Experience the lure of a variety of adventures within our outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. Set within glacial carved valleys and towering mountain ranges, Glenorchy occupies a unique place with awe-inspiring landscapes and brutal beauty.
The Fabulous Four Getaway offers guided experiences that are perfect for the active adventurer who wants something a bit unique and authentic. Hike, bike, ride and paddle your way through our spectacular end of the lake scenery!
Combine the exhilarating rugged outdoors by day and the refined gastronomic delights of seasonal food and wine by night. Relax in your private ensuite chalet and enjoy the benefits of staying in a state of the art, low footprint, eco-friendly accommodation.
This journey has been designed to provide you with variety and new vistas every day. Our legendary personal service during this and all our Getaways will allow you to unwind, relax and refresh as we organise it all!
Next Adventure departing 14th April 2024!
Please note that minimum numbers apply to all getaways and prices may vary based on departure season.
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Your guide will pick you up at midday in Queenstown, or at the airport, before driving up to Glenorchy on one of the world’s most scenic lakeside drives. Upon arriving at Camp Glenorchy, you’ll be welcomed by your friendly hosts and shown to your private room with ensuite, followed by a short tour of your new home base. Your hosts will provide you with an overview of the next five days before offering you a private walking tour of Glenorchy. Or if you prefer, stay behind, and relax in your private eco-chalet and enjoy the serenity and quiet of The Headwaters Eco Lodge.
The evening will commence with pre-dinner drinks and canapés before a sumptuous dinner featuring an assortment of the Otago region’s finest foods.
After an optional stretch and yoga class followed by a delicious breakfast, we’ll start our adventure with a one of our favourite walks.
This hike is the pièce de resistance, with a variety of landscapes that will take your breath away. We’ll meander through native red beech forest, crossing through open farmland and tussock grassland, to the picturesque Lake Rere in the Greenstone Valley.
Enjoy a picnic lunch on the shores of the lake and take photos of the mirror reflections, or simply listen to the bellbirds sing, before returning to the breath-taking sight of Lake Wakatipu.
This hidden gem and beautiful loop trail, offers a great variety of landscapes and an easy day in the mountains.
Today you get to choose your morning adventure:
#1. HEAD OF THE LAKE VALLEY – Horse Ride (half day trek)
Enjoy an unforgettable ride out exploring our pristine backcountry. It’s a perfect half day ride for beginners or advanced riders, combining shallow glacial-fed river crossings with picturesque mountain views. This ride is suited to all riders with a basic level of fitness and will include stories of the area where the Lord of the Rings filming locations are located. A once in a lifetime magical ride you will never forget.
OR
#2. PADDLING SAFARI TO PIGEON ISLAND – Kayaking (half day tour)
Kayak out to a secluded glacier-sculpted island in Lake Wakatipu and explore this unique natural wildlife reserve with the Weka flightless bird, which is endemic to New Zealand. This half day tour is an easy and spectacular paddle followed by a short walk on Pigeon Island, where you hear nothing but the calls of the surrounding native birds. Take the time to photograph our endangered New Zealand Weka and other birds located out on the island.
On this day, the choice is yours and this day is purely to delight YOU!
Upon our return, relax at your home base with a luxurious 60-minute massage.
On our last full day, we venture into the heart of Mt Aspiring National Park to enjoy an exclusive fully guided e-bike ride that takes you through an alpine valley, lush beech forest and towering snow-covered peaks. You’ll enjoy a range of landscapes, including locations used for several well-known films such as Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Wolverine, and The Hobbit. This tour caters to a wide range of fitness levels, with the constant support of guides and a vehicle, so you can complete as many or as few kilometres as you are comfortable with.
Our last night together with newfound friends for dinner at The Headwaters Eco Lodge
After another optional morning yoga class and delicious breakfast, you have an option of one last morning adventure, by hiking up into the historic Whakaari Conservation Area. Or if you prefer, you'll have the opportunity to leave a piece of you in Glenorchy to come back to one day, by planting your very own native tree or shrub at our chosen restoration area—an incredible way to give back to the community.
Following your chosen activity, your guide takes you on your last journey back down the most picturesque road in New Zealand.
Arriving in Queenstown by noon, we will bid farewell...until next time!
We’re not in the business of creating worry or anxiety. In fact, quite the opposite. When booking our getaways you can be assured that:
If you are looking for the best way to experience New Zealand’s most stunning landscapes, join us for this perfect weekend Getaway! We have crafted the ultimate all-inclusive weekend giving you a chance to unwind, reconnect with nature and enjoy amazing meals prepared by our fabulous chefs!
From private heli access into magical hiking locations to intimate fireside tasting experiences and exquisite dining with some of the best chefs, this best-of-everything getaway showcases some of New Zealand’s most stunning landscapes.
Enjoy a world less touched by human footprint. This breathtaking 4-night getaway combines the most beautiful hikes, the freshest meals, and the most extraordinary locations where few get to go. Venture into a private sheep farm, and into a World Heritage Park, taking in the diverse landscapes of an ancient beech forest, braided rivers, and glacier-carved valleys.
Experience the lure of a variety of adventures within our outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. Set within glacial carved valleys and towering mountain ranges, Glenorchy occupies a unique place with awe-inspiring landscapes and brutal beauty.
Your Adventures in Paradise experience will be based at The Headwaters Eco Lodge. You'll be staying in one of our beautifully-appointed Chalets which each include a private ensuite bathroom with walk-in rain shower, a king-size or split-king single beds, your own covered verandah and lounge chairs to take in the breathtaking views, warm welcoming rustic décor and original artwork by local and NZ artists.
