4.7 Stars (4482 reviews)
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.
Ultimate South Island Adventure, January 1970
4.7 Stars (4482 reviews)
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.
Ultimate South Island Adventure, January 1970
4.7 Stars (4482 reviews)
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!
Ultimate South Island Adventure, January 1970
4.7 Stars (1376 reviews)
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.
Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure, January 1970
4.7 Stars (1139 reviews)
Good, really enjoyed it
Patagonia Hiking Adventure, January 1970
4.7 Stars (1725 reviews)
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.
Classic South Island Adventure, January 1970
4.7 Stars (4482 reviews)
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.
Ultimate South Island Adventure, January 1970
4.7 Stars (1139 reviews)
Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!
Patagonia Hiking Adventure, January 1970