"The Haast" (as it is known to locals and older generation New Zealanders) is an area rich in both geological and cultural history.

The informal commentary provided by your driver/guide will give you an insight into how the force of nature has shaped the landscape, and the lives of those who have made the Haast their home.

Points covered reflect the interests and background of your driver, and along with the myriad of information they have to draw on in answer to any questions you may have, include the following:

• The comparative inaccessibility of this area, although settled by Europeans in the 1870's, road links were not established until the 1960's, having been begun some 30 years earlier
• The ingenuity involved in making a living in this (at times) inhospitable place
• Early days in the Venison Recovery industry
• Kahikatea trees some 1000-1200 years old
• Seismic activity in the area
• Glacial history of the Valley and it's formation