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Your Trip Information

To help you prepare for this trip, we’ve gathered some useful information together! Some things, such as flights and insurance will be relevant sooner; and some things such as gear will be relevant closer to departure.

Before your trip

Visas for Australians You’ve booked! If you’re arriving from Australia, Australian citizens are exempt from both What’s next? fees, though Australian permanent residents need to pay the ETA. The ETA is NZ$12.50 and you can do this here: nzeta.immigration.govt.nz Within a week of booking: pay deposit, confirm your contract and Travel Insurance log into your Travel Wallet As an Active Adventures traveller it’s essential you take out travel insurance to Sooner rather than later: check cover the likes of personal injury, medical expenses, trip cancellation for your passport, arrange travel insurance travel with us. Please head to our Travel Insurance page for more in-depth and book your flights, start your information and insurance provider options. It’s also important to check your training regime and get fit! insurance covers all the activities you’ll be partaking in, in case you’re travelling Three months before your trip: to altitude or looking at extreme sports. full payment is due, complete extra Travel agencies items* We recommend booking your flights through our preferred travel partner, Four weeks before your trip: check Fuzion Travel. They’re our experienced hand-picked experts in travel, passionate for any missing details for your trip about what they do, and will tailor-make your flight itinerary to match your Two weeks before your trip: Active Adventures tour. Get in touch with them directly by email reconfirm your flights, print your [email protected] or on 1 800 TRAVEL. Let them know your preferred final trip information* travel plans, including any stopovers or extra nights’ accommodation, and they will put everything in place for you. They offer a total travel solution and five star *We’ll email you reminders about service that you’ll want to tell your friends about! these things!

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Flights

International flights transfers If you’re flying over from Australia, most flights arrive Transport is easy to arrange from every New Zealand into or , before connecting through airport. You can either catch a taxi, uber or there are door- to your final destination. Some airlines will fly directly to to-door airport shuttles. takes a little bit longer, Queenstown though - usually from Sydney or Melbourne. however it’s an economical option for solo travellers. : 30 kilometres (20 miles) to the city. Domestic flights We recommend booking your domestic connections within • Taxi: 30 minutes, NZ$~80 - $90 per vehicle. New Zealand as part of your international fare. It’s more • Shuttle: 40 minutes, NZ$35 per person economical that way, and can make life a bit easier if your • SkyBus: 60 minutes, NZ$16 per person (purchase from international flight is delayed. kiosk between doors 8-11 international or outside door 4 at domestic terminal) Arriving and departing : 15 kilometres (10 miles) to the city. New Zealand • Taxi: 20 minutes, NZ$~60 per vehicle. • Shuttle: 30 minutes, NZ$25 per person Customs and immigration : 10 kilometres (6 miles) from town. Once your international flight arrives into New Zealand you’ll proceed through immigration to have your passport • Taxi: 15 minutes, NZ$~40 per vehicle. checked and be issued your visitor’s permit (see passports • Shuttle: 20 minutes, NZ$24 per person and visas above). You should then collect your luggage Carparking before proceeding through customs. If you’re driving yourself to the start of your trip, you can If you’re arriving into Auckland and connecting to either leave your park at an accommodation (you’ll need to Christchurch, you’ll need to transit from the international check with the hotel directly) or you can book your car in to terminal to the domestic terminal. There’s a free transit bus the below locations in each City: available, or it’s a 15 minute walk. You’ll also need to re- check your luggage for your domestic flight. Auckland There’s Standard Parking options are available at both the Biosecurity international and domestic terminals at Auckland Airport, If you’re arriving from Australia, New Zealand is very strict check your options our here. on checking high risk biosecurity items so please check out: www.biosecurity.govt.nz/ Christchurch There are short-term and long-term options available at the Christchurch Airport so check them out here or an external company Craddocks offer options from NZ$10-12 per day.

Queenstown There’s Standard Parking options are available at the terminal at Queenstown Airport, check your options our here.

