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It’s a very full an encompassing trip. It covers a great deal and involves a lot of hiking, which is really the only way to truly see and appreciate this spectacular country.
Many many beautiful views.
We had 2, they we’re both absolutely excellent and complimented one another perfectly.
Be fit
Our small group of 10 was very special and together with our guides we really seem to bond. All of us had a great time. As a solo traveller, I got lucky - it was a special group! Our guides were over-the-top wonderful! We got lucky with the weather too which was beautiful.
An excellent introduction to both islands. There is so much to see and do that the time we had just whizzed by. It is clear that this trip only just touches the surface but in saying that we had an unprecedented insight into the geography, geology, flora, fauna and cultural diversity, balancing the city explorations with the more exciting challenges provided by the spectacular scenery. To achieve this itinerary you have to withstand long travelling interspersed by the activities included. It would have been good to have extra days in certain areas to enhance the experience but you can only do so much in 19 days. However, in saying that, this trip cannot be faulted and certainly shows New Zealand at its best.
Too many as each area we visited gave totally different experiences. The Tongariro crossing was not to be missed- fortunate with the weather but there was snow in the craters at the plateau with high winds on the crater edges. Geothermal valleys. Walking up to the terminal face of Fox glacier (despite no polar bear!) Cruising the Milford Sound-seeing the penguins. Walking through the indigenous tropical forests. Walking in the snow at the foot of Mount Cook and crossing glacial torrents in full flood. Walking at night on a Glow Worm trail- like thousands of LED lights- quite enchanting. Sobering walk through the disembodied Christchurch- still recovering and has not regained its soul yet.
All this could not be achieved without the excellent guidance, support and knowledgeable expertise of our two guides, Chris and Rich who both complemented each other- one being a Kiwi and the other a Devonian export. Nothing was too much trouble for them in trying to accommodate individual interests, adjusting the activities according to the prevalent weather conditions and providing a constant supply of snacks to sustain us upon our activities. They appeared to have a magical influence over the weather and visitors, providing a narrow window of opportunity that allowed us to visit volcanic landscapes and geothermal valleys without the crowds or rain that would normally be expected. Their energy and enthusiasm to share their knowledge of the islands and its peoples went without saying. They were quick to ascertain the abilities of each individual member and gave optional activities when needed. The entire trip was skilfully organised and despite the long distance driven by both of them, they were able to protect themselves from being on constant demand.
Be prepared for long travelling. Be prepared for Vivaldi weather (four seasons). If you are reasonably fit and used to mountain terrain, all walks should be within your grasp. Make the most of your time.
The accommodation was excellent and the resort spa was much appreciated.
A wonderful itinerary and excellent guides/leaders with infectious enthusiasm for this amazing country!
The Tongariro Crossing and the visit to the Milford Sound, but so many wonderful days so very difficult to choose just one. I would therefore say, the entire trip!
Our group leader was Chris Cameron and second leader was Richard Mortiboys. Chris was an excellent experienced leader with a lovely friendly personality and huge knowledge of the country and all the plants. She had boundless energy and tremendous enthusiasm for the country which was very infectious. Her organization of every part of the day was very clear and well planned, ensuring the best possible experience and full confidence in her leadership. Richard was the second in command and he and Chris worked very well together, sharing the driving and general care of each and every one in the party. He was extremely kind and caring when some of us had left items at various places enroute and he spent a great deal of time and effort to ensure that these items were successfully forwarded. They were both excellent leaders and they certainly made the trip a resounding success.
Don't pack too many items. When you are moving on regularly, there isn't the time or the inclination to uncover more than the top few items of clothing!
I do not see how this trip could be improved! It just had everything to make it a wonderful comprehensive tour of North and South Islands.
