Kaikoura is known for its Whale and Dolphin Watching, but do you know about the hidden Gems in Kaikouras Backyard? Like Mount Fyffe? With a beautiful hut that you can rent for 5$ a night, the plus point is that you get am amazing view of Kaikoura and the Peninsula all for free.
Ask any traveller and they will tell you the reason they are going to Kaikoura for Whale or Dolphin watching. It just seams to be the way to go. But what they are missing is the bigger picture. Not only is Kaikoura a stone thrown away from a bunch of Vinyards, but also a a stunning Mountain Range right at its Door Step.
I am probably the only traveller that will say this, and I know there are a lot of people who might not understand this, but I was thinking long and hard if I should go and visit Kaikoura at all because I simply didn’t want to go on Whale or Dolphin Watching Tour. And if that is the only thing that little Coastal Town had to offer then I was not too keen on it. I have heard the Tours are amazing and well worth it, but I just don’t like spending Money on things to see in their Natural Habitat.
But I went anyways , with out a better Jundgement of my self or anyone else. There are just some things to cross of on a list of things to do and not to do. This was just one of them.
Can you see Kaikoura in the Distance? The Kaikoura Peninsula is right in the Middle.
Doing Summer School Holidays things seam to be booked out well in advance, so here is a tip if you want to be somewhere on a specific day, book in advance at least a month. Yet I felt like that was not going to happen, I didn’t want to settle, and went anyways even though I only had 2 nights of Accomodation booked.
So here is the Story: On the day of my arrival in Kaikoura I started talking to a guy, who had just come back from Mount Fyfee, staying in a Hut in the Mountain Range in the Backdrop of Kaikoura. That sounded pretty damn Cool! I really wanted to stay in one of those huts. And before that a little Bee buzzed in my ear that it would be really cool not only to see the first Sunrise of the year but also of the WORLD! There is no other place than New Zealand to experience it, so I was hooked on that Idea! (A Bucket List item right there.)
Huts in New Zealand are like little Houses scattered all over the Mounatin Ranges for you to sleep in. There is probalby a Hut on every Hike at some point. They cost between $5 – $30 depending on the level of Luxuary. The local Doc (usually located withing the I-site) will be able to tell you more about them, and where they are located.
Its been 3 1/2 Month or 69 days since the New Year Started.
But what did you do?
What do you do New Years?
The most normal thing is probalby going to a party and watching the Fireworks. But i just felt like this was not the New Years that I wanted to have this year. I felt like I wanted it to be more quiet and Peaceful. That is exactally what i did. I hiked up Mount Fyffe, sleept in a Hut, saw an epic last Sunset of 2014.
and the first SUNRISE of 2015!!
To the start of the track it takes about one hour walking from the Kaikoura Town Center. Of course if you have a car it is only 10 minutes. Once at the Mount Fyffe Car Park take the four Wheel Drive Road up to the top to the mountain.
And let me tell you it goes UP!
But even half way through the View is absolutly Breathtaking!
To the Mount Fyffee hut it takes about 5 hours return, including reaching the peak you will need another 3 hours, alternativly you can also take the Kowhai River Route towards the Hut which is about 6 Hours Return.
I was already amazing view of just the Elevation of the Hut at … I never reached the top, I was so content having a chill afternoon on top of a Mountain and enjoying the Beautiful View of the Kaikoura Peninsula.
With a few Showers in the late Afternoon I was very Happy about my decision, and keept nice and dry in the Hut. By Sunset the Weather had cleared up and I was able to enjoy it a little while before it got too chilly and I went to escpae back into the Hut.
And believe it or not, Late in the evening around 8pm a couple showed up who had a simliar crazy idea, except that they where taking a mulitple day hike over the Kowhai Sattle. Staying up util Midnight was not hard then playing cards and sharing stories. Can you tell that there are NO Fireworks?
The year of 2014 had a wonderful finish, and the year of 2015 a great start. Sometimes in order to get of the beaten Track we have to get out there and explore.
And this is the First Sunrise of the year of 2015 of The World!
Sadly these when the Last Rays of Morning Sunlight these Runners Soaked up, the retired after this last trek. Sometimes we just got to say goodbye.
Have you ever seen the first Sunrise of the Year in the World?
All content, pictures Copyright © 2015 by InkasTour.com • All Rights Reserved. All other content is copyrighted by the respective authors and linked to Origin.
Leave a Reply