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What if there’s an emergency? Your Active Adventures New Flight & luggage delays Zealand Trip If your flight is delayed, or you can’t travel for any reason Your group and aren’t able to get to your pre-arranged meeting place Our group sizes range from a minimum of four people to on time, please let us know as soon as you can. You’ll need a maximum of fourteen people, generally with a mix of to cover any additional costs incurred by your flight delay, singles, couples and friends. If you’re travelling with other so keep all receipts in case you need them later to support people be sure to let us know so we can keep you all an insurance claim. If your luggage doesn’t arrive with you together in the one group, as we often run two trips over for any reason, you’ll be directed to the airport baggage our more popular dates. claim service where your details will be taken so that your baggage can be tracked down – feel free to give the airlines Your guides the emergency contact number below. You’ll be given a Your trip will be operated by two Experienced Active luggage tracking number and, in most cases, your bags will Adventure NZ guides, as well as local specialist activity be delivered to your hotel within 24 hours. guides. Your guides will be there to make sure you’re well informed about each day and you’re well-fed, well-rested Emergency contacts and happy! If you have a genuine emergency in the few days before your trip starts, or your family needs to get in touch with Rooming you urgently during the trip, please call our Client Services Our trip fares are based on a twin share rate (two people Team, who’re based in New Zealand. per room), so we’ll team you up with someone of the Phone +64 27 839 6538. same gender to share with if you’re on your own, or of course you can share with your travel partner or family. Non-emergency contacts Those travelling with a partner will have a choice of either For non-emergencies, please contact our New Zealand twin-share (one room, two single beds) or double-share office using the details below. If the office is unattended (one room, one queen/king bed). Triple sharing is always (outside of New Zealand business hours), please leave an option if you prefer, though it may not be available a message so we can pick it up and respond as soon as everywhere we stay. Just let us know and we’ll see what we can. we can do! Free phone: 1 800 661 9073 (Australia) Free phone: 0800 234 726 (NZ) Single room option Worldwide: +64 3 450 0414, ext 1 If you’d prefer not to share a room, we have a single Email: [email protected] supplement option for an additional fare. If you purchase a single supplement, we’ll arrange for you to have your own room throughout the trip. In certain places, single rooms Time in New Zealand aren’t available and the price of the single supplement New Zealand Standard Time (NZST) is the time zone for takes this into account.

New Zealand, it’s 12 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Bathrooms Time (GMT). Generally speaking, in most places you stay, you’ll have an ensuite or private bathroom. In some places we use two-bedroom units, in which case you may be sharing a separate bathroom between two to four people. In certain places, there may be a large bathroom with private cubicles which is shared by everyone at that accommodation.

Water All New Zealand tap water is safe to drink. In many places, you’ll be able to drink right from our lakes and streams, except for those located near farmland.

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Money

Food New Zealands currency is the New Zealand dollar. For an Almost all meals are included in your trip fare and any up-to-date currency conversion please see: www.xe.com/uc. that aren’t, are indicated in your itinerary. The type of food Forms of payment varies – on some occasions your guides will cook your We recommend you bring a variety of payment options meals and on other occasions we’ll eat out at restaurants. with you – NZ dollars, an ATM card, and a credit card or We also keep a generous snack basket on the bus at all two. Visa and MasterCard are accepted in most places. times. All the food you eat, be it a traditional Kiwi barbeque, If you’re travelling from Australia, NZ dollars can always be or a packed lunch to take with you on a hike, will be of top obtained at the airport upon arrival and you should notify quality. All our guides have food hygiene certificates and your bank you’ll be using your cards in New Zealand before are well practiced in the art of back country catering! leaving home - your bank may charge a fee for each foreign Dietary requirements ATM transaction. If you have any particular dietary requirements, please let Spending money us know. We’re accustomed to working with the following Your trip fare includes all transportation, guiding, meals and diets, and if you have any other dietary needs or allergies, activities (except any optional activities). We recommend let us know so we can plan in advance: bringing around NZ$300 with you, with the option to • omnivore (I eat red and white meat, pork, chicken, fish, withdraw more if required. A meal on your day off may cost dairy, fruit and vegetables) NZ$25-35 per main course with a drink costing between • no red meat (I eat chicken, fish, dairy, fruit and NZ$5-12 per juice/beer/wine. If you’re keen to take part in vegetables) an extra actvity during your free time, expect to pay about • no pork (I eat beef, lamb, chicken and fish) NZ$150+ per half day activity. • fishatarian (I eat fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables) • vegetarian (I eat dairy, fruit and vegetables) • vegan (I eat fruit and vegetables, no dairy or animal products) • gluten intolerant (I can’t eat wheat, rye, barley or oats) • lactose intolerant (I can’t eat dairy products)

