The Lindis Ahuriri Valley

Near the bottom of the habitable world is the breathtaking and pristine Ahuriri Valley. Carved over millions of years by the once fierce glacial waters of the Ahuriri River, the valley is now a tranquil, yet comfortingly rugged slice of paradise in New Zealand’s South.

And resting almost imperceptibly on the valley floor is The Lindis, our new and truly unique luxury lodge. Starting with an elegant wooden slatted roof paying direct homage to the contours of the earth below, the design of the building creates an undeniable sense of harmony between structure and land.

A harmony that has diffused itself through everything we do at The Lindis. The interior of the building features beautiful Spotted Gum wooden panelling and imposing Bluestone masonry throughout, reflecting the tones and geography of the outside environment — with sweeping floor to ceiling windows blurring the barriers between the inside and outside worlds.

The lodge features two spacious master suites, three luxurious lodge suites, three pods, our Great Hall for dining, a bar, lounge areas, a games room, and a billiards room, all finished in the same beautiful aesthetic and designed for the utmost comfort and luxury.

​As a continuation, our kitchen is as harmoniously furnished as the rest of our property. Featuring unique and distinguished natural ingredients such as locally foraged porcini mushrooms, and wild Fiordland Venison, creating contemporary and refined dining experiences — matched with our amazing wine selections, dining with us truly is unforgettable.

​And if that wasn’t enough, the environment around us offers myriad ways to further engage. From angling in the Ahuriri River, to horse trekking around the expansive Ben Avon Station, The Lindis experience extends far beyond the threshold of our doors. And is entirely underpinned by our warm high country hospitality.

​At The Lindis we use nature as our weathervane, and so when we see the effortless perfection of our environment, we are implored to emulate it. And so that’s what we do.

Master Suite
Our two Master Suites, Ben Avon and Dalrachney, are our most generously proportioned of our lodgings.

With sweeping views of the valley to be enjoyed from indoor or outdoor seating areas, a luxurious bathtub, a super king size bed, or beside a double sided gas fire place — it truly is a challenge not to be relaxed.

Continued in the same refined aesthetic as the rest of the lodge with Spotted Gum panelling and Bluestone Masonry, not to mention the highest quality linens and toiletries, these two suites are the epitome of modern luxury.

Lodge Suite
We offer three modern and luxurious lodge suites — Longslip, Birchwood and Ribbonwood. These suites all feature an ensuite, private indoor and outdoor seating areas, a gas fireplace, and a super king size bed — again finished in our beautiful spotted gum wood panelling.

With carefully selected furniture, linens, and amenities, these suites have been designed for quiet relaxation. Floor to ceiling windows in all of our lodge suites offer uninterrupted valley views creating a genuine connection to the surrounding high country — all to be enjoyed in the warmest comfort and luxury, on your terms.

Pods
The pods at The Lindis offer our guests a truly unique accommodation experience. Nestled gently into the landscape — out of sight but only a stone’s throw from the main lodge, these compact structures bring the environment well and truly into the fore while offering the ultimate in privacy and escape.

Meticulously designed with double glazed mirrored glass walls on three sides, and a gloriously efficient 18m2 footprint, these luxuriously heated and totally private pods allow our guests to experience our ever-changing environment in its most nuanced forms.

With all the modern conveniences to afford premium luxury — ensuite, king size bed, private outdoor bathtub, outdoor sitting area, and the finest linen and toiletries — our pods offer guests a continuous and fluid experience of this pristine valley.

CUISINE
Almost all of our top-quality ingredients are either sourced locally or harvested from our onsite garden, meaning the flavours themselves are an expression of the land around us.

​Featuring unique and distinguished natural ingredients such as locally foraged porcini mushrooms, and wild Fiordland Venison, our menu is a contemporary and refined take on seasonal New Zealand cuisine.

Paired nightly by our expert staff with incomparable and carefully selected local and international wines, the dining experience in the great hall is a series of unforgettable sensory moments.

FIORDLAND HELI TRAVERSE

Explore this famously remote and untouched part of New Zealand by helicopter. Pass through majestic fiords, get up close to huge waterfalls and see the region’s unique wildlife in its otherwise inaccessible natural habitat.

​Hover over glaciers of ancient blue ice and land in the snow and at beautiful, isolated mountain lakes for photographs and memories you will treasure forever.

​Featuring a gourmet BBQ picnic lunch with a spectacular mountain backdrop, this is a magnificent experience and unquestionably a highlight of any trip to this region of New Zealand.

