Patagonia Hiking Adventure
4.7 from 1139 reviews
Allen B
The head guide on your trip is so important. Our guide, Cem was amazing. He was knowledgeable, caring and for sure wanted us to have the best trip. I feel the staff at active international headquarters could have been a little more in tune to the intricacies of the trip.
| January 1970
New Zealand Walking Adventure
4.8 from 387 reviews
John S
Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!
| January 1970
Patagonia Hiking Adventure
4.7 from 1139 reviews
Federico S
Everything was more than perfect and super smooth! Thanks to Gustavo that did an awesome job managing all the adventure and was super funny too! Also the local guides (Cristiano of Torres del Paine expecially) were excellent as was very good the hotel choice and the food.
I was really lucky to hike the W Trek with very good weather (even too warm) that allow me to enjoy the amazing views that Torres del Paine offers, but unfortunately the weather didn't allow to hike the Laguna de Los Tres.
The only negative (very small one), is that I would preferred to have more time on Perito Moreno glacier, maybe with the option of hiking in the glacier.
In future I would love to travel again with Active Adventure!
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
Lisa Z
We decided to splurge and book our dream to New Zealand with Active Adventures. New Zealand has been on the top of our travel wish list for many years so when our 40th Anniversary came around we decided that it was a good time to book this trip. We had thought about planning our own camping and hiking trip but after doing some research we decided that it was just going to take more time than we had. We had looked through Active Adventure trips before and decided this was the way to go to get the most out of the time we had in New Zealand. It was everything we hoped for. Our guides were fantastic and so much fun to hang around with. We felt that our group of travelers were very well matched up as far as hiking abilities and were a great group of people to hang with. We would most definitely do another trip with Active Adventures if we have a chance in the future.
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
Paul F
New Zealand is a truly wonderful country. Even though I found travelling within the country to be rather expensive, I enjoyed everything about it. It is easily the most picturesque country I've ever visited, and the people are wonderful. Most of the planned activities were great, and I especially enjoyed the hikes we did. However, there were a couple of real disappoints. The first was the kayaking. It was in a lovely place, but it was far too short. I would have been happier if it had been double, or even triple the time. The second was the biking. I was looking forward tp a 4-6 hour ride out in the countryside. Instead, the ride lasted about an hour, and most of it was by a major highway! There is one other issue that I must mention. One of the clients on our trip came down with covid. I thought the guides handled the situation as best they could. However, Active Adventures needs to design a very specific protocol for how to handle these occurrences. Covid is NOT going away anytime soon. There were some really hard feelings that occurred on our trip. These could have been avoided if everyone, guides and clients alike, knew exactly what the protocol was to be, BEFORE THE TRIP BEGAN.
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
Nancy O
I have been anticipating this trip for quite awhile and was so pleased with the adventure. New Zealand is so beautiful and the trip allowed me to see many aspects of the South Island. The hiking was world class and challenging. The bodies of water that were seen are pristine. I was amazed to be able to drink right out of the streams that were pasted while hiking. I loved the varied accommodations giving a real flare for life in New Zealand. It was very interesting to visit the small villages and to visit the beautiful city of Queenstown. The kiwis are such fun loving, kind and thoughtful. I enjoyed the bike ride on A2O and would have welcomed a longer ride or another day of cycling. The kayaking in the Lagoon was fun and interesting. The food was over the top delicious and so plentiful. What really made the trip exquisite were the guides. Clare and Emma are 1st class A++ guides. I don't know how they do it. Always pleasant, informative, hardworking and boy are they fun. It is a true skill to be able to meet everyone's needs and expectations especially age ranges from 15-70 with varied fitness levels. The are amazing professionals. Clare's knowledge and driving skills are impressive. Emma's endurance and culinary skills were amazing. These ladies made the trip exceptional. I'm not sure how much they get paid but it is not enough. Please give them a big raise and bonus. Can't stress this enough. I have traveled with with REI, Backroads and G Adventure in the past and can reassure you that Clare and Emma are in a class of their own. Guess you can tell I hold them in very high regard. They made the trip! Will definitely travel with Active Adventure again. In fact, I am starting to plan a return trip to New Zealand and will request Clare and Emma.
