The Ahuriri Wild Ride
Ride along the Ahuriri River through rocky riverbeds and green sections. Looking for the real track? Good luck! We are riding wild here! After a relaxing first part of the ride into the valley, we cross the mountains with spectacular views into Dingle Valley on another adventurous route. Steep and rough – experienced and fit people only! Wild, challenging, stunning.
Details
Duration
6 days
5 nights
Riding
5 x 3-6 h
advanced
riders only!
Price (NZ$)
3.800
Payment Plan
yes
10
staged
Available Dates
17.-22. Jan 2027
19.-24. Mar 2027
Pick Up & Drop Off
Pick Up: 8 am, Camp Street QT
https://maps.app.goo.gl/xcYgBvQxMHdVkG8w9
One taxi for all guests – so please be on time!
Drop Off in Queenstown after trail: 1.30 – 2pm
Riding Location
Ahuriri Valley/ Dingle Valley
Included
transfer (QT to location & back)
5 nights accommodation
full catering
trekking horse
(incl. tack and saddlebags)
first aid kit
hard hat (as required)
blue bag, 9kg
(for personal belongs on packhorse)
Excluded
flight/travel to and from Queenstown
travel insurance (mandatory!)
alcohol
personal riding & travel gear
personal medication
sleeping bag (hire 15$)
dry bags
rain gear
Summary
Pack trip moving from place to place, spending two nights at each hut. A new way to experience the Ahuriri, one of our most-loved valleys, combined with a rare opportunity to explore one of the Southern Alps’ harder to access areas; the drop down into the Dingleburn via the Huxley Range. A new trail for our 2026/27 season, this is a true backcountry adventure – you will feel alone in the world amongst the vast landscape of mountains and glaciers.
Accommodation
For the first four nights of this trail, our accommodation will be in tents. We will be based at two different DOC-owned huts; these will provide us with some inside shelter, as well as cooking facilities and long-drop toilets, but are not spacious enough to accommodate more than two or three people. The final night of the trip will be spent at the spacious and cosy homestead of Ahuriri River Lodge.
Food
Expect to eat well on our pack trails!
All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and afternoon tea) for the duration of our time out in the backcountry will be transported with us. We will enjoy a home cooked dinner together at the lodge on our last night, as well as a full farmhouse breakfast on the final morning.
Adventure Level
5/5 – this trail is one of our most adventurous options and is suitable for experienced riders with a good head for heights. We will tackle some steep and more challenging terrain, and it will be necessary to walk the horses down a few hills. This is the perfect trip for those comfortable with spending a few days off-grid and away from modern conveniences, wanting a true New Zealand back country experience. It is important to note that although we usually have access to bunks in huts on most of our other trips, willingness to sleep in a tent is a requirement on this trail.
Due to the rocky, mountainous terrain and having packhorses with us, we ride only at a walk on all our trails, as is traditional throughout most of New Zealand.
Ride Itinerary
Day 1
Approx three hours in the saddle.
Your trip begins with collection from Queenstown Airport and transfer to Birchwood Station. The car journey alone showcases some of Central Otago’s world-famous alpine scenery, with the spectacular Lindis Pass being a destination in itself. Upon arrival, we will share a picnic lunch whilst we have our pre-trail briefing and pack our purpose-built pack trail bags, before loading up the horses and heading into the gorgeous Ahuriri Valley.
Our first day’s ride is an easy warm-up; scenic and mostly flat, allowing for plenty of opportunity to get to know your horse and take in the views. The afternoon will be spent following the path of the Ahuriri River, with snow-capped peaks rising dramatically to either side. Much of the Ahuriri Valley is owned by DOC and is an outdoor enthusiasts’ paradise; enjoyed by trampers, hunters, and fishermen.
We will stop for the evening at the tiny and remarkably charming Shamrock Hut – head down to the river for a dip and then enjoy a cold beer and a toasted marshmallow sitting around a crackling campfire.
Day 2
Approx six hours in the saddle.
We will be based at Shamrock Hut for two nights to be able to venture right into the depths of the Ahuriri Valley. Today’s ride is long and leisurely, leaving the pack horses behind, following the river, and taking the Ahuriri Valley Track right up to its end point.
We will stop for lunch at the aptly named Top Hut, which sits at the very top of the valley with views of the Huxley Range on one side and Barrier Range on the other. We will take a slightly different route on the way back, and although the terrain is mostly flat and makes for easy riding, it is interesting and varied with several river crossings and a stop-off at a hidden mountain lake. On a sunny day, you may want to jump off your horse for an afternoon swim (there are many deep natural pools in the crystal-clear river!) before returning to our cosy base at Shamrock Hut for a second evening.
Day 3
Approx five hours in the saddle.
We will break camp in the morning and head partway back out of the valley before leaving the main track and the last vestiges of civilisation behind and making the spectacular ascent up Mount Gladwish. We may be biased, but we think this is one of the most memorable days you will ever experience on the back of a horse!
The steep, winding track that takes you up to the mountain’s summit is varied and soaringly beautiful. The terrain changes from dense bush to an open rocky track as you climb higher and includes tackling a few short sections of scree close to the top. This is a climb that never gets old and we promise you will be amazed at how safe you will feel in the care of our wonderfully surefooted horses.
Eat lunch at the mountain’s summit and enjoy the feeling of being completely alone in the world. The landscape is vast and breathtaking, providing views of several different mountain ranges and many distant glaciers.
After lunch, we will drop down into the Dingleburn Valley. The descent is steep in places, and it will be necessary to lead your horse on foot for part of the afternoon. Journey from open mountainside back into thick woodland, eventually emerging alongside the Dingleburn River at the bottom of the valley. This area is exceptionally remote and unspoilt and very few people will get the opportunity to access it on horseback.
After a thrilling day in the saddle, with an ascent (and subsequent descent) of nearly 3000ft, enjoy an evening of well-earnt relaxation at camp. We will spend the following two nights at Top Dingle Hut, another small but well-situated DOC hut.
Approx four hours in the saddle.
An optional day ride to explore further into the Dingleburn Valley. We will be taking the Dingleburn Valley Track along the river and past the historic Ben Avon Hut. The valley narrows as we near our lunch stop at Cotters Hut, with dense forest rising steeply on either side, making for peaceful riding through the trees. Return in the afternoon for a second night at Top Dingle Hut.
Day 4
Approx four hours in the saddle.
Our final day in the saddle sees us make the steep climb back up and over Mount Gladwish. The scenery feels entirely different when experienced in reverse and the steep terrain is just as thrilling on the return journey.
Savour a final lunch stop high in the mountains, before leading your horse back down into the Ahuriri Valley. The last section of the ride is a gentle stroll back to our starting point at Ahuriri River Lodge. After four days in the mountains, the prospect of a hot shower and an indoor bed will be very welcome! We will enjoy a final dinner together in the lodge’s cosy dining room.
Day 5
Enjoy a full farmhouse breakfast at the lodge before your transfer back to Queenstown.
Day 6
Trail Gallery
Copyright for gallery section @briwoolnoughphotography: Impressions of the Ahuriri Wild Ride
