Click Here to order our latest brochures Active holidays in New Zealand - walking, cycling, kayaking or sailing. New Zealand Walking Holidays New Zealand offers some of the world's most wonderful and dramatic walking holidays.  Despite the harsh winter seasons in the Southern Alps, we can arrange walks all year round to suit every fitness level and to suit every budget.  Outdoor Travel's staff have over 20 years of experience with walking holidays in New Zealand and we will gladly help you choose the right holiday on both the North and the South Islands. Guided walks in New Zealand can range from 1-day excursions from Queenstown, Taupo or Picton to 3 to 21-day walks in the more remote National Park areas - all offer lodge or hotel accommodation, expert guides and a support team. A New Zealand walking holiday is something you really must do. As a 'freedom walker' backpacking your way to DOC huts such as on the Milford Track or Routeburn or on one of the many guided walks, there are many hundreds of kilometres of well maintained wilderness trails for you to choose. Our most popular walk - the Milford Track - is regarded by many as the most challenging and most rewarding, but perhaps one of the most difficult.  Walkers are expected to carry a medium sized pack with their personal possessions for 15 - 20 kilometres (6 - 8 hours) per day.  Departures are daily in season (usually from November to April) but demand is high - so early reservations are essential. CLICK-HERE  For Milford Track Guided Walk Information CLICK-HERE For Milford Track - Ultimate Hike - Guided Walk Dates& Prices Information Back to the Top of the Page Abel Tasman Wilderness Walk Our favourite walk in New Zealand - operates ALL YEAR ROUND. The Abel Tasman National Park is in the sunniest region of New Zealand's South Island. This world famous coastal track opens up the park's intimate pristine estuaries, golden sand beaches and forested headlands with easy walking - ideal for walkers (or even non-walkers) or those with families. We recommend 3 and 5 day guided walks or walking plus sea kayaking combinations which allow walkers - including parents with children - to experience the history, wildlife and natural beauty of this wilderness park. The walk combines beachfront lodges all with ensuite accommodation, bus and launch transport from Nelson, guided walking or kayaking and of course, relaxation. Click Here  For details of the Abel Tasman walking or sea-kayaking holiday program or Click Here  For a wonderful news story on the Abel Tasman National Park. Back to the Top of the Page Hollyford Track Walk - Fiordland Located in the spectacular Fiordland National Park, the dramatic Hollyford Track guided wilderness experience is one of New Zealand’s great walks. Explore undisturbed and inspiring scenery that has remained largely untouched for thousands of years, from the snow capped mountains of the majestic Southern Alps, ancient native rainforest, pristine rivers and lakes to the remote sand dunes, reef and surf of the rugged West Coast. Your expert guide will bring to life the diversity of landscapes, vegetation and wildlife within this beautiful valley, as well as the captivating stories of the original Maori and early pioneers. The experiences are just as diverse and include hiking through 'World Heritage Area' wilderness, native wildlife encounters, wilderness jet-boating, exploring historical sites, and a scenic flight to Milford Sound. On this 3 day / 2 night all inclusive experience you'll enjoy cuisine prepared and served by our friendly lodge hosts while relaxing in our well appointed and comfortable private lodges. A maximum number of 16 people in your group provides for a personal experience, and with your guide sharing their intimate knowledge of the area with you, it’s a wonderful way to explore the very essence of New Zealand’s wilderness. Click Here  For more details and information about Hollyford Track. Back to the Top of the Page Other New Zealand Walks Available From Outdoor Travel Outdoor Travel has a wide range of Guided & Self-Guided tours on both the North and South Islands. Follow these links to explore the many options that are available. Latest information is in Red. The Grey links indicate trips that may available again in 2010 so please enquire. NZ - Hollyford Valley Track guided walk 2010 NZ - Milford Track guided walk, Grand Traverse, Routeburn 2010 - 2011 NZ – Milford Track, Routeburn or Kepler Track Freedom Walk 2010 - 2011 NZ - Queen Charlotte guided walk 2010 NZ - Abel Tasman Walking or Sea Kayaking guided tours 2010 NZ - Akaroa & Banks Peninsula guided walk 2010 NZ - Ball Pass challenging guided trek NZ - Nelson Lakes - Travers Sabine Circuit Walk - ask for 2010 details NZ - Stewart Island, Fiordland's Dusky Track or Hump Ridge Track Guided Walks NZ - Tongariro Trek - ask for 2010 details Back to the Top of the Page CYCLING IN NEW ZEALAND SMALL GROUP CYCLING HOLIDAYS Outdoor Travel offers a wide range of small group cycling (road touring) holidays mostly staying in good quality accommodation with expert guides & facilities. The North Island tours offer a great diversity of scenic beauty and interest, ranging from wonderful coastal biking on the Coromandel to the volcanic plateau, forests and lakes on the 15-day North Island highlights tour. The South Island offers some of the best cycling in the world, with quiet sealed roads, spectacular alpine scenery, rain forest, glaciers, fiords and wild deserted beaches – a must do destination. What’s Included in your tour - Three good meals most days, all accommodation to a very good standard, transport by mini-bus, a tee-shirt or road jersey and commemorative certificate, detailed daily maps with ride profiles, experienced guides and support staff. Quality bike hire is available if required with well-serviced road touring, hybrid or tandem bikes available. Is this the holiday for you? - If