Alpine
Navigation Fundamentals Course
Learn practical navigation skills for hiking, adventure racing and alpine travel
Tekapo Adventures Summer Adventures Courses Mountaineering & Climbing Courses Backcountry Skills CoursesAlpine Navigation Fundamentals Course
Alpine Navigation Fundamentals Course
Learn practical navigation skills for adventure racing, hiking, ski touring, and mountaineering
Our Alpine Navigation Fundamentals Course is a hands-on introduction to backcountry navigation. Over 1-2 days in the hills around Lake Tekapo, you’ll learn how to confidently use a topographic map, compass and terrain features to navigate without relying on GPS.
This course is ideal for adventure racers, trampers, ski tourers, hunters, mountaineers, and alpine climbers who want to move safely and independently in the mountains.
Through practical outdoor exercises you’ll learn how to interpret terrain, plan safe routes, relocate yourself if you become uncertain of your position, and avoid common navigation mistakes.
Our navigation courses are taught by experienced alpine professionals with extensive expedition and adventure racing experience. Instruction combines professional mountain guiding experience with expedition and adventure racing navigation techniques.
Who This Course Is For?
This course is designed for anyone wanting to develop reliable navigation skills in the outdoors. This is one of the few dedicated map and compass navigation courses in New Zealand, designed specifically for backcountry travel.
It is suitable for:
- Hikers and trampers exploring off-track routes
- Ski tourers travelling in the backcountry
- Mountaineers developing alpine travel skills
- Hunters navigating in remote terrain
- Adventure racers wanting stronger navigation fundamentals
- Anyone wanting to reduce reliance on GPS devices
No previous navigation experience is required.
Women’s Navigation Courses
We also run women’s only navigation courses throughout the year.
These courses follow the same curriculum as the Alpine Navigation Fundamentals course, but provide a supportive learning environment for women wanting to develop confidence in backcountry navigation. They are ideal preparation for women's adventure races such as Spirited Women, Spring Challenge, and Summer Challenge.
Look for the girls-only group icon in the dates section for scheduled courses, or contact us to arrange dates that suit you.
Why Learn Navigation?
Modern GPS devices are powerful tools, but map and compass skills remain essential for safe travel in remote terrain.
Navigation skills allow you to:
- Travel confidently in poor visibility
- Navigate when electronic devices fail
- Plan safer routes through complex terrain
- Travel independently in the backcountry
Strong navigation skills are one of the most valuable foundations for alpine travel.
Why Lake Tekapo Is Ideal for Learning Navigation
The Lake Tekapo area in New Zealand’s Mackenzie Basin provides excellent terrain for learning navigation skills. It is an increasingly popular venue for adventure races and rogaines, and has hosted events such as Summer Challenge, Spirited Women, Australasian Rogaining Championships, and GodZone.
Open tussock landscapes, clear terrain features, forested areas and varied rolling hills make it easy to see how contour lines and ground cover relate to real terrain.
This environment allows participants to quickly develop a strong understanding of:
- ridges, spurs and valleys
- terrain shape and slope angle
- route choice across open and forested terrain
- navigation using natural features
The area also offers a mix of simple and complex terrain within a short distance, allowing instructors to progressively introduce more challenging navigation exercises throughout the course.
Based in Christchurch, Wanaka, Queenstown or elsewhere? No problem – we can also come to you. We run bespoke courses on request, just ask us!
Designed to Build Your Confidence
This is a 1-2 day practical navigation course. The 1-day course introduces the core principles of navigation. The 2-day course expands these skills through longer navigation exercises and more complex terrain scenarios.
Both days combine:
- Short classroom-style explanations
- Demonstrations
- Small group navigation exercises
- Independent navigation practice
Students work in small groups with regular instructor feedback.
The Basics – 1 Day Course
Participants on the 1-day course will focus on:
- map + compass basics
- outdoor terrain interpretation
- core navigational tools
- practical navigation exercises
- route choice and strategy
You'll likely complete a mini navigation course towards the end of the day, allowing you to put your skills into practice.
In Depth – 2 Day Course
Participants completing the 2-day course spend the second day applying navigation skills in more complex terrain.
The focus is on building confidence and decision-making ability, including:
- longer navigation legs
- when and how to take accurate compass bearings
- route choice between multiple terrain options
- relocation after navigation errors
- navigation under time pressure
- group navigation strategy
These exercises help participants move beyond basic navigation and start thinking like experienced navigators.
Advanced Navigation Courses
For those wanting to take their skills further we also offer Advanced Alpine Navigation Courses based at our private mountain hut in the Two Thumb Range.
These multi-day courses focus on:
- expedition navigation
- alpine route planning
- navigation in complex mountain terrain
- navigation in limited visibility conditions
- decision making in remote environments
Our advanced navigation courses are ideal for trampers and mountaineers planning committing trans-alpine expeditions and ambitious adventure racers taking on more challenging events such as GodZone.
