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Swim with dolphins, explore glacier caves, paddle through foaming whitewater

Adventure travel in New Zealand: Frequently-Asked Questions about Wild Kiwi

Don't just see New Zealand -- experience it! We'll hike on the high glaciers, then swim in dolphin-inhabited coves. White-water rafting, hiking, and more await you.

This FAQ page is intended to accompany other pages about this trip and about our company (see links at left). Some of the answers below may include links to other other sites; please use the BACK key of your browser to return to this page.

Contents:

• I'm afraid this trip might be too active for me. Will it? I can't quite imagine myself jumping off a bridge.
  
• What's the weather like in New Zealand?
  
• What's this "canyoning activity" you mention?
  
• Where will we stay?
  
• What flights are available between Auckland and the South Island?
  
• Do I need to rent a car, or arrange any transportation during the course of the trip?
  
• How can I get information about train and bus travel within New Zealand?
  
• If I am spending any time in Auckland before or after the tour, where are good places to stay?
  
• Apart from the air (I'm using frequent flyer points), how much extra money should I budget for this trip?
  
• I can get away for a few more days. Should I schedule a side trip to Australia afterwards?
  
• I'm traveling alone. Will everyone else be in couples?
  
• Can I talk to someone who's been on this trip?
  

I'm afraid this trip might be too active for me. Will it? I can't quite imagine myself jumping off a bridge.
That's ultimately for you to answer. If you'd rather lay on the beach all week, and your boyfriend is trying to convince you to come on Wild Kiwi because he'd like to go, then maybe it's best if you just go your separate ways for this vacation and both have a great time.

But don't be put off simply because some of the activities don't appeal to you. Nearly everyone is likely to join us for kayaking, and for some of the shorter hikes. On other days, we tend to break into two or more groups, depending on individual preferences.

And as for the bungy jump: Whether you do it or not, predicting who will take the plunge makes for some fun dinner conversations. And in the past, we've all guessed wrong about one or two members of the group.

What's the weather like in New Zealand?
February and March are late summer and early fall in New Zealand, where the seasons are reversed from the northern hemisphere. In the north, we're likely to get clear, sunny weather. (Nelson gets more sun than any other spot in New Zealand.) As we move south, most days in February and March will continue to be in the 60s and low 70s, and you'll sometimes be comfortable in shorts and t-shirt, but you'll also need a light jacket occasionally. There are likely to be times when you are glad for a sweatshirt and jeans in the mountains, especially if it rains.

The Southern Alps, running up and down the middle of the South Island, stop the moist air as it moves in from the west. This means the western side of the island generally gets more rain; the east is dryer.

Toward the end of the trip, we're at higher elevations in Wanaka and Queenstown. Days are likely to be pleasantly warm and clear, but temperatures will drop in the evening. You'll want a sweater when you go out for dinner.

Because of its proximity to the ocean and irregular terrain, New Zealand has what's known as a maritime climate, where the weather can change rapidly. Be prepared for sun to turn to rain -- and vice versa -- during the course of a day.

What's this "canyoning activity" you mention?
Canyoning is a popular outdoor sport in Australia, New Zealand, and a few other countries, though not yet in North America. (Those who do practice it in North America generally use the term canyoneering.) That's too bad -- because those who try this activity generally say it's the most exciting day of the trip. Our canyoning page describes the sport in more detail.

Where will we stay?
In New Zealand, as on our other trips, we've sought out accommodations that are comfortable, and give us a sense of the place we're visiting.

We'll be in hotels with individual bedrooms some nights, and in 2- and 3-bedroom apartments or condos on others, since we find this arrangement offers a nice chance to socialize. If we're in apartments, each unit has a living room. If you request a single room, you'll have your own bedroom in a shared condo at these lodgings. Please note that in some cases two rooms may share a bathroom on this tour.

The official starting time is 6:00 pm on our official "start date". At that time we'll have a reception and orientation, followed by a buffet dinner. It ends after breakfast on the last day. You can arrive earlier or depart later, but please note that (as of this writing) check-in time is 4:00 pm, and check-out time is 10:00 am.

What flights are available between Auckland and the South Island?
As of this writing, Air New Zealand flies from Auckland to Nelson, where we start our tour, and Air New Zealand and Qantas fly from Queenstown to Auckland. When researching flights, we suggest checking out flights between your home country gateway (such as Los Angeles or San Francisco for North American travelers) and Auckland first, then adding the domestic segments at each end, to see whether it is less expensive to purchase the domestic segments as part of the international ticket or separately. If flying from Australia, there are flights from Sydney to Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, connecting to Nelson.

Do I need to rent a car, or arrange any transportation during the course of the trip?
No! From the time you arrive at the hotel where we start, until you leave on the last day, transportation is included. It's very unlikely you'd want to rent a car at any point unless you are spending time on your own in the region before or after the tour.