Medical issues, allergies and other information If you have a medical issue, allergy or recent injury, please let us know – we’ll be sure this information gets passed on to your guide discreetly. If you have an allergy, please also let us know whether your allergy is mild or severe (severe being an anaphylactic reaction) so we can be prepared. We love knowing about anniversaries, honeymoons and birthdays too!

Transport Your trip fare includes all ground transport, except for airport transfers if you arrive or depart a day or two either side of the trip. We prefer to travel in modern 20-seater buses so you have plenty of room to spread out. Air conditioning, a good sound system, seat belts and comfy seats are all prerequisites!

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About New Zealand

Altitude WiFi There are no real altitude issues to contend with here WiFi will be available at most of the accommodations though the tracks can still be quite challenging. Our tracks you’ll be staying at and you’ll also be able to use your cell are often quite steep and will have more switchbacks/ phone about 80% of the time during your trip, and 3G/4G is hairpin bends than other countries. The best way to prepare available too for accessing the internet from a smartphone for these tracks is to do hikes which involve hills and stairs. or tablet.

Flexibility Electricity When it comes to adventure travel, it’s always worth New Zealand operates on a 240V AC system with the Plug expecting the unexpected! Occasionally we have to deal Type I shown here. with things like the weather or the environment throwing something in the path of our best laid plans. Our priority Weather is always to run a safe and enjoyable trip, and we always Given the alpine topography of New Zealand and the have a plan B in mind. All we ask is you be open to things proximity to Antarctica, it can get cold and rainy in New changing and know our top priority is your safety, best Zealand at any time of year. There are four distinct seasons: interests and enjoyment! March to May (autumn), June to August (winter), September to November (spring) and December to February (summer). Drones To monitor the weather please head to: metservice.co.nz Very occassionally we get requests to bring drone’s along on our trips though as they’re aerial machines. All of our hiking//biking/kayaking activities are on conservation land so this means you wouldn’t be able to use it on any activity during your trip. It’s perfectly OK to use hand-held cameras and video equipment at any time throughout your travels, so we suggest bringing a good camera along and leaving your drone at home.

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Trip Notes – Powder Days

Starting and ending your trip General Information

Trip start details Fitness Your ‘Powder Days’ trip starts in Christchurch and we’ll As an Activity Level 3 trip, you’ll need a good level of fitness meet you at the Merivale Manor, located on Road, for the ‘Powder Days’ trip as you’ll spend 3 full days on the at 4pm to start your trip. mountain as well as a day hgiking in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. Flight arrival details If you’re flying into Christchurch Airport on the first day, Laundry book international flights that arrive by 2pm, and domestic We recommend bringing enough clothing to only have to flights that arrive by 3pm. A flight from Auckland to do laundry once during your ‘Powder Days’ trip, if at all. The Christchurch is a domestic flight. For more information on best time will be during our two night stay in Queenstown booking flights, please refer above on Page 2. (during your free day). Your guides often have laundry detergent handy – so if you need some, just ask! Trip end details Your ‘Powder Days’ trip ends in Queenstown and we have two drop off locations for you to choose from: • Queenstown Airport, in time for the flights on the next page. • Central Queenstown, at about 5pm - anywhere in the downtown area.

