New Zealand two week vacation, South Island

Planet

We are committed to Responsible Tourism through policies and practices which cover all aspects of our business, ensuring that all our vacations are undertaken in a way which is socially, environmentally and culturally sound. Responsible Tourism remains at the very core of everything we do as a tour operator.

We feel strongly that all our vacations should benefit the local communities, protect the environment by minimising pollution, and respect local traditions, religion and heritage. We tread lightly – low volume, low impact vacations are the best way of preserving New Zealand’s beautiful natural heritage.

For every booking taken we make a donation on our traveler's behalf to New Zealand’s unique Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust Project which aims to protect and enhance biodiversity and improve the visitor experience in Abel Tasman National Park. It is a Charitable Trust, formed in 2007 and registered with the NZ Charities Commission, and the Inland Revenue Department as a charity. It is separate from the Department of Conservation and commercial tourism operators in the Park, but will work closely with them and the local community, on local projects for local benefits.Our local guides ensure that clients view the birdlife in a responsible way and one of key excursions is to Mou Waho island where our clients with our guide's expertise are able to view the rare Weka bird and to help with the re-afforestation of the island with native species by planting their own trees .

We work closely with local suppliers who are recognised for their sustainable tourism practices and are assessed under New Zealand’s Qualmark quality assurance scheme under the Enviro Award criteria.The majority of our selected accommodations are locally run bed and breakfasts or small lodges who pride themselves on offering seasonally grown food .

Our main transport provider has one of the highest Enviro Awards ratings in the country .
All of our tailor made itineraries offer the opportunity for clients to include train and coach journeys and to include walks on some of the key tracks , reducing car travel use .

People

All of our itineraries, whether tailor made or small group, are strongly focused on ensuring support for local communities and educating our travelers on the importance of responsible travel.

Accommodation on this small group journey is in smaller bed & breakfasts, and includes an overnight farm stay in the Ashburton region. We use local guides in all the major parks - Abel Tasman , Mount Aspiring , Westland and Fiordland to enhance our travelers understanding of the environment they are traveling through and to recognise some of the conseration programmes in place .

Our itineraries have a strong focus on the history and customs of the Maori, as we recognise and appreciate the cultural significance of the Maori people in New Zealand. There is an option of a trip to Queenstown to see a Maori cutural performance atop the Skyline Gondola .

Through our New Zealand partner operator, we are a Qualmark accredited business and a member of the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand. This means we have been independently reviewed and deemed to operate in an ethical and environmentally sustainable way. All our coaches are supplied with free re-usable water bottles for travelers .