4.5 Stars (754 reviews)
Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!
North Island Volcanic Adventure, January 1970
4.5 Stars (754 reviews)
Having not had a holiday for 3 years, my last being a trek 4 days to 'Machu Pichu' Peru, I knew it would be hard to match. I got lucky with discovering this friendly and helpful group of gorgeous Kiwis. It was just the right pace for me, every minute of every day, in everything we did. We always think we have the correct guide on any holiday, but I know we truly did get lucky, with the exceptionally strong physically and mentally, yet still gentle Lina, (who used to be a 'truckie' in NZ at one stage, and a Jilleroo in Oz. Wow!). Her quiet confidence, calmness and genuine care, assured us we were in good hands. We all had a great time, with much laughter from all. My favorite part was the civilized hour at the start of day, not ridiculously early, when on holidays. The breakfast was perfect for me, a healthy array of food for energy for the anticipated day ahead. How nice! I was on holidays, and really didn't want to feel I had to get out of bed before ready, heaven! I still can't say the names for the interesting places I saw, but all were wonderful in their own way, particularly the long trek to the crater. Love treking! I didnt attend the water cave activity, as I hate the cold and freeze very easily, ugh. Just not my thing. I was happy to read a book, but Lina kindly tucked me 'under her wing', without any trace of me 'taking her own personal time to have space from people'. We had a beautiful walk nearby, saw a stunning cave, then checked out the town, where there just happened to be the local annual fair/show occurring, while the others did their thing. Thank you so much Lina, it was so nice. We were looked in all things, individually if anyone needed it, which is a credit to the group as a whole. I can't tick the box to say this was 'the trip of a lifetime', as all trips I do overseas are great. But I loved it 100%, and would recommend it. I found NZ better than expected, the natural beauty of the North Island is what I call 'Wondrous', quite magical, and often. Yes I'd go on another trip with the Active Group anytime, especially with lovely Lina! Maybe the South Island next time I think. It's nice to dream.
North Island Volcanic Adventure, January 1970
4.5 Stars (754 reviews)
We really enjoyed our Kauri trip to New Zealand. The trip leaders, Lina and Jaclyn were excellent: well organized and always willing to go the extra mile to make the trip better. I would recommend this trip to anyone who is interested in an active small group trip to New Zealand.
North Island Volcanic Adventure, January 1970
4.5 Stars (754 reviews)
Admittedly, I figured this would be my first and last trip to New Zealand. I wanted to make sure it was the greatest. Active New Zealand not only surpassed my expectations, but it just hooked me completely. I'm already saving my pennies for the next adventure, but it's extraordinarily difficult to be patient! New Zealand, as a whole, has always been a bit of mysterious country. Of course, everyone has heard of the kiwi bird and the unique culture and landscape, but there are rarely any finer details. So it was truly a blessing to come on this trip. Kauri, in my opinion, is the perfect taster for New Zealand. You get a little bit of the coast, the mountains, the forests but also the culture and the history. I'd highly recommend it to anyone uncertain about what to do in New Zealand. I came knowing only that I wanted to come but not having much of an idea past that. Now I have all of these ideas for future trips and terrific memories of the past one. I actually have a separate bucket list, just for New Zealand, because it's just that special of a place and truly no place else comes close.
North Island Volcanic Adventure, January 1970
4.5 Stars (754 reviews)
Our guides Pieke and Natalie were awesome. They were fun, witty and knowledgable. All the meals were delicious and it was so nice having healthy snacks on the bus. Highlights, the biking in the Whakarewarewa Forest and the Tongariro Alpine Crossing (challenging but so worth doing). I highly recommend Active New Zealand so you can sit back and enjoy the scenery while they do all the driving and let them do all the planning.
North Island Volcanic Adventure, January 1970
4.5 Stars (754 reviews)
Good, really enjoyed it
North Island Volcanic Adventure, January 1970
4.5 Stars (754 reviews)
A group of us booked this trip and the Tui as a reunion from previous travel in Ireland. We had some concerns about how strenuous it looked, but were assured that our guides could adjust to suit all of us. This they did in aces! Lina and Jax are real pros and made all of us feel welcome and not too wimpy when we felt something was beyond our abilities. Thoroughly enjoyed Jax's cooking and her botanical knowledge. Her ability to work with my food allergies was truly impressive and I never saw her without a smile on her face. Lina was simply a joy to have in charge. She seemed to deal with any changes needed without any stress. The laid-back vibe was much in evidence but everything was dealt with cheerfully and competently. The Tongariro Crossing is the hardest thing I have ever done but I would have never made it without Lina's encouragement. Thanks to all who made this trip happen.
North Island Volcanic Adventure, January 1970
4.5 Stars (754 reviews)
The Kauri trip was absolutely fantastic. As a teacher, I was responsible for taking students on many trips (everything from camping to snow skiing). I know the planning and organization needed to provide a first-class experience. Lina anticipated our needs before we knew we were going to have the needs. This included everything from food and snacks to information on how to prepare for the experience. She was calm and filled with humor and joy. I was able to totally turn over the planning to her and just enjoy the trip. The accomodation were roomy and provided for our comfort. They were in beautiful settings in the spirit of the experience. Food was excellent from lamb chops to fish and chips and always salads or vegetables to go along with the entree. The trip was personalized so that it met each person's goals and allowed for the most adventurous or fit to the more sedate. I was not sure how this would be done but it was done each time we took on an activity. I saw New Zealand, which brought out the most of its beauty and spirit. I can not recommend this highly enough. It was the best part of the month I spent in Australia and New Zealand. I felt that it was a good deal economicallly because it included all cost from transportation in NZ and accomodations to entry fees and food. Thanks for a great experience!!
North Island Volcanic Adventure, January 1970