Regenerative Merino

Journey in a side-by-side to a pass in the mountains of Te Wai Pounamu. Put a modern twist (you travel in an ATV) on an ancient pilgrimage - following the trail of the shepherds bringing their flock home for the winter and Ngāi Tahu, Waitaha, Ngāti Mamoe who visited seasonally following John’s Creek for food gatherings around Lake Hāwea.

The views from the pass are legendary, like the history here - you truly are in the Southern Alps and while you’ll need to sign up for the Back Country Experience to go deeper into this exclusive access wonderland you will visit a nearby hut and sit with kai (food) and a beverage to take in the majestic views. You may also be lucky as you pass the old airstrip and move higher to see some wild animals.

Travelling by ATV with our guide Richie, an experienced outdoor instructor, enjoy exclusive access to some of New Zealand’s most iconic landscape. This adventure combines kaleidoscope views, wildlife spotting, fresh mountain air and a locally sourced bite to eat.

Listen to the story of how Lake Hāwea Station became the world's first B Corp Certified Sheep Farm and attracts clients like Chanel, Allbirds, M.J. Bale and others. Meet animals, eat in a regen paddock and visit the crescent deck. You might also meet a shepherd or one of his 17 working dogs.

Nestled within the rugged valley of Lake Hāwea’s front country are pockets of extraordinary forest, Mountain Beech, Nothofagus solandri, which forms the natural timber line within the South Island’s mountainous environment. An opportunity to experience stunning views and sounds and enjoy a locally sourced morning or afternoon tea.

You are never smaller or more mystified than when you sit in a giant woollen bean bag on our crescent deck, ironically listening to a master class in astronomy, with a mulled wine or pinot in hand and a platter designed by chef Dane. The night sky of the lower South Island is among the clearest in the world enabling us to see deep space with just the naked eye.

With 16,000 acres to yourself, you will set out with your guide in a side-by-side to find the historic Lizard Hut. Traveling through the giant rock forms called The Castles, spotting wildlife through binos and moving along the mountain spine with the Lake on one side and the undulating valleys on the other. Join Chef Dane and guide Richie for a ‘Deeper Dining’ experience – a unique tour and teaching trip with a stunning lunch harvested from regenerative pastures and local sources. Both experiences come with commentary which relates the food to the source in beautiful storytelling. Eating is after all an agricultural act.