North Island Volcanic Adventure
4.5 from 754 reviews
' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
(Note: I'd rate this 4.5 stars-- I'm not done traveling with Active yet so to say "trip of lifetime" seems premature :D) The North Island receives minimal mention when trips to New Zealand are planned and most people I talked to regarding a New Zealand trip encouraged me to spend all of my time on the South Island. I am SO thrilled that I did not pay heed to their recommendations! The 5 day Kauri trip included several days of hiking Âincluding the challenging but magical Tongariro Alpine Crossing, mountain biking in a forest with over 50 species of trees, black water rafting to see glow worms in a cave, and a cultural tour/show/dinner. These 5 days left my heart brimming with joy - if I had returned home after the Kauri trip, I would have been truly satisfied (but I went on to experience the South Island on the Tui trip!) and it far surpassed many other 1-2 week long holidays. Besides the activities, the tour was incredibly well organized. The focus was on maximizing our enjoyment rather than the mundane details of holidays such as checking into a hotel, waiting for a seat for dinner, filling up on gas, or purchasing tickets. Both DK and Sarah were incredible: great driving with attention to bathroom breaks, great cooking with attention to dietary restrictions (even when the participants had conflicting dietary restrictions!), and great guiding Âmaking sure we never overworked ourselves and took our time. I'm a loyal Active traveler and always felt I lucked out with having a great time or competent guide but I've finally come to the realization that it's Active and not luck that makes these trips so pleasurable and memorable. Thank you Active for sharing your country with me!
| January 1970
Classic South Island Adventure
4.7 from 1727 reviews
' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
(Note: I'd rate this 4.5 stars-- I'm not done traveling with Active yet so to say "trip of lifetime" seems premature :D) The South Island did not disappoint. The Tui trip highlights the Department of Conservation - Âall the great tramping experienced in the South Island is due to the efforts of the Department of Conservation from the well maintained and marked trails to the clean (although smelly) bathrooms. The Siberia hut option is another fantastic way to experience the great work of the Department of Conservation - a newly built and well maintained hut allows you to experience the beauty of Mt Aspiring National Park while staying warm and cozy in the hut. Aside from the Department of Conservation, Active provides an action packed itinerary that you can downscale to your liking. From strenuous hikes to lounging by glacier fed lakes, from exhilarating jet boat rides to gently paddling in Milford Sound, and from a GORGEOUS bike rides along a river (followed by an ice cream treat!) to a free day in Queenstown, the Tui trips covers so much ground without the sense of being trapped in a van/car for hours on end (and when you are in the van, you have nothing but gorgeous scenery to stare at). Aside from the well thought out activities, Nick prepared delicious meals being ever so conscious about dietary restrictions and preferences and Cassie provided excellent driving with so much consideration for her passengers. As with all Active trips, the itinerary was well thought out with an emphasis on beautiful scenery and hassle free travel.
| January 1970
Classic South Island Adventure
4.7 from 1727 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!
| January 1970
Classic South Island Adventure
4.7 from 1727 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
In one word I just loved it.
| January 1970
Classic South Island Adventure
4.7 from 1727 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
An amazing 8 days. Packed with just enough challenges and experiences. New Zealand providing the backdrop and our guides taking us to all the right places and awakening all those sleeping city living senses.
| January 1970
Classic South Island Adventure
4.7 from 1727 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
Fantastic trip for folks that want activity and not just a tour! I will go again with them on another trip to another destination. Great attention to detail and great guides. I felt I was in great hands and trusted them completely. The itinerary was perfect.
| January 1970
Machu Picchu & Amazon Adventure
4.7 from 1778 reviews
' ' ' ' Marc M
My first trip to South America was a hugely enjoyable time, due to the activities planned by Active Adventures and the group of people with whom I shared my two weeks. The Peruanos were all extremely pleasant and carried themselves with a sense of joy and pride in their country and cities. What I liked most: Cusco was a charming and interesting city with lots to do and great food to eat. The Inca Trail was spectacular and the guide we had, Frank, was pleasant and very knowledgeable about Peru's history, as well as its flora and fauna. Lago Titicaca was really interesting and it was beautiful out on the lake in the sunshine and wind. I also had a great time on the bike rides, as I don't ride too often and the scenery was gorgeous. John was a great leader, always on time and prepared. What I found lacking: Although the Amazon facilities were first-rate, I was disappointed in the level of wildlife we saw in the jungle. Perhaps my expectations were simply unrealistic, but I was hoping to see more animal life, such as monkeys in view constantly and more caimans lining the banks. For this, I assume we would have had to travel further into the Amazon basin, but I for one would have gladly given up some of the amenities we were privy to in exchange for a more primitive but wilder experience, even though it might mean a much greater density of mosquitoes.
