Thanks for your interest in this wonderful venture!! After reading the itinerary I think you will agree that we are sampling the best of New Zealand’s South Island. Imagine a trip where every bend in the road reveals yet more stunning scenery, where each mountain and coastline view is more spectacular than the last! New Zealand is home to the largest national park system in the southern hemisphere, and has preserved a third of its landscape as park or wilderness area. Hike along deserted golden beaches, through ancient rain forests, over an advancing glacier, and hut-to-hut along the world famous
Milford Track. Swim with dolphins at Kaikoura and kayak along Charlotte Sound .
Tour one of New Zealand’s outstanding wineries. Experience the visual delight of
Milford Sound. Encounter New Zealand’s unique flora and fauna close-up. This is the ultimate New Zealand adventure tour.
This active adventure is suitable for those of average fitness and moderate hiking experience. The itinerary involves a variety of hiking which can range up to 10 miles per day with one day of 13 miles on mostly flat and downhill terrain. Although the itinerary is oriented around hiking, it involves several other adventurous activities designed to showcase the diverse land forms and spectacular features of the South
Island. The kayaking will be at an easy level but some previous kayak experience would be helpful. We will have free time to enjoy Queenstown and Christchurch. Meals covered under the itinerary will be mostly provided by our resident cook, and in ample supply. We will travel in our own bus with two guides from Active New Zealand. One will focus on our itinerary and safety; the other will be our driver and cook. Active New
Zealand comes highly recommended by AMC leaders who have used their services in the past. Your leaders have worked closely with Active New Zealand to set up our itinerary.
You may want to know something about the leaders. Jan has been leading Major
Excursions for over 20 years. Half of her 40 or so trips have been sailing trips to Europe and the Caribbean. Many others are hiking and backpack trips to the western U.S. and
Canada. Recently she led trips to Vietnam, China, and in Sept., 2005, a hiking trip to
Italy. Carl Lohmann has co-led a hiking/snorkeling trip to Hawaii and trips to Cinnamon
Bay, St. John, for the past two years. He is a hiking and canoe leader for August Camp, and has led an ADK hiking trip to Austria. Carl is an EMT and Red Cross WSI and leads
DC Chapter hikes and canoe/kayak trips.
AIRFARE We have negotiated an excellent round trip direct flight on Air New Zealand from Los Angeles to Christchurch for $1250. Most of you will take this, but if you have
60,000 miles on partners of Air New Zealand or Quantas, you may want to explore using those miles. Flights from your home city to Los Angeles are not included. Your leaders will help you get the best options for these flights and many of you will have frequent flier miles to use. Our flight to NZ leaves at 7:15 pm on Jan 24, arriving at 5:45 am on
Jan 26 after crossing the international date line, a 12 hour flight. You need to be in LA by 4pm. to allow enough time to make the connection. We leave Christchurch at 8:30 pm on Feb 12 and arrive in LA at 12:15pm in LA on the same day. Again you should leave 2 or 3 hours before your next connection.

TRIP COST The price of $4450 is the cost of the 18 days of land travel. The growing rise in the value of the NZ$ vs. ours has caused the price of all NZ trips to escalate. However, our cost is in US$, so it will not change. Land costs include:
Guided Milford Track (approx $1300)
All transportation within New Zealand
All park admissions
All activities scheduled in the itinerary
All meals except in Queenstown and Christchurch
All accomodations
AMC Evacuation Insurance
AMC 10% overhead fee
Two AMC leaders
NOT INCLUDED
Airfare
Alcoholic beverages not included with meals
Laundry and other personal purchases
Meals in Queenstown and Christchurch
Tips for guides and accomodations
Expenses incurred by unexpected travel delays
Although AMC insurance covers any medical/evacuation insurance, we recommend that you purchase cancellation/baggage insurance in case of delays or other problems, or in case you need to cancel.
REGISTRATION A registration deposit of $800 must accompany your application form as well as the Confidential Medical Form and the Signed Acknowledgement and
Assumption of Risk form. Make checks payable to the Appalachian Mountain Club and mail all to: Jan Taylor, 4 Trotting Horse Drive, Lexington, MA 02421.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE October 1 - $2000
December 1 - $1650 plus flight cost ($1250)
CANCELLATION If you cancel after being accepted, $100 is non-refundable, but if you cancel after Oct. 1, minimally $500 is non-refundable. We will establish a waiting list. Should another person replace you, you will be charged only the $500 cancellation fee. However, your cancellation shall not raise the cost of the trip to any of the participants or leaders. Thus, if you cancel and are not replaced, you will forfeit the $500 plus the per capita expenses already incurred and any other unpaid per capita expenses for which the trip cannot obtain a refund. Thus we strongly recommend that you purchase cancellation insurance.
DAILY ITINERARY Attached is the daily list of activities prepared for us by Active
New Zealand. I hope you will agree that this is a most exciting trip.

