Sparrowhawk is located 15 minutes from Kurow , 30 minutes from Omarama, and 1 hour from Oamaru in North Otago. The hut is accessed via a 10-minute 4WD journey across farmland. 4WD transfers in on the day of arrival, and out on the day of departure are included in the price.
The hut is set out the back of a high country sheep and beef farm, surrounded by beautiful untouched native high country plants, matagouri, coprosma, snow tussock - to name a few. It looks directly out towards the St Mary Mountain Range, with a pristine snow-fed stream running close by. A 2-minute walk will bring you to a beautiful swimming hole - the perfect place to cool off on a hot Otago summer's day.
The hut itself consists of two rooms, separated by a bathroom between them. One room contains a queen bed with luxurious linen. The other room is a combined kitchen and living area - with a wood burner for keeping cosy on cooler days.
The outdoor bath is in a prime position to enjoy views far and wide of the mountains and, if you're lucky, the Sparrowhawks soaring overhead. At night, you'll have a crystal clear view of the night sky and stars.
Sparrowhawk is a place to truly get off the grid. To escape the world and melt into a landscape that feels a million miles from anywhere... It's just you, the stream, the mountain view, and the ever-changing sky of the high country.
FROM $390 p/n
Includes 4WD Transfers
383 Awahokomo Road, Kurow 9435
Sparrowhawk is located 10-15 minutes from Kurow and approximately one hour from Oamaru.
To get there, follow the Google Maps directions to 383 Awahokomo Road.
Drive towards the house and park in the car park to the right, by the Canopy Camping sign.
For health and safety reasons, guests are unable to drive out to the hut in their own 4WD. Your car can stay safely in the car park for the duration of your stay.
You will receive a pre-arrival email five days prior to your stay at which time you can liaise with your hosts about arrival times.
Check-in - between 2pm - 6pm
Check-out - is by 10am
The cabin sleeps 2 people in a queen-size bed.
Full linen, towels, and bedding are supplied. The sheets are 100% cotton and a feather and down duvet inner is supplied. An extra woollen blanket is provided if needed.
There is a fully equipped indoor kitchen with a 4-burner gas hob for cooking and a small Husky bar fridge for cool food storage (note that there is no freezer compartment). All the pots, cutlery, and utensils you'll need for cooking and eating are provided.
A Weber BBQ is supplied outside on the deck area.
Some pantry basics are provided; oil, salt, pepper, soy sauce and dried herbs.
The hut has an indoor bathroom with a basin, flushing toilet and shower. Hot water is provided via a gas califont.
An outdoor bathtub is connected to the hot water and is filled just like filling a bath at home.
Towels are provided.
Sparrowhawk is fully off-grid with a solar system providing electricity for LED lighting and refrigeration. There are also USB outlets available for charging devices.
A 3-point plug is also available for charging laptops, batteries, etc however this is not suitable for anything with an element (such as a hairdryer) due to the draw this places on the solar power.
Mobile phone reception can be found about 150m from the hut. There is a post with a sign to show guests where cell phones will get full reception.
There are USB outlets available for charging devices at the hut.
The hut has a Metro Tiny Rad log burner to keep it cosy. Wood, firestarters and matches will be provided.
Sparrowhawk is a strictly adults-only site. If you're looking for a safe family-friendly glamping site, select the family icon in the search bar on our 'find your escape' page to easily find them.
Sparrowhawk has a 'no dog' policy.
If you're looking for dog-friendly glamping, check out some of our other Canopy Camping Escapes sites that welcome dogs - you can select the 'dog-friendly' filter in the search bar to easily find them.
Very private and remote! You'll be transported 10 minutes into the farm, via a 4WD vehicle, to a secluded spot with just farm animals and the stars for company.
On arrival, you'll park at a secure car park near the farm's woolshed and transfer your belongings to a 4WD to be transported the 10 minutes across farmland to the hut.
Due to Health and Safety concerns, guests can't drive themselves, however, you are welcome to walk into the hut, which takes 50 minutes. If you choose this option you'll walk on an old 1900s water race which has been transformed into a walking track. You're welcome to walk this at your leisure during your stay. Your hosts will still transport your belongings if you wish to walk in.
Your hosts will drop you into the hut and collect you on the day of departure so if you wish to come and go from the property during your stay, you'll need to take the 50-minute walk out and back in again.
Sparrowhawk is set on a farm, so for the safety of all concerned, it’s very important to follow the safety guidelines and terms that you’ll find in our booking terms and in your Welcome Guide on site. These terms and guidelines include:
Sorry! Sparrowhawk has a standard minimum stay period of two nights, with no exceptions.
The minimum booking period for long weekends such as Labour Weekend, Anniversary Weekend, etc is 3 nights. The minimum booking period for Easter is 4 nights. There are sometimes longer minimum stay periods across Christmas and New Year and these will be specified in the online availability calendar.
Our minimum night policies are strictly adhered to. Please note that there are no exceptions to the policies outlined below for Sparrowhawk.