AORAKI MT.COOK HELI EXPERIENCE

Fly over New Zealand’s Highest peak and discover the Southern Alps. ​The ultimate way to see the Southern Alps. Traverse the Main Divide to the West Coast and view the breath-taking landscape of the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers.

​Track north along the Tasman Sea before recrossing the snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps to the Tasman Glacier. Land on the glacier and enjoya gourmet picnic.

​Discover Aoraki Mt Cook and Westland National Parks. With snow landing on the Tasman Glacier, this is the ultimate South Island scenic experience.

HELSKI PRIVATE CHARTER

This is a spectacular region of Fiordland National Park that is only experienced by a few lucky visitors who take away indelible memories. With access to multi mountain ranges and over 800 runs, we can provide you with some spectacular heliski terrain in the region.

​With a variety of daily, multi-day and private charter packages for all ability levels from intermediate to expert, highly experienced guides and pilots have been making the dreams of skiers and snowboarders reality for more than 30 years by providing a world-class heliski experience!

​Please note, equipment hire can be arranged in advance and added to the invoice depending on guest requirements.

MT COOK / Franz Josef OVERHEAD

Be whisked away on a private helicopter experience to Aoraki/Mount Cook. Your helicopter will meet you at The Lindis before flying north to Mt Cook and Franz Josef glacier.

You will enjoy a short (10-15min) glacier or snow landing, along with a separate landing where you will enjoy a gourmet picnic and a 1 hour shutdown. Return back to The Lindis and witness the spectacular views of the Mackenzie country and the distinctive Lake Pukaki.

DUSKY SOUND EXPERIENCE

This is a spectacular region of Fiordland National Park that is only experienced by a few lucky visitors who take away indelible memories. Far to the south, over rain forest, mountains and deep glaciated valleys lies beautiful Dusky Sound at the very tip of New Zealand’s remote Fiordland.

​Here you will land on a floating helipad and transfer to your day boat to enjoy a day of fishing, discovery and wildlife watching.

At Dusky Sound, it’s possible to explore the pristine shoreline of this World Heritage Area and retrace the steps of explorer Captain Cook. The archaeological evidence of Cook’s visit can still be seen in the tree stumps cut by his crew for timber used to repair the vessel, Resolution, in 1773

MT COOK EXPERIENCE

Land amidst the crevasses of the Tasman Glacier. A bespoke, private helicopter charter flying North along the main divide of the Southern Alps passing New Zealand’s highest peak Aoraki/Mt. Cook at 12,218 feet (3,724 metres).

​Landing amidst the crevasses of the Tasman Glacier, you will put on snow shoes or crampons to explore the glacier’s seracs, icefalls and astonishing caves of ancient blue ice. Lunch and all equipment is included and your professional guide will choose a stunning location to enjoy your gourmet picnic.

​After this incredible experience, the return flight takes in the western side of the Southern Alps, where the mountains reach their highest elevations rising straight from the emerald green of the West Coast and the glittering Tasman Sea.

This tour allows time for additional heli-hiking en route for those guests who might wish to do a little more exploring.

HELI, JEEP, WINE

A recommended adventure to explore, sight see and taste what Central Otago has on offer. A full action packed day including helicopter, jeep and wine.

9.30am – Private helicopter pickup from The Lindis.
Fly via Lakes Hawea and Wanaka to an alpine landing on Mt Pisa to overlook the Cromwell Basin wine region.

10.30am – Helicopter drop off at Scott Base Vineyard for a wine tasting.

11.30 am – Jeep transfer to Terra Sancta Winery in Bannockburn, Central Otago’s oldest vineyard and a wine tasting.

12.15pm – Wine tasting and a la carte lunch at Mt Difficulty Winery in Bannockburn.

1.30pm – A visit to Highlands Motorsport Park for an informative ride in their Porsche Cayenne ‘Highlands Taxi’ around the world class facility and 4.1km race track.

2.15pm – Wine tasting at Misha’s Tasting Room and adjacent Quest Farm and Matt Connell Wines.

3.45pm – Private tasting experience at The Shed at Cloudy Bay Vineyard.

4.30pm – Helicopter flight from Cloudy Bay Vineyard.

5.00pm – back to The Lindis via Lake Dunstan, Bendigo vineyards and the Lindis Range.

​Note: Lunch can either be a la carte at Mt Difficulty Winery, Carrick and Bar, or grazing options at a number of wineries throughout the day.