How can I get information about train and bus travel within New Zealand?
If you have the time, NZ is a beautiful country to see from a train, bus or ferry. Nelson is not on a train line, with the nearest stops being Blenheim and Picton, about 100 miles away. However, there is good bus service both locally and long distance. The following websites give details about various ground travel options in New Zealand, including a TravelPass good for any number of days of ground travel (and sometimes with an added flight for the return trip).

www.tranzscenic.co.nz

trains.wellington.net.nz

www.travelpass.co.nz/welcome.html

and perhaps most interesting: www.gaytravel.net.nz/nz

If I am spending any time in Auckland before or after the tour, where are good places to stay?
Auckland has many very nice business hotels in the downtown district, and you can find information about them through many sources. However, from our first-hand experience, we can suggest three smaller properties that we think our travelers would enjoy, depending on your budget and interest.

1) Great Ponsonby B&B: The front of the guesthouse is an old Victorian home, with some newer buildings in the back. Sally and Gerry are enthusiastic hosts for all of their visitors. They are proud to have opened the first explicitly "gay-friendly" B&B in Auckland many years ago.

Great Ponsonby B&B
Gerry Hill and Sally James
www.greatpons.co.nz

2) Mollies: Mollies is far more expensive than Great Ponsonby, but is an amazing place. The owner is a woman who coached opera singers around the world until her mother asked her to come home and tend to their guesthouse. In that spirit, half of the 12 or so rooms have baby grand pianos, and music is part of the ambiance.

Mollies
www.mollies.co.nz

3) Hastings Hall. This is a gay-owned lodging, also in a grand old house. It's a little farther out than the other two, but it has a good reputation.

Hastings Hall B&B
Malcolm Martel, Proprietor
www.hastingshall.co.nz

Apart from the air (I'm using frequent flyer points), how much extra money should I budget for this trip?
The vast majority of your expenses are covered, including all transportation during the trip, accommodation, and many activities. Most breakfasts and several lunches and dinners are also included. So apart from gifts and souvenirs, which vary greatly from one individual to another, your only expenses are likely to be as follows:

• Activities of your choice. Our philosophy is that if most people will enjoy a particular activity, we include it in the price. So on many days, you're covered. The overview of this trip, here on the web, tells what's included.
        But if an activity is unlikely to appeal to everyone, we prefer to offer it as an option, so that you're not indirectly paying for something you don't do. Whether or not you take the options we offer, or expect to head off on your own some days, we'd suggest a budget of $200 to $350 for such activities.
        As for that bungee jump: It's free, too. You don't have to do it -- but we don't want you claiming you're going to skip it just to save money!

• Meals. Many meals are included. When they're not, you can have a good dinner for as little as $10-$15, or pay up to $40 for a gourmet dinner with wine. (And we sometimes stay in apartments with kitchen facilities, if you'd like to put your culinary skills to use.) You can eat quite well and keep total meal costs to $125 to $175 with a little effort, or budget a bit more and indulge yourself.

• Activity guide gratuities. We use local guides for some activities. Some companies add a compulsory surcharge to their list price for "gratuities", which we think defeats the purpose. We've consistently had great guides on Wild Kiwi, and we've been happy to tip them for making our vacation special. Tips are at your discretion, but we expect you'll feel the same way, and should budget around $100 for tips for activity guides.

• Alyson Adventures tour director. As on all of our tours, a professional tour director will be with you throughout the trip to make sure everything goes smoothly, and a gratuity will be appreciated. Please see Newsletter #3 for suggestions.

I can get away for a few more days. Should I schedule a side trip to Australia afterwards?
We've limited this trip to 14 days, because many people just can't get off from work for longer than that. But if you can stay longer, by all means, do so! We recommend spending your extra days in New Zealand.

Our trip ends in Queenstown, where you could try a new activity every day for two weeks without running out of new things to try. Plan at least a couple extra days there, if you can. You're probably flying through Auckland on the way home, and that city easily merits a few days as well. Chances are, others from the trip will also be staying there, so you can explore Auckland with your new friends.

Unless you've got at least 10 additional days, we recommend skipping Australia. It's not as close to New Zealand as you might think, with flights across the Tasman Sea taking three hours, and sometimes requiring a connection enroute. And Australia is huge, so it is better to save it for another visit.

I'm traveling alone. Will everyone else be in couples?
Most of our trips draw more single travelers than couples. When couples do join us, it's usually because they're looking forward to interacting with a gay group; if they wanted a holiday by themselves, they wouldn't have signed up to travel with us. Furthermore, the activities included with our trips serve as natural ice-breakers. Within a day, you'll be traveling with friends.

You don't need to pay the single supplement if you're traveling alone. We'll be happy to match you with a roommate. Pay the single supplement only if you want a bedroom to yourself.

Can I talk to someone who's been on this trip?
We encourage you to do so. Outside Magazine says that talking to people who have taken a trip previously is one of the best ways to evaluate whether it will be right for you, and we agree.

Our website includes a full page of comments from past travelers. Most of them have volunteered to talk about their experiences with future potential travelers. Please call for the names and phone numbers of references in your area.

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