Manapouri Overview

The fog-shrouded peaks of the Hunter and Kepler mountain ranges preside over the quiet town of Manapouri, nestled on the beech-lined banks of Lake Manapouri. Rain forests and rugged, snow-capped peaks reflect in the cool waters of this stunning “lake of the sorrowing heart,” widely regarded as the most beautiful in New Zealand. Although tourist ventures have a small foothold, Manapouri remains a pleasant gateway to the remote and serene Doubtful Sound.

Transportation. Scenic Shuttle (☎249 7654) leaves for Invercargill (2hr.; 8:30am; $35) via Tuatapere (1hr., $25), Riverton (1hr., $30), and Te Anau (15min.; 8:15am; $15). While Let’s Go doesn’t recommend it, hitchhikers report that getting a ride to Te Anau is easy, though buses are better for getting back to Manapouri again.

Orientation And Practical Information. The town lies at the junction of the Southern Scenic Rte. and SH95, 20km south of Te Anau , where you’ll find the nearest police station, doctor, bank, and DOC office. Limited visitor information, largely in the form of brochures, is provided by both Real Journeys and Adventure Kayak and Cruises . The Manapouri Motors gas station is on Waiau St. (☎249 6644. Open M-F 8am-6pm, Sa-Su 9am-5:30pm.) The Lakeview Cafe and Bar (see below) has Internet for $1.50 per 10min. The post office is inside the Manapouri Store (see below).

Accommodations And Food.  Freestone Backpackers (BBH) , on the Scenic Route 2.5km south of Manapouri, is perfectly situated for sunset views. Relax on the porches attached to five solar-powered cabins built by owner Jimmy. Each has its own kitchen, pot-bellied stove, and hand-crafted furniture. (☎249 6893. Book ahead. Cabin as dorm $23 per person; as single or double $56. Ensuite cabin $76 for 2. $3 BBH discount. MC/V.) The tri-lingual, Swiss-themed Manapouri Lake View Chalets and Camp , on Cathedral Dr. toward Te Anau, entertains campers with ecclectic collections, vintage pinball machines, and comics taped to the walls of the loo. (☎249 6624; manapouri@xtra.co.nz. Basic cabins $28; $45 for 2, cabins with kitchen $55. Tent sites $13 per person; 2-person powered sites $26. MC/V.) For a more cozy campground setting, try the Possum Lodge (BBH) 2, 13 Murrell Ave., off of Waiau St. Backpackers in search of an upgrade should spring for one of the rooms in the house with separate shared kitchen and bath. (☎249 6623; possumlodge@xtra.co.nz. Dorms $21; cabins $46 for 2; house doubles $59, triples $79; powered sites $14 per person. MC/V.) The Lakeview Motor Inn , next to the Lake View Chalets and Camp, offers heaps of rooms with superb views in a backpacker-friendly setting. (☎249 6652; www.manapouri.com. Reception 8am-7:30pm, after hours at the cafe next door. Budget rooms $35 per person for 2-3 people, $50 as a single. Deluxe rooms available. MC/V.)

The Lakeview Cafe and Bar , run by Lakeview Motor Inn, has cheap espresso and expensive everything else, but it’s the only restaurant in town. (Lunch $15. Dinner $25. Open daily 11am-9:30pm; May-Oct. 2pm-9:30pm. Bar closes late.) The upper deck at Cafe 23 has a lake view, assorted baked goods, cheap takeaways ($2-4), and tasty mains from $15. In the same building, the Manapouri Store has basic items. (☎249 6619. Store and cafe open daily 7am-7pm, mid-Apr. to Sept. 8am-6pm.)

Sights And Outdoor Activities. Captain Cook was skeptical that there would be wind to return his ship to sea, so he skipped over Doubtful Sound in 1770, leaving the name as his only legacy. Rounded ranges carved by ancient glaciers mark the entrances to over 100km of waterways. Inaccessible by road, Doubtful Sound leaves its serenity to the pods of dolphins and New Zealand fur seals. Boat tours of the pristine sound leave from Pearl Harbour in Manapouri, at the Waiau River outlet, crossing Lake Manapouri to the West Arm. From the West Arm, land shuttles transport tourists over Wilmont Pass Rd. to Deep Cove in Doubtful Sound. Because Doubtful Sound doesn’t draw as many tourists as Milford Sound to the north, tours from Manapouri often feel much more relaxed. All tours that leave from Manapouri can also be booked from Te Anau.

Guided kayak tours can be the best way to see the sound up close.  Fiordland Wilderness Experiences, in Te Anau, offers acclaimed two-day sea kayaking excursions. The trips explore a peaceful arm of the sound and include a night of camping in the Fiordland wilderness. (☎249 7700 or 0800 200 434; www.fiordlandseakayak.co.nz. Book ahead. Bring food and a sleeping bag. Supplies and transport from Te Anau included. 2-day tours $310; 3-day tours $425.) Adventure Kayak and Cruise, next to the Manapouri Store, runs a 10hr. cruise and kayak tour of Doubtful Sound ($195, overnight $309) and offers kayak rentals ($45 per day) on Lake Manapouri. Transport for guided tours ($10) is available from Te Anau, but book ahead. (☎249 6626 or 0800 324 966; www.fiordlandadventure.co.nz. Office open daily Oct. to mid-May 9am-noon and 1-5pm.)

