FAQ

New Zealand’s key international airports are at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Some flights from Australia also land at Hamilton, Queenstown and Dunedin.

Air New Zealand, Qantas, and Air Pacific offer regular, direct service to New Zealand from the United States. Other carriers such as Air Tahiti Nui and United offer flights connecting to New Zealand.

For our South Island trips, you’ll also need a connecting flight from Auckland to Christchurch or Queenstown. Air New Zealand offers connecting flights.

Flights vary depending on many factors, such as when they are purchased and the time of year traveling. Many people traveling from the East Coast of the United States use air miles / points to get to Los Angeles, lowering the overall cost of air travel. Also, there are connecting flights through parts of Asia / Tahiti that may lower overall cost (though these will add to travel time).

New Zealand is only an overnight flight from the West Coast of the US. Most flights leave Los Angeles in the evening, and arrive in Auckland the next morning. It is also possible to fly direct out of San Francisco or (via Sydney, Australia) out of New York. Most international flights arrive and depart from Auckland, on the North Island.

Flight time from Los Angeles to Auckland is approx 12 hrs 45mins – this is a non-stop overnight flight. With an array of movies offered by most airlines and some good shut-eye, the flight is very manageable. Your time in New Zealand will be an adventure never to be forgotten … it’s worth the journey!

Please note: Flights from the US to New Zealand cross the international dateline. For instance, a flight leaving Los Angeles on Friday evening will not arrive in New Zealand until Sunday morning/afternoon. You lose a day in travel. Conversely, flights back to the US from New Zealand often arrive on the same date as they left – so it’s possible to fly out of Auckland and arrive in Los Angeles on the same day (you gain a day).

If you are traveling from Europe it is possible to connect through Los Angeles, or through Asia with carriers such as Emirates, British Airways, Singapore Airlines and KLM.

1. Get in very early! – fares open up a year or more before travel. This is a major advantage of booking early.

2. Availability can and does change. So if you don’t succeed in getting the flights you want, keep trying.

You will need a passport that is valid for at least six months past the date you intend to leave New Zealand regardless of your citizenship. Visas are not required for those traveling on a USA passport who are staying in New Zealand less than three months. If you are traveling for longer or traveling on a non-USA passport, it is best to check your requirements on the New Zealand Immigration Service website. For detailed information, visit: www.immigration.govt.nz and www.nzembassy.com As for immunization, New Zealand is one of the safest countries in the world. No shots are required to come to New Zealand and none are currently recommended by the World Heath Organization. Being an Island Nation, New Zealand has strict border controls on bringing animal, plant, and food products into the country. Certain animal products, fruit, plant material or foodstuffs that could contain plant or animal pests and diseases may not be allowed into the country. Please help us keep our country pure and natural. For detailed information, visit: www.customs.govt.nz or www.maf.govt.nz

See our handy “sheep guide” on each trip description page for the activity level of each trip: Easy – Moderate – Experienced. While there is clearly some room for interpretation, your best bet if you have questions is to give us a call, we are more than happy to discuss which trip may be suited to you or your group.

We strongly recommend that all travellers obtain suitable insurance at the time of booking to provide cover in the event of illness or injury, medical evacuation, theft, trip interruption, loss of luggage and personal effects, cancellation or other travel mishap. We can suggest www.insuremytrip.com or www.travelguard.com as good places to start.

We will do pick-ups at all city accommodation within Auckland or Christchurch city on the day of departure. We arrange this with you once you have booked and arranged your flights and accommodation (and, yes, we can make some great accommodation suggestions). Alternatively, we can also meet you at the city Information Centre. Finally we do pickups at the airport before heading out of town for those folks that have just arrived.

We generally take up to 8 people per trip, all our trips have one to two guides to look after you. We like the fact that our trip sizes are small — it makes for an intimate trip and the potential for life long friendships to be made. It also allows us a lot of flexibility.

We use a wide variety of carefully-selected accommodations depending on the trip you have chosen. Our accommodations are chosen for their special locations and unique atmosphere. We have taken hours and even days looking for just the right accommodation. Depending on the trip you may be staying in a hotel, B&B, lodge or even a mountain hut.

Because there’s such a variety of accommodations on our trips, some places will have ensuite bathrooms, and some will have shared bathrooms.

Our trips are based on a twin-share rate. If you don’t have a travel partner we’ll match you up with another person of the same gender to share a room. If we can’t find a roommate for you, we don’t charge you a single supplement.

* A "twin share room" in New Zealand means 1 room with 2 separate beds, usually single beds.

