For those who love to be truly active in their leisure time, the Kauri trip in North Island certainly does not disappoint. I did the complete 11 days - you can choose to do either the first half or the last hinging on the free day in Auckland if you wish.

Just like the Rimu trip on South Island which I did a few years back, the Kauri had a number of magical ingredients that make for a memorable holiday - first and foremost being the quality of the guides. Andy and Jo took us through the Kauri with a wonderful balance of hard facts, democratic decision making, sound leadership, great empathy for the guests' individual needs, and best of all their good humour and obvious enthusiasm for NZ. They not only guided us through the walks and activities, but also cooked us fabulous healthy meals! Nothing was too much trouble.

Second, the magnificent scenery, and the variety of environments they took us to, including lovely beaches, remote islands, huge dunefields, forest walks, rocky ascents to waterfall overlooks, and perhaps most spectacular the volcanic activity around Rotorua, which cannot be described in words or photos - you just have to be there! Amongst this busy programme there was even time to do the spectacular white water rafting on the Kaituna River near Rotorua, which includes a whopping 7 metre drop that is still giving me nightmares!

The accommodation is everywhere set in beautiful places, spacious, and one could say luxurious. Despite the hectic pace, I came back utterly relaxed, because I didn't have to worry about a thing, it was all planned perfectly for us!

There are a few comments I'd make about things that they may not make clear in the brochures. First, in North Island much of the walking (except the Tongariro Alpine Crossing) is through forest. For a country that laments the loss of over 90% of its native forest, we certainly got a good sampling of what is left! That meant views on the climbs were often limited. Second, there are hardly any native wild flowers in NZ, so don't expect Alpine prettiness. Likewise the fauna are limited, and often nocturnal. Finally, for anyone who has been lucky enough to see the coral in tropical waters, the snorkelling around the Poor Knights Islands lacks the colour of a real coral reef, although there are plenty of lovely fishes.


Finally be aware that Active means Active - one or two on our trip were not quite up to all the activities, though they still had a great time and Andy always found a Plan B for them.

These are small points - I can't imagine that anyone would grade this trip less than 5 stars! Well done Active - keep up the good work!
Terry Hardaker, Oxford

| January 1970