This trip is one of the best we have experienced with Exodus. The varied walking, landscape and experiences on the trip make it an amazing adventure. Beware though there are many long distances to cover (we did over 3500 Km in the 19 days), but Ian and Sonya made it very interesting with their local knowledge and frequent rest stops at interesting places. The highlight of the walking was of course the Tongariro Alpine Crossing which on the day we did it was truly spectacular with the Emerald lake just like the Guide books. The Abel Tasman Coastal walk again like the guide book pictures. The Diamond Lake and Rocky Mountain walk was tough but well worth it for the views. Other experiences met all our expectations – Sailing on Tasman sea, Jet boat on River Motukituki where at times we were in 5 inches of water, Helicopter to Fox Glacier (paid locally) and overnight on Milford Sound in Fiordland. Christchurch was sad to see but it is good to that they are beginning to get the city rebuilt. It is important to note that a few walks and experiences can be affected by weather. Although it was summer we dodged Storm Fehi – Tongariro was closed the day after we walked it, Windy Wellington was stormy Wellington, roads near Fox Glacier were closed due to landslides and they had had no electricity for 3 days before we arrived. However we managed all the planned itinerary except walking to Fox Glacier due to landslide. All in all an AWESOME trip
Reaching the summit on the Tongariro Alpine Pass and seeing the Lakes as shown in all the guidebooks
Ian was an excellent leader. He was a very confident and safe driver which is important on this trip. He kept us up to date with weather and reasons for his decisions in view of Storm Fehi. We had plenty of rest stops mostly in very interesting places.
Take note of distances travelled in order to cover the area - New Zealand is a huge country Be aware that although summer itinerary might be changed due to weather
What an amazing trip! I cannot recommend it highly enough – it showcasts everything that New Zealand has to offer, and despite travelling for 3 weeks it is not enough. We wanted to stay longer, explore further, be stunned by the mindblowing views. From the rolling hills on the North Island to the majestic mountains and fields in Middle Earth and Milford Sounds on the South Island – it is impossible to choose a favourite spot, and certainly calls for another trip in the near future. I loved, loved, loved it, the country, the people and how happy it made me.
I cannot pick a most inspirational moment, but Mount Aspiring National Park, Milford Sound and Mount Cook left quite an impression - I am in awe. The views! Simply stunning.
Fantastic leaders. I very much appreciated having two leaders, both very friendly, approachable, fun and entertaining and of course, knowledgeable about flora and fauna. Both were a treasure!
Be prepared for mindblowing views.
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A perfectly balanced blend of touristy sightseeing activities, incredibly beautiful, varied walks and exciting, unforgettable experiences. We were blessed with fantastic weather, too!
Standing under the 80m high Fairy Falls on the bow of the Milford Wanderer, water pummelling down on our heads, totally surprised, completely exhilarated and utterly happy. I have to add first seeing Red Crater on the Tongariro Crossing, jetboating, catamaran sailing on the Tasman Sea, walking through Tiritiri Matangi Island’s gorgeous native woodland ringing with exotic bird calls and cicadas, the joy of seeing the glorious colour of Huka Falls. The trouble is that every day had moments like these, so how do you choose!?
Hayley and Josh are an extraordinary young couple, calm, cheerful, incredibly hard working and competent. If everyone drove like Josh, the roads would be safer places. Every suggestion regarding where to eat or shop or what to do in our free time turned out to be good. In his review, Martin mentioned the lady stranger who had a fall, but not that Hayley actually carried her most of the way down a steep mountain after giving first aid! There were, inevitably, some long drives, but Hayley and Josh arranged an enjoyable short walk or other activity at least every two hours. I think I’d trust these two in almost any situation.
Don’t scratch your Blackfly bites! They really are the scourge of South Island, but DEET does deter them so use it. I kept leaving it too late. Bites I managed to resist scratching settled down quickly, those I took the tops off had scabs for weeks and have left scars. Be prepared for the jet lag - it took us a week to get over it after coming home. Take lots of notes as well as taking photos -see below!
It has been five weeks since the end of our holiday. It has taken this long to go through all my photos and notes, remembering more and more things that we did, to do research on the internet and to write a journal. Only now do I feel able to take an overall view and write this review. This holiday is a full-on three weeks of new experiences and it is almost impossible to take it all in at the time. For us and, I imagine most people, this was a holiday of a lifetime and I really do recommend making a photographic journal to fix those memories. It is a lot of work, but rather like having the holiday again!