Tuesday, Jan 24 – fly to Los Angeles. Depart 7:15pm on Air New Zealand.
Arrive in Christchurch at 5:45 am on Jan 26 – meet guides
Start date 26 th of January 2006 to 12 of February 2006 18Days
Thursday Arrive in Christchurch and Seal Swimming
The group will need to arrive in Christchurch by 11am on the first day, at which time we’ll drive up the coast to the seaside town of Kaikoura, where we will spend the afternoon and evening. We’ll take you out to the Kaikoura Peninsula for a snorkeling trip through the seal colony. You’ll have a wetsuit, a mask and a snorkel, and you can swim to within a couple of feet of the native New Zealand fur seals as they cavort in the water. This makes for a cruisy introduction to New Zealand, and gives you the chance to spend most of the day relaxing and recovering from your flight. Depending on where you’re coming from, you’ll probably find jetlag is no big deal – for instance, it’s a 12-hour direct overnight flight from the West Coast of the
USA to Auckland and there’s only a 3-hour time difference between New Zealand and US Pacific time.
Accommodation: The Old Convent
Friday Activities with Kaikoura’s Marine Wildlife and beach hiking
Today you will have a few options to enjoy the amazing marine wildlife around beautiful Kaikoura. There are whale watching, dolphin swimming and fishing options available in the morning and during the afternoon we will go on a short beach hike. Morning activities today are optional and not covered in the trip cost, the guides will have other options available for you.
Accommodation: The Old Convent
Saturday Visit Vineyard and kayaking on the Queen Charlotte Sound
We’ll drive north for a couple of hours to Blenheim, in the heart of the Marlborough wine region. We’ll visit Forrest Estate Winery, where you can sample some of their fantastic wines while we picnic on the vineyard lawn. After lunch at the winery, you’ll head for Anakiwa, on the edge of Queen Charlotte Sound where we will do an awesome afternoon sea kayaking trip to the Lochmara Lodge deep in the Marlborough
Sounds. The only way to get to the lodge is by boat or foot and you will enjoy the remote feeling of this amazing location.
Accommodation: Lochmara Lodge
Sunday Hiking in the Marlborough Sounds
Today we will do a scenic coastal hike from the Lochmara Lodge back through to Anakiwa. It’s fun walk and you get a much different perspective of the scenery after your sea kayaking trip the day before. There are also options to take a morning sea taxi and extend the hike by a couple of hours for any keen beans!
This afternoon we head down the coast to Punakaiki on the edge of Paparoa National Park.
Accommodation: Punakaiki

Monday Coastal Hiking in Paparoa National Park
Today we’ll hike the best section of the Inland Pack Track, from Bullock Creek to the Pororari River. We start at a classic “submergence”, where the river suddenly dries up mid-stream, and goes underground for a mile or so before resurfacing at Cave Creek. The rainforest in this area is unbelievably lush, and the limestone canyons and distant hazy mountains of Paparoa National Park make this an awesome day hike.
We’ll also follow the Truman Track to a small surf beach and stroll around the famous Pancake Rocks and
Blowholes. If you’d rather take to the sea rather than the trail, we can often arrange a marine boat safari to see dolphins, sea birds, and other marine life.
Accommodation: Franz Josef
Tuesday Hiking near Fox Glacier + Sea Kayaking option
Today we’re going to visit the formidable glaciers of the South Island. First, though, you’ll spend the morning either hiking through coastal rainforest to Three Mile Lagoon or sea kayaking on Okarito Lagoon if you prefer. This area is host to the only white heron colony in New Zealand and is an awesome place to paddle or hike. Both the hiking and the paddling are memorable and the kayaking is suitable for beginners and experts alike. Then it’s on to Fox Glacier, where we walk right up to the terminal face of the glacier.
The Fox Glacier is an enormous river of ice, unusual in that it comes right down through the rainforest to sea level. Finally, we’ll head down to Haast and cross the Main Divide at the Haast Pass to Makarora. At
Makarora, we have a lovely homestead to ourselves for the evening.
Accommodation: Makarora Homestead
Wednesday Hiking in the Aspiring National Park
Today we will do a couple of short hikes around the Makarora area into Aspiring National Park, including the Bridal and Blue Pools walks. After lunch we will head over the Crown Range and down into
Queenstown.
Accommodation: Blue Peaks Apartments
Thursday Free day in Queenstown
Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand – you’ll find all the comforts of civilization: massage therapists, restaurants, sidewalk cafes, window shopping, and… adrenaline activities! You’ll find some incredible optional activities here, such as hang gliding, bungy jumping, jet boating, skydiving, horse trekking, fishing, wine tours... it’s all here! There are also incredible hikes and bike rides. Queenstown is not a big place – the population is about 8000 – but there’s plenty to do! Or you can do nothing, if you prefer to just soak up the atmosphere. It’s all up to you today – enjoy! At some stage today, we’ll have a pre-departure briefing for the Milford Track Guided Walk
Accommodation: Blue Peaks Apartments
Friday Milford Track
MILFORD TRACK GUIDED WALK: The Milford Track is one of the longest established and best known walking tracks in the country. It starts on the eastern shore of Lake Te Anau, and crosses McKinnon
Pass to Milford Sound, taking in glacial peaks, a mountain pass, New Zealand’s highest waterfall, and the dense rainforest of the West Coast. Rudyard Kipling referred to Milford Sound as the 8th Natural Wonder of the World, and once you’ve walked there you’ll see why! You’ll have four days of exercise, good food, and great scenery as you walk 33 miles from Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound. You’ll be spending three