We like to think of Adventures in Paradise, and more broadly The Headwaters, as a regenerative operation; meaning our mission is to actively make things better than they currently are.
The Headwaters Eco Lodge at Camp Glenorchy, where you'll rest your head in blissful sleep each night, is a net positive accommodation provider, meaning we generate more energy than we use onsite each year. We also use 50% less water than similar facilities and are certified by the International Living Future Institute as meeting the imperatives of the Living Building Challenge, the most stringent environmental guidelines in the world!
We are committed to extending our regeneration principles to our Adventures in Paradise experiences, so you'll enjoy knowing that all your delicious food is healthy, locally sourced and free of additives. Your meals in the field are tasty and free of unnecessary packaging. And on the last day of each of our experiences there's also a unique opportunity to take active part in contributing to a community regeneration project.
Yes! All our Eco-Chalets feature a private ensuite bathroom with walk-in rain shower, covered verandah and lounge chairs to take in the breathtaking views of Glenorchy and the surrounding mountains.
The Headwaters Eco Lodge's Chalets redefine 'luxury meets sustainability'! Here you'll relish relaxing into a range of modern comforts including heated floors, triple glazed windows, keycard entry, sound proof walls (they are amazing!), temperature-controlled fresh air exchange and fine natural-fiber linens and towels. Spa, laundry and state of the art drying room facilities are also available onsite. Free high-speed internet access is included, and while we'll be spending time during the day in remote areas that may have spotty or little coverage, mobile coverage at the Lodge and in the township is very good.
Easy! Book online here or just get in touch and we will arrange your booking.
Yes, once you've paid your deposit you can change your departure date or transfer to to any of our other getaways - provided you make this change before full payment is due (no later than 30 days before the departure date).
To help preserve our ability to generate a profit, all of which goes to the Glenorchy Community Trust, our cancellation policy is as follows:
To confirm your booking, we'll charge a non-refundable deposit of NZD$200 per person. This deposit is fully transferable across all getaways and dates and does not expire.
The final balance for a getaway is due 30 days before the departure date. Cancellations more than 30 days before departure date will receive a full refund, less the Lifetime Deposit of $200.
- Cancellations made within 30 to 14 days of the trip’s departure date will incur a cancellation fee of 10% of the booking total.
- Cancellations made within 14 to 2 days of the trip’s departure date will incur a cancellation fee of 50% of the booking total.
- Cancellations made within 48 hours of the trip’s departure date will receive no refund.
Yes! Anything goes - please let us know when you get in touch and we'll make sure your Adventures in Paradise chefs and guides can plan to meet any special needs.
Absolutely! Our Getaways are a great option for a family or group of friends - if you'd like to go private, chat to us about our options.
We’ve designed our Getaways with a sense of connection and community in mind, so we’ve included all meals with your like-minded fellow travellers. Because of our values and selection of activities, we tend to attract similar guests with aligned interests so you'll be in excellent company. We also pride ourselves on including absolutely everything during your trip to allow for the best value experience. Because Glenorchy is such a small village, there are limited dining options which is why we’re happy to provide our guests with delicious meals daily. In saying that, this is your trip of a lifetime so if you prefer to eat out one night, you’re certainly welcome to do so.
If you're joining us on an Adventure in Paradise, your transportation will be convenient and hassle-free. We'll pick you up from Queenstown Airport or central Queenstown, and chauffeur you along one of the world's most beautiful drives to your destination as you take in the breathtaking views of your 45-minute journey alongside Lake Wakatipu.
Our guides are beautiful spirits! As you explore together, your guides will share their passion and knowlege about the area, the local flora and fauna, the fascinating history of Glenorchy and the head of the lake, and informative commentary throughout. They're humble, patient and worldly - they know how to tell a good story and they know this place like the back of their hand.
You'll soon discover that the people of Glenorchy have created a wonderful lifestyle for themselves here at the head of the lake. We have plenty of additional hiking options to share with you, as well as a raft of other outdoor activities. Consider booking a few extra days to soak in the healthy mountain lifestyle. If you're keen to relax and make this a personal wellness retreat, that's available, and if you want to engage your creative side there are art and photography workshops. Head on over to our Headwaters Eco Lodge experiences page to learn more!
To help preserve our ability to generate a profit, all of which goes to the Glenorchy Community Trust, our cancellation policy is as follows:
To confirm your booking, we'll charge a non-refundable deposit of NZD$200 per person. This deposit is fully transferable across all getaways and dates and does not expire.
The final balance for a getaway is due 30 days before the departure date. Cancellations more than 30 days before departure date will receive a full refund, less the Lifetime Deposit of $200.
- Cancellations made within 30 to 14 days of the trip’s departure date will incur a cancellation fee of 10% of the booking total.
- Cancellations made within 14 to 2 days of the trip’s departure date will incur a cancellation fee of 50% of the booking total.
- Cancellations made within 48 hours of the trip’s departure date will receive no refund.
Glenorchy is located at the head of the lake and the heart of the mountains. It's a beautiful and ever-changing alpine environment and as such, the weather can change quickly. We'll provide you with a comprehensive gear list well in advance of your Getaway. The main things to keep in mind are to layer breathable, quick-dry active wear for our daily activities, and to bring casual, comfortable clothing for relaxing at the lodge in the evening. A good sun hat, and a pair of well worn-in, lightweight hiking boots will also be essential.
Please chat to us if you'd like to organise a getaway with children under the age of 12.
We offer our experiences all year round, so there’s really no bad time to visit Glenorchy! Generally, the most popular times to visit are the summer and shoulder seasons; however, we love the winter here too: everything's a bit quieter and bright, cool, clear days are common, which makes for stunning photos.