Family trips are a little different than regular adventure trips, and over the years we've entertained a lot of families in New Zealand. The Kea Family Trip is specially designed to ensure parents and kids enjoy a range of activities as a family, but also to provide opportunities for parents to get away on their own while our specialist Kea guides look after the kids.
Our itinerary is flexible, so we can make adjustments on the road to make sure everyone's having a good time. The accommodations are family-friendly and the meals are designed to suit all ages. We venture into several national parks, do an overnight hike to Mt. 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 use specialist guides on our family trips, who have lots of experience looking after kids and adults alike, such as Christiaan (or Lofty as he is more affectionately known), who has spent several years as an outdoor instructor, teaching kayaking, climbing and teambuilding skills with Kiwi kids.
New Zealand is a safe destination, and the Kea Family Trip is an awesome adventure for the whole family. To enjoy all the activities, children should be nine years of age or more, but with notice we can often cater to younger children too.
Your Itinerary:
Day 1: Tuesday - Arrive, wildlife reserve and kiwi viewing
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 your family either in central Christchurch, or at the airport. There are also 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 traveled from Europe or elsewhere, you'll have the weekend to get here and unwind before the adventure kicks off!
You'll need to be in Christchurch by 10am or so, then we'll meet you and head towards the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, a relaxed and fascinating start to our journey. At Willowbank we'll get a great introduction to the wildlife of a country that has been isolated from the rest of the world for over 80 million years! You'll experience many of New Zealand's unique creatures first-hand, such as the Tuatara lizard, Kune kune pigs, the endangered kiwi bird and of course the namesake of our trip – the Kea – our cheeky mountain parrot. After an afternoon's exploring, we'll head south and inland to Methven. Accommodation: Methven Lodge, Methven. Included: (L), (D).
Day 2: Wednesday - Hiking in Peel Forest and star gazing
After breakfast, this morning's activity will knock your socks off! We'll experience a thrilling jet boat ride through the winding Rakaia Gorge. Jet boats are fast and maneuverable and were originally invented by a New Zealander to navigate our narrow shallow rivers. You'll be jetting down rapids, braided river sections and through shallow water less than a foot deep in places. This adrenaline-pumping, yet safe activity is fun for the whole family. From Methven, we'll travel a short distance south to Peel Forest to hike through ancient podocarp forest, dense with many different types of ferns. The fern is a national symbol of New Zealand, worn by our famous rugby team - the All Blacks.
After lunch in the area, we'll travel inland towards Mt Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain. We stay near the shore of Lake Pukaki – a glacial lake with an unworldly turquoise-blue color. It's the middle of nowhere out here. The wide open spaces, regular clear evenings and lack of artificial light gives us the perfect opportunity to check out some of the Southern Hemisphere's constellations, including the Southern Cross and Orion's Belt. Lofty particularly enjoys teaching the kids a bit of basic southern astronomy, and he'll really bring the sky alive. Accommodation: Glentanner Lodgings, Mt. Cook. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 3: Thursday - Hiking near Mt. Cook
This morning it's a short drive to Mt. Cook village, at the head of Lake Pukaki. We have a few hikes available to us in the area, and our favorite is the stunning and little-known day hike (weather permitting) to the main ridge above Mueller Glacier. It's a tough slog up, but it's a real achievement for the whole family to share and 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 Hooker Glacier, complete with icebergs! Accommodation: Glentanner lodgings. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 4: Friday - Rafting near Queenstown
This morning we'll head through the mountainous countryside towards Queenstown. We'll stop along the way for the best ice creams in the whole of New Zealand – you'll soon find out why! We'll then continue on through fruit orchards and vineyards, before arriving in Queenstown for a family rafting trip in Skippers Canyon. Set in a deep, beautiful, rose-lined schist gorge, it's a spectacular trip – perfect for the whole family. Queenstown is 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 keep you and the kids busy. Accommodation: Queenstown apartments, Queenstown. Included: (B), (L).
