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About
Mason Bay
Mason
Bay is situated on the west coast of Stewart Island. It has approx.
14 kms of beach, one of the most extensive natural sand dune systems
in New Zealand, native coastal plants, some seabirds and a healthy
population of kiwi. A great place to go kiwi spotting, enjoy the
stunning seascape, watch the surface crash on the beach and
feel at one with nature!
Our trips
provide an opportunity to discover kiwi habitat, listen to a kiwi
calling in the night and with some luck actually seeing a kiwi.
More than just a kiwi spotting trip, we provide a chance
for you to view an array of ecosystems and wilderness habitats,
from east to west and across Stewart Island's interior, and to to
see other native birds and plants.
We offer
two similar options for the Mason Bay trip, Kiwi
Journey (one night trip) and Kiwi, Dunes and Beach (two night
trip).
We also
recommend that you come on one of our Ulva Island - Birds &
Forest guided walks before coming on a Mason Bay Kiwi Spotting Trip
to appreciate the diversity of ecosystems on Stewart Island. See
Optons & Prices.
About
Kiwi
Related
to the extinct moa, kiwi are New Zealand's most ancient bird,
having evolved 30 million years ago. To Maori, kiwi are known as
"te manu huna a Tane" the hidden bird of Tane,
probably because of the bird's nocturnal and shy nature. Due to
New Zealand's long period of isolation and lack of mammals, kiwi
occupy a habitat and lifestyle which mammals have occupied elsewhere.
The
Stewart Island Tokoeka, is one of several varieties of kiwi found
only in New Zealand. Although kiwi are nocturnal, the Stewart Island
Tokoeka is known to be active during the day and night. Find
out more about this fascinating bird on one of our trips.
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Trip
Summary – KIWI, DUNES & BEACH
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(RECOMMEND:
Ulva Island – Bird & Forest trip, prior to this trip)
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| Duration |
2
Nights, approx. 2 ½ Days. |
| Distance |
Day
1: 15.5kms (10 miles) to Mason Bay and 3 – 5 kms (2 – 3 miles)
for kiwi spotting. Day 2: approx. 10 to 25 kms (6.5 to 15.5
miles), subject to activity around Mason Bay, beach and dunes
(without packs). Day 3: 15.5 kms (10 miles) to Freshwater Landing. |
| Time |
Access
to Freshwater River is only at high tides. Trips usually depart
early morning Day 1 and return midday Day 3. Other times may
be available. |
| Start/End |
Golden
Bay Wharf |
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(10
mins walk from Halfmoon Bay) |
| Fitness |
Good |
| Terrain |
Flat,
easy walk, some mud & boardwalk. Beach and dunes at Mason Bay. |
| Adult |
NZ
$835.00 p.p. |
| Child |
NZ
$720.00 p.p. |
| Includes |
Water
taxi, all meals, drinks, snacks, hut/camp fees, use of tent/sleeping
mats if required and cutlery/utensils and cooking gear. |
| Minimum |
4
persons
If you are only one or two persons, please note that other clients/agents
are also booking our trips and it is likely that minimum numbers
will be achieved for the trip. You can also check with us at
the time of booking. |
| Maximum |
6
persons |
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A
chance to glimpse a kiwi in the wild, explore the spectacular dune
environment and wild west coast beach and learn about the natural
history & early European history of the area
Book
Now
(click here to make a booking). Prior
bookings are essential to allow food, equipment and travel arrangements
to be made.
Departure
Dates
What
we do (click here for Map)
Please
note: we
have had over 90% success of seeing kiwi on our guided trips.
Day 1
- We take our water taxi from Golden Bay Wharf to travel westward
to the head of Paterson Inlet, then northwest along Freshwater River
into the interior of Stewart Island. This winding primeval river,
richly stained by tannin, is flanked by manuka (tea tree), ferns
and mosses. We arrive at Freshwater Landing about 40 minutes later.
We then
have a flat easy hike of 15.5 kms (10 miles) along Freshwater Flats
to Mason Bay, through manuka scrub and board walked wetland, about
4 - 6 hours. We take our time to enjoy birdlife including, the Stewart
Island robin and fernbirds, flora and orchids in season. There is
also evidence of kiwi to mull over and occasionally we actually
see a kiwi in the daytime!
We stay
at Mason Bay Hut or camp nearby, sharing facilities with other hikers
and take time to see the beach, 15 minutes walk away. After a rest
and a meal, we go kiwi spotting at dusk to catch a glimpse of this
shy bird. Kiwi are wild birds, sitings are not guaranteed. It is
a privilege to see a kiwi, an experience that many clients will
never forget!
Day 2
- Mason Bay has a stunning 14 kms of beach, one of the most extensive
natural sand dune systems in New Zealand, native coastal plants,
some seabirds and a healthy population of kiwi. A great place to
enjoy the stunning seascape, watch the surface crash on the beach
and feel at one with nature!
After
breakfast we walk up Big Sandhill 156 mtrs (511 ft) in the morning,
to get views across Mason Bay and Freshwater Flats. We explore the
extensive, classic dune environment, one of the most natural in
New Zealand. This is a good area for botanising and photography
with an opportunity to see other native birds.
After
lunch we spend the afternoon on the beach, time and tides permitting,
we explore the beach environment. The southern New Zealand dotterel,
a wading bird is one of our rare birds and may occasionally be seen
along the beach (subject to time of year) as well as banded dotterel,
variable oystercatchers and gulls.
Depending
on whether we have already had a siting of a kiwi and subject to
client preference we take time to go spotting kiwi on the second
night or watch the sun set over the horizon and the brilliant spectacle
of the southern hemisphere stars on a clear day.
Day 3
- We depart for Freshwater Landing for our water taxi pickup to
Golden Bay, assisting with transfers to your accommodation.
Trip
Times
Access
to Freshwater River is only at high tides.
Trips
usually depart early morning Day 1 and return midday Day 3. Other
times may be available. Where there is demand for the trip on days
where tides differs from the usual departure times, we vary the
itinerary times to fit in with high tides.
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