Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

I find it difficult to choose a single most inspirational moment of the trip but would include the sceneries around the Tongariro crossing and Mount Cook which were really beautiful and unique.  It was awe inspiring just being there.I also chose to jump out of a plane, skydiving from 12000 feet near Queenstown.  This was our single rest day on the trip, but by this time the adrenaline was flowing.  That was pretty memorable.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had separate group leaders for the North Island (Kath) and South Isalnd (Chris).  Both were from Hiking New Zealand and were excellent.  They both had the same well balanced mixture of Enthusiasm with Energy, Professionalism with Knowledge.  They were always happy to enthuse but remained flexible in order to provide the best for people on the day.

Advice for Potential Travellers

On arrival in NZ open your minds to a non stop rush of movement and experience.  On return be prepared to feel shattered from the whole trip.  Enjoy!

Suggestions

Take seriously the signs at Auckland airport arrivals point which warn against taking any foodstuffs into the country.  A single apple can cost you NZ$400 fine. I saw it happen.

Most Inspirational Moment

Imposible to single out just one highlight for this trip. We were a small group of  only five people, plus a diferent leader for each of the islands . Smaller groups get things done more efficiently, enabling all of us to pack more into an already busy schedule, combined with exellent knowledge by our leaders Kath & Chris, for whom  nothing was too much trouble.  Their help, imformation and passion for their home New Zealand lead us to efficient use of our time, with many extra side trips , viewpoints and short treks added . 

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had one for North & one for South Island! Both knew their country like the back of their hand;  Kath lead us North and Chris lead us South. We all developed team spirit, strange when a group of people are thrown together at random.  Our leaders were passionate about their homeland ,keen conservasionists ,so helpful, full of knowledge and enthusiasm.  Quickly they became our friends rather than a leader. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

This N.Z. must be the best action packed ,sight seeing ,thrill seeking New Zealand package available ANYWHERE. OK, you could say OH, we will make our own way, do our own arrangements , No Way, time would be wasted sourcing and organising, you would see and do far less. These guides know their stuff, just who to contact etc. while your kayaking/ trekking/whitewater rafting/sight seeing /jet boating or whatever is your passion these guys are booking /organising the next step! 

Suggestions

The walk on the Fox Glacier was probably the only slight disappointment.  It was very busy and you were not given a chance to look around much.

Most Inspirational Moment

I enjoyed the two days in Siberia the most; as well as Milford Sound and around Holyford.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We were guided by exhuberant Kath and wise and understanding Graham. Both were gregarious, and gave of themselves fully.

Suggestions

The minibus was cramped for 11 +1 persons and its windows lacked height for seeing the amazing scenery.An arrangement initiated by the guides to rotate the sitting in the front seats would contribute to greater fairness and reduce tensions.

Most Inspirational Moment

So many great days, so many great moments. Camping on the beach at Able Tasman and watching seals playing in the evening surf. All sitting on a rock in silence watching the sun go down on the volcano tops in the Tongariro Park. But when your birthday falls on the day that you have a dramatic flight by helicopter to the Siberia Valley that has to come tops. How they managed to smuggle cake into the hut to surprise me I can’t guess. The walk up to Lake Crucible later was hard work, perhaps it was the cake. Must mention the bird life, be quiet and still and you will be amazed how tame they are.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both the leaders were fantastic but differant in their own ways. Great but real people who brought their own personalities to the job. Very hard working and if you do go on this trip please chip in with the household jobs. You will enjoy the trip more as the team builds.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Sand Fly deterrent is not optional it is a must. Also you will want to stock up on itch relief. Long sleeves and long trousers are also needed to help keep the evil things off you. They bite and it hurts, try to not scratch because it make them flare up again. Get the local snake oil from the first chemist you find, don’t bother with the stuff you can find in Boots in the UK. The walks to the huts are hard work due to the weight of gear that has to be taken along. As well as all your own gear there are the shared items which add up. Everybody has to help and it only works if the team all pull together. It was not clear that there was a short hop from the North to South by a tiny one prop plane. Great trip as it does not get high and the view is stunning. But there is a strict 20Kg limit on all luggage. That includes hand luggage of which there is none because it can’t fit inside. So that’s everything has to add up to 20Kg maximum. Wash and wear is the way to go and many of the motels have laundrettes but getting it done when you arrive late and have an early start is not easy. I will not go into my experiments with microwaves and hairdryers due to health and safety.