* A "double bed room" in New Zealand means 1 room with 1 bed usually a double bed, or sometimes a queen bed.

* If you are traveling on your own, and you would prefer not to twin-share, you can request your own private room if you like, dependant on space availability. For this you’ll need to pay a private room fee.

What is the private room supplement?

See the trip cost section for each trip. It varies per trip. Single supplement accommodation is available at some lodges, however, the trips are organized and priced on a twin/double share basis. Single supplement accommodation is available (except in alpine huts) at an extra price. The advertised single supplement prices do not include the Milford over night boats, if available single rooms on these boats are an extra NZD $250.

We are accustomed to catering to the following special diets:

* vegan (no meat or animal products)

* vegetarian (no meat products)

* pescatarian (vegetarian, but eat fish)

* no red meat (eat chicken & fish)

* gluten intolerant (no wheat, bye, barley or oats)

* lactose intolerant (no dairy products)

Once your trip is reserved we send out a pre-trip questionnaire. This allows you to specify any particular dietary requirements. Alternatively we are always an email or phone call away if you have any questions.

Your trip includes all transportation, guiding, meals (except where indicated on the itinerary, generally only one or two nights where we let you explore town) and activities (unless it says it’s "optional"). For most trips, you could bring US$150 and go home with change. In reality two to three hundred is more than enough to cover souvenirs, a couple nights out, book an additional tour or two in Queenstown and cover extra drinks at the pub or a take home bottle of New Zealand wine.

New Zealand’s currency is the New Zealand dollar. New Zealand offers value for money, as the US dollar is stronger than the New Zealand dollar.

* Travelers cheques – probably the next best form of exchange with reasonable exchange rates as long as you don’t exchange them at shops!

* ATM cards – ATMs are plentiful in New Zealand. As long as your card has a pin number and a "cirrus", "plus", "Star" or "Interlink" symbol on the back of it you should have no trouble withdrawing local currency from your US account. Check with your bank for overseas transaction fees.

* Credit cards – All major credit cards may be used in New Zealand and are accepted in most places & have the best exchange rate. They are recommended for purchases, but not for cash advances due to instant interest. Again check with your bank for overseas transaction fees. We also recommend you advise your Credit Card company in advance of traveling , this ensures they don’t lock your card when they see changes from New Zealand!

* US cash – not very readily accepted by shops, and generally carry the worst direct exchange rates. Not recommended.

* US charge cards – can be difficult to use in New Zealand, not recommended.

* Banks are generally open Monday to Friday 9am-4pm in most places, exchange centers have longer hours & open weekends.

* Airport Banks generally guarantee the same rate as the downtown banks.

Cost of Common Items in New Zealand Dollars:

- Cappucino/Latte: $3.50

- Bottle of Beer: $6-$7

- Glass of Wine: $7-$10

- Cafe Lunch: $10 – $25

- Postcard to USA: $1.50

- Can of Coke: $1.50

- Hotel Breakfast: $18 – $25

There are a several internet cafes in some of the larger towns we pass through. Rates are around NZ $5 per hour. There may be times when we won’t see much civilization allowing access to internet for a few days. New Zealand is definitely not Wi Fi compatible. We most definitely do not encourage the bringing of laptops on trips. This is a vacation for you and others after all. If however you feel the need to remain wired to matrix you will need an RJ45 type plug to be able to connect your laptop into a computer socket in New Zealand, and an adapter with a flat two or three point power plug to connect to the power supply.

New Zealand has both analogue and GSM digital networks. Check with your phone company before leaving home about international mobile roam facilities available in New Zealand. Again we recommend you leave this at home or at least turned off in your bag. It is possible to purchase phone cards before your trip and while in New Zealand for calling back home. Just make sure you check the connection fees and per minute charges before purchasing a particular card.

Yes we provide this number with our pre-trip materials.

We require a US$500 deposit per person to secure your place on your chosen trip. This deposit is non-refundable, but it is transferable to another departure date within three months prior to 60 days before departure. In the event that it becomes necessary for you to cancel the trip, the balance of the trip cost will be refunded according to the following schedule:

* Prior to 60 days before the commencement of the trip: full refund of balance.

* Within 60 days before the commencement of the trip: 50% refund of balance.

* Within 30 days before the commencement of the trip: no refund.

