Our South Island Lodge is a 2-hour drive south of Christchurch International Airport and 20 kilometers from the small country town of Fairlie - gateway to the famous McKenzie country…near some of the best Hunting New Zealand has to offer!

From the moment you clear customs at Christchurch International Airport, you will be met and accompanied by a friendly and professional member of our team. You will then travel two and a half hours south to our beautiful lodge; passing through some of the most picturesque and scenic countryside in New Zealand along the way. The majority of the properties that Rivers South Safaris hunts on can be viewed from the lodge.

After a successful and enjoyable hunt with us, you will be driven back to Christchurch where we will meet with the taxidermist in efforts to ensure that expediting or mounting of your trophies can easily be arranged. Once this has been completed, we will return to the Christchurch International Airport and assist you with your checking in, and see you off for a safe departure.

From the time you arrive at Christchurch airport until the time of your departure a professional and friendly member of our team will be with you.

Heli-fishing can be arranged for those wishing to fish New Zealand’s more remote rivers.

Our operation is based out of our purposely built 5,600 square feet Hunting and Fishing Lodge, which has been designed and built with clients in-mind. It consists of three large guest bedrooms each with private bathrooms; all of which feature under-floor heating and heated towel rails. There is a central heating system throughout the lodge, and radiators in the bedrooms that can be individually controlled for your personal comfort. Also, there is a 4th upstairs guest room, complete with it's own downstairs bathroom and also includes under-floor heating and a heated towel rail. For quieter times, there is a formal lounge with a library. The Lounge and Dining Room is of open plan with a large open wood fire to sit in front of and relax around while clients enjoy pre-dinner drinks and nibbles. The Trophy\Games room has a pool table, bar, sky TV, DVD player and a collection of DVD's-all available for clients’ use. There is a good collection of mounted trophy animals throughout the lodge. We have washing, drying, and ironing facilities available complete with hairdryers and straightners. A landline-to-landline telephone is available to use when calling U.S.A., Canada, Britain, and Australia. High-speed wireless Internet service is also available for your convenience. The use of these facilities are available free of charge to all of our clients.

Clients will enjoy our healthy, wholesome New Zealand country-style cuisine. From the ever-popular country roasts, to desserts such as Death by Chocolate and New Zealand’s famous Pavlova, home baking is just another wee treat on offer at the lodge.

During your safari, the delights of our healthy wholesome New Zealand country–style cooking awaits you. The menu includes New Zealand lamb, grass-fed beef, pork, chicken, fish and venison served with fresh vegetables and salads. An exceptional array of deserts are also offered, such as; Death by Chocolate, Lemon Meringue Pie, Butterscotch Pie, and the New Zealand renowned Pavalova is sure to tempt your taste buds.

Complimentary beer and wine complete the dinner meal. Please be sure to let us know of any special dietary needs; we are happy to cater for these if requested.

Free Range Hunting
We offer Free-Range hunting for Red Stag, Fallow Buck, Bull Tahr, Chamios, Arapawa Ram, Feral Goats, Wild Boar, along with various New Zealand varmints, including; Wallabies, hares, cotton tail rabbits and opossums-all of which can be hunted with a Rifle, Bow or Muzzleloader. (New Zealand varmints can be hunted at night with spotlights, which is totally legal and great fun).

The numbers and quality of Red Stag and Fallow Bucks are not as strong as those found in the hunting Estates. Although a 10-12 point Red Stag is considered a very good trophy on free-range hunts, there are still chances for taking an even larger Stag. Free-range hunting terrain varies from very gentle farmland were sheep and cattle graze, to rolling hills and very steep mountains. Hunting boots with good ankle support are essential. A very good to high level of fitness is also required to ensure a much better chance of getting that trophy of a lifetime. The most productive way to hunt in New Zealand is spot and stalk, and long periods of time are spent glassing the hunting areas for the best trophy animals available. This is why each of our guides carry spotting scopes and laser range finders to assist in your success.

The best time to hunt free-range trophy animals is during the rutting season. To keep free range Red Stag quality to a premium we only offer 8-10 hunts per year.

Estate Hunting
We offer Estate Hunting for Red Stag, Elk\Wapiti, Fallow Buck, Bull Tahr, Chamois, Arapawa Ram and Feral Goat on property that ranges in size from 500 to 2000 acres. The terrain varies from timbered forests to open snow grass, gentle flats, rolling hills, and very steep mountains. All of which can be hunted with rifle, bow and muzzleloader. The quality and numbers of estate trophy animals is far superior to those found on free-range land, especially for Red Stag and Fallow Buck. We are able to achieve this through our strict breeding and management program, which is why our rifle and muzzleloader success rate for estate hunts is consistently 100%.

