Lodge Details
Otahuna Lodge
224 Rhodes Road
Tai Tapu, New Zealand
Tai Tapu, New Zealand
Game/Species
Brown and rainbow trout, Chinook salmon
Waters
Rivers and streams.
Technique
Fly fishing
Season
October through AprilDescription
Canterbury’s rivers provide excellent chances for both the novice and expert fly-fisherman to test their skills.
Guests benefit from the knowledge of a local guide who will choose a location to ensure the best chances of making a successful catch. Brown and rainbow trout can be caught in both the high country as well as lowland streams from October through April. It is also possible during these months to catch Chinook salmon.
Guides provide licenses, tackle equipment, waders, instruction and transport in a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Access to remote mountain streams via helicopter provides an alternative option.
Activities
Embark on one of the world’s greatest train journeys, the TranzAlpine, which traverses the South Island’s majestic landscapes. Your guide will collect you from Otahuna at 8:00 AM and drive you to nearby Rolleston Station. You will then experience the most scenic part of the rail journey as the train climbs into the heart of the Southern Alps, winding its way along the bright blue Waimakariri River and through dramatic alpine valleys before arriving at Arthur’s Pass National Park.
Here, your guide will meet you for a hike in moss-laden forests teeming with glacial streams and waterfalls, followed by a café lunch or picnic. You might even meet a kea, the world’s only alpine parrot. On your return via road to Otahuna, you may wish to stop at the monolithic limestone outcroppings of Castle Hill, one of the primary film locations from “The Chronicles of Narnia.
Cooking Class: Culinary excellence is a cornerstone of the Otahuna experience. A hands-on cooking lesson with Executive Chef Jimmy McIntyre provides an enjoyable overview of the philosophies behind the Lodge’s celebrated food and wine programme as profiled in Bon Appetit, Conde Nast Traveller, and The Financial Times.
Gardens: No stay at Otahuna Lodge is complete without a tour of the estate’s own century-old garden. The tour provides insight into the history of Otahuna, explaining why and how Victorians grew certain kinds of plants, as well as the many ways in which the current garden team restores and maintains Heaton Rhodes’ greatest legacy.
Golf: Excellent golfing is available throughout the region from the nearby nine-hole country course at Tai Tapu to the internationally acclaimed resort courses at Terrace Downs and Clearwater
Heli-Touring: A scenic flight by helicopter is the ultimate way to see the natural beauty of New Zealand. The convenience of these tours is unsurpassed as helicopters depart and land directly from the Lodge’s Great Lawn
Hiking & Biking: Canterbury’s diverse landscape offers an array of trails for walking and biking.
The Lodge offers the complimentary use of 4 bicycles for exploring the immediate area with many guests enjoying the easy 6-kilometre loop in the Otahuna Valley. The quiet country roads are perfect for cycling and visits can be made to a local Tai Tapu café or the Longueville Art Gallery.
Horseback Riding: English-style horseback riding can be found alongside the banks of the nearby Waimakariri River. Here, guests can attain basic skills such as how to mount and dismount, hold reins in an English saddle and communicate with the horse before departing on a leisurely ride through local farms and woodlands alongside the scenic, braided riverbed.
Massage & Fitness: After a busy day exploring Canterbury, guests might indulge in a relaxing massage. Therapists provide a range of treatments, styles and pressures to accommodate a wide variety of preferences. Guests can enjoy a 60- or 90-minute massage in the Woodland Massage Studio.
Vineyards: One hour north of Otahuna Lodge lies the Waipara wine district, New Zealand’s hottest wine region and home to some excellent boutique vineyards. Waipara translates from the Maori language as “muddy water” due to the braided rivers that carry glacial silt from the mountains to the sea.
Location & Transportation
Otahuna is hidden away in Tai Tapu, an easy 30-minute drive from Christchurch International Airport (CHC).