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I highly recommend this trip if you are an avid hiker. This country was one of the most beautiful I’ve been to. The guides both on the north and south Island were amazing. The group dynamic was top-notch. I was unsure about this trip, but I’m so glad that I committed and went on it. I would highly recommend this trip to anybody considering it.
Climbing in mount cook area
North island - Justin was very attentive and organized and took care of everyone and everything very well. South Island - Ali was a top notch guide and made the trip amazing - fun, organized and experienced. Always willing to answer questions and address concerns. Great guiding !!
If your in the fence just commit and go and you won’t regret trekking in this beautiful country.
If you are reading this review because you are thinking of going on this Exodus trip, I have to say I’m quite jealous of you! If you decide to go you have an amazing holiday ahead of you. This is an opportunity to see some of the best this beautiful country has to offer in a relatively short period of time. Yes, it was exhausting because we packed so much in, but what a rollercoaster of fun and experience. And most days there was time to relax and recharge in the vehicle.
Certainly there were the 'stars of the show' - trekking across the stunning Tongariro crossing, marvelling at the craters, volcanoes and emerald lakes; a drenching at the magnificent Milford Sound; the grandeur of Mount Cook. But there were inspirational moments every single day: staring in awe at the ancient Podocarp trees in Whinnaki forest; diving into the sea on arrival at Bark Bay, then waking up to the sun rise the next morning; watching the cheeky Takahe bird in the 'ballroom balcony' launching determined raids on our camp; the charming 'wee bookshop' in the middle of nowhere; delicious lunches by aqua blue lakes; cocktail hour in Queenstown. The list goes on and on. So many moments to cherish.
Our two guides, Justin in the North Island and Ali in the South were both great. They were fun, knowledgeable and clearly committed to ensuring we all had a good time. As well as guiding they did all the driving and some cooking and bag carrying too. They really did work very hard. Ali in the South was assisted for some of the time by Vince, who kept us entertained with his regular handstands!
There wasn't much time to explore Auckland or Christchurch at the start and finish of the tour so you may want to consider adding extra days in you have the time. I particularly wished I'd had more time at Auckland, as I would have liked to visit Waiheke Island, and the Hobbiton film set. I followed Exodus' and the trip note advice not to bring a bag with wheels, but most of my fellow travellers did have soft bags with wheels and this wasn't a problem at all at any stage. Wheels would have made my life a lot easier when travelling! If you decide to fly via America without breaking your journey, do leave plenty of time for your connecting flight. LA Airport was mad busy, and even though I had 3 hours between flights I nearly missed my connection. As everybody else has said, don't underestimate those pesky sandflies! Long sleeves and trousers, and the local repellent seems to be the way to go.
This is a wonderful opportunity to get to know a beautiful country and to enjoy probably the best one-day trek in the world, the Tongagriro Alpine Crossing. The scenery is incredibly varied, the walking is challenging at times but always enjoyable. The organisation of the entire trip was faultless and the guides were full of enthusiasm and knowledge. It’s an intense and busy three weeks, with a lot of travel involved between walks but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. The group were such fun, too, which made it all the better.
I think seeing the astonishing volcanic vent in the Red Crater of Tongariro; it impressed by its size and awesome beauty. The waterfalls in Milford Sound, an optional trip on a very wet day, were majestic and mystical, too.
We had two main group leaders, Just on North Island and Ali, in the South. They were different characters but both had an infectious enthusiasm for the country, its flora and fauna, its birdlife and its culture. They were incredibly hard-working and made sure we had the best experience possible. Can't recommend them too highly.
It's a full-on trip and there is very little downtime.You need energy to cope with early starts and relatively late, hurried finishes every day. There's precious little time for washing clothes and other personal organisations tasks. It's a team effort, too, with food preparation and washing up, moving luggage into and out of the van, so be prepared to roll up your sleeves and muck in. The two nights wild camping means taking an extra rucksack and managing weight allowances carefully. The sandflies are an absolute pain so get the best bug spray possible as soon as you arrive in NZ (it's specially formulated). The accommodation is pretty good overall, only Queenstown was a bit basic. It's a long way to travel and if you can afford it, business class really helps ease the trip.
This was an excellent trip to genuinely experience a great variety of tracks in NZ. We were able to tick off 4 of 9 of the Great Walks. Two of them, Tongariro Northern Circuit & Abel Tasman, we had a longer closer look at. Those & the Siberia Valley at Mt Aspiring NP will be enduring memories. So many activities everyday with very little down time. A fair amount of time spent in the van getting from place to place but unavoidable. Flights from Wellington to Nelson by a small Cessna, helicopter ride into the Siberia Valley & numerous water taxis helped conserve our time. All in all a great trip!
Many but probably completing tracks when absolutely exhausted or perilously returning down tracks in pelting rain & realizing I could conquer that fear.
We actually had 3 on this trip. All were good & had so very different personalities/styles.
Don’t take a lot of clothes as there are opportunities to wash them a few times along the way. They are dead serious about the weight limit on the flight from Wellington to Nelson. Take a break from the internet because wifi coverage is spotty & poor. The hotel in Queenstown is your best opportunity to download a few pics. Go with an open mind & try to complete the entire itinerary even if the weather is not the best.
