What To Expect

What‘s Included

Reviews

• A fun and informative adventure in a remarkable place.

  David F,,Jan 25, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  4.00

  Our guides (Farrah, Briar and “Pickles” were friendly, engaging and very knowledgeable about local flora and fauna. The paddle trip was fun; the hike was incredibly interesting and informative. Overall, the entire adventure was very well organized and executed. And you don’t need to be an experienced kayaker or hiker to enjoy it. But you need to have good mobility to handle the rudimentary trail used for the hike.

• Unforgettable Kayak & Rainforest Adventure

  Fearless64692069767,,Jan 24, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  What a fantastic excursion. The 4-hour Lake Mapourika Kayak and Hike Adventure was easily one of the highlights of our time in New Zealand. We went out in light rain, but it didn’t detract from the experience at all. The guides provided waterproof gear where needed, and you’re fully sealed into the kayak, so your legs and feet stay completely dry. Kayaking across Lake Mapourika was magical, and we learned a lot about the local geography, history, and wildlife along the way. The adventure hike takes you through true rainforest and was just as informative and engaging. At the end of the hike there’s a lookout point where you can relax with a hot drink and a snack, which was a lovely touch. I would 100% recommend this tour to anyone visiting Franz Josef. It was one of our favourite activities over the course of a month travelling around New Zealand.

• Kayak and Hike Adventure

  Meander06687025534,,Jan 23, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  We had such a lovely day with you, we went Kayaking with our group of 10, Kate and Rowi were our guides and were amazing, very accomodating, informative and fun! The hike adventure we went on was beautiful and we hope we can do it all again one day when we are back in New Zealand!

• Great, Funny and Informative Kayak and Hike trip on gorgeous lake and island.

  D7905IBgregw,,Jan 11, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  In January 2026 we visited the West Coast and Joseph Franz to hike a Glacier from the Bay Area California. Our helicopter trip was canceled due to low hanging clouds. We took a chance and went for a hike and kayak with Pickles and Ollie, our amazing guides, and the experience far exceeded our expectations and was super fun. Being at Fran Joseph, we were guaranteed a beautiful lake with gorgeous views. But what made this trip extra special was our guides were great instructors provided awesome tips on how to kayak were funny and really great tour guides. When we went for a hike, we learned a ton about the south island, its birds and predators and the nature of the island. When we were kayaking, we learned how to become more efficient and had great conversations with the guides went kayaking. Amazing photos of the group and our family were incuded gratis. That evening we ran into our guides shooting pool and had a fun time playing pool meeting the locals and sharing a beverage. Do this tour!! Cheers, Greg

  

  

• Very enjoyable kayak and nature hike.

  S1570ZKalicef,,Jan 11, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Great fun kayaking across the beautiful lake and an enjoyable short hike with lots of interesting info about the dense forest and a hot drink on the island also provided. Good gear, good instruction from guides Olly and Dylan (aka Pickles!); both great fun as well as very knowledgeable of the local flora and fauna. Really recommend this trip.

• Absolutely first class

  bigdog99bc,,Jan 7, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Absolutely first class trip from start to finish. Our guide, Marcel, was brilliant, so knowledgeable, thoughtful and fun he absolutely made the trip perfect. The kayaking was brilliant and we learnt so much about the local area and conservation on the guided walk. Marcel also makes a mean hot chocolate. A fabulous trip, we cannot recommend it highly enough, great value for money.

• Kayaking and nature guide with Sarah

  Dream49211749730,,Dec 9, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Guide Sarah was great. The explanations were perfect, the equipment was very good and we had a great time.

• Wonderful Experience

  H899DFscottw,,Nov 23, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  What a fantastic morning on the lake and hike. Max was our guide and he was great. He was extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and humorous, He was never in a rush, answered all or questions, and had lots of stories of the history of the area and it's wildlife. To top it all off he even made us coffee, and tea while we sat on the edge of the lake before our paddle back home. I would highly recommend this adventure!

  

  

  

• Excellent Hosts & Guides

  CarolynH5192,,Nov 20, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Farrah, Marcel, and Rowi were wonderful! They communicated clearly and helped with all the gear available to keep dry. They figured out ways to address all issues with docking for the walk, since the usual landing was flooded. Taking pictures throughout the adventure as well as serving a cup of hot chocolate after the hike were extra special. We had a great time. Thank you

• Highly recommended

  Sue G,,Nov 12, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Our guide Farrah was brilliant. She was knowledgeable and very engaging. The weather was beautiful and the views were breathtaking. We were the only people on this trip so it was great to have such a personalised experience.

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