4.8 Stars (387 reviews)
This trip provided a variety of hikes through beautiful rain forests, beaches and mountains. We were always given a choice between an easier hike and a more strenuous hike. I would highly recommend the Heli-Hike on Franz Josef glacier. It was a unique and very memorable experience. Mel and Kayla were excellent guides for this trip. Most of the meals were prepared and cooked by Mel and Kayla and they provided a variety of delicious meals. They also made accommodations for those with dietary restrictions. Mel provided a sarcastic wit and was very knowledgeable with answering questions. She was also an amazing driver through some very windy roads with a bus and attached trailer to navigate. Mel and Kayla provided a fun, safe, delicious and adventurous trip. I highly recommend this trip for anyone looking to hike, kayak and wine taste in an absolutely beautiful country.
New Zealand Walking Adventure, January 1970
4.8 Stars (387 reviews)
The itinerary was near perfect and was really well executed. Our guides, especially Holly, were knowledgeable, extremely helpful, and enthusiastic. They managed to give us a decent amount of time at each of the many trip highlights and still keep us moving and on schedule. Holly was an excellent driver and was very informative on the bus without talking at us too much. She is a great story teller and her stories added a lot of color to the trip. We had what seemed like an appropriate amount of free time.
Our major concern was with how Active Adventures handled things when one of the couples on the tour contracted Covid. Initially, one of the two got Covid. We were informed of this by the guy who had Covid. He told us that he had been sick for 5 days and had seen a doctor on our free day in Queenstown. Even though the guy still tested positive for Covid, the doctor said that based on the fact that he had been told by this guy that he had already been sick for 5 days, he was no longer contagious and good to continue on the trip. This decision by Active Adventures was contrary to its own published terms which say that any person who tests positive will be removed from the tour unless 7 days has passed since first showing symptoms. In addition, this couple was wearing two flimsy masks, apparently provided to them by AA, and they were wearing them under their noses while on the bus. Only when I approached our guide and said they should be wearing more substantial masks and wearing them properly did AA have them do so. AA did not have the A95 masks so I provided them.
AA also turned a blind eye to the fact that the wife of the guy who had Covid was very vulnerable to contracting it herself, which is exactly what happened even though she initially tested negative. Even after she got sick, AA was prepared to allow the couple to continue on the trip. It was only after several of us approached our guides that she was asked to take a Covid test which turned out positive and a decision was made to have the couple leave the tour. At that point, one of the guides also got Covid and had to leave the tour.
In essence, AA was putting the convenience of two members of the group over the health and well being of the rest of us. Although fortunately no other members of the group got Covid, two members of the group were 80 years old. Another member had contracted Covid a year earlier and was still dealing with very negative effects. AA prides itself on protecting the safety of its clients. In this case, AA did not do so.
New Zealand Walking Adventure, January 1970
4.8 Stars (387 reviews)
Our trip with Active to see the South Island of New Zealand was amazing in every way. From the excellent guides, gorgeous hikes, beautiful views, delicious meals, story time, to the fitting sound track on the bus - perhaps the best trip I have been on so far. Can’t wait to go on and Active Adventure again.
New Zealand Walking Adventure, January 1970
4.8 Stars (387 reviews)
While the trip itself was extraordinary our guide put it over the top. To us an ideal guide is not simply someone who leads you from A to B but rather fills in between the points with background, stories, folklore, history, geological features etc so one learns about the people, the culture and their life. They also do their best to help bring the group of individuals to a cohesive group. Holly was as close to the ideal guide as one could get. She easily conveyed detailed historical facts, the changing landscapes and Māori legends. Her warm personality, the music she selected to match the stage of our journey contributed to the ambiance, and mood for the group.
The itinerary was all encompassing and the meals were all first class. Nicola was an excellent cook that catered to all needs and diets. There was always a fruit and snack bars basket available as well as sunscreen and bug repellent. An adventure at every turn. Highly recommend!
New Zealand Walking Adventure, January 1970
4.8 Stars (387 reviews)
Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!
New Zealand Walking Adventure, January 1970
4.8 Stars (387 reviews)
I highly recommend the 14 day Active Adventures tour of the South Island of New Zealand. We had two amazing tour guides, Elize and Max. They went above and beyond to make this tour exceptional! Their energy and enthusiasm were astounding. This country is extraordinarily beautiful and our guides added to the magic by taking every opportunity to highlight its unique features. The activity level was just as described, and perfect for me and my traveling companion. We had a great variety of activities including hiking, kayaking, swimming, shopping, taking boat rides and visiting wineries.
I really enjoyed the small group configuration of this tour. We had many delicious "family meals" provided by Max, an outstanding cook, interspersed with lovely meals in restaurants and cafes. Again, Elize and Max made these gathering special with their kindness and attention to detail. I truly felt pampered on this tour. The small group size allowed us to all get to know each other. We had a delightful group of people on this trip, which really added to the fun. Every day was a different adventure with wonderful surprises along the way.
I am very grateful to Elize and Max for making this such a special experience. Active Adventures is clearly dedicated to finding high quality staff to make their tours so wonderful. The pacing was great and the locations we visited were really spectacular. I especially loved visiting the Pancake Rocks in Punakaiki and the many hikes we had in tropical and coastal settings.
This tour exceeded my expectations in every way! Thank you, Elize and Max!
Rita Navatka
New Zealand Walking Adventure, January 1970
4.8 Stars (387 reviews)
Overall a great experience I will always remember. It was faster paced than I would have done on my own, but the end result was that I saw more and experienced things and places that I would have otherwise missed. The trip was greatly enhanced by our two wonderful guides.
New Zealand Walking Adventure, January 1970
4.8 Stars (387 reviews)
After examining trips from competing companies I selected this trip and was very pleased with my choice. The itinerary provided lots of information with hike profiles (distance and climb) being very important. At home I generally hike 6 mile trails as I find that 3 hours on the trail provides an optimum combination of exercise and scenery. The hikes provided on this itinerary provided great scenery without being overly strenuous.
I can't say enough about the quality of our two guides. We have taken a number of small group tours with very good guides. But these two raised the bar in terms of guide quality. Elize's main task was driving and she did a great job. She was also great to have as a guide during our hikes. Max's main tasks were as chef and guide. I was really impressed with the teamwork that they displayed during all aspects of the trip.
I was a bit concerned about having meals prepared by the staff but Max did a great job. His dinners were always creative, beautifully plated with great attention to detail. He also did a good job with breakfasts and packed lunches. One key advantage of home cooked meals is that they are BYO, the meal can be augmented with wine from a local supermarket or wine store. On those days where we had restaurant meals, the restaurants selected were very good with nice selections. It appeared that vegetarians were well taken care of.
During the trip I developed some congestion that impacted my stamina. While hiking, I tended to lag the group a bit. Both guides provided just the right amount of concern and encouragement to keep me going.
The itinerary was excellent. It provided a variety of experiences including hiking in different environments, kayaking, wine tasting and general great scenery. We were able to hike portions of 4 of the 10 Great Walks. The boat ride in Milford Sound was amazing, helped along by rainfall earlier in the week that fed a large number of waterfalls. Having a free day in Queenstown allowed us to select activities that were of interest to us.
New Zealand Walking Adventure, January 1970