Teepee Tours, Shoalhaven, NEW SOUTH WALES
Airing Date: Nov 29th, 2004
With Teepee Adventure Tours, you and mates can get in touch with your inner self and enjoy a true Aussie bush experience at the same time. The tour starts in Sydney, and from here you'll be driven three hours down the south coast to Coolendel. Located on the doorstep of the Yalwal State Forest, Coolendel is a nature reserve with an abundance of native wildlife including its own colony of wombats.
Coolendel is the ultimate chill out spot for a weekend with a difference. It is here on the banks of the Shoalhaven River that you and your friends will learn all about the power of 'teepee time'.
It was the Indians who first discovered this concept; they believed there was a unique flow of energy that revolved around the teepee, and they would disappear into the tepee for hours, if not days, at a time.
The tour guide Daz shows you how to set up your teepee, also teaching you a few of the traditional ways of the tepee, like why the rain never gets in and how the camp fire smoke gets out. Once your teepee is set up, you can all snuggle in together and share a few teepee stories around the campfire.
The weekend also includes a canoe trip in two man Canadian style canoes. You'll paddle along 25 kilometres with plenty of low grade rapids, which makes it a great trip for beginners. The trip takes about six hours and takes in some of the most spectacular scenery on the south coast.
After an adventurous day out everyone heads back to the campsite to swim in the river or go bushwalking around the area. When the sun finally sets the campfire gets started and it's time to enjoy a bush meal under the stars. Despite the isolated location, the owners really make a night of it and provide fun entertainment with drums and song.
On the way back to Sydney from Coolendel, the tour stops at the picturesque town of Berry. This delightful town may be famous for its crafts and antiques, but it's the pub that beckons the thirsty group. Here you can enjoy a nice cold drink with your new friends before the weekend draws to a close.
The facts:
The Wombat weekend with Teepee Adventure Tours costs $425. This price includes two nights in the teepee, all meals, activities and transfers to and from Sydney.
Teepee Adventure Tours
Tel: 02 9939 3114
Suggested reading material: Lonely Planet
Prices correct at 29/11/04