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
Laurene J
From day one we knew this was going to be a fabulous experience, from the exceptional itinerary, organizational detail, the daily flow divided among transport time, hiking time, and truly exceptional meals provided by our guides for the most part. Jess and Jake were absolutely stellar in their tireless pursuit to ensure that everyone in the group enjoy their experience to the fullest and then some. We were wowed by their teamwork in guiding the hikes, driving the bus, cooking gourmet evening meals, and providing a wealth of knowledge from flora and fauna to historical information along with fascinating anecdotes -- all with infinite patience and genuine joy shown in every detail during the trip. The bus was constantly stocked with the most delicious fresh fruit, bars and snacks, and all dietary needs were remembered and accommodated at every meal. The pace of the trip and the variety of accommodations and activities could not have been better. This was absolutely a 5-star trip with the best of the best in a guiding team.
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
Patty G
This was the best trip I have ever been on. New Zealand doesn't disappoint! Very Organized! The guides were fantastic! They were fun , engaging, very knowledgable and encouraging! They had very long days and were always pleasant and full of energy. Claire and Emma worked so well together! The cooked meals were fantastic! The restaurants were great! The itinerary was excellent. The highlight of my trip was hiking to Angelus Hut. It was challenging and exhilarating to reach the top. I truly enjoyed all the hikes, kayaking and the boat ride in Milford Sound!
| January 1970
Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure
4.7 from 1376 reviews
Sandra D
We recently arrived home from our Jan 2023 Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure with Pablo (and Paulo). It was a trip of a lifetime that we had been excited to go on for some time. The trip was so well executed in every aspect from trip leadership, support and logistics to the tempo of the activities. Every day was well organized and we were always kept busy but not rushed. Accomodations were very good - in particular the hotel on Isabella was fantastic. Hotel Wittmer was better than i expected and the beachfront views were amazing. The food was on point, healthy and plentious. We especially appreciated the snacks provided post snorkelling on the boats, and during the Sierra Negra hike that always appeared when we needed them most. Our trip leader Pablo was fantastic and shared his deep knowledge and passion for the Galapagos islands. He was very supportive and especially made me feel encouraged when doing activites that were more challenging for me (hiking in the heat for example). The trip logistics were fantastic and Paulo serves recognition for all the behind the scenes work getting gear organized and ready, cleaning snorkelling gear and wetsuits and getting luggage to and from rooms and boats. The snorkeling was a highlight of the trip for me and the best I have ever experienced. My skills and condfidence grew with the many oportunities we had to snorkle. Swimming with so many hammerhead sharks at Kicker rock will be a trip highlight for me. The diversity and beauty of these special islands will be with me forever. Pablo's passion for these islands and his sharing of knowledge allowed me to learn so much.
| January 1970
Patagonia Hiking Adventure
4.7 from 1139 reviews
Tracy F
Good, really enjoyed it
| January 1970
Classic South Island Adventure
4.7 from 1726 reviews
Kelli B
There were just so many WOW moments. Everywhere you looked was like a picture postcard. We were lucky enough to have the most sensational weather. Clear blue skies and views for ever! The Siberia to Lake Crucible trek was definitely the highlight of my trip. It was a challenge for me but I made it!! I did think that last hike up the rock face to the lake would do me in, but I had to get there! The vast change in scenery on this trek was amazing. Always something different. The whole experience of getting the small plane up, trekking through rivers and streams (many and cold) grassy glacial flats, vertical climbs through stunning beech forests using tree roots and branches as ladders and finally getting to the top of the lake topped off with icebergs. Wow!
We were so lucky to have the best guides for our trip in Pim and Kim. Can’t thank them enough for everything they did. Their organisation, cooking skills, fun and knowledge was second to none. Just the best! Also thanks to Alecia who joined us in our trek up to Lake Crucible. A first for her as well so we got to enjoy together.
Overall the trip was amazing. The group size was perfect and Active Adventures provided us with everything to make it something special to remember forever.
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
Karen B
We loved this trip. The quality of the activities, scenery, and guiding was superior to any we have been on. Our guides, Clare and Emma, were fun, knowledgable and experienced leaders throughout the tour. They did an amazing job handling the differentiation within the group (physical abilities, age, etc) and helped make this a trip of a lifetime. The South Island held up its end of the bargain with a diversity of geography, activities, food, and people that makes this one of our all time favorite places we have traveled to.
To be honest, we usually organize and lead our own trips and adventures, so this was a challenge for us to give up that control and accept that we were part of a group. However, there is no way we ever could have seen the number of places and experienced the amount of activity that we did during this trip, had we been on our own. One clarification, this is a high quality -tour- that includes quality activities along the way. From our perspective, it is not an -adventure-, at least how we would define the term. If you are looking for big adventure on the South Island, maybe this isn't for you. But, you will not see as much as we did. The attention to detail in the planning and leading of this trip was outstanding. We felt pampered, relaxed, and appropriately tired.