BACK COUNTRY FISHING

The rivers of the South Island provide some of the world’s most renowned backcountry fishing. ​Set in deep, native forest, this is sight fishing in its truest form, and the gin-clear waters require careful stalking. Trophy size rainbow and brown trout inhabit these streams and present the angler with a unique challenge.

​Backed by the heights of the Southern Alps and bordered to the West by the Tasman Sea these are remote, backcountry waters you will remember forever. ​Anglers are dropped at a river selected by the guide based on the angler’s requirements and the fishing conditions at the time.

The helicopter is available to the anglers all day in order to maximise the opportunities to locate the best possible fishing. This is the best way to access the West Coast, East Coast, and Fiordland’s remote, rarely fished rivers.

LAKE BENMORE & BEYOND

Explore man-made and natural wonders in southern Canterbury on foot, by e-bike and from the comfort of a vehicle. From The Lindis, you’ll drive to Omarama where there is an optional stop-off to see the impressive Clay Cliffs with its sharp pinnacles and narrow ridges.

From Omarama, you’ll start your e-bike adventure with a gentle climb (13km/1hour) to Sailor’s Cutting. We’ll then drive to Benmore Dam, New Zealand’s largest earth dam which was built in the 1960’s.

The dam resulted in the incredible, 75km2 Lake Benmore which you’ll also see on a moderate (2km return, 1-1.5 hour) hike. You will enjoy your expedition lunch at a scenic spot by the lake before jumping on the e-bikes to explore the edges of Lake Aviemore.

There is lots to see and explore in this area so you can cycle for as long (or short) as you like, up to 22km (1.5 hours). This quiet road section is part of the Alps2Ocean bike trail and Lake Aviemore is a popular holiday spot with locals.

This is a very flexible trip, so talk to your guide about alternative options.

HORSE RIDING

With a 14-bay stables, 12 horses and 1 foal on site, trek across high country farm land with breath taking views of Ben Avon station and the surrounding Ahuriri Valley. We have 3 treks available, each catered to different riding levels

Lagoon​

Leaving from the stales, you will head down across Birch Stream – this involves a couple of river crossing & easy riding. Ending up on a terrace above the beautiful Ahuriri lagoons then back down across Birch Stream to the stables.

​​​Woolshed​

Leaving from the stables, head down to our historic woolshed taking in views of the Ben Avon dam. You will then trek up around our deer fence paddocks taking in views of small high county streams, wetlands before coming down behind the homestead to the stables.

​Beech Forest ​

One of our most picturesque trekking options. Leaving from the stables head uphill through New Zealand native beech forest, ending up in beautiful sub alpine herb fields.

DISCOVER CANYON CREEK

Discover spectacular waterfalls and a dramatic canyon on this guided hike for keen walkers and adventurers. This trip is specially designed for those who love hiking and want to see more of New Zealand’s stunning landscapes.

​Located in the Ahuriri Valley, this remote area has diverse wetlands, river valleys and beech forests that are teaming with native wildlife; there’s a good chance of hearing birdsong from some of New Zealand’s fascinating birds on this walk.

​Your knowledgeable guide will be there to describe some of the history and science behind the area and will point out key natural features.  Your guide will also be your pathfinder as you cross Little Canyon Creek, then climb steadily through beech forest to an impressive viewpoint of the canyon floor.

​There’s a short, steep section and some rock fall to clamber over, the views of the waterfalls are unrivalled. A 45-minute (approximately) section of this track is suitable for e-bikes, this is a recommended add-on for those who love mountain biking too.

FLY-FISHING

Learn how to fly fish with our fishing guide Rodger Webb. Rodger will teach you how to tie lures and take you to some of the best secret fishing spots in the Ahuriri River. With a full day of half day options available.

The Lindis is situated on one of the best stretches of water for fly fishing locations in the world, the Ahuriri River. The Ahuriri River is internationally renowned, and has been rated top 5 in the world!

The river runs directly in front of the lodge so guests can take a short stroll down to the waters edge. Guests will also be able to watch local anglers in the fishing season from the lodge as they fish for trout over the summer months.

E-BIKING

Explore more of Ben Avon station & The Ahuriri Valley by jumping on one of our e-bikes and ride through the valley. Go as little or far as you like, with many places to explore, the electric power assist will help you get further than on foot!

Go off road for the adventurous, or stay on the flat for a scenic ride, there are options to suit everyone.

BIRCHWOOD RIDE​

Leave directly from the lodge and travel approximately 7km to Birchwood homestead. Stop at wetlands along the way and look for plants and wildlife.