This was an excellent trip to genuinely experience a great variety of tracks in NZ. We were able to tick off 4 of 9 of the Great Walks. Two of them, Tongariro Northern Circuit & Abel Tasman, we had a longer closer look at. Those & the Siberia Valley at Mt Aspiring NP will be enduring memories. So many activities everyday with very little down time. A fair amount of time spent in the van getting from place to place but unavoidable. Flights from Wellington to Nelson by a small Cessna, helicopter ride into the Siberia Valley & numerous water taxis helped conserve our time. All in all a great trip!
Many but probably completing tracks when absolutely exhausted or perilously returning down tracks in pelting rain & realizing I could conquer that fear.
We actually had 3 on this trip. All were good & had so very different personalities/styles.
Don’t take a lot of clothes as there are opportunities to wash them a few times along the way. They are dead serious about the weight limit on the flight from Wellington to Nelson. Take a break from the internet because wifi coverage is spotty & poor. The hotel in Queenstown is your best opportunity to download a few pics. Go with an open mind & try to complete the entire itinerary even if the weather is not the best.
A truly brilliant 3 week trip highlighting the best of North and South Island
Too many to choose one. Highlights for me included the beautiful coast paths and beaches of Abel Tasman, helicopter to Siberia hut. The challenge of hiking to lake Crucible. Fantastic cruise on Milford Sound seeing dolphins swimming around the boat. The amazing Mount Cook National Park and everything in between
Kath on North Island is an experienced, professional guide with an easygoing style. She was ably assisted by Anne who was an intern. Chai on South Island is younger with a very different leadership style. To begin with felt he was at a slight disadvantage as we had all bonded well as a group and he had to get to know us. I definitely warmed to Chai as time went by. He is extremely passionate about New Zealand, its history and flora and fauna. Especially enjoyed his stories and his legendary "Hakka"
As previously documented this is a full on trip and you have to be organised with packing. Using several sizes of dry bags within your luggage helps. Get yourself fit as possible, preferably with plenty of hill climbing and descending practice. Breaking the outward journey in Dubai and extra night in Auckland helped with jet lag.
Excellent trip with varied iteniary with amazing landscapes
lots...trek in Tongariro national park, Milford Sounds, Mt Cook trek, Helicopter and jet boat rides , etc
Both island leaders were good. But Justine in south Island was exceptional . As an Ex Ranger who had also trekked extensively in his young age , he was full of knowledge as well as being very practical.
JUST DO IT as they say in the advert ! Dont take excess clothes as opportunity to dress smart for evenings is limited since itenary is packed so most of us just wore our clean trekking gear. Also will need larger backpack for the couple of camping days because will need to carry spare clothes,sleeping bag and tent, and some food for cooking.
A very well put-together trip with a variety of really interesting experiences
Seeing "Mount Doom" appear out of its cloud cap on the Tongariro crossing - on cue, during a snack break - and disappearing again the moment my wife had got her camera ready! Helicopter trip into Siberia valley....
Linda (north island) - lovely Lady - felt very safe in her capable hands Justin (South island) - a tireless bundle of energy, very knowledgeable and a great organiser.
Expect to go up to waist deep on the river crossings after any rain!
A great way to see and do a LOT!
What to choose! Camping on the beach at Abel Tasman was beautiful, big sky, stunning sunset and dawn. The Red quarry on the Tongariro crossing was the most amazing sight, the colours in the rocks unlike anything I've ever seen, then there was Lake Crucible, the refelction of the glacier so clear and sharp. I guess if I had to choose one, the sky dive over Queenstown was the most spectacular experience, we were blessed with a clear, bright day, making the views quite magical.
Both guides were brilliant, Graham on North Island and Chris on South. They both delivered beyond the expectations and were extremely knowlegable and passionate about their country. Changing the itinerary at short notice due to adverse weather was much appreciated and made for a very enjoyable final day. Chris's Dad, supplier of delicious birthday cakes, much appreciated too.
This is a very full on trip, you need to be quite organised packing and unpacking every night. It is absolutely worth the long flight and a fantasitc way to see a lot of New Zealand and I would do advise doing all the activities and options on offer, it's that kind of place!
A well-organised, varied and very enjoyable trip with great leaders and nice group members which did what it said on the tin. A good mix of travel and walking and other outdoor activities – a perfect first taste of NZ.
Difficult to say - the immediate immersion into the relaxed NZ vibe after the stresses of the UK pre-Christmas rush, the amazing volcanic landscapes round Rotorua, fabulous lake-side accommodation at Lake Taupo, the bizarre lunar landscape on the Tongariro crossing, the remote windswept beaches of the west coast of South Island, the lush greenery and deep inlets of Fjordland, the majesty of (unfortunately mist-shrouded) Mount Cook - the list goes on.
Graham and Chris (respective group leaders for North and South Island parts of the trip) were both very capable and efficient as well as being friendly, impeturbable and very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna and history of NZ. They worked really hard to ensure we had the best holiday possible and to facilitate group members contributing as well ot the experience. I really don't think they could have done any more than they did and indeed they exceeded our expectations e.g. Chris invited us to his house for a buffet lunch on Christmas Day.
If you want to get a general overview of New Zealand in as short a time as realistically possible, with a bit of walking and other outdoor activities throughout, I can highly recommend this trip.