Our biggest suggestion is for the perspective future guests on this trip: please judge your fitness level accurately. The success of the trip depends on your realistic self-assessment of your fitness and abilities. The descriptions of the activities are overall accurate, and this probably isn't the time to "push yourself" to a higher level. Active Adventures has plenty of other tours that might fit your activity level.
| January 1970
Patagonia Hiking Adventure
4.7 from 1139 reviews
Erin B
Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
Beverly M
A truly memorable trip with many moving parts. Our ambitious itinerary proceeded seamlessly, thanks to our knowledgable and capable guides. A trip of a life time for those seeking an Active Adventure!
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
Ian M
-don't publish please-
Really wanted to mention how excellent both of the guides, ken and brogan, were. They were super friendly, knowledgeable, and capable, and helped make it a really memorable trip.10/10 rating for both of them. My favorite part of the trip was the Nelson Lakes backpacking section, really beautiful to be out in scenery like that. In my opinion, it felt uncomfortable to have our guides be preparing meals and serving us food, at their insistence. Really something I am not used to, especially out backpacking and in public spaces like the huts we stayed in. Would vastly have preferred to have some form of (optional) group cooking for those nights.
| January 1970
Patagonia Hiking Adventure
4.7 from 1139 reviews
Anne C
Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!
| January 1970
New Zealand Biking Adventure
4.7 from 312 reviews
Karen K
Outstanding guides made this adventure better than expected. Their expertise and good planning and positive outlook made experiencing New Zealand's beauty so enjoyable!
| January 1970
North Island Volcanic Adventure
4.5 from 754 reviews
Margaret B
This trip was just a half tour for us - and in fairness many things had been changed due to the crazy rain the North was getting. It was great to see that part of NZ though!
| January 1970
Classic South Island Adventure
4.7 from 1726 reviews
Matt L
Active runs this trip superbly. First off, the guides are friendly, supremely knowledgeable, flexible, and professional. I can't imagine this trip without them. This trip specifically exposes you to magnificent adventures throughout the South Island and allows you to sit back and enjoy the ride as you travel from hike to hike and adventure to stunning views. Absolutely recommend!
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
Customer
Emma and Clare were the best guides I have had. Wonderful energy and managed different abilities/interests really well. They were organized and very well prepared. Emma was a master at prepping our food. She took such good care of us. Clare was unstoppable and always upbeat. She made everything fun. Both were wonderful role models for my 15 yo daughter. I had her lift one of their packs during the multi day angelus circuit hike - so heavy! I have guided myselfOutward Bound) and taken many trips with other guides. These two are standouts. You are lucky to have them.
| January 1970
Ultimate South Island Adventure
4.7 from 4483 reviews
Tim P
Emma and Clare were the best guides I have had. Wonderful energy and managed different abilities/interests really well. They were organized and very well prepared. Emma was a master at prepping our food. She took such good care of us. Clare was unstoppable and always upbeat. She made everything fun. Both were wonderful role models for my 15 yo daughter. I had her lift one of their packs during the multi day angelus circuit hike - so heavy! I have guided myself (Outward Bound) and taken many trips with other guides. These two are standouts. You are lucky to have them.
| January 1970
Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure
4.7 from 1376 reviews
Nancy F
Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!
| January 1970
Great Walks of New Zealand
4.7 from 128 reviews
Penelope H
This was an amazing week for us. The guided walks were the best. My favourite was the Beech Forest Trail on the Kepler Track. The most challenging for me was the climb to the saddle on Ben Lomond, the views from Key Summit on the Routeburn track spectacular and the sand flies on the Milford Track just plain annoying but didn't stop us enjoying our 10k walk. Our guides Koru and Brownie were outstanding. So knowledgeable, kind and patient as we were mostly a group of 8 of reasonably fit over 65yrs - let's say we all had walking boots that had been used before! The accommodation and meals were lovely in a variety of setting my favourites were the cruise on Doubtful Sound and Milford Lodge real luxury with such great staff teams. Cruising round Secretary Island, seeing dolphins and seals and variety bird life were all up there. The time went so quickly. We have returned home enriched and well exercised! Thank you, Koru and Brownie, for your exceptional hard work and kindness.
| January 1970
New Zealand Walking Adventure
4.8 from 387 reviews
Barbara G
Good, really enjoyed it
| January 1970