunning as was the food. Each of the farms (and farmers) visited were friendly and informative.
Overall it was a really enjoyable fun 4 days, which will stay long in our memory. Can hardly wait for the next opportunity.
Thank you so much
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The meals were very up market, and plenty of it.
Had to go on a diet when I got home.
Chris had a great sense of humor. Recommending you to all my farming friends.
Favorite part of tour, learning all the history of Molesworth. Meeting Bill and his farm tour and Middlehurst accommodation was next level.
Interested in doing Otago stations tour in the future
We just wanted to say a huge thankyou to Chris for the excellent trip we had last week. We all really enjoyed the company of the others on the trip and Chris ensured that everything was amazing. We will definitely be recommending this trip to others.
Our Tag-along Tour through the Molesworth with your company was one of the best experiences we have
had. Everything was more than we expected and our guide Chris was absolutely exceptional.
Thank you for providing such a wonderful opportunity.
Sheryl and I have just completed your 4WD Molesworth Tag Along Tour.
Our four days was an absolutely awesome experience, thanks to Chris.
Our super guide Chris exceeded our expectations. He was patient, friendly and an awesome 4WD coach.
With Chris’s guidance I found I was able to drive safely in unbelievable off road situations.
Thanks also to Ultraquip Hire in Blenheim for their excellent service.
Their Toyota Hilux we hired was perfect for our adventure.
I would certainly recommend more people experience you super tour.