Suggestions

Take some music for the van; in the north the CD collection is abysmal and Kath needs help. In the south Graham has an Ipod/mp3 connection and too large a collection of Country and Weston. We organised guest DJs for the front seat and that helped pass the long journeys. The New Zealand people are lovely and you should make time to chat, they will be very willing and interested. Thank you Exodus, a fantastic trip I could not have won a better prize or shared it with a better group.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were so many inspirational moments that it really is difficult to pick just one. Being dropped by helicopter in a remote location on the Wilkin River in the Mount Aspiring National Park, the hundreds of waterfalls in Milford Sound after a day of rain, the latent power of the Tongariro volcanoes, the pristine wilderness of the Whirinaki NP, the vastness of the volcanic crater that is Lake Taupo, a close encounter with the rare Fiordland Crested Penguins and sleeping under the incredible, starlit, southern skies are all inspirational moments that will linger in my memory for the rest of my days.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had two group leaders, Kath Watzig in the North Island, and Chris Steele in the South Island. Both were capable, competent, diligent, knowledgable and inspirational. They both had to do absolutely everything from early morning to late evening with no support teams or assistants to share their load. They both approached their roles with such enthusiasm and comprehensive knowledge that the entire group derived the absolute, maximum benefit from the trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just do it!

Suggestions

This trip is challenging at times but is an opportunty not to be missed. The opportunity to trek in so many different magnificent and diverse regions is something that is not easily matched by other destinations but in addition the trip provides numerous opportunities to experience the adrenaline-fuelled activities for which New Zealand is justifiably famous.

Most Inspirational Moment

The trip had many highlights, overall the helicopter trip to Siberia hut followed by the climb to Lake Crucible and the jet-boat out of the Siberia river valley the next day was probably the best single part. However for scale and beauty, Milford Sound is almost impossible to beat. The hike up and over the volcanoes at Tongariro was equally inspiration in a more physical way (especially good if you are a Lord of the Rings fan and like spotting film locations). The final hike around Mt Somers, initially felt like it had been tagged on a something to fill a day, but this turned out to be particularly enjoyable, probably as it was the most deserted and not only was the scenery stunning but it was glimpse of how New Zealanders have brilliantly engaged with their outdoors. Perhaps the most surprisingly inspiration part was waking up after camping on the beach in Abel Tasman, just like Robinson Crusoe.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The two trip leaders, one each for North and South Island were fantastic; knowledgable, enthusiastic. encouraging. Impossible to rate them any higher.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you want to experience a bit of most things New Zealand has to offer, this trip is probably ideal for you, although for me it has just stimulated a desire to go on and do the whole Milford trek. I probably did not quite consider who would pay this amount of money and take over 3 weeks off, and it is fair to say that all but one other person on the trip was retired, and as such I was considerably younger than everyone else. This was not particualrly a problem but some fellow travellers seemed to have major concerns about some of the accomodations and I have never been on an Exodus trip like this were people brought hard cases for luggage. Yes, there is camping, some of the huts are basic and there are drop toilets and shared sleeping platforms; however compared to similar in other parts of the world, these are relatively well appointed, clean and comfortable. You do need to be prepared to carry some group equpment, so you do need a 50L day sac, it's a bit unfair if those who do bring larger day sacs have to carry all the eqipment. We were extremely lucky with the weather, especially in the rain-ridden areas of South Island and I am sure at another time you will get considerably wet. You do need to be prepared for all climates, so pack accordingly with layers: it ranged from tropical beach in Abel Tasman to hiking in a hail storm in Mt Cook. The biting insects are worse than advertised, bring repellent and cover up. Gaiters are useful as the grass is wet in the morning and I found baselayer leggings possibly the most useftul piece of clothing, easy to carry, sleep in and wear under shorts to hike in, as the New Zealanders do. For th overnighters you do need enough clothing to change completely.The instructions regarding baggage are clear but different people interpreted differently. You do need a 50 L sac for the overnight hikes, enough to carry sleeping bag, clothes and a share of the group equipment but you can leave your remaining equipment locked in the trailor. I brought a standard and comfortable rucksac with all my things as my main baggage and smaller 30 L day sac as hand luggage and for day walks and decanted out what I didn't need each time into a fold up travel holdall and walked with my riucksac.  This worked well for me, others packed a ~ 50L pack inside their bigger main baggage and also brought a smaller day sac, this seemed like a lot of baggage.As advertised this is a very fast paced trip, there is a lot of arriving late at accomodation and leaving early the next morning. Compared to other trips there is not a lot of time to rinse out and dry clothes, which might be worth considering when packing.I took walking poles but strapped them to my pack on all but one day, the walking is not that difficult at all. However the climb is Lake Crucible is very steep and I found poles essential for both the ascent and descent. So I would recommend taking them.

Suggestions

Our trip coincided with the Christchurch earthquake (we were on the other side of the Alps at the time) and the later stages of the severe rains that hit that part of the world. This had minimal effect: the day in Christchurch and hotel were rearranged and we didn't hike into and camp at the Ballroom because of the height of the river but the alternatives were well organised.If you like the outdoors and this will be your one trip to New Zealand and you don't mind some basic accomodation, this is definitely the trip for you. If you really want to experience the great hikes and love a hard walk, you may find this a bit disappointing and like me, find that it has just wetted your appetite for something more. Although badged as moderate-challenging, physically the trekking is not that tough, although some areas are very isolated and the volcanic scree is tiring. The climb to Lake Crucible and the Tongariro passage (when you have the heaviest pack) are the most difficult days, but really anyone that's used to walking regularly or is appropriately fit should manage these easily enough.