Stuff - When the West Coast is Bathed in Sunshine and Rainbows

When the West Coast is bathed in sunshine and rainbows

'When you escape a sodden and flooded Canterbury for sunshine and rainbows on the West Coast you've got to feel your good fortune.

A tour of the South Island with Active Adventures got off to a soggy and late start after three solid days of rain which closed roads and inundated homes throughout the region.

I meet my two Australian tour buddies and guides for a last minute coffee at Truffle Cafe, Merivale. Our group is depleted after two tourists from Melbourne had their adventure cancelled after a Covid-19 outbreak.'

Read the full story by Cate Broughton here.

What people say about our trips

view all

Croatia Adventure - May 2023

Wonderful trip in every way!

"We cannot say enough good things about our guides, Marko and Daniel. They were… read more

"We cannot say enough good things about our guides, Marko and Daniel. They were knowledgable, professional, friendly and relaxed but on top of every detail. The itinerary was great. I would say the biking was more moderate than easy. Most of our group had e-bikes and were glad they did. There were several long uphill stretches. But Marko was great about picking me up with the van so I wouldn't slow the group down. I will get an e-bike in the future.The buggy ride could've been skipped and replaced with a different activity. read less

5 Stars (40 reviews)

Catherine,

Mighty Five Adventure - May 2023

Nine great days with Steve and Bryson

"With perfect weather, an awesome pair of guides, and the luck of having a small… read more

"With perfect weather, an awesome pair of guides, and the luck of having a small number of guests, our Mighty Five Adventure in Utah could not have been better. read less

5 Stars (59 reviews)

Douglas,

Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure - May 2023

Ultimate Galapagos

"From beginning to end - this was an awesome adventure! Everything was well coordinated,… read more

"From beginning to end - this was an awesome adventure! Everything was well coordinated, the accommodations were great, we were well feed, the variety of activities were terrific and I can’t say enough good things about our two guides - Pepo and Paulo!! They were outstanding, went above and beyond my expectations and kept everything running smoothly. Really felt immersed in the local culture. I highly recommend this trip!! read less

5 Stars (485 reviews)

Douglas,

Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure - May 2023

Galapagos Adventure

"This trip exceeded my expectations. The excursions were well managed to accommodate all participants… read more

"This trip exceeded my expectations. The excursions were well managed to accommodate all participants and the up close encounters with local wildlife (blue footed boobies, tortoises, and sharks) were awesome. We also became quick friends with our travel companions (and guides) which made for a super enjoyable trip and created memories to last a lifetime. read less

5 Stars (485 reviews)

Douglas,

Camino de Santiago Adventure - May 2023

Camino de Santiago

"Excellent trip! Food, guides, and accommodations were awesome. read more

"Excellent trip! Food, guides, and accommodations were awesome. read less

5 Stars (12 reviews)

Nancy,

Netherlands Biking Adventure - April 2023

Amazing Trip

"The bicycling routes were perfectly curated. Our rides included beaches, forests, farms, quaint villages, windmills,… read more

"The bicycling routes were perfectly curated. Our rides included beaches, forests, farms, quaint villages, windmills, canals, dikes, and several surprising sights along the way. We biked a good amount but we spent even more time enjoying meals, breaks, and sight-seeing.

The guides, hotels, meals, and special touches all exceeded expectations. The Dutch people are fantastic and their country is beautiful. Each day was different and very enjoyable. read less

5 Stars (82 reviews)

Kathy,

Netherlands Biking Adventure - April 2023

Fabulous trip through the Netherlands

"This trip exceeded my expectations. Each day was carefully planned out by our knowledgeable… read more

"This trip exceeded my expectations. Each day was carefully planned out by our knowledgeable guides. The accommodations were above average, at times exceptional, and we were surprised with fine dining with wine and cheese tastings, drinks included as part of the package price. Being in a small group of 8 riders and two guides, we bonded interpersonally over a span of 7 days. Guides told us many wonderful stories about their cycling adventures and went out of their way to accommodate our individual needs. I highly recommend this trip. read less

5 Stars (82 reviews)

Elizabeth,

Netherlands Biking Adventure - April 2023

Surprising Trip in The Netherlands

"My trip with Active Adventures truly exceeded my expectations. I felt immersed in the biking… read more

"My trip with Active Adventures truly exceeded my expectations. I felt immersed in the biking culture of The Netherlands during my visit and pampered every day of the tour. From the hotel choices to the biking routes, you can see that the company cares about the comfort of its guests. I’d book with the company again without hesitation! read less

5 Stars (82 reviews)

Camie,

Arches & Canyonlands Adventure - April 2023

Arches/Canyonlands

"What a great 6 day adventure, everything from the rafting down the Colorado to the… read more

"What a great 6 day adventure, everything from the rafting down the Colorado to the hiking and biking in Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. Our guides Steve and Joel were excellent: very knowledgeable, funny, interesting and took care of all our needs. Food was excellent AND healthy. read less

5 Stars (56 reviews)

Edward Fitzpatrick,

Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure - April 2023

In Love with Galapagos

"We chose Active Adventures because we wanted to maximize our time on land in hopes… read more

"We chose Active Adventures because we wanted to maximize our time on land in hopes of seeing as much wildlife as possible. It did not disappoint! We saw everything we wanted to see and fell in love with the Galapagos. We enjoyed all of the planned activities, but still had time to explore on our own. We did not want to leave and are already talking about when we can go back. read less

5 Stars (485 reviews)

Jessica,

Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure - April 2023

Active Adventures ... It Rocks!