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
My wife and I have taken many active vacations in the past (mostly road cycling with an array of outfitters), but this trip stood alone for the quality and intimacy of its superb guides. It may have been made easier by the small size of our group, but for two weeks we could not have asked more from Andrew and Sally, who made us feel as welcome as possible in a world very remote and far away. They were quite a team, supremely knowledgeable about everything New Zealand; always organized, proactive, empathetic; every single day we enjoyed great food and conversation, filled with lots of laughter and good spirit. In short time they not only became our very trusted leaders in whom we had the utmost confidence, but also good friends with whom we were very comfortable sharing our lives. Neither of them could have possibly done a more superb job in hosting us during our unforgettable Rimu trip.
| January 1970
Everest Base Camp Trek
4.8 from 271 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
The EBC trek is challenging, but you are rewarded by the breathtaking scenery, friendly people and a completely different culture. Our guides Kate, Gokul and Bibek were great and always taking care for everybody. We had a lot of fun with them. If you like hiking stairs up and down (the Nepali flat) and are in good shape, you should definitely do this trip of a lifetime.
| January 1970
Classic South Island Adventure
4.7 from 1727 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
I think it Is difficult to express in words our South Island experience. New Zealand's South island is a paradise on earth. The beauty of nature is stunning. The attitude of the locals is extremely friendly. The culture of life centering in the participation of outdoor activities is one to be imitated worldwide. Nevertheless I am sure that our experience was even more pleasant having the privilege of sharing this experience with Sarah and Huw. From the first day Sarah spoke to each one of us... Trying to get to know us better. Whether we had any health issues. Whether we preferred some type of food. Huw been such a strong man at the same time been so gentle and noble. They always went the extra mile to please us. The food was perfect. When Sarah cooked it tasted so good. Everything so organized. So much warmth in their demeanor. We will not only miss New Zealand... but we will also miss them.
| January 1970
Classic South Island Adventure
4.7 from 1727 reviews
' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
The Tui trip was excellent. It was very well planned and was able to be adapted to all different interests and fitness levels. The food and accommodations were beyond expectation. I have already recommended this trip to a number of my friends and family and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a more active way to see NZ.
| January 1970
Everest Base Camp Trek
4.8 from 271 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
NZ is a fantastic place and country - beautiful, well developed and well protected. Wonderful friendly people, wonderful tour guides with great cooking abilities. Will advise anybody to go check it out - and they know how to play RUGBY too :) Highly recommended trip.
| January 1970
North Island Volcanic Adventure
4.5 from 754 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
Amazing! I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone who really wants to see and explore New Zealand!
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
Great adventure! Everything I expected and more, Ken and Nick were more like family than tour guides. I would not hesitate to book another Active New Zealand adventure tour.
| January 1970
Milford Track Adventure
4.6 from 826 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Fran R
Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
Good, really enjoyed it
| January 1970
New Zealand Walking Adventure
4.8 from 387 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
Didn't know what to expect when booking this trip. I was pleasantly surprised by the experience. The people, country, food, accommodations, etc were great. Our guides were outstanding and very accommodating. Hikes were doable for a 67 year old in good shape. Highly recommend this trip for all age groups.
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!
| January 1970
Classic South Island Adventure
4.7 from 1727 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
Before the trip, I wrote to you about our group - wanting more challenging hikes and treks. Andrew and Alex really rose to the challenge and they were awesome. They not only added extra hikes but also challenged us to go faster. It was a fun filled action packed trekking experience.
| January 1970
Classic South Island Adventure
4.7 from 1727 reviews
' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
Good, really enjoyed it
| January 1970
Classic South Island Adventure
4.7 from 1727 reviews
' ' ' ' ' Trusted Traveler
Our Tui trip was amazing. It was physically challenging and we felt so accomplished after each activity. We didn't worry about anything. The entire trip, it was so nice to be told what time to meet up in the morning and thats all you had to worry about. Even when our helicopter ride to the glacier got cancelled due to weather, they had a plan B and we went straight to another hike. The guides were great and were always talking with us and telling great stories. We got to experience such beautiful places and I am looking forward to doing another active adventure trip!
| January 1970
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