Yes, click here. On some trips, you’ll need to bring a backpack and a sleeping bag as well. We can rent you these items if needed (please let us know well in advance)

Yes, you really do need all of the required items on the gear list. This list is not only to ensure you stay warm and happy, but also to ensure you stay safe — especially if it’s cold and rainy. We’ve had days in the middle of summer which have included waking up to snow, moving to rain and finishing the day in a T shirt and shorts. It is possible to truly get all four seasons in a day. It can be cold and rainy at any time of year. We will do a gear check before heading into the mountains.

What you choose to wear on your feet is ultimately up to you. That said, we highly recommend shoes that are sturdy and designed for extended walking and can handle trails of various terrain. If your trip has an overnight hike, hiking boots (with full ankle support, a stiff sole and broken-in, of course) are the way to go. If you are on a trip with no over-night hikes, a good pair of low-hikers will be just fine.

The best way to wear your clothing is to layer – several thin layers instead of one bulky one. This way you’re prepared no matter what the weather as it can change quite considerably throughout the day.

What should I wear for hiking? We recommend wearing clothes made from the quick drying, "breathable" fabrics. There are a wide variety of these types of clothes available at outdoor stores such as REI or EMS. We recommend you don’t wear jeans or heavy cotton for any activities as they get very heavy & uncomfortable if they get wet. The same clothing can be worn for hiking, cycling and kayaking. We recommend wearing clothing made from quick drying, "breathable" fabrics. In cooler weather we recommend using thermal underwear – these are worn under your pants & t-shirts for an extra layer of warmth. On top we recommend sweaters made from fleece or wool – again because they keep you warm even when you are wet. As an outer layer we recommend a medium weight waterproof jacket. Jackets made from Goretex or a similar propriety water proof membrane are ideal and will serve you well.

Not really. New Zealand is a very casual country and you would be comfortable and appropriately dressed for almost any dining establishment or club in jeans or khakis.

We recommend bringing one medium sized piece of luggage and one daypack per person. We have limited space in our gear trailer.

True New Zealand would be happy to make a hotel booking for you in Auckland, Christchurch or Queenstown before or after your trip, as long you let us know well in advance. Prices range from US$150 to $160. Alternitively we can make some great recommendations as well if you wish to book your own.

New Zealand lies southeast of Australia. The lower South Island sits on the 45th Parallel. Approximate flight times are:

* From Los Angeles to Auckland 12 hours.

* From Auckland to Christchurch 1.5 hours.

* From Auckland to Sydney 3 hours.

* From Christchurch to Sydney 3 hours.

New Zealand is 1000 miles (1600 km) north to south with an area of 166,527 sq miles (268,000 sq kms). It is comprised of two major islands: the North Island and the South Island, and a number of small islands.

The time in New Zealand is GMT + 12 hours, Daylight savings GMT +13.

The two official languages of New Zealand are English and Maori although New Zealand is a predominantly English-speaking nation. Culturally diverse, New Zealand is 75.8% European (Pakeha) in origin, 13.8% of Maori origin, 5.3% of Pacific Island origin, 4.5% of Asian origin. The total population of New Zealand is 4 million.

New Zealand’s seasons are the reverse of the Northern Hemisphere. Weather in New Zealand can be varied and can change quickly: it is less predictable than in the States or Europe. The South Island is only 150 miles wide, divided by a chain of large mountains, so there are all sorts of local weather patterns.

The temperature is generally very comfortable during December to April. In the summer (Dec – Feb) daytime temperatures average 65 – 90F and Autumn (Fall) 60-70F, however, it is not uncommon to experience temperatures outside of these. Mornings and evening’s are often cooler. It can get very hot at times and it can rain at any time of year. So long as you bring the gear we recommend, we’ll have lots of fun – whatever the weather! Visit www.weather.co.nz for the latest New Zealand weather

New Zealand has featured in several big budget movie productions recently. Here is a list of some movies you might have seen that feature New Zealand’s famous scenery.

MOVIES
* In My Fathers Den
* Vertical Limit
* The Piano
* An Angel at My Table
* Heavenly Creatures
* The Frighteners
* Jurassic Park 2 The Lost World
* Xena the Warrior Princess (TV series)
* Hercules (TV series)
* Midnight Run
* Walking with Dinosaurs (TV series)
* Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
* Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
* Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
* Whale Rider
* Eagle Vs Shark
* Legend of the Seeker (TV series)

BOOKS
* Michael King, The Penguin History of New Zealand, 2003
* Geoff Moon, The Reed Field Guide to New Zealand Birds, 1992, Reed Books.
* Ia Dougherty, Heart of Gold: The People and Places of Otago
* Glen Coates, The Rise and Fall of the Southern Alps, 2002, Canterbury University Press