All Year Round:
There is a standard minimum stay period of 2 nights.
Single nights are only allowed where there is a one night gap between bookings.
Public Holiday Weekends:
The minimum booking period for long weekends such as Labour Weekend, Anniversary Weekend, etc is 3 nights. The minimum booking period for Easter is 4 nights. There are sometimes longer minimum stay periods across Christmas and New Year and these will be specified in the online availability calendar.
Rate from 1 September - 30 April:
The nightly rate is $390 for up to two people.
Sparrowhawk is closed from 1 May - 31 August.
Give the gift of glamping! Gift Vouchers are available for use at any of our Canopy Camping Escapes glamping sites. These are provided in electronic format, for you to print out and pop in a greeting card for the lucky recipient. Read more about our gift vouchers, including how to purchase one, here.
2.1 If you book within 28 Days of your check-in time, full payment via credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) is required at the time of booking. If you book more than 28 Days prior to your check-in time, a deposit of 10% is required to confirm your booking and secure the property. This will be charged to your credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) at the time of booking. A credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) payment surcharge of up to 2.5% will be applied to all credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) payments.
2.2 Bookings are considered confirmed once you have made your online booking and payment and we have sent an email to the address provided to us which confirms both the payment and your booking details. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact us as soon as possible. However, we (as agent for the Host) reserve the right to cancel any booking within 12 Days of the confirmation email where we discover that you, or any of your guests, has previously breached these Booking Conditions in relation to a previous booking. In that case, you will receive an email advising you that the booking has been declined, and the full amount paid by you at the time of booking will be refunded to the credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) you provided during the booking process.
2.3 If you book more than 28 Days prior to your check-in time, the remaining balance of your stay will be due 28 Days prior to your check in time. An email reminder will be sent to you at this time requesting payment for the outstanding balance. The reminder email gives you the option to pay the remaining balance by A2A (Internet Banking) or credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard). If your payment has not been received within 24 hours, the remaining balance will automatically be charged to the credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) used at the time of booking. Please note: a 2.5% credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) payment surcharge is applied to all payments made by credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard). Credit/Debit Card data is held in a secure and encrypted environment.
2.4 If any amount is not paid when due, you will forfeit your deposit and your booking will be cancelled.
3.1 Your 10% deposit (or 10% of the value of your stay if you have paid in full) is non-refundable, however it can be transferred to another booking made within 12 months of the date of confirmation of your original booking, if you cancel your stay more than 21 Days prior to your check-in time.
3.2 Cancellation or date changes by you that are between 3 and 21 Days prior to your check-in time will result in 50% of the total cost of your stay being charged. Cancellation or date changes made 3 Days (72 hours) or less prior to your check-in time will result in 100% of the total cost of your stay being charged.
3.3 Date changes made more than 21 Days prior to your check-in time are allowed without forfeit of any amounts paid.
3.4 Force Majeure
You are entitled to a full refund if you need to cancel for the following reasons:
Road closure. If at 1pm on the day before your arrival, a road on your route to your accommodation is designated by Waka Kotahi as closed or for essential travel only, and there is no detour, or the detour adds more than two hours to your travel according to the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner.
Metservice RED Weather Warning. If at 1pm on the day before your arrival, the Metservice has issued a RED warning/forecast in either your home region or the region of your accommodation, for either the day of your arrival or departure.
Natural disasters in New Zealand. Natural disasters such as cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and other severe and abnormal natural events causing large scale disruption of essential services and/or transport, specifically impacting your travel to or from your accommodation.
4.1 Exceptional or unforeseen circumstance
Hosts reserve the right to cancel a booking at any time in the event of exceptional or unforeseen circumstances. This right will only be exercised in good faith and in exceptional circumstances such as:
(a) Any alteration to the property or its surroundings which may pose a safety risk for the guest.
(b) Unexpected damage or destruction at the property.
(c) A death in the Host family.
(d) Our relationship with the Host ends for any other reason.
In the unlikely event a Host cancels under this clause, the guest may elect to receive a full refund or to credit the booking to another available date or Escape. The Host’s liability will be limited to the refund of amounts paid for any part of your stay that is cancelled.
4.2 Cancellation for breach
Hosts may terminate a booking at any time if they, or we, reasonably believe that there is, or has been, a breach of these Booking Conditions by you or any guest or visitor. Where a Host cancels under this clause, all amounts paid are forfeited and, where such termination occurs during the rental period, you and all guests and visitors must immediately leave the property.
5.1 Accommodation is often situated on working farms and there are hazards both natural and man-made. You accept that you, and any guests or visitors, enter the property at your own risk.
5.2 Participation by you and any guests or visitors in activities, such as, outdoor baths, climbing trees, walking on the property and any other activity on the property, is done so at your and their own risk.
5.3 To the extent permitted by law, neither we nor the Host accept any liability for accident, loss of property or personal injury during your stay.
No pets are allowed unless otherwise specified on the Website listing. Most accommodation is situated on working farms and therefore are not suitable for visiting pets.
