New Zealand

Kea family trip 13 days - south island

Family trips are a little different to regular adventure trips, and over the years we’ve entertained a lot of families in New Zealand. This trip is specially designed to ensure the right mix of family time, and time out too (our guiding teams always ensure parents and kids enjoy a range of activities as a family, but we also provide opportunities for parents to get away on their own while we look after the kids.) Our itineraries are flexible, so we can make adjustments on the road to make sure everyone’s having a fun time. The accommodation is family-friendly, and the meals are designed to suit all ages. New Zealand is a safe destination, and a great place for families.

We venture into several national parks, visit the natural hot springs at Hanmer, do an overnight hike to Mount Aspiring Hut, check out one of New Zealand’s most spectacular glaciers and do some unforgettable jet boating, rafting and hiking in various parts of the South Island. We maintain plenty of options for all ages and there’ll be lots of activities to keep parents busy too! We have two guides to take good care of you. The accommodation style varies along the way - for over half the trip we stay in regular accommodations (B&Bs, lodges, etc) and for the rest of the trip we have chosen more rustic – but spectacular - accommodations in order to be in the most beautiful, isolated, and off-the-beaten track places in New Zealand. The Kea family trip is an awesome adventure for the whole family. To enjoy all the activities, children should be 9 years of age or more, but with notice we can cater for younger children too.

Tuesday - Arrive and hot pools in Hanmer Springs
If you have arrived in New Zealand via Auckland, you’ll need to take a short flight to Christchurch in the South Island, where we’ll meet you either at the airport or at the Holiday Inn City Centre Hotel. There are direct flights into Christchurch on Air New Zealand, which leave on a Sunday evening from Los Angeles and arrive in New Zealand on Tuesday morning (you’ll lose a day due to crossing the international dateline although it’s only a 12 hour overnight flight). If you’ve travelled from Europe or elsewhere, you’ll have the weekend to get here and unwind for the adventure.

You’ll need to be in Christchurch by 11am on the first day of the trip, at which time we will pick you up before we head out to the Port Hills or the beach if it’s a nice day. Later, we’ll take the short drive on to Hanmer Springs for a relaxing soak in the hot pools. An awesome way to relax from your flight and begin your New Zealand adventure! If you arrived a bit early in Christchurch, you can use your day to explore the city, take a stroll through Hagley Park or check out the Antarctic Centre, which is a hit with all ages! We will spend the evening unwinding in Hanmer Springs, set amidst of the grandeur of New Zealand’s Southern Alps.
ACCOMMODATION: Family-friendly Hanmer Springs lodgings (L,D)

Wednesday Hiking in Lewis Pass and Punakaiki
Today you have a chance to stretch your legs and we will do 3 great short hikes. In the morning we take a fun ‘warm up’ hike in the Hanmer Springs Forest Park on the Conical Hill track. From there we head out to hike the Lewis Pass Nature Trail, a winding track up to a small beautiful mountain tarn near the boggy summit of the pass. Here you’ll experience some of the scenery you may have seen in Lord of the Rings, and spectacular views of Cannibal Gorge and New Zealand’s wild West Coast. We then travel on through the Buller River Gorge down to the West Coast, stopping on the way to check out numerous waterfalls and some of the living ghosts of the West Coasts logging and goldmining history. Before arriving in Hokitika we will stop at the small seaside village of Punakaiki to check out the famous Pancake Rocks and Blowholes before doing a beautiful beach walk. This is one of our favorite places in the world, and you'll see why!
ACCOMMODATION: Lodge style accommodation in Hokitika (B,L,D)

Thursday Black water rafting near Hokitika
To start with, we’ll experience the thrill and challenge of black water rafting through the Taniwha glowworm cave (Taniwha is the Maori word for Dragon). Using rubber inner tubes we will float down natural hydro slides, across cavernous lakes and through underground rivers, all set to the backdrop of a sea of glowworms on the cave ceiling. Kids love this! After a hot shower and picnic lunch we head out again to do an afternoon forest walk along a pack trail in the native New Zealand rainforest around Hokitika. Tonight we will travel down the scenic West Coast highway to stay in very comfortable lodgings in the heart of the glacier region at Franz Josef.
ACCOMMODATION: Franz Josef Motels (B,L,D)

