Page updated: 14 August 2011

Contact Us: mail@ruggedyrange.com

Page Contents

Where our Trips Operate

What is Involved

Operating Season

Fitness & Ability

What to Wear & Bring

Group Sizes

Trip Briefing

Dietary Requirements

Health & Safety

Where Trips Depart From/Return To

Facilities on Trips

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Where our Trips Operate

We are permanently based on Stewart Island and specialise in trips in Stewart Island and Ulva Island. Whether you want to experience the beautiful outdoors, are a keen birder, want to see a kiwi (the feathered variety), interested in native New Zealand flora, want to learn about the Island's history or just want to get away from it all, we will have a trip to suit you. Please refer to the menu above...

What is involved

The trip itineraries detail what is involved for each of the trips. Apart from walking or hiking, all scheduled guided walks and hikes involve use of boat transport to/from the start/end of the tracks. Sea kayaking involves paddling and some walking or hiking depending on the trip.

During the trip, your guide will provide information on natural history, especially fauna and flora, cultural history, Maori and European, conservation issues relevant to the sites visited as well as information on Stewart Island. We stop regularly to rest and/or have a snack.

There is time to see, watch, listen, learn, relax and time to meet with and interact with people from all over the world.

Our trips provide you with an opportunity to fully enjoy your time without worrying about arrangements for water taxis, huts, meals and camping equipment and what to see and do. All you have to do is bring yourself and your personal items, we provide the rest.

Our main operating season is from September through till May . However, we are available through the winter months of June, July and August for off-season guiding, prior bookings are essential. We are planning to close for guided trips during mid-June to mid-July from 2012, however, road tours and water taxis may still operate and our booking office will stay open.

We are open throughout the year for bookings. Details of how to find us are shown in Contact Us. We operate a small business with a flexible itinerary, to reserve a place on a trip, we recommend advance bookings.

Fitness & Ability

We aim to offer a flexible itinerary so that there is something for everyone, from gentle walks and kayaking to hikes and kayaking for all fitness levels and abilities. Our trips vary from half day to full day and overnight trips. For overnight trips you do not need any previous hiking or kayaking experience, however, you need to be fit and able to carry a backpack. Our trips are graded as follows:

Reasonable Fitness:
Walk & Hike - Able to walk at a slow pace with a light day pack (personal belongings) for the duration of the trip.
Kayak - Able to paddle for the duration of the trip.

Good Fitness:
Walk & Hike - You are able to walk/tramp at a reasonable pace (approx. 4 kms per hour), carrying a backpack weighing 2 kg for day trips and 6 - 10 kg for overnight trips, over the terrain for the duration of the walk/tramp. You need to exercise regularly, before the trip, to maintain a good level of fitness (at least 2 - 3 times a week).
Kayak - Able to paddle for the duration of the trip.

High Fitness:
Walk& Hike: You can tramp at a reasonable pace (approx. 5 kms per hour ), carrying a backpack weighing 8 - 12 kg, over the terrain, for the duration of the tramp. You need to exercise regularly, before the trip, to maintain the appropriate fitness (at least 2 - 3 times a week).
Kayak - Able to paddle for the duration of the trip

Our trip options provide information on the terrain to allow you to make a better choice and we can help with recommendations to suit your fitness and abilities.

What to Wear & Bring

We have lists of what to wear and bring for guided walks, hikes and guided sea kayaking, for day trips and overnight trips. We may be able to hire you some gear or equipment - please refer to Hire Outdoor Gear.

If you wish to purchase some outdoor clothing or equipment for your trip, please check our Retail Outdoor Gear page, we only retail quality brands. If you want to purchase some gear/equipment for your trip, let us know so that we can ensure the item is in stock.

Group Sizes

We operate small groups size for all our independent clients. We accept larger groups as private group bookings only - so that we can continue to offer independent clients small group sizes for a quality experience.

Trip Briefing

We aim to brief all our clients personally before all overnight trips and provide an opportunity for participants to meet each other and their guide. We therefore, ask that you make time to attend a trip briefing - the times will be notified to you when you book your trip.

Dietary Requirements

For overnight trips, please notify us of any special dietary requirements when booking your trip.

Health and Safety

We have an externally audited Health and Safety Plan, which is regularly reviewed. A VHF radio, First Aid and Survival Kit are carried on all trips and a regular radio schedule is maintained on all overnight trips. Our guides hold current Outdoor First Aid certificates. For the safety and comfort of all group members we ask participants to complete simple medical forms, see Bookings.

Where Trips Depart From/Return To

Walks or Hikes:
All scheduled trips depart from/return to Golden Bay Wharf, approx. 10 to 15 minutes walk from Halfmoon Bay (Oban), please refer to Maps. Any variations will be notified at the time of booking.

Kayak:
Kayak trips depart from/return to Watercress Beach, approx. 15 minutes walk from Halfmoon Bay (Oban), or operate in Halfmoon Bay, please refer to Maps.

Facilities on Trips

On day trips there are long drop toilets. On overnight trips we usually stay at or near a Department of Conservation back country hut. These have bunkrooms with comfortable mattresses (no pillows), a kitchen area, cold running water and outside long drop toilets. All facilities are mixed and shared with other independent hikers. If we camp, tents supplied are two-person tents. We can supply single-person tents subject to availability.