Guide's Choice Trips

Our guides often have great ideas for new activities and destinations for our trips, so in 2006 we created an annual competition giving guides the chance to design their own trip. The 2007 winner was Jim Hawkridge, and his ‘Xtreme’ Rimu had everyone talking. It’s such a good trip, we are offering two more ‘Xtreme’ Rimu departures in the 2008/2009 season! Over the years we’ve received many requests for an extreme version of our classic Rimu trip. Well – here it is. A trip guaranteed to get your heart pumping and your endorphins flowing, experiencing New Zealand’s wilderness with a true adventure multisport athlete.

Jim’s love of adventure racing permeates this trip, with challenging bike rides, stunning little-known trail runs, incredible hiking and a few exciting extras – swimming with local Dusky dolphins, sea kayaking in the idyllic waters of Abel Tasman National Park and soaking in natural mineral spas in Hanmer. We’re not exaggerating when we say Jim is a top athlete – in 2006 he and his team-mates competed in the gruelling Southern Traverse multisport race finishing 5th overall. In May 2007, he ran (and won) the annual Routeburn Classic Race, running the full 24 miles (38km) of the Routeburn Track in just under three hours. You don’t have to be quite as fit as Jim to do this trip, but good all round fitness and stamina is a must for this adventure!

Not that it’s all about gruelling activities – in addition to his athletic achievements, Jim receives rave reviews from our past travellers for his boundless energy, approachability… and fine backcountry culinary skills! So you’ll be well fed at the end of each day. We know you’ll have a great trip, but enough from us, here’s what Jim says about his dream trip…

“I often found myself in a guiding role, while on adventures with friends. They kept telling me that I should do it for a living, and here I am. Over the years, I have competed in adventure races and mountain runs and usually the training takes me on some interesting adventures. I find it extremely rewarding to share such adventures with people, seeing them overcome their own personal challenges and having a blast doing something out of the ordinary. Knowing you have made a difference is for me, the essence of guiding...
Cheers! Jim”

The Guide's Choice trips are a great option as a returner’s trip if you've travelled with us before, or if you've never been here and want to see a different side of New Zealand, away from the usual tourist trails and into the areas where real New Zealanders go when they're looking for an active adventure!

Our guides often have great ideas for new activities and destinations for our trips, so in 2006 we created an annual competition giving guides the chance to design their own trip. The inaugural winner was Lynette Warmington, and her ‘Hoiho’ Wildlife trip was rated one of the top 25 new trips in the world by National Geographic Adventure magazine. As the flagship for Guide’s Choice, in its first season, Lynette’s trip was filled not once but twice, and we were thrilled by the positive responses from people that took the trip. We’re now offering a limited number of departures of Lynette’s itinerary in the 2008/2009 season. Though Lynette won’t be guiding them herself – she’s busy working behind the scenes and being mum to one-and-a-half-year-old Sara – the trip is still an amazing chance to see New Zealand through the eyes of one of our most experienced guides. Our main Hoiho guide, Shona Hore (who coincidently is also the winner of our 2008 Guide’s Choice competition), enjoys nothing more than sharing the amazing experiences and secret spots that the rugged southern reaches of the South Island hold and she’ll make sure you have an unforgettable adventure.

This trip has a big wildlife focus – dolphins, seals, penguins, kiwi, kea, whales, albatross, sea lions these are just a few of the many amazing creatures you can see on this trip. It’s a great option for keen wildlife photographers, and those that enjoy seeing creatures in their natural environment. It’s not all about watching though – you’ll also hike in some of the South Island’s most scenic areas including the very remote and ruggedly beautiful Hump Ridge Track on the south coast with immense views over to Stewart Island. You’ll sea kayak Doubtful Sound, swim with inquisitive dolphins, hike Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park on the trail of Sir Edmond Hillary’s first summit, visit a locally-owned Kiwi Sanctuary and much more. Here’s what Lynette says about her dream trip…

“My passions are tramping [that’s the kiwi term for backpacking] around New Zealand’s wild and hard-to-reach places, and hanging out with unusually cool creatures – like penguins and dolphins – in their natural habitat. Having guided with ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND for the past six years, I’ve always had it in mind to design a trip that offers both of these passions, so being able to combine three days of trekking the Hump Ridge Track, with some quality time in the Catlins where Little Blue and Yellow-eyed Penguins hang out, along with swimming with dolphins and checking out whales in Kaikoura makes this my ideal adventure!
Cheers! Lynette”

The Guide's Choice trips are a great option as a returner’s trip if you've travelled with us before, or if you've never been here and want to see a different side of New Zealand, away from the usual tourist trails and into the areas where real New Zealanders go when they're looking for an active adventure!