One of the most superlative experiences an Otahuna guest can enjoy is a guided trip into the Southern Alps and through parts of Arthur's Pass National Park.
 

Guests are driven from Otahuna Lodge to the Christchurch train station, where they ride the Tranz-Scenic railway through the Waimakariri river gorge and into the heart of the Southern Alps. Leaving the train at Arthur's Pass they embark with a guide on a series of short walks: through moss-laden beech forests to glacial streams and waterfalls; around the weatherworn limestone outcroppings that served as a location in the filming of The Chronicles of Narnia; and through the golden tussock of the high country.
 

It is possible to incorporate an Otahuna Lodge picnic lunch or a trip to a traditional New Zealand country pub. The outing is an excellent way to appreciate the scenic diversity of New Zealand while learning the alpine history of its indigenous and colonial peoples. Guests are even likely to come face to beak with the cheeky Kea - the world's only alpine parrot - before being chauffered back to Otahuna in the late afternoon.