you have an active lifestyle and enjoy the outdoors, then these holidays are for you. Our support vehicles enable everyone to be uplifted at any stage. The trailers take everyone's cycles, luggage and spares. Each trip meets in a city from where we drive to a quiet country road to commence biking. Everyone cycles as much as they wish each day with the option of the comfort of the back-up vehicle at any time. We recommend a minimum age of 14 when accompanied by parents, 18 when unaccompanied. There is no maximum age. Where do we stay? - small country inns, lodges and hotels chosen for their character, location and comfort. They range in New Zealand for example from Mt. Ruapehu's Grand Chateau, to the isolated comfort of Lake Moeraki Lodge. Many tours include a farm stay - a highlight in itself - where you will meet the people who are the backbone of the country. Our tour accommodation is based on twin share or double rooms. Single accommodation is available on payment of a supplement. We cannot guarantee a single room on all trips each night unless you book early. If you wish to share a room and we are unable to place you in share twin accommodation there will be no additional charge for a single room. On some occasions in remote areas it may be necessary for two rooms to share a bathroom. Cuisine on tour? - Excellent meals are a feature of our trips. Cyclists' hearty appetites are well catered for. Three meals a day are provided most days with some lunches and evenings free. Breakfast is a choice of cooked or continental. Lunch is often a picnic provided by your guide at a scenic location. Evening meals are at good restaurants and inns offering a wide selection of local cuisine. Vegetarians are readily catered for. Click Here  For a full schedule of departures or call 1800 331 582 and speak to our Travel Consultants Back to the Top of the Page Explore the wineries of Marlborough - By Bicycle! The Marlborough region of New Zealand, without doubt produces some of the finest white wines in the world. The area around Blenheim - easily accessed from Wellington, Nelson or Christchurch - which boasts an array of fine restaurants, arts and crafts is just a short distance from the sea giving it a mild, pleasant, year-round climate. We are delighted to offer a 3 or 4 day stopover program based in quality hotels and upmarket vineyard B&B accommodation. Explore the region by car or for something totally unique explore the backroads by well maintained mountain bicycles. Everything including luggage transfer and selected meals are pre-arranged in the European tradition - CLICK HERE for details today. Back to the Top of the Page Sea Kayaking The Abel Tasman National Park, located in a gloriously sunny corner of New Zealand, comprises a diverse landscape from native Beech & Podocarp rainforests, ancient fern-filled grottos & mountain streams cascading into clear pools; to impressive granite headlands fringing legendary golden beaches & crystal clear waters. This extraordinary Park provides habitats for a plethora of New Zealand wildlife including forest & sea birds, dolphins & a breeding seal colony on Tonga Island. With a year round mild climate, enjoy sea kayaking the coast. Paddle in a pristine clear water estuary. Come home to one of our private beachfront lodges for a gourmet meal, fine wine and good company. Stay out late, gazing at the stars, then retire to your own room, let the waves soothe you to sleep at the end of a day that can be as relaxing or adventurous as you like. Guided Sea Kayaking or Walking: Highlights include a visit to the seal colony at Tonga Island where you can be entertained by the seal pups. Paddle around stunning rocky cliffs & discover secluded beaches only accessible by water. Our sea kayaking trips are not suitable for children under 12 years. Back to the Top of the Page Sailing a Tall Ship Join Søren Larsen star of the BBC TV series 'the Onedin Line' and movies including 'French Lieutenant's Woman', 'the Count of Monte Cristo' and 'Shackleton'. Be part of the ship's 22-person Voyage Crew and sail this authentic square-rigged sailing ship with all the romance and splendour of traditional sailing in some of the world's most beautiful islands and oceans. Discover for yourselves the magic and the challenges faced by the great Pacific explorers like Captain James Cook, Wallis and Bougainville or the many sailors, whalers and mariners as they sailed the waters between Sydney, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. These voyages are available to all ages and no previous experience is required. The Tallship Søren Larsen will undertake a series of voyages to discover and explore the very best of the tropical South Seas. A true ocean passage takes us from Auckland to the Kingdom of Tonga via the volcanic Kermadec islands. In the islands of Haapa'i and the whale breeding grounds of Vava'u we find South Pacific tropical cruising at its most idyllic. The voyage heads westwards following the trade winds on a series of voyages across the best of Polynesia and Melanesia, from Tonga to the outer islands of Fiji. We explore the wild untouched beauty and undisturbed culture of the islands of Vanuatu, sailing as far north as the rarely visited islands of the Banks and Torres group. We see the classical South Sea beauty of New Caledonia before heading westwards to Australia. An authentic square rig passage to Sydney Harbour or a trans Tasman voyage home to New Zealand is a blue water sailing adventure at its best. Click Here  For the latest SØREN LARSEN departure information & prices or call our travel consultants on 1800 331 582 Back to the Top of the Page DO YOU WANT TRAVEL INSURANCE THAT COVERS ACTIVE HOLIDAYS IN NEW ZEALAND? CLICK HERE TO BUY SURESAVE TRAVEL INSURANCE TRAVEL TO NEW ZEALAND HAS NEVER BEEN CHEAPER - CLICK HERE FOR A QUOTE Contact OUTDOOR TRAVEL on 1800 331 582 for a brochure or to make a reservation