Frequently asked questions

The general ones. Every tour page carries its own FAQ, the practical stuff lives on the Before you ride page >, and the money questions have their own page: this covers everything in between.

Booking

How do I actually book a tour?

Two ways in. If you know your tour, hit Book on its page and the form takes a couple of minutes. If you are still deciding, use any enquiry form or just call: we reply within one business day, and a five-minute conversation usually beats an hour of tab-hopping.

What happens after I submit a booking form?

Your submission is a tentative booking, not a charge: nothing is confirmed and nothing is owed until we come back to you, within one business day, confirming availability in writing and arranging the deposit. That is also the moment to ask anything at all.

When do I pay, and how much?

A 10% deposit secures your place, and the balance is due 45 days before departure, in New Zealand dollars with GST included: by bank transfer, or via Flywire if paying by credit card. The full picture, including cancellation terms, lives here >

Policy, honestly

Can you build us a custom itinerary?

Honest answer: no, and that is deliberate. Every route we run has been shaped over years of riding it, and we would rather run a small number of tours superbly than a large number adequately. What we do promise is adaptability inside them: your pace, your rest stops, the van when you want it, and a hundred small adjustments on the day. Crafted route, adaptive days: that is the deal, and it is why the reviews read the way they do.

What happens if the weather has other plans?

Then plans change, and safety calls it. Your guide reviews each next day every evening, and routes can be adjusted, resequenced or, rarely, substituted when weather or trail conditions demand it: that flexibility of route is written into our Terms precisely so nobody is ever pressured onto a trail the day has made unsafe. What that has meant in practice, across three decades of tours, is a lot of great plan Bs and very few lost days.

What are your group sizes?

Guided tours run at a minimum of six and a maximum of twelve riders. Self-guided tours work from two people, which makes a couple a complete tour. Travelling solo? Guided is your natural home, and if you are happy to share we will try to pair you with another solo rider, which saves the single supplement.