When bow hunting on Red Stag, Elk\Wapiti, Fallow Buck, Arapawa Ram and Feral Goat, we consistently realize a 100% success rate during the rutting season. With Tahr and Chamois we average 85-90% success. The size of the Red Stags on the Estates will range from 300-400 SCI and upwards, which affords us the ability to accommodate whatever size Stag is required by our clients. Spot and Stalk is the most productive way to hunt in the Estates. Hunters need to be aware that Estate Hunting can be as physical and challenging as free-range Hunting, and should have a moderate to good level of fitness to give them the best chance at a Trophy of a lifetime...!

Big Game Hunting
Red Stag
Himalayan Bull Tahr
Chamois
Fallow Bucks
Wapiti
Feral Goat
Wild Boar

Wingshooting
Mallards
Grey Ducks
Shoveler Ducks
Paradise
Shelducks
Black Swans
Pukeko's
Canada Geese
Merriam Turkeys

Varmint Hunting
Wallabies
Hares
Cotton Tail
Rabbits
Opossums

Fishing
Rainbow
Brown
Sea Run Browns

Big Game Hunting
Red Stags
From 1st March till the end of July, with the best time, (especially for free range Stags), is during the roar which occurs mid-March through April (our fall). This may be extended week-to-week as the weather gets colder and frosty.

Fallow Bucks
From March thru early September. Their rut is usually mid April thru mid-May.

Himalayan Bull Tahr
Can be hunted all year round, with the most popular time being during the rut-primarily from May thru June.

Chamois
May be hunted all year round, with their peak rut period occurring from mid-May thru mid-June.

Wapiti (Elk/Stag Cross)
Their peak rut period spans from early March thru April.

Wingshooting
Ducks
Main duck season begins the first Saturday in May, and runs thru the last weekend in July. After the main duck season, Paradise Shelducks can be hunted in our area until the last weekend in September.

Canada Geese
Canada geese can be hunted after the main duck season 24\7.

Merriam Turkeys
There is no season on Turkeys in New Zealand, and therefore can be hunted all year round.

Fishing
Rainbow, Brown, and Sea Run Brown Trout
New Zealand’s fishing season opens on the first of October for the central South Island lower country. High country fishing season opens on the first Saturday in November. They both close on the 30th April.

Archery
Bow shots can be as close as 20-40 yards. Preferably we like to get clients within 50 yards, however; some bow shots have been successfully taken out to 75 yards and further.

The minimum drawing weight for a bow in New Zealand is 40 pounds. We recommend that hunters bring a bow with a drawing weight of between 50-70 pounds; this is perfect for all New Zealand big game. There is no maximum on the amount of arrows you can bring so long as they are no shorter than 27 inches. Only non-barbed arrow heads are permitted. If bow hunters bring the same hunting combinations to New Zealand as if they were hunting Rocky Mountain Elk, then they will have the right set up for all New Zealand big game animals.

Rifle
High-powered big game rifles, with a minimum .270 caliber recommended.

Varmint Hunting
Shotguns or .22 rifles which have silencers fitted to them,

Wild Boar Hunting
A large knife is used to stick the Boars. (This style of Hunting is not for the faint hearted).

Please ensure that you bring good quality footwear with good ankle support and a very warm jacket as our seasons are opposite to the USA. Good optics are probably the second most important thing a hunter needs to bring with them. The most productive way to hunt in New Zealand is spot and stalk, and long periods of time are spent glassing the hunting areas for the best trophy animals available.

Depending on what species and what time of the year you will be hunting, remember that New Zealand’s seasons are the opposite to those in the U.S.A. For example, New Zealand’s winter is the northern hemisphere's summer.

We start our hunting season in late February when the Stags have stripped their velvet and are in hard antler. This is our late summer and the temperatures can usually be around 80-90 degrees. During the roar for Red Stag, from mid-March thru mid-April, (our fall), temperatures can fall to 50-60 degrees.

Hunters need to be aware that the terrain in New Zealand can be as physical and challenging, and clients should have a moderate to good level of fitness to give them the best chance at taking one of these majestic trophy animals.