Need to Know : Tui Queenstown The following information is designed to be read in conjunction with our Need to Know New Zealand information. We review this information once a year, but if anything has recently changed, please let us know!

Congratulations on booking your Tui Queenstown trip! We’re looking forward to having you join us for this challenging and memorable trip showing you the best of the South Island. We want you to be well prepared for your trip, so read on for all the nitty gritty details…

Starting and Ending Your Trip Flight Arrival Details The Tui Queenstown trip starts in Queenstown on Sunday. If you are flying into Queenstown Airport on Sunday morning, please book domestic flights that arrive by 11.00am. Any flight from Auckland to Queenstown is considered a domestic flight. If these times don’t suit you please contact us before booking any non-changeable flights. For details on booking flights see Need to Know: New Zealand. Trip Start Details We have two pick up locations for you to choose from at least two weeks before your trip starts: • The Station Building, central Queenstown, 11.30am Outside on the corner of Camp and Shotover Streets, Queenstown. • Queenstown Airport - Visitor Information Desk, 12 noon onwards We'll pick you up at the Visitor Information Desk after you've collected your luggage. First Day Activity We’ll be going hiking today, so be sure to keep your hiking gear somewhere handy! Trip End Details The Tui Queenstown trip ends in Christchurch on Sunday. We have two drop off locations for you to choose from at least two weeks before your trip starts: • Christchurch Airport, at about 2pm In time for the flights below • Central Christchurch, at about 3pm Anywhere in the downtown area Flight Departure Details If you are flying out of Queenstown Airport on Sunday afternoon, your flight should depart after 3pm for a domestic flight and 4pm for an international flight. Any flight from Christchurch to Auckland is considered a domestic flight, even if it connects with your international flight. If these times don’t suit you please contact us before booking any non-changeable flights.

Your Tui Queenstown Trip Fitness You'll need a good level of fitness for the Tui Queenstown trip. While you don't have to be extremely fit, you should be in the habit of doing regular aerobic exercise, ideally involving some uphills, downhills or steps. With a little preparation you’ll enjoy the active and outdoor nature of your trip all the more. Age and experience are not important, but a good level of fitness is. Accommodation We have selected the accommodations on your Tui Queenstown trip for their stunning setting, unique character or adventuresome feel – they’re not designed as a tour of the fanciest hotels in New Zealand. We prefer to stay in quaint, comfortable B&Bs, lodges and apartments, some of which ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND – ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA - ACTIVE AUSTRALIA Worldwide +64 3 450 0414 – Free phone UK 0808 234 7780 – Toll Free US/Canada 1 800 661 9073

Need to Know : Tui have private bathrooms and some shared bathrooms. You will probably be sharing a two bedroom apartment or bathroom with other group members at some stage. Occasionally things get a little more rustic like where we stay near Milford Sound or in the Siberia Valley wilderness huts. Laundry We recommend bringing enough clothing to only have to do laundry once during your Tui Queenstown trip, if at all. The best time will be during our two night stay in Queenstown (during your free day). Your guides often have laundry detergent handy – so if you need some, just ask! Tipping Many people choose to tip their ACTIVE NZ guides at the end of an awesome trip, and these are gratefully accepted in either New Zealand or US dollars. While tipping isn’t common practice in New Zealand, it is appropriate for great service. For a one week trip with two guides US$40-$60 per person per guide (or around US$60-$90 per person per solo guide) seems to be the norm - it’s totally up to you of course! Early Season Snow During bumper snow years the snow may stay on the mountains well into October and November. If so, the New Zealand Department of Conservation (the equivalent of the USA’s National Park Service) will not allow us to travel over heavily snowed terrain for safety reasons. As a result, we may not be able to access some higher elevation hikes in our itinerary, so instead you’ll be doing a lower elevation hike through a beautiful winter wonderland area.

