Hollyford Track

Late afternoon we are picked up by Peter in his six seater plane and head from Queenstown towards the West Coast to spend one night and day on the Hollyford Track. Due to some pesky mountains it’s an eight-hour drive from Queenstown to the West Coast but a very short flight and I’m amazed to find that once up in the air we can almost see the ocean. We follow the beautiful Lake Wakatipu and then the Dart River until we’re surrounded by the Southern Alps. The sight is incredible. I look down on mountaintops that may have never been stepped upon and see small crater lakes releasing cascading waterfalls. The orange afternoon sunlight reflects off the snow. As we get further west, the snow disappears and we’re looking down on native beech forest. We follow the mountains into Milford Sound, which is a beautiful lake of deep green surrounded by towering abrupt mountains. We follow the sound out to sea and there we fly up the coastline where the forest has suddenly become tropical and jungle like. We look down upon ferns and palms. The ocean beneath us surges and crashes against the shoreline. Suddenly, we drop down from the sky onto a tiny airfield, so small it’s barely noticeable. Peter lands the plane in a clearing the size of a small city parking spot and we taxi to the front door of the lodge. We’ve flown for a little over an hour and passed through five totally different landscapes and now find ourselves in an isolated and unpopulated lakeside, mountainside, and seaside retreat. There is no electricity except from the generator, no phone, no road, and no people living within 30 kms from Peter and Sonja, who own the lodge and track, and their friend Dave who spends a month a year at his nearby house.

The Hollyford Track essentially provides a hiking experience. You can spend two to five days hiking or, if you want the isolation and scenery without the blisters, you can fly in and out.

Once settled, we jump in the jet boat and cross the lake to the ocean beach where we watch the sun set over the breaking surf. Derek amuses the Labrador by having her fetch her frisbee from the surf again and again and again until he throws it too far and it sinks and the dog has to be coaxed whining from the water before she drowns herself.

Dinner is spent around a large fireside table. We have home made bread and fresh venison and local wine. Afterwards, we brave the cold and venture outside and sit by the lake in the pitch black and look at the stars and the Southern Cross.

Our rooms are simple and chilly and I surreptitiously secure three hot water bottles and an extra duvet and blanket and don’t move once the entire night. Come morning there’s a cup of tea brought in before I even consider moving.

After breakfast, we head way up the lake and then up the Hollyford River and take a walk through the forest. The sky is cloudless and the forest is virtually untouched. We drink the river water, which is clear and perfect, and enjoy the mountaintops and crystal clear lake.

After a lunch of homemade soup, we walk to the beach and around the rocks until we reach the seal colony. At certain times there are 500 seals living here but in August there are fewer and while the mummy seals are out gathering food, there are a few dozen of the late arrival baby seals sun bathing and sleeping. We sit on the large flat rocks and watch them as they wake and swim through the shallow rock pools to take a closer look at us. They have big watery Bette Davis kind of eyes and the cutest whiskers. They’re curious and come within a meter or so. One larger fellow allows April to almost touch him and then promptly farts at her.

On the walk back, we come across one of only 2000 remaining West Coast Penguins. He sits within a meter of us as six of us stare back at him. He’s unafraid and incredibly cute.

By four we’re back in Pete’s plane and by five we’re back at the lodge in Queenstown. The Hollyford Track is magic and whether it’s the tramp or just the chill-out that you’re after, it has a naturalness and untouchable character that’s remarkable.