Friday - Sea Kayaking at Okarito Lagoon
Today we will get right off the beaten track, with a 20 minute drive to a small West Coast beach village set by Okarito Lagoon. You can spend a cruisy day in this sleepy but beautiful beach town to recharge your batteries, or do some awesome hiking and kayaking. The Okarito Lagoon is unique in that it hosts the only white heron colony in New Zealand. We’ll sea kayak on the lagoon below snow capped mountain peaks for a few hours, then spend the rest of the day exploring the deserted beach or hiking in the rainforest for anyone that’s keen for more action. In the evening our guides might take you and the kids out to a spot they know, to listen for New Zealand’s most famous bird, the rare and elusive kiwi. You’ll almost never see a kiwi, as they are nocturnal and very shy, but they have a very distinctive call, so it’s great fun to go out and listen for them!
ACCOMMODATION:Franz Josef Motels (B,L,D)

Saturday - Hiking near Franz Josef Glacier
A short walk from our accommodation there are two formidable glaciers descending from the mountains to the sea. In terms of scenery, this place is just off the chart! Today we’ll take an awesome hike up to the terminal face of the Franz Josef Glacier and then walk a track in the surrounding forest area overlooking the glacier. After lunch we will hike around Lake Matheson, or visit the Blue Pools near the Haast Pass. A unique option this morning is to take a helicopter ride up towards the highest peaks of the Southern Alps. You'll be landing 4,000 feet up on the glacier itself with a 2-3 hour hike on the ice with hobnail boots, ice axes etc. The helicopter will return to fly you back down to meet up with us. (Heli-hike option approximately US$200 + tax).

From Franz Josef it’s about three hours down the coast to Makarora (pop. 30), which is a camp settlement directly next to Mount Aspiring National Park. We’ll stay at a beautifully landscaped homestead on the edge of the camp, in the shadow of the mountains.
ACCOMMODATION: The Makarora Homestead (B,L,D)

Sunday - Overnight hike to Mount Aspiring Hut
Today we will head out from Makarora around lakes Hawea and Wanaka and up through to the Matukituki Valley to do a spectacular hike into the Mount Aspiring Hut, where we’ll stay tonight! This track is set amongst a World Heritage Area with majestic mountains and natural rainforest, and one of our favourite hikes in New Zealand. The hike itself is less than three hours, but we have a great side hike on the way up, to the Rob Roy Glacier. Because we have two guides, we can split into two groups - one can head for the hut, and the other can stretch their legs still further! Mount Aspiring Hut is a spacious and modern mountain hut, albeit in the midst of nowhere, and the scenery is arguably even more spectacular than that on the West Coast, with Mount Aspiring looming 10,000 feet above you. For such a short walk in, it's amazing how far you'll feel from civilization!
ACCOMMODATION: Mt Aspiring Hut (B,L,D)

Monday - Raft Matukituki River and Queenstown
We have a leisurely start today, enjoying a great cup of coffee and a leisurely breakfast while admiring the view, before hiking back out to the road end. During the afternoon we will drift downstream with the gentle rapids of the Matukituki River on a family orientated rafting trip while enjoying some of the best mountain scenery in New Zealand.

From there we have a short drive down the road to Wanaka, and cross the mountains at Cardrona Saddle, to drop into the Wakatipu region. This evening we'll arrive in Queenstown, a great place to spend a couple of days. You'll have plenty of time to wander about and explore while you're here, and you'll find all sorts of options to pique your interest!

[This trip operates all year round, with minor changes in the New Zealand winter. From June till September, rather than rafting, we cross over into Queenstown during the morning and visit Deer Park Heights, which is home to bison, ostriches, goats, deer, sheep, llamas and even alpacas! It’s safe to go right up to the animals to feed and pet them. There are also amazing views across Lake Wakatipu to Queenstown. We’ll also check out one of the sets used in the filming of the Lord of the Rings movies.]
ACCOMMODATION: Queenstown Lodge (B,L)

Tuesday - Free day in Queenstown
Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand – you’ll find all the comforts of civilization: restaurants, sidewalk cafes, window-shopping, and… adrenaline activities! You’ll find some incredible activities here, such as hang gliding, bungy jumping, jet boating, skydiving, horse trekking, fishing... it’s all here! Queenstown is a wonderful family destination. It’s also a great place for parents to get away and have some time on your own, while we look after the kids.

