Christiaan "Lofty" Filius

"From the moment we met Lofty I knew we were going to have fun! The boys 16, 14 and 10 instantly connected with him and we were excited. I felt that every day seemed more memorable than the last. We jetboated, kayaked, biked, rafted, river boarded and hiked to some mind blowing beautiful places - at all times under the guidance of the legend that is Lofty. We laughed at lot and enjoyed a true 'holiday of a lifetime'. "
-- Melanie King (Ecchinswell, Berks, United Kingdom) January 2011 Kea Family

"Lofty was so great. He's really entertaining, makes everyone feel comfortable and involved, really knows what he is talking about, loves NZ, is a good cook, and never made the group feel like he was above us. His goofiness and knowledge of NZ made the trip significantly better than it could have been without him."
-- Ken Kuehl (Tucson, Arizona, USA) November 2010 Tui

"Great stories, kept people involved in the trip. Kept us safe and entertained. "
-- Rachel Alemany (Alaska, USA) January 2010 Tui

"He was amazing in his stories, jokes and everything. He made the trip much more fun in everything and was always professional."
-- James Bigelow (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) January 2010 Tui

"Lauren and Lofty were both great. They worked hard and had great skill at handling both little and big people. They were especially good at knowing when the kids needed a break or a change of pace."
-- Carson Family (Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA) December 2009 Kea Family

"Lofty was fantastic. Whether he was sharing his in-depth knowledge of all things NZ or entertaining us with his jokes, everything he did was top-notch. He has a great sense of humor and was largely responsible for making the trip as fun as it was. "
-- Annie Maron (Los Angeles, California, USA) November 2009 Tui

"Lofty was great. He goes above and beyond to ensure everyone is having a good time. Not to mention, his helpfulness and height during the river crossings!"
-- Lisa Lazarczyk (Arlington, Massachusetts, USA) November 2009 Tui

"Lofty was truly excellent. Amazing, always positive attitude, and manages to be incredibly enthusiastic even though I'm sure he's done/seen everything we did/saw on our trip hundreds of times. He had great stories and really shared his love of NZ. An excellent leader, particularly when it can be hard to move 14 random people in the same direction."
-- Scott Larson (New York, USA) November 2009 Tui

"I can't say enough about Lofty or [co-guide] Joni. They are both assets to ACTIVE so you should hold on to them. They are personable, funny, professional, helpful, skilled, etc. It's a new experience for me having never been on a guided trip before, but after spending every day with them for a week (a short time in the grand scheme of things, I know) we really miss them. Truly, they're wonderful people and are exceptional in their respective roles. We were genuinely sad when we parted with them and the group."
-- JB Baran (New Jersey, USA) November 2009 Tui

"I thought Lofty was wonderful. Knowledgeable, fun, light hearted, good instructions and support. Created nice 'team' spirit. Particularly appreciated his interactions with my kids."
-- Bob, Doug & Benjy Wachter (San Francisco, CA, USA) April 2009 Tui

"Lofty was the best part of the trip. "
-- Jo Siegel (Post Falls, Idaho, United States) March 2009 Tui

"Couldn't ask for a more enthusiastic,fun and personable (if not a bit crazy!), lead guide! GREAT with the kids!"
-- Karen Jones (Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States) December 2008 Kea Family

"We loved Lofty! He made us laugh, kept us in line, got us where we needed to be, beat us at almost every card game, taught us some new games, and kept us safe."
-- Chantel Gunther (UT, United States) January 2007 Kea Family

"Lofty was just a pleasure to be around and did an incredible job leading the trip. Always had a good story, too. His knowledge of the area and people really enhanced the trip. We were able to do things and go places that we would never have been able to find on our own. Lofty is great great great!"
-- Adam Lewandowski (KY, United States) April 2007 Kea Family

"Lofty is one of a kind. He was amazing and really made our trip outstanding!"
-- Jordan Carman (KY, United States) April 2007 Kea Family

"He was the best guide ever! He made me feel safe and at home."
-- Paige Kerman (CO, United States) December 2006 Kea Family

"Lofty was wonderful for parents and kids. He has become a great inspiration for our 16 year old which is an added bonus."
-- Carol Denton (AB, Canada) March 2006 Kea Family

"Lofty is Numero Uno!! He interacts extremely well with kids. What he does really well is that he interacts with everyone not just the people who are easy to entertain. We all loved Lofty."
-- Peter Jones (WA, United States) December 2005 Kea Family