We had promised ourselves this trip for some time and had high expectations. We were looking for a good mix of activities to see and experience the country.
Trails of New Zealand went way beyond our expectations. We thoroughly enjoyed the amazing places, the range of walks in different landscapes, the fun of jet-boating, sailing and cruising, and luging, and the unique birds and wildlife.
We had so many experiences which will stay with us: walking the stark volcanic landscape of the Tongariro Crossing; walking to and flying over Mount Cook and landing on pristine Fox glassier; sailing a catamaran; or travelling at 80mph up a braided river; the magnificent kauri and redwoods, and not forgetting the kiwis. On our way to Milford Sound on the South Island it poured with rain and we were not expecting to see much. However, soon after we boarded the boat the skies cleared and the fiord was filled with magnificent waterfalls. It was magical as we explored Milford Sound in boats and kayaks, and our ship nosed its way past and into the silver cascading water against a backdrop of majestic snow covered peaks.
Josh and Haley were superb leaders. They were very organised and ensured that we knew all we needed to know. They provided supplements to our meals and provided a super spread when they catered for us. They were great at sharing additional information and encouragement to the slower and faster members of the group. When they found that an unknown walker had had a serious fall they ensured that she returned down the mountain safely while continuing to look after our group. When the bus developed a technical fault it was dealt with quickly and efficiently.
Go!!! It is a long way so pace and prepare yourself, but it will repay you many times over. The country is very varied and so is the weather, so go prepared for everything - it was coldest and wettest at sea level and hottest in the mountains.
This trip is a good balance of activities. You should be reasonably fit and prepared for the unexpected. We were delayed for two hours when a giant kauri fell across the road, and there are no alternatives. So we had a great time chatting with everyone including the fire brigade and police. It is that sort of country.
This was a wonderful walking holiday. We were fortunately blessed with extremely good weather, so the views were unforgettable.
Helicopter flight to the Fox glacier
The group leader was excellent - always keen to please, make excellent meal suggestions and slightly adjust the program to fit the group.
Make the most of this wonderful trip!
If there was one small suggestion I could make (and believe me, it is small and nit-picky), I would recommend cleaning the bus windows if it has become dusty; this could prevent a photoshoot stop on a few occasions. This idea came from a previous tour I made with a different company.
An excellent and varied itinerary through stunning scenery. Much travelling thoughtfully balanced by good walks. A good mix of group activities and free time.
Definitely the Tongariro Alpine Crossing - hard work and a long day but worth it. The views round Lake Matheson. The waterfalls in Milford Sound. We clocked up a few first experiences: first time in a jet boat (great fun and something we would not have done otherwise), first helicopter flight, first time sailing a catamaran (yes, I took the helm), first time on the Luge ...
Hayley and Josh were calm, efficient, funny, informed, caring and very committed. They were great. They prepared us well for each day's activities.
Take a daysac as well as your 40 litre rucksack, if you can. Pack layers - it can be very hot and very cold. Don't forget sunhat, suncream and insect repellant. Poles can be hired for the Tongariro crossing.
This trip doesn't cover Auckland and Northland up to Cape Reinga, the Coromandel peninsula, the deep south or Kaikoura so you might want to try to fit them in before and/or after the trip. After all, it is a long way to go back again!
A tour of both North and South Islands with numerous short walks included which aren’t listed on the trip notes. The scenery is just breathtaking (sometimes literally with some of the hills we walked up….) and just needs to be seen.
Seeing into the Red Crater at the top of the Tongarairo Crossing. The photographs just do not do it justice at all. Plus, you then get to run down the scree which is a lot of fun....
Excellent knowledge of the flora and fauna, I know more about NZ wildlife that that in the UK.... He also took us on numerous little walks to break up the long coach trips, many weren't listed on the trip notes but he knew them any way.
Even in summer, weather is variable. Actually, you are guaranteed rain in Westland... I used my light down jacket more than I thought. You need DEET On the south island, sandflies are evil
Go on this trip. Consider doing your own add on to go to the Bay of Islands or the Coromandel Peninsula while you are there.