Queenstown is not a big place – the population is about 8000 – and if you decide you’d just like to take a break it’s the perfect place to relax and just soak up the atmosphere. Many of our people enjoy lounging about, reading a book or even watching some kiwi TV after their active week on the West Coast. Your free days in Queenstown offer the perfect opportunity to take a day or overnight trip down to the world famous Milford Sound, so just let us know if you would like to do either of these options and we will help to arrange this for you.

[A great winter option (June to September) for the family is to spend a couple of days skiing or snowboarding at one of four local world class ski resorts -Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, Cardrona & Treble Cone. If you would like to go skiing while you are here let us know and we will be happy to organise this for you ! (Skiing option including transport, lift pass and equipment rental is approximately US$85 per person)]
ACCOMMODATION: Queenstown Lodge (B)

Wednesday - Hiking around Queenstown
Today your family can take a great guided hike on the Sam Summers track. This takes several hours to walk, and includes a visit to an 19 th century gold miner’s hut – still in remarkable condition - and you will be rewarded by unforgettable views of the Livingston, Harris, Remarkable and Eyre Mountain Ranges. ACCOMMODATION: Queenstown Lodge (B)

Thursday - Mt Cargill hike and Otago Peninsula penguins
Today we’re off to see the penguins! We start early, and follow the Clutha River down through Central Otago to the coastal city of Dunedin (known as the Edinburgh of the South for its strong Scottish heritage). If the kids are keen, we’ll hike to the summit of Mt Cargill, where you will experience breathtaking views of the Otago Peninsula and the city.

After lunch, we visit a windswept and deserted beach on Otago Peninsula, where we’ll see native Hooker Sea Lions and New Zealand Native Fur Seals cavorting in the surf and lazing about on the sand. We stay still dusk, when we may see the elusive Yellow Eyed Penguins returning to shore from their day’s fishing in the Pacific Ocean. We spend the night on Otago Peninsula at the majestic Larnach Castle, which is New Zealand’s only genuine castle, built in the 19th century by an enormously wealthy but eccentric Scottish immigrant. The kids will love exploring the magnificent landscaped grounds and checking out the castle.
ACCOMMODATION: Larnach Castle, Otago Peninsula (B,L,D)

Friday - Hiking the Pinnacles Track
From Dunedin we travel up the South Island’s East Coast to the small rural town of Geraldine. We’ll stop at Moeraki, a small village by the sea, to check out the unusual, pearl shaped, Moeraki Boulders and the resident seals and penguins. After lunch we will hike the Pinnacles Lookout track in the Kakahu Forest, an area with special significance to the indigenous Maori people of New Zealand. Walking through the ancient Podocarp Forests and along the Kakahu River you’ll see ancient fossils & impressive limestone escarpments, and enjoy fantastic views across the Moa Valley. We stay the night near the alpine village of Methven on the Canterbury Plains, at a spacious and comfortable lodge nestled at the foot of Mt Hutt. This is a fabulous area for star gazing at night due to the wide-open spaces, regular clear evenings, and most importantly the lack of artificial light. Our guides will take you out after dark to check out the Southern Cross, Orion’s Belt, and other constellations that dot the southern night sky.
ACCOMMODATION: Methven Lodge (B,L,D)

Saturday - Hiking at Mt Somers and Kiwi BBQ
Today we will hike on the ‘Woolshed Creek’ track in the Mt Somers conservation area. You will see ancient Maori rock art and interesting volcanic formations along the track. The bird life here is amazing – you may see the rare New Zealand falcon, the Australian harrier hawk, and some other more common birds. After returning to the lodge, our last dinner together is a traditional ‘Kiwi’ BBQ, complete with campfire roasted treats like Bushman’s Damper and melted marshmallows.
ACCOMMODATION: Methven Lodge (B,L,D)

