We have flights on:
Nov. 7th, to Christchurch for 14 days,
Nov. 21st, to Cairnes, Aus. for 7 days,
Nov. 28th, back to the U.S.

I'm looking for suggestions on the following.


On www.activenewzealand.com, we found a RIMU all inclusive tour:
RIMU: 14 days Christchurch to Christchurch
Mon: Arrive and snorkeling with seals in Kaikoura
Tue: 3-day hiking in Nelson Lakes, mountain biking on
Queen Charlotte Track, OR sea kayaking in Marlborough Sounds
Wed: 3-day module continued
Thu: 3-day module continued
Fri: Hiking in Punakaiki & beach in Okarito Lagoon
Sat: Kayaking in Okarito Lagoon, hiking & beach
Sun: Hiking near Franz Josef Glacier
Mon: Mount Aspiring National Park to Queenstown
Tue: Free day in Queenstown
Wed: Cycling Eglinton and Hollyford Valleys & hiking Routeburn Track
Thu: Sea kayaking in Milford Sound
Fri: Exploring high country sheep farm
Sat: Hiking near Mt. Cook
Sun: Depart

The RIMU trip costs about $6000 for two people, includes most food and lodging.

??If we choose to follow a similar route on our own, is it easy to find rental places for bike, kayak, or other equipment along the way? How would prices compare (3 days w/ kayaks, 3 days w/ bikes)?

For lodging, are reservations strongly suggested? Are you familiar with anyone renting a small mobile home/camper as transportation and lodging? Prices, suggestions on that idea???

Would it be worth the $6000 to have all of this organized and done? Any estimates for doing it ourselves?


CAIRNES, we want to dive, any pros/cons for a live-aboard boat vs. staying on a less expensive island or making a really long boat ride back and forth. Estimated prices would help.

Many Thanks, Brian

hi bbenz - for certified divers I'd go with a liveaboard rather than an island as your dives will be so much more varied, and far less expensive than staying at Lizard Island. There's plenty going out of Cairns to choose from, Pro-Dive, Tusa Dive's Spirit of Freedom, Mike Ball Dives, Nimrod Explorer are all good - just do a search under Cairns Queensland diving and they all should all come up. November is a fantastic month up here for diving with average water temperature of 26C and great visibility due to little wind.

Hi bbbenz,
In New Zealand in November it is about halfway through Spring, and water temperatures would be pretty cool. A fair bit of the South Island is covered in this time, with a fair bit of mileage, too. You would find places to hire the equipment yourselves, although I have not heard of anyone offering snorkelling with the seals at Kaikoura. I would always recommend organising accommodation once your itinerary is arranged.
There is a bus company called Kiwi Experience. They run buses around the South Island at a reasonable price, and several of the places you mention are serviced by this company.
There are many people who hire small camper-vans to travel around NZ. Maui is one reputable company.
www.rvnewzealand.co.nz offers discount rentals on several well-known companies in NZ. If you have time, check the availability and suitablity for of what you wish to do for the time of year, then check the pricing. To me $6 000 sounds quite a lot but in the long run might be worth paying just to have everything organised! Hope I make sense. Whatever you decide, enjoy yourselves.

Pat and Dotty, Thank you for your responses.

Once we're in New Zealand, rather than just equipment rental, I'm wondering if we will easily find outfitters that would take us kayaking for 3 days near Marlborough. And/or if we would find individual outfitters, as we travel, that would take us on individual adventures for an experience similar my original post, but for a lower total cost.

Please post any suggested sites to visit or your experiences along with costs.

Thanks, Brian

Hi Brian,

A good travel guide, like the most recent edition of Frommer's New Zealand, will give you names, contact information, and prices for a number of reputable companies which specialize in all the activities you plan to do, and I can't help but think planning on your own would be less expensive.

Your trip sounds lovely - be sure to post a trip report when you return!

Lee Ann