Day 5: Saturday - Free day in Queenstown
Our company is based in Queenstown for a good reason – it's the adventure capital of New Zealand! You'll find all the comforts of civilization here, and plenty of family entertainment: lakeside walks, gondola and luge rides, restaurants and cinemas. There's also some more adventurous activities such as bungy jumping, horse trekking, skydiving and fishing too - it's all here! Queenstown is not a big place – the population is about 8000 – so if you decide to take a break it's the perfect place to relax and just soak up the atmosphere too.
Your time in Queenstown also offers the perfect opportunity to take a day trip or overnight excursion to the world famous Milford Sound, in Fiordland National Park. Just let us know if you would like to do either of these options and we'd be happy 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 three local world class ski areas: Coronet Peak, The Remarkables & Cardrona. 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 includes transport, lift pass and equipment rental and is approximately US$100 per adult, slightly less for children). Accommodation: Queenstown apartments. Included: (B).
Day 6: Sunday - Exploring around Queenstown
Today you can join your guide to check out more of the amazing scenery and history of the Queenstown area, or do your own thing with the family. It's also a great chance for parents to get away and have some time on their own, while we look after the kids – whatever you prefer. In the morning we'll take a short drive to the picturesque historic village of Arrowtown and explore an old Chinese gold mining area. There's also a chance to try your hand at gold panning in the Arrow River. In the afternoon we have several options including a hike up Queenstown Hill, or even a game of Frisbee golf in the local Queenstown Botanical Gardens. Accommodation: Queenstown apartments. Included: (B).
Day 7: Monday - Overnight hike in Mount Aspiring National Park
Today we'll leave Queenstown and head over the Crown Range to Wanaka. We'll then venture up the Matukituki Valley and hike for 2-3 hours into Mt. Aspiring National Park, to reach our home for the evening - a mountain hut nestled in the valley. This track is set amongst a World Heritage Area with majestic peaks, fresh mountain streams and natural beech forest all around us. Everyone will carry a pack and sleeping bag, but it won't weigh much more than a regular day pack.
Mt. Aspiring Hut is a spacious and modern mountain hut, albeit in the midst of nowhere, and the scenery is off the charts with Mt. Aspiring looming 10,000 feet above you. For such a short walk, it's amazing how far you'll feel from civilization! Our guides will whip up dinner in the backcountry kitchen, while you and the kids relax in front of the fireplace and play some cards or tell tall stories! Accommodation: Mt Aspiring Hut - awesome! Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 8: Tuesday - Hiking out, and delve into "Puzzling World"
We have a leisurely start today, enjoying breakfast and a cuppa while admiring the view, before hiking back out to the trailhead. On the way out today we have a great side hike. We'll spend an hour walking up a track to the stunning Rob Roy Glacier, to where we can safely watch snow and ice calving off the glacier. Here we may encounter the cheeky Kea again - this time in its natural habitat - and though we don't feed them, you'll find they come really close to us in the hope that we'll throw some chocolate their way! This afternoon we'll head to Puzzling World and run around one of the world's largest modern mazes with over a mile of passageways! Kids of all ages really enjoy trying to beat our wily guides through this labyrinth! Tonight we spend the evening in a lovely family-style homestead in Makarora. Accommodation: The Makarora Homestead. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 9: Wednesday - Exploring the West Coast forests, beaches, glowworms
This morning we'll travel down through the Haast Pass to the wild West Coast. We'll stop for a play on a deserted West Coast beach – keep an eye out for cheeky dolphins which often pass by this area! A little further north takes us to Lake Matheson for a short walk where you will be rewarded with an awesome vista; the Southern Alps stretching away to Mt. Cook in the distance.