Edelweiss Lodge
This modern four-bedroomed holiday home has a lovely sense of space with great mountain and lake views. Only a kilometre walk from the town centre and bus stop (we can arrange a pick-up on request), it's a pleasant stroll to a good choice of cafés and restaurants in town and about 15 minutes walk to the hot pools and spa.
For more information about the lodge and the various room options, please see the Edelweiss Lodge page.
By the end of the course you will understand the core principles of backcountry navigation and how to apply them in real terrain. Small groups and hands-on exercises ensure you leave with skills you can immediately apply in the outdoors.
Topics include:
Map Reading Fundamentals
- Understanding NZ topographic maps
- Contours, terrain features and slope interpretation
- Map orientation
Basic Compass Skills
- Parts of a compass and how it works
- Orienting the map with a compass
- Taking a compass bearing (2 day course)
- Navigating on and off track
Practical Terrain Navigation
- Handrails, catching features and attack points
- Choosing safe and efficient routes
- Using terrain to confirm your location
Relocation Skills
- What to do when you are unsure of your position
- Using terrain features to re-establish location
- Avoiding common navigation errors
Throughout the day the focus is on practical application, with regular outdoor exercises where you navigate short courses using the skills you've learnt.
We recommend settling guiding dates well in advance since peak season times are often booked up. Please allow extra time in case you are held up in the mountains due to weather.
| Dates | Spaces |
|---|---|
| 12 Sep 2026 | 8 girls-only group |
| 10 - 11 Oct 2026 | 8 |
| 14 Nov 2026 | 8 girls-only group |
| 5 - 6 Dec 2026 | 8 |
| 9 Jan 2027 | 8 girls-only group |
| 13 - 14 Feb 2027 | 8 |
| 20 Feb 2027 | 8 girls-only group |
| 27 - 28 Feb 2027 | 8 |
| Updated: 17 March 2026 at 2:31 pm | |
Standard bookings
| Standard Price | 1 day price per person | 2 days price per person |
|---|---|---|
| Individual bookings group size | NZ$325 4 - 8 per guide * | NZ$650 4 - 8 per guide * |
Please read the information on minimum and maximum group sizes below.
Deposit Payment
A non-refundable per-person deposit is payable to secure a booking:
- NZ$100.00
The remaining balance of the trip price (including any applicable discounts) is due 60 days prior to departure. If you are booking within 60 days of the trip start, the full amount will be due.
Booking conditionsInclusions & Exclusions
All prices include the following:
- Professional instruction
- Small group coaching
- Course maps and navigation exercises
The following items are NOT included:
- Meals and accommodation are NOT included
Minimum & Maximum Group Size
A minimum number of 4 participants is required to run this trip. If you end up being the only person booked on the trip, you will be offered the choice of:
- paying an additional fee to run the trip at a reduced guide-to-guest ratio
- rescheduling to another trip/date
- a full refund
A maximum number of 8 participants per guide is defined by our safety management plan. For groups larger than this, it is usually possible to allocate additional guides.
Optional Extras
A course completion certificate is available on request.
The following book and compass can be purchased at time of booking:
Squiggly Lines
Map and Compass Navigation with a Focus on Adventure Racing and Rogaining
Suunto A-10 Compass SH
The baseplate compass for hikers and orienteers.
| Start Time | End Time |
|---|---|
| 8:30 am | 4:30 pm |
Day 1
Typical daily structure:
| Time | Activity |
| 8:30 | Arrival, meet and greet |
| 9:00 | Course introduction and navigation overview |
| 9:30 | Map + compass basics |
| 10:30 | Outdoor terrain interpretation exercises |
| 11:30 | Core navigation tools |
| 12:15 | Lunch break |
| 13:00 | Practical navigation exercises |
| 14:30 | Route choice and strategy |
| 15:30 | Mini navigation course |
| 16:30 | Course review and questions |
Day 2
Typical daily structure:
| Time | Activity |
| 8:30 | Arrival and recap of key Day 1 concepts |
| 9:00 | Advanced terrain interpretation |
| 10:00 | Relocation techniques – what to do when unsure of your position |
| 11:00 | Outdoor navigation exercises |
| 12:30 | Lunch break |
| 13:15 | Route choice and navigation strategy in complex terrain |
| 14:15 | Longer navigation legs and decision making exercises |
| 15:30 | Mini navigation challenge |
| 16:30 | Course debrief, questions and next steps for developing navigation skills |
Alpine Navigation Fundamentals Course - Clothing & Equipment Checklist
Please bring the following items with you. We can provide (at no extra charge), any of the items in list A that you are missing. Please provide your own food and water for the day.
Topographic maps and course materials are provided.
If you do not own a compass we can recommend suitable models.
A. Equipment which Alpine Recreation can provide if you do not have your own:
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Other | |
| compass baseplate compass recommended | 1 |
B. Equipment you must bring yourself/Alpine Recreation do not provide:
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Personal Clothing | |
| outdoor clothing suitable for a range of weather – rain, wind, cold temperatures | 1 |
| sturdy footwear suitable for walking off-track / over rough ground | 1 |
| Other | |
| day pack to carry your lunch and spare clothing | 1 |
| lunch, snacks and water enough for an active day | 1 |
| notebook and pen | 1 |
Where can I find information about visiting Lake Tekapo?
