My wife and I are very active early 60 year olds and we found the Rimu trip was a perfect way to explore the South Island and get plenty of exercise. We went in early March and were very lucky with the west coast weather only encountering one rainy afternoon. Our trip went in the opposite direction as the itinerary as there were two Rimu groups. We had an off & on light rain/mist during our visit to Mt. Cook and our two excellent guides split the group so those wanting to get a lot of vertical hiking with views and those who wanted an easier and just as stunning hike would be satisfied. All the hiking, kayaking and biking as we made our way south and then up the west coast was perfect. I am an avid mountain biker from Bend OR so we chose the Queen Charlotte Track mountain biking option which met and exceeded my expectations. The accommodations on the Queen Charlotte Sound were fantastic. We stayed in a home of a husband/wife team (our rooms were exterior entry) who prepared excellent meals and prepared bag lunches to take with us on our rides. Their knowledge of wines was amazing and they kept bringing out more of their favorite select NZ wines. I had the best sauvignon blanc I have ever tasted from a special bottle they opened for us. I biked along a loop trail on the ridge-line of Queen Charlotte Sound with great views and would classify as more difficult (blue). Our guide did have a very difficult black diamond loop but we chose the blue. The best part of our stay was the outdoor hot tub where we enjoyed our wine, soaked in the heat, and enjoyed the glow worms putting on a light show. We are now planning our next Active Adventure trip in the Himalayas.

| January 1970