Glen Lyon Alpine Horseback Adventure
Are you up for a diverse and remote adventure? Then load the packhorses and ride into the valley along Hopkins and Dobson River from Glen Lyon Station! On the last day we will cross Flanagan’s Pass for spectacular views of valley, lake and mountains. Challenging terrain, station life, beautiful scenery.
Details
Duration
7 days
6
nights
Riding
6 x
3-7 h
compe-
tent
riders
Price (NZ$)
4.888
Payment Plan
yes
10
staged
Available Dates
15.-21.
Feb 2027
Pick Up & Drop Off
Pick Up: 10.30 pm, Camp Street QT
https://maps.app.goo.gl/xcYgBvQxMHdVkG8w9
One taxi for all guests – so please be on time!
Drop Off in Queenstown after trail: 1.30 – 2pm
Riding Location
Glen Lyon Station/ Twizel
Included
transfer (Queenstown
to Location & back)
6 nights accommodation
full catering
trekking horse incl.
tack and saddlebags
first aid kit
hard hat (as required)
blue bag, 9kg
(for personal belongs
on packhorse)
Excluded
flight/travel to
and from Queenstown
travel insurance (mandatory!)
alcohol
personal riding & travel gear
personal medication
sleeping bag (hire 15$)
dry bags
rain gear
Summary
Pack trip moving from place to place each night. An easy-going trail defined by its exceptional views. Spend a few halcyon days in the summer sunshine exploring the remote Glen Lyon Station. This trip offers a rare opportunity to experience some of Central Otago’s world-famous lakes and mountains, without having to encounter any of the crowds found at the popular hotspots. A great option for riders looking to enjoy a relaxing meander through some stunning countryside, and the perfect first pack trail for those new to backcountry riding.
Accommodation
Three out of the six nights on this trip will be spent at basic but comfortable shearers’ quarters with electricity, cosy beds, and hot showers. For the remaining three nights we will be staying in back country musterers’ huts. A perfect balance for those wanting to experience the serenity and old-worldly feeling of a packtrail, without the commitment of spending the whole week off grid.
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 home cooked dinners and full farmhouse breakfasts on the days spent at station accommodation.
Adventure Level
3/5 – This trail is suitable for most levels of rider from novice/intermediate upwards. Although the riding is overall mostly gentle and relatively flat, there are a few steeper sections to tackle and as some of the accommodation is basic, a sense of adventure and general comfort with the outdoors and being away from modern conveniences is recommended. 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 one or two hours in the saddle for an introductory ride.
Upon arrival at Glen Lyon Station, we will conduct our pre-trail briefing over afternoon tea, before heading out on a short ride around the farm. This is a great opportunity not only to get acquainted with your horse before setting off on trail, but also to explore the station and catch a stunning view of the mouth of the Hopkins River merging with Lake Ohau.
We will enjoy our first dinner of the trip in the cosy lounge at the shearers’ quarters; take the opportunity for a hot shower and to charge up any electrics before heading into the backcountry for the next three nights.
Day 2
Approx five hours in the saddle.
With the pack horses loaded and ready to go, we will leave the Glen Lyon homestead behind and set off into the Dobson Valley. This is a scenic and gentle day’s ride and shows off summer in Central Otago at its absolute finest. Ride amongst the station’s remarkably glossy-coated herds of cattle as they graze in lush, flower-filled pastures, make several crossings of the glittering turquoise river, and admire the peaks of Ben Ohau Range that rise alongside us.
We will set up camp for the night at the charming and perfectly situated Station Hut.
Day 3
Approx three hours in the saddle (with an optional two-hour ride in the afternoon).
This morning’s ride is a short and easy one, following the path of the Dobson River even further into the depths of this gorgeous valley. We will break for lunch when we reach our overnight base of Kennedy Memorial Hut, a small DOC-owned hut hidden away in a woodland clearing. It will be necessary for some of the group to sleep in tents at this location.
The afternoon gives you the chance to remain at camp, perhaps going for a walk or a swim in the river, or simply relaxing at the hut and reading up on the fascinating story of hunter James Kennedy.
Alternatively, there will be an optional afternoon ride to explore further into the valley. The terrain on this section is slightly more challenging and involves scrambling up and down some banks, picking your way across a large rocky river flat and weaving a path through thick matagouri, with the reward being a spectacular view of Mueller Glacier and the Hooker Range.
Approx three hours in the saddle.
In the morning, we will make the return ride to Station Hut, having our lunch there upon arrival, and then spending the afternoon relaxing by the river. We think that this beautiful and lesser-known valley deserves to be explored at a slow pace in order to take in just how special it is.
Bring your book along for a sunbathing session by the waters edge, take a dip in one of the deep swimming holes in the crystal-clear river, and be sure to catch sunset and sunrise, which are almost always spectacular in this valley. Station Hut is located within the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve and offers amazing star-gazing opportunities.
Day 4
Approx five hours in the saddle.
On this day, we will ride back out of the Dobson Valley to the Glen Lyon homestead, enjoying a return to the comforts of the shearers’ quarters. We will take a slightly different route on the return trip, climbing a little higher alongside the edge of the native bush covering the mountainside. The views of the surrounding peaks feel totally different when ridden in reverse.
Rejoin the path of the Hopkins River as it heads towards Lake Ohau and spot the neighbouring station of Huxley Gorge on the opposite side of the valley.
Day 5
Day 6
Approx seven hours in the saddle.
Our final ride makes for a truly magical day on horseback. We head out on the Glen Lyon Road, gradually leaving the station’s pastures behind and following the Hopkins River to where it joins Lake Ohau.
Ride alongside the lake shore for a short distance before turning off the main track to climb the many switchbacks that lead up to Flanagan Pass. We will spend a large part of our day on this spectacular pass and enjoy lunch at the top, right in the midst of the Ben Ohau Range.
With Lake Ohau behind us and Lake Pukaki ahead, both sparkling an improbably brilliant shade of cerulean blue, we will head through the Darts Bush area and make our way downhill towards Twizel.
The final section of the ride changes yet again, crossing several streams and finishing on the Pyramid Track, taking us through neat pastures and a section of dense woodland, before emerging at our finishing point alongside the Pukaki Canal.
There will be a short transfer to Omarama Station Shearers’ Quarters, our accommodation for the trip’s final night.
Enjoy a full farmhouse breakfast at the quarters before your transfer back to Queenstown.
Day 7
Trail Gallery
