Owen River Lodge has rightfully earned a reputation for being one of the finest luxury fly fishing lodges in New Zealand, with elegantly-designed cottage suites, contemporary art and amazing views of the river, the Owen Ranges and Kahurangi National Park.
From its position in the northern region of the South Island, the lodge is perfectly situated to access a multitude of intimate blue-ribbon streams, and iconic freestone rivers providing anglers with some of the best fly fishing opportunities to large, wild brown trout found anywhere in the world.
With an outstanding guide team, the lodge consistently delivers a relaxed, understated and highly professional level of service in stylish surrounds, with wonderful food, wine and range of non-angling activities also on offer.
At Owen River Lodge you will experience a truly memorable fly fishing holiday, perfect for couples, singles or small groups from the start of October to the end of April each year.
Owen River Lodge is located in the Owen Valley near Murchison, in the Nelson Lakes district of the South Island of New Zealand. The lodge sits on the bank of the Owen River among sixteen acres of gardens and farmland. With almost a kilometre of river frontage, it is an ideal location for a quick practise before you venture out or for that quiet after-dinner cast during the evening rise.
To ensure absolute privacy for guests, there are six guest cottage suites in the lodge gardens. Each cottage suite comes complete with wonderful views of the river, the valley and the mountains beyond. All cottages have an open, airy, contemporary feel with features including king-size, double or twin beds, en-suite facilities, air conditioning, a mini bar, safe and more. There is plenty of room to relax and spread out as well as store your fishing gear. Spacious verandas provide a perfect location to relax in the late afternoon and evening.
The main lodge building includes the dining-room, lounge, sitting room, lodge shop, fly-tying area and, of course, the bar. Among the lodge’s features is a dedicated massage room and an outdoor jacuzzi/spa where you can relax after a day on the river. Cable TV, DVD and Notebook PC facilities are available in one of the guest lounges for you to stay connected. WiFi network with satellite-delivered broadband is accessible from all guest suites and the main lodge building.
The food at Owen River Lodge is simply stunning, prepared from the very best of fresh, locally-sourced produce, much of which is picked from the lodge’s own vegetable and herb garden. Bookings includes all meals, beer, house wine and non-alcoholic beverages.
Owen River Lodge is set up primarily as a fly fishing destination, however, for the non-angler there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy, from hiking and hill-walking to spa treatments.
WIFI is available in the lodge.
Staying at Owen River Lodge means you can enjoy fly fishing on numerous blue-ribbon streams and rivers, with over thirty waters accessible by road (most within an hour’s drive) and countless others by helicopter. The region offers huge variety, ranging from small, intimate rivers like the Owen River, to iconic freestone rivers such as the Wairau. The average Trout size ranges from three to six pounds with fish of ten pounds or more often encountered each season.
The fishing in this region involves classic New Zealand sight-fishing for wild Brown Trout. This means that for the majority of the rivers, you must see the fish before the fish sees you. Unlike lake-fishing, the majority of the casting you will do will be medium to short distances—accuracy being much more important than the ability to cast the complete fly line. Generally, anglers use a five or six weight rod, nine to ten feet in length. Naturally, the world’s best equipment is available at the lodge and tariffs include the use of all the fishing gear you may need: Simms G3 Gore-Tex waders, jackets, boots etc (ladies’ and men’s sizes available), a large range of current model Sage rods and reels.
To maximise your time and improve chances of success on the rivers it is recommended that fishing guests use the services of one of the expert guides. Their intimate knowledge and skills will help you whether you’re a seasoned pro or a beginner.
A typical day starts around 8:30am to 9:00am and finishes around 5.00pm. Lunch is included in the full day and taken streamside.
In addition to the local waters, the lodge offers heli-fishing options where you can be dropped into beautiful remote country and fish water that is inaccessible by road or foot.
Passport with minimum six months validity and photo ID to purchase fishing licence.
A tourist visa is required for all citizens (except Australians) entering New Zealand. A three-month tourist visa is provided by passport control when entering the country.
There are various international flight options to Wellington, Auckland or Christchurch. Then take an internal flight to Nelson. The transfer to the lodge is by helicopter.
Let us do the groundwork for you.
Our tailored fly fishing and accommodation itineraries are designed with you in mind to suit your preferences. They are also quoted in your local currency with very favourable exchange rates.
This includes flight bookings, transit accommodation, transfers and a host of non-angling activities and experiences.
We specialise in group stays to the region, and our long involvement with our partners on the ground in New Zealand will ensure you are well looked after both on and off the water.
This includes extended stays in Queenstown, Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington
CONTACT OUR AUSTRALIAN OFFICE
- M: +61 (0)499 900816
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CONTACT OUR UK OFFICE
- M: +44 (0)7936 708305
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Creating and sharing memorable travel experiences with our clients and friends provides us with genuine satisfaction. All of our trips are bespoke, tailored to your needs and we always love hearing all about the adventure on your return.
Our knowledge of travel logistics saves you time, and our highly experienced team is here to ensure its spent on the water and not at the desk or on a long flight connection that you didn’t require. Since 2006 we have developed a valued client-base that has travelled to all corners of the globe.
We are a fully-accredited travel agency, where all of our flights, accommodation and associated travel bookings are done in-house, which means that you pay less. We have access to a huge range of specials, deals, great volume pricing and excellent currency exchange rates which allows us to pass these benefits directly onto you.
On the fishing front, our extensive expertise and experience around prime seasons, species, moon-phases, tides and personalised customer service is centred around one principal – preparation. This includes detailed gear and equipment lists, the fly patterns, transfer details, up-to date fishing reports and some of the finer aspects that can often be overlooked.
We travel extensively and understand that your free-time is important. Just as we all understand from experience, that the key to a successful trip is pre-trip preparation.
Our highly experienced team has fly fished the world for the last 25 years, and we understand the considerations and gear needed to turn a good fly fishing trip into a great one.
Fly fishing and travel is our passion. It’s all we do.