⊗ Mt. Aspiring Packrafting ♦

July 11, 2019 tarannosaurus

Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → New Zealand → Otago → ⊗ Mt. Aspiring Packrafting

⊗ Technical Route ⊗
♦ Intrepid Top Pick!
Warning: Do Not Attempt Without Proper Training – click here for details

Location: Mt. Aspiring National Park, Otago, New Zealand

Time Required: 1 day

Red Tape/Notes: Best done from Wanaka (it’s a long drive from Queenstown). If you don’t have the equipment or experience, or if you want to hang out with some great people, book a trip with our friends at Packrafting Queenstown.

What’s Nearby?: Lake Alta and the Remarkables, Rob Roy Glacier Valley Track, Robinson Creek Canyon, Wilson Creek Canyon, Cross Creek Canyon, Bendigo Ghost Town

Lots of people hike in Mt. Aspiring National Park – starting from the Raspberry Flat carpark, a majority go up the extremely popular Rob Roy Glacier Valley Track, so you’ll lose around 90% of people at the swing bridge intersection a few minutes down the trail. You and the remaining 10% of people will continue on the West Matukituki Track towards the Aspiring hut, enjoying beautiful views of the valley and river below as you pass through grassy flats with only one notable uphill stretch. It’s about 9 km to the hut, which makes a good spot to grab lunch before turning around. Unlike you, other poor souls will be walking back the way you came. But why would you do that when there’s a perfectly good river to take you all the way home? Answer: you wouldn’t. You would blow up your packraft and let the river carry you, basking in the beautiful views as you float along, navigating the occasional minor rapids and feeling like life doesn’t get much better. Just don’t get so carried away that you forget to put out before the bridge – your exit point is near where the Rob Roy Stream joins on the downstream left. Shortly beyond this point the rapids become extreme, so unless you’re an expert, it’s best to call it a day here and hike the remaining ~2km back to the carpark.