General Equipment Trip Luggage You’ll need one large piece of luggage plus a sturdy daypack for your Tui Queenstown trip. If you’re doing the Siberia Valley Wilderness option and bringing your own large backpack then this can double as your main piece of luggage. If not, your luggage can be anything from a sports bag with wheels, to a 28” suitcase, to a large backpack. It should ideally be soft sided with total dimensions of up to 158cm/62" (length + width + height). Your daypack should be 30 litres (2,000ci) with supportive straps/waist belt. Hiking Boots You’ll need a good, comfortable, well worn-in pair of hiking boots for your Tui Queenstown trip as you’ll use them most days. We recommend boots with good ankle support, a solid tread/sole and which are well waterproofed. We’ll be hiking over rooty, rocky, uneven terrain so we want you to be prepared with suitable equipment. We’ll also be hiking through a number of streams where, for safety reasons, we recommend keeping your boots on so it’s a good idea to waterproof them. Be sure to scrub any dirt off your hiking boots before leaving home and pack them somewhere easy to reach for inspection by Biosecurity on entering New Zealand. We don’t want you to be charged a fine! Rain Jacket & Rain Pants You’ll need a waterproof, windproof and breathable rain jacket and some rain pants for your Tui trip. A poncho definitely isn’t going to cut the mustard! Even in summer New Zealand is well known to enjoy a fair bit of rain here and there - it wouldn’t be the beautiful country it is without it and our activities don’t always stop for it. You need a jacket that’s not too light (it won’t keep you dry properly and you’ll get cold), but not too heavy (or you’ll get too hot while hiking or biking) and with a decent hood. If you don’t already own a waterproof jacket, we recommend chatting to your local outdoor retailer to see what’s available. You could also check out some online stores like www.rei.com or www.sierratradingpost.com. Hiking Poles We strongly suggest bringing one or two telescopic hiking poles on your trip or renting some from us for US$20+tax/pair/trip. Poles help protect your knees on our famous Kiwi ascents and descents, assist over uneven terrain and give greater support if carrying a backpack.

Page 2 of 5

Need to Know : Tui Group Equipment For the biking segments of the trip you’ll be provided with a durable, front-suspension Specialized brand mountain bike (with flat pedals and a helmet) for our undulating, road-based rides. If you’re a super keen mountain biker, ask your trip leader about the single track riding available on your free day. For the kayaking segments you’ll be fitted out in modern double plastic sea kayaks with life jacket, paddle and a bag to keep your camera dry. Gear List Your Tui Queenstown gear list can be seen here: www.activenewzealand.com/PDF/GearlistTuiQueenstown.pdf.

Optional Activities Heli-Hike on Franz Josef Glacier [Add US$249+tax per person] During our trip along the West Coast you have the option to take an exciting scenic helicopter flight to visit the upper reaches of the Franz Josef glacier – an area that usually only experienced mountaineers would get to see. No prior experience is required, and everything you need is supplied, and as long as you can hike, you can heli-hike! The four hour package includes a scenic helicopter flight (15 minutes, one-way), a two hour guided trip on and around the glacier and amazing panoramic views of the area. A good level of fitness is required and the following equipment is provided for you: glacier boots, socks, crampons, ice axe, waterproof raincoat, and a certificate and postcard on completion of your trip. You'll need to bring 3-4 warm upper body layers, leggings or lightweight trousers, waterproof trousers, sunglasses, sunscreen, some snacks and a small drink bottle. The heli-hike option is very popular, so we recommend pre-booking if you know that you’re keen. Just let us know through your online booking page or email us if so - we put a few spaces aside for each trip and we’ll make sure one has your name on it! Pre-payment is required with your trip balance. It's worth noting that the heli-hiking can be rather weather dependent, so if your helihike is cancelled due to the weather, we can arrange an alternate scenic flight over , or send your full refund home, less a US$10 refund fee. Free Day There’s so much on offer in Queenstown that we like to leave it up to you to decide what to do. If you’re an adrenaline junkie there’s bungy jumping, white water rafting, canyon swing and jet boating – and that’s just for starters! For those who prefer more relaxed pace there’s hiking, mountain biking, golfing, fishing, wine tasting and gondola rides. Or if you prefer to take things real easy, then there are shops, cafés, book stores, pubs and restaurants to explore. It’s totally up to you! We recommend booking most activities during your trip as it allows you to have a chat to your ACTIVE NZ guides about which activities are best (there are different options available for most activities) and factor the weather in, if need be. If you’d like to read about Queenstown’s many activities in more detail, check out this link: http://www.activenewzealand.com/queenstown.php.

Overnight Option Choosing Your Preferred Overnight Option During your Tui Queenstown trip the group will divide up into one of two overnight options. If you haven’t already decided on your preferred option, please read your Tui Queenstown itinerary and the following information and let us know right away, as there is an 8-person maximum on the Siberia Valley Wilderness option. We always try our best to confirm everyone’s preferred option they’re both fantastic, so we’re sure you’ll have an amazing time whichever one you do!

