A Guide To Hiking Mount Fyffe
Mount Fyffe (sitting at 1602m) and the Kaikoura Ranges are absolutely breath taking and certainly one of the reasons to visit the adorable small town of Kaikoura. During winter time these snow covered mountains dominate the skyline and witnessing a sunrise or sunset from the waterfront with the ranges as the backdrop is quite impressive. Mount Fyffe is a walk that attracts tourists and locals alike and for those who complete the challenging hike, you’ll be rewarded with killer views of the Kaikoura Peninsula. If you’re lucky enough to be rewarded with a clear day you might even see as far as the North Island.
Read on to find out more about the Mount Fyffe track.
Where is Mount Fyffe?
You will find the Mount Fyffe hike in the small town of Kaikoura. The Mount Fyffe carpark is 15km out of the main town via Ludstone, Swamp and Postman's Roads.
Mount Fyffe Hike
The hike is a challenge! We’re here to be straight up with y’all. This is one of the hardest hikes we’ve ever done. We’re dreading going back because it was so hard, but maybe we just weren’t fit enough then haha! The views from up the top are pretty amazing though so we do think it was well worth it and we’d love to go back in winter. The hike is on a 4WD dirt track so is well maintained and easy enough to walk on…..BUT it’s mega steep. Like the whole way! It took us about 3 hours to reach the hut and that included at least 10-15 breaks for a breather. We hiked in the middle of an extremely hot sunny day, so can imagine we would have got there a lot quicker had we had a little bit of a breeze or shade for relief. We continued up to the summit and another hour and a bit and we were at the top. The track from the hut to the summit was even steeper, but without our overnight packs it was a lot more manageable.
The views from the summit certainly made us feel a lot better as we tried to gain our breathe at the top. Absolutely stunning vistas. A photographers dream. Beauty as far as the eye can see. We made it to the top just in time to witness the sun setting over the mountains and felt very lucky to be the only ones up there. It felt like it was just amongst these beautiful ranges. We were very thankful to the moments we had at the summit. It definitely made up for the aching body and the sloppy pasta that we had for dinner.
Mount Fyffe Hut
If you’re wanting an overnight adventure, you have the option of staying in the Mount Fyffe hut or pitching your tent in the grassy area just outside the hut. We made the mistake of staying in the hut with a bunch of other backpackers. Don’t get us wrong, we had a great night meeting new people and having a chat. But just before we were ready to go to bed someone decided to turn the fire up. Unable to sleep in the hut now turn furnace, we moved next to the door and woke in the middle of the night frozen to the bone. So for the sake of our body temperatures we’ll remember to bring the tent next time…
With that being said, to save carrying the extra weight, staying in the hut is a great option! The hut has 8 bunk beds that are on a first come first served basis. Make sure to grab a hut pass first. You can find out more about backcountry hut passes here.
We highly recommend turning this into an overnight hike as getting to witness the sunset and sunrise from up here was pretty spectacular!
Other Tips Or Things To Remember
Most of the walk is exposed to the wind and sun. Make sure to pack sunscreen a hat and warm jacket no matter the weather.
There is no reception at the bottom or top of the hike.
Our favourite viewpoint was from a flat spot just before the Mount Fyffe hut. The best location for 360 degree epic views.
Pack more water than you think you’ll need.
Visit the Donegal House after your hike for a cold brew!
Happy hiking!!