This afternoon we'll get settled into our accommodations in Franz Josef, where we'll be staying for the next two nights. After dark we can head out with flashlights for a short night walk to look for the native glowworm – and to listen for some of New Zealand's nocturnal birdlife, such as the morepork, or even the elusive kiwi. Accommodation: Franz Josef Lodgings, Franz Josef. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 10: Thursday - Kayak Lake Mapourika, hike at Franz Josef Glacier
It's an early start this morning for our kayaking trip on Lake Mapourika. This ancient lake was formed during the last ice age and its tranquility provides a great introduction to kayaking. This is an awesome trip, run by specialist kayak outfitters, and it's equally suitable for beginners or experts alike. After lunch back in Franz Josef, we'll take a hike up to the terminal face of the Franz Josef Glacier for some breathtaking views. Franz Josef Glacier is one of the steepest and fastest moving glaciers in the world, and is unique in that it descends at Mt. Cook deep into lush rainforest near sea level.
Heli-hike option (add US$220 + tax):
A less strenuous, but outrageously scenic option today is to heli-hike on Franz Josef Glacier itself. After being fitted with crampons, ice axes and so on, you'll board a modern turbine helicopter and fly towards the highest peaks of the Southern Alps, landing on the glacier at 4,000 feet above sea level. Led by specialist glacier guides, you'll hike through the grand ice formations of the glacier, checking out its crevasses, seracs and tunnels – no previous experience required! The constant movement of the glacier means every day is different, so your guides will cut steps in the ice, and make sure you make the most of the conditions. At the end of your hike on the ice, you'll take another helicopter ride out of the mountains, and back to civilization. Heli-hikers generally return a little earlier, so we all rendezvous at our accommodations for the night. Accommodation: Franz Josef Lodgings, Franz Josef. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 11: Friday - Coastal hiking, free time in Hokitika
Today we'll head further up the coast to the rural outpost of Harihari, where we head out to hike the “Doughboy” – a distinctively shaped rock on the deserted Westland coast. We'll then continue on to Hokitika, where you can spend a little time checking out the local art galleries and pounamu carving workshops (“pounamu” is Maori for jade). There's also a fun beach here for playing games or making sculptures out of the driftwood and rocks washed up on the beach. This afternoon, we head over the Southern Alps to Flock Hill Station – a stunning location for our final two nights together. Accommodation: Flock Hill Lodge, Flock Hill. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 12: Saturday - Hiking in Castle Hill Basin, farm show
This morning after a hearty breakfast, we'll head to the start of our last big hike together. We follow Cave Stream for a short distance before heading up to the Landon saddle, and onwards to the top of Landon Hill. This is a superb viewpoint for the Craigieburn and Torlesse Ranges and the limestone landscape of Castle Hill Basin, where much of the recent film “Narnia – the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” was made. After lunch, we'll head to the small farming community of Springfield, at the foothills of the mountains, where we'll check out a working New Zealand high-country sheep farm. We'll watch highly trained huntaway dogs rounding up stock and see a live sheep shearing demonstration. All the kids will have the chance to join in and give sheep shearing a go themselves! Accommodation: Flock Hill Lodge, Flock Hill. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 13: Sunday - Depart for home
In the morning we'll travel back to Christchurch, where we first started our adventure 13 days ago. We'll arrive by lunchtime, so any international flight after 2pm is ideal, and we can make 1pm domestic flights with 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! Included: (B), (L).
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Children 15 and under $1999.
The trip fare includes just about everything, specifically:
- All guiding services.
- Comfortable accommodation for the entire period you are with us.
- 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, cycling, and kayaking described in the itinerary, except the optional extra activities. There are many optional activities available at extra cost, particularly in Franz Josef and Queenstown. None of these activities are compulsory.
Not included: This is your holiday, and we are serious about not nickel-and-diming you! You'll have a few meals and drinks to cover, extra activities if you choose them. The trip does not include NZ taxes of 12.5%.
Also see tour packages in:
Australia and Oceania
New Zealand
Hiking & Trekking
National Parks
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