Try the Trails
Think you're just a road runner? The Traverse team invites you deep into the Southern Alps to prove yourself wrong - at a pace that actually allows for conversation. This three-day escape is designed for those wanting to step off the asphalt and into the wild without the pressure of a race environment. Arrive at the high-country station by 6pm where the Wi-Fi is weak but the hospitality is strong. This weekend is about the Total Trail Experience: stunning runs, guided confidence-building, and plenty of downtime for group games, stream dips, or just staring at the mountains.
Tour Highlights
- •The Friday Escape: Leave the work week in the rearview mirror and head to the lodge for 6pm.
- •Choose Your Challenge: Saturday offers big alpine vistas or scenic river flats. Your legs, your choice.
- •More Than Miles: After the runs, the focus shifts to recovery, group games, relaxed stretches, and proper Kiwi hospitality.
- •The Newbie Safety Net: Experienced guides who'll help you navigate your first stream crossing and won't judge your uphill face.
What's Included
- ✓2 Nights' Station Accommodation: Comfortable stays with ensuites (because rugged shouldn't mean no hot water).
- ✓Fully Catered: From Friday night dinner to Sunday farewell lunch.
- ✓Guided Confidence: Leaders who know the trails and how to pace a group.
- ✓Social & Skill Sessions: Group games, restorative stretching, and trail-running tips.
- ✓The 0% Club: Enjoy a local non-alc craft beer/cider at the lodge. High-country hospitality, minus the dehydration.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Friday: Welcome to the Southern Alps
We arrive at our high-country base by 6pm, we'll settle in, share a hearty dinner, and brief the crew on the weekend ahead. No running tonight, just mountain air and meeting your new running mates. Might even catch a sunset!
Day 2 - Saturday: The Big Alpine Traverse
Today is the Level Up. We have two routes: one that goes high for the panoramic summit photos, and another that stays closer to the river for a flatter, flowy introduction to the dirt. We'll return for a restorative stretch, followed by an afternoon of downtime — think group games, a dip in the stream, or just a quiet beer with a view. We wrap it up with a massive outdoor BBQ.
Day 3 - Sunday: The Rohan Run & Farewells
We start with a cruisy run to the filming location of Edoras (for all you LotR fans). It's an iconic, relatively flat 8km that's high on views and low on stress. We'll finish back at base for a farewell lunch, celebrating your new Trail Runner status before you depart back to Christchurch by mid-afternoon.