Flight departure details If you’re flying out of Queenstown Airport on the last afternoon, your flight should depart after 6pm for a domestic flight and after 7pm for an international flight. A flight from Queenstown to Auckland is a domestic flight, even if it connects with an international flight.

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General Equipment & Gear

Trip luggage & daypack You’ll need one piece of luggage on your ‘Powder Days’ trip, plus a daypack for your days up the mountain. Your main piece of luggage can be anything from a backpack, to a sports bag with wheels or a suitcase. You’ll also need a daypack 25-30 litres (2000 cubic inches) to use up the mountain for items you’ll want access to during the day, as well as for the hike on day 2.

Snow gear You’ll need good quality snow gear for your days up the mountain. We recommend bringing a waterproo ski jacket, waterrproof ski pants, waterproof gloves, thermal tops and bottoms, a neck warmer, warm hat and sunglasses or ski goggles, at the very minimum. It’s always a good idea to have spare layers too incase you get wet!

Hiking shoes You’ll need a good, comfortable, well worn-in pair of hiking shoes for day 2 of your ‘Powder Days’ trip. We recommend boots with good ankle support and a solid tread/sole.

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Gear List - Totara

Essential Clothing Waterproof Ski jacket: a breathable, rainproof and windproof padded shell Gear Note jacket with a hood. If you’re not sure what any of Waterproof/windproof Ski pants: for keeping dry and warm while skiing. these things are, please ask at Wearing thermal underwear underneath these is best. your nearest outdoor store, or ask us. We want you to be as well Thermal underwear: one set of top and bottom thermal/polypropylene prepared as possible for your trip. underwear for under your ski gear Clothing layers: for under your waterproof ski gear 3-4 pairs of Socks: good quality ski socks. Hiking Clothes: quick-dry t-shirt, shorts/pants, sweater and hiking socks. Fabric Note Casual Clothing: to wear when you’re not skiing or hiking. We recommend quick-drying, wicking fabrics such as Patagonia Essential Luggage capilene, Icebreaker merino, or Main piece of luggage other specially designed fabrics for this trip. If you’re not sure what Day pack: for the hike on Day 2 a quick-dry fabric is, ask at your nearest outdoor store. While you Essential Footwear can bring some cotton, denim and Trail runners: for the hiking day. other non-wicking fabrics on this Jandals/light sandals: for casual wear. trip, be aware that they won’t be easy to wash or dry. Essential Accessories Warm hat: wool/fleece ski hat or similar. Sun hat: wide brimmed to protect you from the sun. Sunglasses or Ski Googles: with polarizing lenses to prevent glare. Waterproof warm Gloves Water/Hydration bladder: 2 litre volume.

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Customs Note If you’re carrying prescription medicines or controlled drugs you must have a prescription or letter from your doctor and carry the drugs in their original containers, only carry up to three months’ supply of prescription medicines or only carry one month’s supply of controlled drugs.

Personal Items Essential documents and items Toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, tooth brush & paste, Passport: in a waterproof bag. soap, facecloth, prescription medications, glasses/lenses, Money: Approx. NZ$300 cash, credit/debit cards with pin shaving gear, feminine hygiene products, wet wipes, number for cash withdrawals. hand sanitiser (some is provided), ziplock bags. Trip Summary Step 6 page: print this out and bring it Personal medical aid kit: for any essential items you with you. It includes where to meet your group, any extra know you’ll need e.g. blister treatment. hotel information and emergency numbers. Camera: memory cards and batteries/charger. Sun-block: Some will be provided so only bring your own Recommended Items if necessary, we’re keen on reducing our plastic usage! Ear plugs: recommended for light sleepers. Maximum SPF UVA/UVB broad spectrum sunscreen is Energy snacks/drinks: snacks will be provided, you may recommended all year in New Zealand. like to bring some along too if you have special dietary needs. Reusable Coffee Cup: If you’re a keen coffee drinker. Adapter plug: depends on your home country. Reading material

The final word If there’s anything else please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at: [email protected] or head to our website for more information about New Zealand.

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