​UPPER AHURIRI RIDE​

The upper Ahuriri Valley offers great biking access. Get dropped at the end of Birchwood Road (a scenic drive is involved to get here) and then travel 5km through tussock to Shamrock Hut.

​Hagens Hut is a further 6kms up the valley for those wanting to go the extra distance (this does involve river crossings so a guide will be necessary).

CUSTOM GUIDED HIKE OR DAY OUT

With the Ahuriri Valley on your doorstep, explore specific places within the valley, including walking part of New Zealand’s long distance tramping route, stretching circa 3,000 kilometres along the length of the country’s two main islands from Cape Reinga to Bluff; The Te Araroa Trail.

​​Perhaps the Waitaki Valley is of interest? Wine tasting, site seeing and learning about the local culture.

Explore beyond, with a day trip to Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain, or perhaps visit Lakes Pukaki, Tekapo and Ohau; three roughly parallel alpine lakes running north-south along the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin on New Zealand’s South Island.

LAKE OHAU ADVENTURE

Take in sweeping views of the Makenzie Basin on this more challenging but hugely rewarding e-bike adventure. ​This rewarding trail includes one of the best sections of the Alps2Ocean mountain biking trail.

Your guide will drop you off at the start of the track, where you will start the climb up through open countryside to an incredible vantage point with views of the Mackenzie Basin. ​

From here, the track slopes gradually downhill, through patches of beautiful beech forest to the lake. Your guide will meet you at the lakeside for your expedition lunch before biking alongside the beautiful Lake Ohau with breath-taking views.

​​If you choose to do the walking track, your guide will meet you and guide you through the spectacular mountain beech forest covered in native mistletoe (a real treat in the summer months) to an ancient glacial moraine terrace.

Alternatively, jump back on the e-bike to ride another gorgeous section of the Alps2Ocean trail alongside Lake Ohau, this section is 12km and takes around 1 hour. With a custom guided hike or day out, tell us what you would like to get out of your day, and we will customise especially for you.

BUGGY-TOUR

On all tours a minimum of 1 buggy is supplied as well as a guide. Buggy’s will always carry a locator beacon, defibrillator, first aid kit with guides are first aid trained. All clients are supplied with helmet, gloves and goggles. Wet weather jackets, trousers and boots can also be supplied on request.

The off road expeditions business has been operating for 29 years and is still owned and operated by the same passionate family. Sons Lachie and Scott, have multiple national off road moto titles (Super Cross & Quad Bikes) between them and daughter Alanna has 3 national titles in downhill mountain biking.

A passionate family business that loves being able to explore the mountains of New Zealand and cannot wait to share their adventure with you!
Explore Ben Avon & the Ahuriri by buggy. Go off-road and explore places that cannot be accessed by foot or 4WD. 4 and 6 seat buggy options available.

MAGNIFICENT ALPINE MEADOWS

A 4WD excursion with magnificent views and an easy hike into awe-inspiring wilderness.The remote Ahuriri Valley has diverse wetlands, river valleys and beech forests that are teaming with native wildlife. ​

From The Lindis, drive through stunning vistas to Birchwood. The valley is home to rare species such as the kaki (black stilt), tarapirohe (black-fronted tern), and ngutu-pare (wrybill). Listen out for native birdsong and learn more about the area from your knowledgeable guide.

​​This trip is tailored to you; feel the mountain breeze rushing past you on an optional supported e-bike trip from Birchwood to Birchwood Road end (12km/45minutes) or stay in the comfort of your vehicle.

From here, there’s a guided hike to the Shamrock Hut where you’ll enjoy a picnic lunch. Alternatively, you can choose to do an e-bike adventure to Valley View where there is another excellent lunch spot. ​ Some sections involve river crossings, but your guide will be on hand to assist you.

STAR GAZING

Dark, clear skies; unique celestial features and otherworldly landscapes make stargazing in New Zealand a breathtakingly magical experience. In the heart of the South Island, the sky is so clear and vast that millions of stars seem to appear right before your eyes.

The clear skies found in this part of the world are like nothing else in New Zealand. With very limited light pollution within the Ahuriri Valley, the views of the night sky seem to stretch on as far as the eye can see.

Experience the Ahuriri by Night! Where you are located on the Earth determines which constellations are in your sky. Head outside into the night sky and use the app to find stars & constellations in our sky.

Website: www.thelindisgroup.com

Rooms: 8

Price: from 9403 EUR per night