Boat cruises of the sound often include a tour of the Manapouri Power Station, one of the world’s most environmentally benign hydroplants. Turbines at the end of a 2km underground tunnel generate power from plummeting lake waters; its costly construction explains the reliable road connecting Lake Manapouri to Deep Cove. The least expensive, most intimate Doubtful Sound trip is run by Fiordland Explorer Charters. Their 8hr. journeys include 3hr. on the sound with a trip to the Power Station. (☎0800 434 673; www.doubtfulsoundcruise.com. 20-person max.; $200. Ask about winter specials May-Sept.) Real Journeys, from their location on Pearl Harbour, offers extensive, full-day trips around Doubtful Sound. After a lake cruise, a visit to the power station, and an overland bus ride with ecological commentary, the tour heads through 40km of Doubtful Sound to the seal colonies on the Tasman Sea before returning to Manapouri. DVD, live commentary, and on-board bar are luxurious perks. Transport from Te Anau costs $18. Bring your own lunch or pay for the expensive alternative. (☎249 6602 or 0800 656 502; www.realjourneys.co.nz. Oct.-Apr. up to 3 tours per day. May-Sept. at 9:45am. $230, children $55. Overnight cruises from $325; includes meals and kayaking.)

Fishing opportunities abound in Fiordland’s fertile waters, and Deep Cove Charters (☎249 6828 or 021 396 535; www.doubtful-sound.com) combines an intimate scenic cruise with mouth-watering fresh seafood. Up to six guests travel overnight aboard the “Flyer” through Doubtful Sound, with skipper and chef Chris cooking and eating the day’s catch. Fiordland crayfish are included as part of three full meals on board. Chris requests that all guests bring their own wine and beer. ($360 per person. Trips go from 9am in Manapouri to 11:15am the next day. Fishing equipment provied.) Mike Molineux of Adventure Manapouri (☎249 8070; www.adventuremanapouri.co.nz) leads intimate one- or two-person trout fishing tours in the Lake Manapouri area starting from $75 per hour. (Fishing license required. Assistance can be provided. Refreshments and all gear included.)

A variety of one- to three-day tracks in the area offer an inexpensive immersion in the grandeur of Fiordland. Longer tracks begin at the orange marker 200m downstream across the Waiau River from Pearl Harbour. Rent a boat or hire a water taxi. The Circle Track (3hr. round-trip) promises excellent lookouts over the Hope Arm of the lake, Mt. Titiroa, Manapouri, and Te Anau. Two huts ($10) are also available for longer hikes; pick up a pamphlet from the DOC office in Te Anau.

The cardinal rule of walking the Dusky Track—one of New Zealand’s more demanding walks—is simple: unless some fortuitous Fiordland weather brings eight days of sunshine, it will take longer than you think. The Dusky is infamous for gnarled-root and mossy-rock footpaths, waist-deep mud, snow-covered alpine passes, and swims through flooded river backwaters. Bring a topo map, and have a chat with the DOC about weather conditions and equipment before you go.

• Length: 84km, 8-10+ days.
• Trailheads: Lake Hauroko (Tuatapere), Supper Cove (Dusky Sound), and Lake Manapouri (Manapouri) are all access points for the Dusky Track. All 3 can be reached by boat, floatplane, or a murderous scramble through days of Fiordland bush.
• Transportation: Lake Hauroko Tours (☎226 6681; www.duskytrack.co.nz) offers service from Tuatapere to the Hauroko Hut (M and Th $70 per person; charter up to 6 people $450). Real Journeys (☎249 6602 or 0800 434 673) services the West Arm of Lake Manapouri several times daily ($30). Advance booking required if beginning the track from the West Arm; if exiting from the West Arm, transport from the wharf is available without a booking. From the drop-off, the track begins a 45min. walk down Wilmot Pass Rd. Fiordland Explorer Charters (☎249 6616 or 0800 434 673) offers less expensive, less frequent service to the West Arm. They also include shuttle service on Wilmot Pass Rd. to the trailhead ($30; advance booking required). Flag the bus on Wilmot Pass Rd. for the once daily departure back to town at 5:30pm. Scenic Shuttle (☎249 7654 or 0800 277 483) runs door-to-door between Te Anau, Manapouri, and Tuatapere ($17-27). Wings and Water (☎249 7405) flies from Te Anau to Supper Cove at 9am with return flights on demand ($270 per person for 2-4 people). Parking is available in Tuatapere and at the View St. lot in Manapouri. Though Let’s Go doesn’t recommend hitchhiking, trampers report summertime success along the Southern Scenic Route; winter traffic is sparse.
• Seasonality: The track becomes impassable after a bout of rain. Winter is dangerous, as avalanche conditions on the track’s alpine sections pose extreme risks. Most non-Manapouri transport does not operate in winter.
• Huts and Campsites: Eight huts service the Dusky Track ($10 per night). All come with fireplaces or pot-bellied stoves, with the exception of the West Arm Hut. With average tramping time exceeding 8 days, doing the Dusky makes an Annual Hut Pass ($95) an attractive option. Camping is permitted but strongly discouraged along the track.
• Storage: Accommodations in Tuatapere, Manapouri, and Te Anau will oblige.

