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Sean Jackson, founder/owner, promises his guests they'll be pushing their own personal envelopes again and again while being introduced to glacier hiking, parasailing, caving, whitewater rafting, kayaking, speed boating, bungee jumping, horseback riding, encountering dolphins and sipping New Zealand wines.
"Bonvoy Adventure Travel is all about helping people feel secure doing activities for the first time in exotic worlds - like New Zealand - they've only dreamed of," Jackson says.
Departures in 2014 are April 21-May 3, Oct. 6-18 and Dec. 1-13. The per person rate is $5,008 inclusive of 11 nights accommodation and meals, equipment for activities and instruction, roundtrip airport transfers, transportation throughout the trip, and guides. See: http://www.bonvoyadventuretravel.com/adventures/new-zealand-12-day-trip/
Much of the action is water-driven, including rafting the highly technical Rangitikei River that charges through a North Island Jurassic Park setting. Constant paddling is required to maneuver around rocks and avoid getting jammed up through Class IV and V rapids. Later there's kayaking in the Marlborough Sounds where the seals are playful and curious. A South Island jet boat ride through shingle banks of braided rives is good for white knuckles.
Bungee jumping is a rite of passage here and guests can also parasail over Queenstown. On terra firma there's a high altitude hike on Fox Glacier and a caving experience into the Waitomo caves lit with bioluminescence by glow worms that guide guests down ropes to the underground.
Guests lodge for three nights at River Valley Lodge, a family-owned adventure lodge central to the trip's agenda. Here resident hosts assist guests in pursuing the sky, land, water and subterranean adventures the region offers. The lodge discourages guests who may need outside cell phone reception for more than a few minutes or for whom shopping is essential. It encourages people to enjoy sinking back into couches, play games, sit around the fire pit and bar and explore acre upon acre of adjacent wilderness.
On Day 5 this adventure moves to Blenheim in the Marlborough region of the South Island for a crash course in Kiwi wines during a vineyard tour. Accommodations for the remainder of the trip are in classic, distinctive lodges and inns that reflect each region's charms.
"Bonvoy is targeting a new generation of traveler who is less intimidated by extreme sports and international travel, but still enjoys a bit a comfort at night," notes Jackson. |