"This entire trip was LOGISTICALLY and SEAMLESSLY executed ... from transporting us to different islands,… read more

"This entire trip was LOGISTICALLY and SEAMLESSLY executed ... from transporting us to different islands, from baggage transfer, from going from one activity to the next, from how they coordinate meals, etc ... Amazing!
Even though I opted not to do one activity due to it being possibly too challenging for me but not for others, it was well worth the trip.
The guide (Jose Luis AKA Pepo - and his assistant Paolo) were OUTSTANDING. Knowledgeable, considerate of my needs and those of others, knew what to do and where to find the most interesting highlights ... Kudos to Pepo and Paolo. The accommodations were perfect (except for one smaller one that was acceptable). The food was very good and the selection of activities where and how they highlighted environmental and educational insights was well done. read less

5 Stars (485 reviews)

Mark,

Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure - April 2023

Learning and Sharing with the Galapagos Experience

"As one of 12 fellow travelers on this tour, I learned about the many closely… read more

"As one of 12 fellow travelers on this tour, I learned about the many closely encountered animals and flora of the islands, while being able to interact with and support local community residents on this land-based journey. Our wonderful local naturalist guide, Pepo, was warm and welcoming, highly organized and shared his vast knowledge day after activity-filled day, adding stories and bits of humor as well. His friend and assistant, hard-working Paolo, assured that arrangements for travel, luggage, accommodations and equipment were ably met, along with helping out during the outings. Both skillfully enabled all in the group to be included and safe in each activity and made the days such fun! Snorkeling with wild dolphins-wow!! So many highlights! I miss Pepo's daily SuperPlan. With a most friendly welcome by residents, yummy local foods, well-prepared and gorgeous surroundings the days flew by. Support crew on excursions were outstanding, especially Capitan Joel and Brian on the trip to Los Tuneles. Practices toward sustainability and ecological preservation were most evident, along with fascinating cultural history and geology of the islands. Group members blended very well together as we jointly experienced this wonderful tour. read less

5 Stars (485 reviews)

Margaret,

Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure - April 2023

Galapagos

"Everything was absolutely wonderful! It was very easy to get together with the group… read more

"Everything was absolutely wonderful! It was very easy to get together with the group and each day was planned perfectly with the activities and meal times and free time to explore alone. The activity level for "moderate" was a little slower than anticipated but our guide made up for that with his wealth of knowledge and and excitement for being able to share that knowledge. But we never had to worry about anything, it was all always ready to go and perfect, we just had to show up ready to learn and enjoy. read less

4 Stars (485 reviews)

Sam,

Camino de Santiago Adventure - April 2023

Spring on the Camino

"Northern Spain is extra beautiful in late April/early May. Nice temps, little rain and beautiful… read more

"Northern Spain is extra beautiful in late April/early May. Nice temps, little rain and beautiful wildflowers. Our trip was complemented by 2 very competent and fun guides, David & Gregory. We hiked parts of several Cominos, not stressful, plenty of delicious local cuisine, wine & coffee. Spain was exceptionally clean, modern & friendly. We had a great experience. read less

5 Stars (12 reviews)

Geralyn,

Patagonia Hiking Adventure - April 2023

Patagonia Hiking (Torres Del Paine and Fitz Roy)

"Wonderful experience to Chile and Argentina. Couldn't fault the complete end to end process of… read more

"Wonderful experience to Chile and Argentina. Couldn't fault the complete end to end process of arriving, trip management and guides knowledge and friendliness. read less

5 Stars (343 reviews)

Duane,

11

Experience adventure the way you want

You’ll be inspired and exhilarated, enjoying mind-blowing scenery on foot, in a sea kayak, or by bike - all at your own pace. Get ready for the trip of a lifetime.

benefits awards

Crafting award-winning trips for decades - the Kiwi way

We're proud of our Kiwi roots and you’ll love our professional, warm and relaxed style of hosting. Plus, we’re always here to help with planning, travel, bookings... even hiking boot recommendations!

benefit time v2

Every detail covered, to maximise your time

As soon as your trip starts, we've got everything covered – top notch meals, comfortable transport, superb accommodation, amazing guides and INCREDIBLE service.

benefit group travel

Group travel for those who aren’t ‘group travellers’

With our small groups of typically no more than 14 (up to 18 max), you'll get to know our team, your fellow travellers, and have the flexibility and freedom to do as much (or as little!) as you like. It’s all about going at your own pace.

benefit gems

Explore hidden gems through our expert local guides

All our carefully selected guides are highly experienced and have deep personal connections to nature and culture. You’ll enjoy a special experience, authentic local knowledge and an adventure like no other.

benefit review

4.85 out of 5 from 6493 reviews. That’s pretty solid.

We could hang around all day telling you how wonderful our trips are... but the best people to hear it from are our guests themselves.

  Active Adventures Go to Austin Adventures Privacy Policy Booking conditions