nights in comfortable mountain lodges. Because you are doing the Guided Walk, you don’t have to carry a heavy pack. In fact, you’ll just be carrying a change of clothes and a packed lunch so your pack should be no heavier than what you would bring on a regular day hike. Everything else is provided, including excellent meals at the lodges and on the trail, and everything else you need to make the Milford Track an unforgettable experience. The lodges have hot showers and drying rooms, and the level of service and facilities is outstanding.
Milford Track Guided Walk – Boat Ride and Short Hike
We drive from Queenstown to Te Anau Downs, stopping for lunch at the lakeside village of Te Anau. Then we take the boat to the head of Lake Te Anau, which is the start of the Milford Track. It’s a short, easy walk to Glade House, where we stay our first night.
Saturday Milford Track Guided Walk– Hiking in Beech Forest
We start the day by crossing Clinton River, and wandering through beech forest to Hirere Falls, where we have lunch. After crossing the Prairie, the track gets a little steeper as we climb up to Pompolona Lodge.
Today’s highlights include the distinctive beech forest, all sorts of spectacular plants, and occasional tantalizing glimpses of the way ahead (and up!) to Milford Sound.
Sunday Milford Track Guided Walk – Hiking McKinnon Pass
Today is the most spectacular day! We climb a series of switchbacks to cross McKinnon Pass. From the top of the Pass, the views of the Arthur Valley and the surrounding peaks are just magnificent! We’ll lunch at
Pass Hut, then head down the pass towards Quintin Lodge. Once we’ve arrived, those who are keen can take a 90-minute round-trip walk to see the Sutherland Falls. The extra walk is well worth the effort!
Monday Milford Track Guided Walk Option – Hiking out to Milford Sound
This is your last day on the Track. It’s 13 miles of varied terrain, slightly downhill, with no significant climbing. If you weren’t in top shape by the time you started your ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND trip, you certainly will be by now! The small waterfalls to be found just off the track make for a delightful day.
You’ll be picked up at Sandfly Point this afternoon for a short cruise to the jetty, and arrive at Mitre Peak
Lodge for the last night in Milford Sound. Now we’re back in civilization – but you’ll almost regret it!
Tuesday Morning cruise on Milford Sound
You will experience a morning boat cruise on Milford Sound today. After exploring the full length of
Milford Sound, we’ll head back to the jetty and drive back to Queenstown via Te Anau, arriving in the late afternoon.
Accommodation: Blue Peaks Queenstown
Wednesday Morning Hike and travelling to Mt Cook
This morning we will do short loop track up to the Sam Summers hut and Mt Creighton, you will enjoy fantastic views of the Wakatipu Basin and Lake Dispute. This is an area that was heavily mined for gold up until the 1930’s and there are a number of historical stops on the hike. This afternoon we will cross the
Lindas Pass on our way to a high country sheep farm on the shores of Lake Pukaki.
Accommodation: Bremar Station

Thursday Hiking near Mt. Cook + Exploring a High Country Sheep Farm
This morning it’s an hour or so to Mt Cook village, at the head of Lake Pukaki. Mt Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand, and we have a stunning and little-known day hike to do here (weather permitting) to the main ridge above Mueller Glacier. It’s a tough slog up, but you’ll remember the view of the Mueller Glacier and the surrounding peaks of the Main Divide forever! There are other hiking options if you’d like to take it a little easier. The weather conditions are very important in this area, as it is a true alpine climate notorious for sudden weather shifts. If we aren’t able to do the Mueller hike, we’ll take an impressive hike up the Hooker Valley to a glacial lake at the base of the Hooker Glacier, complete with icebergs! Then we head back to the shearers’ quarters for the last night of the Rimu . We’ll enjoy a traditional Kiwi roast dinner – with vegetarian options of course – and enjoy a cold drink as we sit outside and watch the sun set on Mount Cook.
Accommodation: Bremar Station
Friday Hiking near Mt Cook
Today we will do another hike in Aoraki National Park walking up one of the glaciated side valleys in the nearby Huxley Valley.
Accommodation: Tekapo
Saturday Drive to Christchurch
Accommodation: Holiday Inn City Centre. Our guides will leave us at the hotel and we’ll explore on our own. This is the weekend of the yearly Flower Week and whole streets compete for prizes, so it should be gorgeous in the city. There is also a wonderful art center and an Antarctic Museum.
Sunday Continue exploring the city, shopping, etc. Flight departs at 8:30 pm, arrives in Los
Angeles at 12:15 pm on Sunday, Feb 12. Depart for east coast cities.