Tour Information
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Tours to New Zealand. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they take this tour. Although we do our best to make sure that what follows is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document sent to all tour registrants, whose contents supersedes any information contained here.
TRAVEL TO NEW ZEALAND: This tour starts in Auckland and ends in Christchurch.WINGS and Avenues to Travel would be pleased to assist with your travel plans to New Zealand. You can contact Avenues to Travel at (800) 736-7320 or (520) 297-7320. Please identify yourself as a WINGS client.
ENTERING NEW ZEALAND: United States citizens need a passport which is valid for six months beyond the intended length of stay; at the time of writing, no visa is required. Non-US citizens need a valid passport and may need a tourist visa. Consult your nearest New Zealand Embassy, High Commission, or Consulate to determine whether you need a visa.
MAP AND COUNTRY INFORMATION: You can view maps of New Zealand in the University of Texas series here. The US Department of State’s Background Note is on line here.
HEALTH: Birders face no major health risks in New Zealand. No immunizations are required for visitors unless you are visiting other countries en route. It is recommended, though, that you have up-to-date tetanus and polio immunizations. Other recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, typhoid, and rabies. You should also be sure that your routine vaccinations are up to date for measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT), etc. You can read the detailed recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control on line.
New Zealand has no snakes, and poisonous spiders are very rare and almost never encountered. Bring a strong insect repellent for protection against mosquitoes and sand flies.
This tour includes several pelagic trips lasting three to twelve hours. We may encounter rough water, so if you are prone to motion sickness, remember to bring appropriate medication.
CLIMATE: Because so many of the sites we visit are near the coast, the weather can change rapidly. In general, we can expect mild to warm weather, though it can also be cold, wet, and windy, especially during our pelagic trips. Summer (December to February) is generally warm, with temperatures ranging between 68 and 86° F; spring (September to November) temperatures range from 50 to 77° F. At any season, even mid-summer, the weather can be cool, and rain is possible at any time.
ALTITUDE: We’ll be spending most of our time at low altitudes, with the highest elevation we visit approximately 3,000 feet.
PACE OF TOUR: The general pace is easy to moderate, generally with short walks of only a few hours’ duration. Walks will be easy to moderate in difficulty, and may involve wet trail conditions if there have been recent rains. There will occasionally be night birding with walks on uneven, sandy terrain and up and down forest trails. We’ll frequently be out from early morning until late afternoon or early evening, with a picnic or cafe-style lunch.
Although New Zealand appears small on a map, most visitors are surprised at how big New Zealand actually is, and even more surprised by the length of time it can take to drive from one location to another. Most of New Zealand’s roads are single-lane, paved, and sometimes winding. In a few areas we’ll travel on gravel roads. This tour is designed to cover the North, South, and Stewart Islands at a rational pace, keeping each day’s driving to a reasonable minimum. Whenever possible, our birding excursions will be optional, offering opportunities for a few hours off to relax.
The pelagic trips will vary from three to twelve hours. There is adequate cabin space to provide shelter from the weather. Our all-day pelagic trips include lunch on board the boats.
ACCOMMODATION: Except on Tiritiri Matangi, our accommodation is in good-quality motels, where all rooms have private bathrooms. On Tiritiri Matangi we will be staying in the only accommodation on the island, The Bunkhouse, where we’ll spend one night in shared bunkrooms with a communal kitchen area and a unisex bathroom. A sleeping bag and pillow case will be provided, but please bring a small towel and nightwear. We’ll leave most of our luggage on the mainland that night, so you will need to pack your necessities in an overnight bag.
FOOD: New Zealand food is of a very good to excellent standard. Local dairy products and organic produce are known for their freshness and taste, while the humble fish-and-chip takeaway shop is the typical fast food outlet. Regional treats include gingernuts and ANZAC biscuits, meat and veggie pies, and pavlova for dessert. Whitebait is a sought-after delicacy, translucent sprat or fingerlings of native freshwater fish. New Zealand is celebrated for its wonderful cheeses and wines.
Breakfasts are standard continental style; we’ll often get our lunches in the morning and eat them at a birding location during the day. A sandwich or filled roll, piece of fruit or cake, and a small drink are included. Dinner is usually at a cafe or restaurant, with a selection from the normal menu.
The leader will provide bottled water or a soft drink at lunch. Other drinks, such as bottled water for use in your room or during the day in the vehicle, or during the evening meal are the responsibility of the individual tour participants. We will, however, try to keep bottled water on board our vehicles for emergency use. Tap water is safe to drink, and can be used to fill water bottles for daytime use.
DRESS: Informal throughout.
TRANSPORT: Transportation will be by minibus driven by the leader. There will be frequent long drives, occasionally on winding roads. Pelagic trips will be on small boats with small but adequate cabin space; we’ll generally be on boats chartered exclusively for our group, but at other times we’ll book commercial trips with other passengers.
SMOKING: Smoking is not allowed in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a non-smoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, we ask that you do so well away and downwind from the group. If any location where the group is gathered has a stricter policy than the WINGS policy, that stricter policy will prevail.
GENERAL INFORMATION & CONDITIONS OF WINGS AND SUNBIRD TOURS: Please take a moment to read the WINGS General Information and Conditions. This section contains important information about how we conduct tours, e.g., what is included in the tour price, refund and cancellation policies, pace of the tours and other information that will help you prepare for the tour.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A more complete General Information for Tours to New Zealand will be sent to each registrant on receipt of booking. Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be mailed about three weeks before trip departure. Additional news will be communicated as necessary.
Updated: December 2010