The West Arm To Upper Spey Hut.  13km, 4-6hr. Beginning at the DOC West Arm visitors center, the track follows Wilmot Pass Rd. to a signpost indicating the start of the track. The West Arm Hut, 200m from the visitors center, is a sparse affair with no heat but plenty of screeching keas. Descending to the Spey River, the track follows the river valley through beech forests. The first hour of the track is uncharacteristic; don’t worry, the gravel ends soon and there are plenty of muddy bogs. Upper Spey Hut (12 bunks) sits in the middle of a swampy clearing.

Upper Spey Hut To Kintail Hut.  6km, 5-7hr. After the hut, the track climbs abruptly and then flattens to a gradual incline as it approaches the Warren Burn. Be sure to watch for the elusive orange markers along this section of the track. Climbing through tussocks of snowgrass, the track reaches Centre Pass, affording arresting views of Tripod Hill, Gair Loch, and the distant Seaforth Valley. Don’t stay long, as the winds are fierce; instead, follow the track along the ridge for more impressive views. The descent from the pass to the Kintail Stream is precipitous. Kintail Hut (12 bunks) lies sheltered against a hill with a bubbling stream out front.

Kintail Hut To Loch Maree Hut.  9km, 6-8hr. Depending on weather conditions, this section of the track can be one of the most demanding. When rain has been constant and heavy, the lower section of the track is impassable. Following the shores of Gair Loch, the track passes over rough terrain when descending the gorge, and emerges near the head of an enormous slip. After crossing the Kenneth Burn walkwire, the track flattens out and passes easily underfoot for several kilometers, occasionally forcing trampers to wade across backwaters of the Seaforth River when it’s been raining. The last several kilometers between the Deadwood Creek and Loch Maree are tricky and can be entirely flooded when the Seaforth is high. Loch Maree Hut (12 bunks; pot-bellied stove) provides a welcome respite from a long day of sludging through the muck.

Loch Maree Hut To Supper Cove.  13km, 6-8hr. Many trampers have spent a day, or two, or five, stranded at Loch Maree due to high flows of the Seaforth. The best indicators of whether or not the river is low enough to proceed are the tree trunks in the lake: when the trunks are completely submerged, sit it out or be prepared to swim for your life. The track to Supper Cove follows an old miners’ road and can be easy going when not flooded. The last leg of the track after the Henry Burn can be rough, but trampers who have planned the tides right (there’s a tide chart in Loch Maree Hut) can avoid this section by cutting across at low tide. Supper Cove (12 bunks) sits on the shores of the track’s namesake, the Dusky Sound, and, as the name of the cove implies, those who have lugged fishing line into the woods will be rewarded with fresh trout. For those continuing to Lake Hauroko, the next stage is a return to Loch Maree Hut before proceeding south.

Loch Maree Hut To Lake Roe Hut.  8km, 5-7hr. After leaving the hut, the track quickly approaches the most unpredictable obstacle on the Dusky Track: the walkwire crossing of the Seaforth. In foul weather, the entire far side of the crossing can be submerged by the engorged river, making it impassable. There’s a three-wall shelter on the far side above flood level to harbor trampers coming from Lake Roe. Across the walkwire begins the steepest ascent on the Dusky, a 600m vertical scramble spread over only 1km of horizontal distance. The top rewards with exceptional views of Dusky Sound, the surrounding mountains, and the Tasman Sea. From here, the track traverses the Pleasant Range, achieving a series of alpine vistas as it travels to Lake Roe Hut (12 bunks; pot-bellied stove).

Lake Roe Hut To Halfway Hut.  7.5km, 3-5hr. After about 45min. of tramping, the track dips below treeline, following the Hauroko Burn as it descends rapidly. After crossing two walkwires, the track flattens a bit, following the burn through native beech forest. Halfway Hut (16 bunks) has an open fireplace.

Halfway Hut To Hauroko Hut.  9km, 4-6hr. Similar to the previous day’s tramp, the track winds through lush forests, occasionally offering scenic views of the Hauroko Burn. Once at Hauroko Hut (10 bunks), break out the bug spray and prepare to battle the sandflies as you wait for your boat out.