GST of 15% (where the accommodation is GST-registered) is included in the daily per night cost. A tax receipt will be supplied by Canopy Camping Escapes if requested.
8.1 Guests have a licence to occupy the Property for the paid holiday period only. You are responsible for ensuring that you and they arrive no earlier than the check-in date, and leave no later than the check-out time, specified on the Website.
8.2 You are required to, and must ensure that all guests and any approved day visitors, observe the rules and procedures in relation to the property:
8.3 You must, and must ensure that all guests and any approved visitors, take all reasonable and proper care of the property and its furniture, fittings and effects and leave them in the same state of repair, condition, cleanliness and tidiness as at the commencement of the rental period. Where the property has not been left in the same state of repair, condition, cleanliness and tidiness as at the commencement of the rental period, you will be required to pay an additional cleaning cost of $100 which may be charged to the credit or debit card used at the time of booking.
8.4 You are required to inform Canopy Camping Escapes of any damage or breakage occurring during the rental period in or around the property promptly so that it can be repaired and replaced for the next booking. You must reimburse the Host for the reasonable costs of replacement or repair of any damage caused by you or any guests or visitors and such costs may be charged to the credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) used at the time of booking.
8.5 You must ensure that any access information in relation to a property (including any access codes, location of keys, etc) is kept confidential and not disclosed to any person.
8.6 Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the properties.
8.7 The Host may access the property during the rental period to the extent reasonably necessary to undertake repairs or replacement or where we or the Host have reason to believe these Booking Terms are not being complied with.
8.8 The number of guests staying at the Escape overnight must be the same as the number of guests included in the booking. Any day visitors must be approved by the Host prior to your stay. No overnight visitors are permitted.
8.9 You and all guests and any approved day visitors must behave in a proper, appropriate and legal manner with due respect to the Host, the Property, other guests and neighbouring properties and neighbours, and Canopy Camping Escapes’ staff and representatives.
If you have any complaints, please contact us promptly at [email protected] with details of the complaint. As the agent of the Hosts we will be the initial contact between you and the Host but may need to put you in direct contact to resolve any issues.
To the extent permitted by law, as agent for the Hosts, we have no liability, to you or any other person, in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise:
Your rights are against the Host, not Canopy Camping Escapes.
If, for any reason, Canopy Camping Escapes has any liability to you under or in relation to these Booking Terms or your stay, to the extent permitted by law, our liability is limited to the 20% of the amount paid by you in relation to the relevant booking.
Any liability the Host has to you under or in relation to these Booking Conditions or your stay is, to the extent permitted by law, limited to refund of amounts paid by you for the relevant booking and shall not extend to any other costs or loss incurred by you or any guest or other person.
Gift vouchers expire if not redeemed within 2 years of purchase. If a booking paid for using a gift voucher is cancelled, any refund will be by way of a gift voucher with the same expiry date as the original gift voucher. Gift vouchers are not refundable or redeemable for cash and cannot be transferred or on-sold.
These Booking Conditions are governed by New Zealand law and the New Zealand courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
We may amend these Booking Conditions at any time. Any changes shall apply to bookings made from the date of such changes. You are responsible for familiarising yourself with these Booking Conditions each time you make a booking.
Sparrowhawk is self-catering. Just bring your own food, and cook meals using the BBQ and facilities provided in the hut kitchen. You'll find all the cutlery, crockery, pots and pans that you'll need.
If you need to shop for supplies on the way, there is a supermarket in Kurow (15 mins away). It's best to make sure you arrive with all the supplies you need. Once you've been transported into the hut, you'll be there until your hosts collect you on the day of departure.
With board games, books, and a luxurious hot tub provided - you'll find there is plenty to keep you entertained at the hut.
If you're keen to explore, you're welcome to walk around the farm, and along the newly created walking track which follows an old 1900s water race. Or check out the pristine, snow-fed stream nearby - and on a hot day enjoy a swim in the swimming hole, a 2-minute walk from the hut.
The Waitaki Valley is renowned for its beautiful wineries, shops, history - and most importantly the beautiful Waitaki River and Lakes. It's well worth taking the time either before or after your stay to look around.
Ben and Emma are your hosts at the Sparrowhawk. They farm on a sheep, cattle and deer farm where Ben grew up. They are now bringing up their three sons, Jack, Harry and Charlie on the same property.
They love living on the farm and have an amazing community in Kurow.
They all have a real passion for the outdoors so when they’re not on the farm, they are either hunting or adventuring in the Valley. During their outdoor pursuits, Ben and Emma loved all their experiences in backcountry huts and wanted to build something similar with a little added luxury. This led them to create 'Sparrowhawk' - a special place for people to come and experience the area.
The Sparrowhawk is named after its resident bird also known as the NZ falcon. If you are lucky you will get to see the bird flying fast above the hut.
They are very much looking forward to sharing their peace and quiet, as well as the untouched beauty of the high country, with you.
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