Did you know that Kea is one of the most intelligent parrot on earth? Those funny birds are cheeky and very inquisitive. This characteristic helps Kea survive in a harsh alpine environment in search for new food places. Those parrots grow up to 50 cm long and are mostly olive-green with a brilliant orange color under their wings. The bird has a large narrow curved grey-brown upper beak. Kea is the world’s only alpine parrot.

You will definitely spot Kea Birds during our full day walk as they are commonly seen everywhere in Arthur’s Pass National Park. Avalanche Peak is a prime location for Kea watching. Should you be looking for a hiking day adventure, the Avalanche Peak Hike is perfect for you (this is a 8 hour walk for fit hikers). Young Kea birds are easily recognizable by a yellow ring around eyes and nostrils.

Kea is not the only bird  you will see in this region teeming with birdlife. Arthur Pass is a Paradise for wildlife lovers.

Whio or the Blue Duck is usually seen in Otira Gorge.

If your are lucky you might spot our national symbol, the Kiwi. Rarely seen, it can be heard at dusk. They are apparently only 20 Kiwis living in the Bealey Valley!  You can’t miss a Kiwi noise as the male calls with a loud high- pitched whistle. Female respond with a loud warbling whistle.

Weka and Tui birds can be seen at the Western part of the National park in the deep forests.

Those birds are the most famous and popular New Zealand birds. You will witness a few more birds species during the walk.

If you are lucky enough to spot native birds during your walk, please try not to disturb their routine. Human development in the alpine zone has reduced wildlife food resources. However as tempting as this might be, avoid feeding the birds as it encourages them to come into closer contact with people. Feeding young birds also discourages them from looking for their own food and this can make them dependent on human food wastes.

Just a quick note to say thanks so much for such a great time in the National Park, it was the highlight of our trip. The Kea is now our favorite animal and we now have some of their portraits framed in our hall. We will be back!

Tim and Jemma Thorp

I would like to thank all our lovely customers, the mountains of New Zealand and my parents, without whom it just wouldn’t have been possible!

Arthur’s Pass Hiking & TranzAlpine One Day Tour From Christchurch

HikingGuys.co.nz

I received this wonderful letter from the customers recently:

Often the best season of the year for walking in New Zealand, autumn is here and we have been rewarded with a run of golden weather. Despite recent events in the city it is good to see that some people are continuing their travel plans and visiting Christchurch as part of their New Zealand holiday. From everyone in the city, thank you very much!

Over the last week walkers enjoyed some beautiful conditions, with stunning autumn light in the Bealey Valley. Difficult to do it justice in a photograph, despite all the fancy settings on my camera, but here a couple of photos from our Arthur’s Pass Hiking & TranzAlpine tours last week.

The city centre is still closed but there are still lots of motels and a few hotels in the airport & Papanui road area which are operating. The TranzAlpine is fully operational as is our tour. We look forward to seeing you here soon!

Our trip yesterday was one of the most fun I have ever guided, 7 kids, all boys, made for a very high energy day.  We may have scared any native wildlife out of the valley for the afternoon but parents, kids and guides all had lots of fun.

Events in our city have certainly affected tourism businesses in many ways, but the message we would like to get out is that we are still open.  If you are planning a trip to Christchurch then you would be very welcome by everyone here.

See you soon.

The TranzAlpine is starting before this but we have limited staff and resources at the moment so will be starting operations again on March 14.

What is Christchurch like now?

The city centre is still off limits and will be for some time.  Some suburbs of the city are relatively unaffected while some are very badly damaged.  It is not a town for sightseeing at the moment but if you are planning to start or end your trip here (and join our tour) then this is possible.

How has accommodation been affected?

Accommodation in the city is under a lot of pressure and this will be the biggest cause of disruption for travelers in the short to medium term.  Around 30% of the city’s hotel rooms are out of action.  If you already have accommodation booked and you can reconfirm it before you arrive then you should be OK.

Are travellers welcome in Christchurch now?

Yes, of course.  People have had their lives affected in so many ways but if travellers are respectful of the loss and damage then all people here would welcome you.  Obviously sightseeing to damaged buildings or neighbourhoods would not be appreciated.

Any questions please let me know.
Thanks, Andrew.

We have been lucky with no reported injuries or damage to people or property but business will be affected for some period of time.

When will tours start again?

Short answer, we don’t know.  We have to wait until the TranzAlpine starts operating and the latest update we have from them is that this will not be before March 7.

What if I have a booking?

We will be in touch with all customers with upcoming bookings 14 days before the scheduled tour date.

Can I cancel my tour?

Of course.  We will only charge our minimum cancellation fee of 6% (this represents the commission we pay our online booking service) for any bookings cancelled for dates before the TranzAlpine starts operating again.  For bookings after that our standard cancellation fees will apply.

Should I still come to Christchurch?

Our city is going to take a huge hit economically from this and the road back will be long.  At some point visitors will be a very welcome and very important part of this recovery but it should only be when services are ready and when visitors feel welcome.  No one can say when this will be, but at the date I am writing this we are not ready yet.

Any more questions please feel free to get in touch.
I have been receiving messages of support from customers from as long as 9 years ago!  Thanks to everyone, these messages are really appreciated.

Andrew

Now I love special requests like this so of course the answer was Yes!

On our guided walk in Arthurs Pass we walk pretty close to the Bealey River, which is a beautiful high country river flowing down from a glacier 2000m up the mountain.  Michelle was really fit and confident so I said to her if she wanted she could walk up the riverbed while we walked up the track.

I walked off with the other people on the tour and Michelle started making her way up the riverbed.  We could see her most of the way and she gave me her camera and instructions to take lots of photos!  We could see her negotiating the rocks and waterfalls and the rest of our group took great enjoyment in following her progress.

Up the top of the valley she emerged from the river with a big smile!  A great day out for her and for everyone else cheering her on from the sidelines.  Thanks Michelle.

Here’s what some of our recent walkers said about our TranzAlpine train and Arthurs Pass Guided Walk one day tours from Christchurch:

“Liked the small group tour, knowledgable guide, comfortable transportation and service by the guide.  Would recommend this day tour highly to other people visiting Christchurch”
Bruce & Linda, Canada.  Feb 2011.

“The loved everything about this day tour! Andrew’s knowledge of plant & bird life and the way he showed us everything was a great introduction to New Zealand.  We highly recommend this day tour, especially to those visiting NZ for the first time.” Edna & Howell, UK.  Jan 2011.

Our day tours include: Christchurch central city accommodation pick up and drop off service, one way travel from Christchurch to Arthurs Pass, free use of our rain jackets, walking poles & backpacks, detailed explanation of flora, fauna, history and geology while walking, lunch (including hot drinks), afternoon tea in Arthurs Pass after the hike, visit to Otira viaduct lookout and the Arthurs Pass National Park Visitor Centre, full commentary and photo stops on the return drive to Christchurch via the Great Alpine Highway.  Lots of fun!

Please take a look at the website for more info and drop us a line if you have any more questions.