Page 3 of 5

Need to Know : Tui You have the choice of the following: • Makaroa Adventure • Siberia Valley Wilderness

Makaroa Adventure Option The Makarora Adventure option is perfect if you’d like to experience a scenic flight, a day hike and a jet boat ride in the stunning Mt Aspiring Wilderness area, all the while staying in comfortable accommodations. You’ll be doing just as much activity as those on the Siberia Valley Wilderness option - but without having to carry a pack! How Does It Work? On the first day of this option everyone in your Tui Queenstown group will heads out for a mindblowing scenic flight into Mt. Aspiring National Park for a bird’s eye view of the lower Southern Alps. After landing and dropping off some of your group, you and your co-guide will land back in Makarora, where you’ll go for a lovely day hike on the Mt. Shrimpton track. It’s a steep hike with a 2500 foot (750 metre) elevation gain, but the views from above the tree line are worth it! You’ll spend the night in a comfortable bed, before jet boating in to pick up the rest of your group after their night in the hut.

Siberia Valley Wilderness Option The Siberia Valley Wilderness option is designed for those that would like to experience true remoteness in this stunning area. If you don’t mind the idea of staying in a rustic mountain hut or carrying a large backpack downstream for a few hours this might be the wilderness option for you! How Does It Work? You’ll start with a jaw-droppingly beautiful scenic flight up the Wilkin and Siberia Valleys to land on an air strip virtually right at the foot of Siberia Hut, your humble home for the night. After dropping your overnight gear off at the hut, you’ll then decide what to do for the afternoon – hike up to glacier-fed Lake Crucible, go for a swim in the waterfall or chill out at the hut with a book. This evening you’ll be treated to a mountain-style candle-lit dinner. The following morning you’ll set off on a 3 hour hike downstream. Then it’s time to catch a ride on a jet boat for a thrilling trip back to Makaroa. Mountain Huts While in Siberia Valley you’ll be sleeping in a public mountain hut owned by the Department of Conservation (DOC). While this unique hut is located in a very remote area (with amazing scenery) it doesn't have any private rooms, electricity, hot water, phones or flushing toilets - but it’s warm, dry, comfortable - and view from the outhouse is second to none! It's not possible to pre-book this huts, so you will probably get to meet other mountain adventurers during your stay. Camping If you’d prefer a little more privacy than the huts can provide, then you can opt to camp in the field outside Siberia Hut. You’ll be provided with a 1-2 person tent and a foam roll sleeping mat to carry in your backpack. You can pitch your tent wherever you choose (we can help!) and you’ll still be able to use all hut facilities. If camping sounds appealing, that’s great! Just bear in mind that you’ll need to pack the 2-3kg/4-6lbs of tent out the following day. If you’d like to camp, please let us know at least two weeks before your trip starts as we only load up as many tents as we need. Sleeping Bag and Large Backpack You’ll need a sleeping bag and a large backpack for the Siberia Valley Wilderness option. If you have your own gear that you know works well, then bring it along! If not, we have gear available to

Page 4 of 5

Need to Know : Tui rent for US$20+tax per item per trip. If you’d like to rent something let us know at least two weeks before your trip starts - we only load up as much gear as we need. • •

Large Backpack: Deuter 60-70L/4000 cubic inches Sleeping Bags: Deuter synthetic with cotton inner sheet. Rated down to 7°C/45°F

What Do I Carry? You’ll be carrying a large backpack of around 60L or 4,000 cubic inches in volume on the second day of this option. Your pack needs to be large enough to fit the following gear inside (plus a tent and a roll mat if you choose to camp). Rental gear will be given to you the night before your hike. Excess luggage is stored securely for you in Makarora. … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Large trekking backpack Waterproof pack liner: provided by us! Sleeping bag & liner Hiking boots Warm hiking socks: at least 2 pairs Sports sandals/flip flops: for around the hut Waterproof jacket and trousers Fleece top: one for hiking, one spare Shorts/trousers: one for hiking, one spare Shirt: one for hiking, one spare Thermal underwear: one hiking, one spare Underwear Warm hat and gloves

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

Sun hat Swimsuit: for a dip if you dare! Small travel towel Camping pillow: if you want one Camera, batteries and memory cards Headlamp/Flashlight/Torch Sunscreen and insect repellent Toothbrush and toothpaste Medications/Personal items Water bottle: at least one litre Bowl, cup and spoon: provided by us! Hiking gaiters (optional) Hiking poles (optional)

Questions? If you have further questions about your Tui Queenstown trip, just email [email protected].

Page 5 of 5