There's many things to see and do in Lake Tekapo. An afternoon hike after your arrival is a good way to stretch the legs and a soak in the Tekapo Alpine Springs is the perfect way to unwind and ease tired muscles after your mountain adventure. We've put together some helpful information on our recommended activities in Tekapo to get you started.
→ The best activities in Tekapo
What are the best day hikes and walking trails in Tekapo?
We've put together a list of Tekapo's top day hikes and walking trails. A great way to get your legs warmed up before your mountain adventure with Alpine Recreation!
→ Tekapo's best day hikes and walking trails
What are the best mountain biking and cycle trails in Tekapo?
We've put together a list of Tekapo's top mountain biking and cycle trails. A great way to get your legs warmed up before your mountain adventure with Alpine Recreation!
→ Tekapo's best bike and cycle trails
What alpine treks and multi-day hikes can I do in Tekapo?
Tekapo and the Mackenzie High Country are simply stunning places to explore. Alpine Recreation specialise in alpine treks and hikes in the Lake Tekapo region and were the first guiding operation established in Tekapo - we have been guiding in the hills and mountains surround Lake Tekapo for over 40 years! Our professional NZMGA qualified alpine trekking guides know the best places to take you - come and join us for your next Tekapo adventure.
→ Lake Tekapo alpine treks and hikes
What else can I see/do in the Lake Tekapo region?
We are located in a stunning corner of New Zealand, with quick access to many great mountain adventures. If you have spare time, it is worth spending a few extra days to check out some of the highlights.
How do I make a booking?
Simply click on Book Your Adventure, fill out the enrolment form, and pay your deposit fee. Once you have submitted your completed enrolment form and we have received your deposit payment, we will confirm your reservation on the trip. You will receive a formal confirmation receipt by email.
How can I book nights at Edelweiss Lodge & Studio?
Edelweiss Lodge accommodation options are available for participants booked on Alpine Recreation trips and courses. Please specify which room you'd like on your enrolment form at the time of booking. All accommodation bookings include a continental breakfast. Please be aware that spaces do fill up quickly and your first choice may not be available. We will let you know if this is the case.
Your scheduled dates don't work for me - what should I do?
Please contact us with your available dates. We may be able to accommodate your request.
Do I need previous navigation experience?
No. The Alpine Navigation Fundamentals Course is designed for beginners as well as people who want to refresh their map and compass skills.
Is this course suitable for trampers and hikers?
Yes. Many participants are trampers wanting to explore off-track routes in the New Zealand backcountry.
Navigation skills are especially valuable in areas where tracks are limited or poorly marked.
Can this course help with adventure racing?
Yes. Many adventure racers take this course to improve map reading, route choice and relocation skills.
We also run specialised navigation training sessions aimed at adventure racing and expedition events.
What compass should I bring?
A baseplate compass designed for outdoor navigation works best. Popular models include the Suunto MC-2 and Silva Ranger compasses.
If you don’t yet own a compass we can provide one for you to borrow for the course.
Is GPS used during the course?
The focus of this course is traditional navigation using map, compass and terrain features.
These skills remain essential even when using GPS devices or navigation apps.
Where is the best place to stay in Lake Tekapo before / after my trip?
Alpine Recreation provides accommodation at Edelweiss Lodge, 8 Erebus Place, Lake Tekapo. This is also where your gear check takes place before departure. It is recommended you book the nights before and after your trip here to facilitate the gear check and to allow flexibility in case of any delay in trip start due to weather. To book your nights, simply answer the relevant questions on your trip enrolment form.
We strongly recommend that you book your accommodation well in advance, as Tekapo is a popular tourist destination and options become limited during peak season.
How do I get to / from Lake Tekapo?
Bus: If you want to reach Tekapo by bus on the same day as an international flight, currently there is no public transport option, as Intercity bus connections leave Christchurch and Queenstown early in the morning and only run on certain days of the week. Please check carefully before booking flights that might look like they could connect.
Rental car: If you plan to hire a car, you may wish to car-pool with others in your group – please email us if you'd like to arrange car-pooling.
Please make sure you have your return transport sorted well before the day your trip starts!
How do I find Edelweiss Lodge?
Please follow the Google Maps directions on our Contact Page. Note that Edelweiss Lodge is the main building with an attached garage (not the wooden cabin in front of it).
Where can I park my car?
Secure off-street parking is available by Alpine Recreation's Edelweiss Lodge. Please leave your car keys with us (in case we have to move your vehicle if someone is parked in and so you don't lose your keys on the mountain!).
Articles
Features and editorials about the Alpine Navigation Fundamentals Course
Navigation Training for Spirited Women Adventure Race
Preparing for Spirited Women Tekapo 2027
About the Author Elke has spent many years navigating in the mountains through alpine guiding, expedition travel and adventure racing.