Sunday - Jet boating and depart
We kick start our last day with a thrilling early morning jet boat ride up the Rakaia River Gorge. Jet boats are fast and maneuverable, and were originally invented by a New Zealander to traverse our narrow winding rivers. This adrenaline-pumping, but safe, activity is fun for all the family, and you’ll be jetting down narrow braided river sections, rapids and through shallow water less than a foot deep in places. After the jet boating, we have a short drive to Christchurch, and arrive in the early afternoon for flights back to Auckland or directly out of Christchurch. Any flight after 2pm is fine, and we can make 1pm flights if we have a little notice. Flights between Auckland or Christchurch and North America usually leave in the evening, so you’ll arrive home some time on Sunday, even though you left New Zealand on Sunday evening! Flights back to Europe, of course, take a little longer. Your family will be refreshed and invigorated from the exercise, great food, rest, and fun times you'll have had with us in New Zealand! (B)

FITNESS: You and the kids need a reasonable level of fitness to enjoy yourself on the Kea, but you don’t need to be a triathlete, and nor do the kids. We have designed the Kea especially with families in mind, so the activities are OK for people with short legs! If you’re concerned about your fitness level, or whether your kids are up to it, have a chat with us so we can help you choose between the Kea and our other trips.

EXPERIENCE: You don’t need any outdoor experience at all to enjoy our trips. All our trips allow you to make the most of New Zealand’s incredible environment. Our experienced guides are highly trained, and will look after you and the kids. You don’t need to have ever been in a sea kayak to enjoy kayaking Okarito Lagoon or in a raft or jet boat to enjoy those activities either. All we ask is that you be in reasonable shape, and that everyone’s keen to have fun in New Zealand’s amazing outdoor playground – and we guarantee you’ll have an incredible time. We manage the level of commitment to suit your experience, and we have an impeccable safety record. We hold all relevant government licenses, and our staff are highly trained and experienced.

KEA START & END POINT, AND DIRECTION OF TRAVEL : To keep our group sizes down, we sometimes run the Kea in two different directions around the South Island – Northbound (refers to initial direction of travel from Christchurch) and Southbound.. Whichever trip you take, you’ll do all the activities we’ve mentioned, just in a different order. The Kea is a product of many years of evolution and fine-tuning – it works well whichever way you do it!

FLEXIBILITY: Because of the off-the-beaten path and non-commercial nature of some of our accommodation on this trip, we sometimes need to change a night stop. We try to make as few changes as possible, but retain the flexibility to make sure your trip is as good as it can be.

DATES: 2007 - Feb. 13-25, March 20-April1, June 26-July 8, July 10-22, July 24-Aug. 5, Nov. 13-25, Dec. 4-16, Dec. 18-30

INCLUDED: The trip fare is US$2499 + 12.5% government taxes for adults, and US$1999 + tax for children 15 and under. We quote all prices in US dollars, so our guests from all over the world can more easily relate prices to their own currencies. You can also join for shorter periods of time, at a pro-rated fare. The trip fare includes just about everything, specifically:

* All guiding services. We always have at least two guides per trip.
* Comfortable accommodation for the entire period you are with us. We can also organize accommodation for you if you want to arrive earlier or leave later.
* All your meals, except in Queenstown where we’ve found people prefer to check out the wide range of restaurants. Alcohol is not generally included, although we do spring for a few drinks here and there!
* All hiking and kayaking described in the itinerary, except optional extra activities, such as the heli-hike at Franz Josef. We have estimated the rates for optional extra activities operated by local activity operators in US dollars, but these rates may vary according to the USD/NZD exchange rate of the day. There are many optional activities available at extra cost, particularly in Queenstown. None of these activities are compulsory, and nor will your trip seem less awesome if you do the cheap or free options. Although some people enjoy sampling hang gliding, bungy jumping, skydiving, and so on, others prefer to focus more on the hiking, paddling and cycling, which is of course the reason you’re coming to New Zealand in the first place!

We'll see you soon!