Mutt Lange Offers New Zealand Luxury High Country Stay

By Travel New Zealand —— Bio and Archives December 26, 2016

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Launching this summer (Canada’s winter), the Launching this summer (Canada’s winter), the Mahu Whenua Ridgeline Homestead & Eco Sanctuary will put an authentic stamp on a luxury New Zealand high country experience. The exclusive luxury accommodation, eco and wildlife experience will be on a vast high country property near Wanaka, in New Zealand's Southern Lakes region. The property is set on over 550 square km (200 square miles) of South Island high country that extends across four working sheep stations owned by music producer Robert “Mutt” Lange.

Guests at Mahu Whenua will enjoy an exclusive, hosted stay for a party of up to 12, in a rustic yet stylish accommodation – and a range of private guided experiences. Sitting in the hills between the year-round alpine resorts of Wanaka and Queenstown, the vast property combines some of New Zealand’s most outstanding alpine landscapes – mountain ranges, glacial valleys, alpine lakes and rivers, and bush – with the rich heritage and story of not one, but four working sheep stations, Motatapu, Mt. Soho, Glencoe and Coronet Peak. All stays will be fully hosted with experienced guides on hand for guided activities, New Zealand chefs to cater exceptional cuisine, and a wine list of the best local wines. Guided onsite experiences will include horse trekking, overnight stays at shepherds’ cottages around the station, heli-skiing, mountain biking, 4WD adventures, farm tours, picnics alongside pristine alpine rivers, backcountry touring and wellness experiences such as yoga. Guests will also be encouraged to watch or engage in conservation practices such as replanting areas with native trees, and will learn about the native weka and pukeko breeding programs. While the four stations have been significantly dedicated to conservation, it remains a working high country sheep station, giving visitors the chance to immerse themselves in farm life.

The name “Mahu Whenua” translates from the original Maori as “Healing the Land,” and Lange’s vision is to regenerate the land, introducing sustainable farming practices and an extensive conservation programme based on native plant regeneration and bird breeding. To date, the conservation program has been an enormous success. To ensure this continues, more than 90% of the land is protected by covenants (under Queen Elizabeth II Trust), making it the largest conservation undertaking on private land in New Zealand's history. Now, MajorDomo – an award-winning company providing luxury holiday accommodation and concierge experiences around New Zealand – is launching Mahu Whenua to high-end visitors from around the globe. MajorDomo co-owners, Lisa Hayden and Fiona Stevens, said it was “an honour to introduce Mutt’s gift to the world to like-minded guests.” *Accommodation at Mahu Whenua starts at $15,500 NZD (approximately $14,650 Cdn) per night, is fully hosted, and includes all meals, staff, guides and a 4WD orientation tour for up to eight people.