Small group trips for active retirees

One of the things we enjoy the most here at New Zealand Trails is getting to know our guests. What we’ve found over more than a decade of helping them explore New Zealand, is that our trips bring together a great bunch of like-minded individuals. If you’ve found this page, you might be wondering about the type of guests who join us and what a trip with New Zealand Trails might look like for you as an active retiree.

If you want to explore the real New Zealand with your feet on the ground, you’re in the perfect place. The majority of our guests are active people in their 50s, 60s, and early 70s. Around half of the guests that join us on our adventures here in New Zealand are retired. Our retired guests are looking for an active holiday and meaningful experiences – you won’t find them sitting in a bus all day! They’ve spent years building a life at home, working, supporting family, and so much more. Now, they’re enjoying the throes of retirement or extended leave, they’re busier than ever, and they’ve dusted off that bucket list ready for adventure! For many of them, New Zealand is THE once-in-a-lifetime trip that they’ve been dreaming about, researching and planning for years. If this sounds like you then read on...

We know how important this next chapter is for you, and we’ve designed our trips with you in mind. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker, looking for your next backcountry adventure, or your backpacking days are behind you, and you like your adventure with a side of luxury, we have the perfect trip.

We would love to have you join us here in New Zealand and as an active retiree, you are without a doubt ‘in the right place’.

Want to know more? Request our free brochure

Why choose New Zealand Trails for your once-in-a-lifetime trip ‘down under’?

1. Small group travel with the locals
2. Your trip, your way!
3. We take care of everything
4. Our 5-star rated guides are all New Zealanders
5. Our lifetime guarantee

Small group travel with the locals

We’ve got decades of experience designing and running world-class trips but at the heart of things, we are real New Zealanders (or ‘Kiwis’ as we’d say!) who absolutely love sharing our home with you, our guests. With our local connections, knowledge and permits, you’ll gain access to rarely visited areas of our most beautiful National Parks, hidden private lodges and the opportunity to hike in the most spectacular surroundings. You will see the New Zealand that we share with our family and friends and experience so much more than you can learn from the guidebooks.

We've found that travelling in a small group of around 10-14 guests is the sweet spot for a fantastic group experience. You’ll have the chance to get to know your fellow travellers, and enjoy plenty of flexibility and downtime where you need it. Around a third of our guests are solo travellers and the rest are a mix of friends, family, couples and small groups travelling together.

On our trips, you’ll trade stories with folks from places like Australia, New Zealand, North America, the UK and Europe. They’re generally active people in their 50s, 60s, and early 70s. They love the great outdoors and learning about new cultures, and they enjoy their adventure with a side of comfort. Some have been exploring all over the globe for years and others finally have the time now to start working through their bucket list after a busy career and family life. Back at home, our guests enjoy active hobbies like tennis, photography, golf, volunteering, pickleball, and of course walking and hiking. 

The great thing is whether you’re looking to clock up some extra miles on your hiking boots out in our backcountry, or you want to wander through our rainforests, snap some pictures and relax with a glass of wine in hand, we have a group of people who are looking for the same thing!

We loved it. We went home with wonderful memories and new friends. We really feel like we lucked out with our co-travelers. Within two days we all knew each other's names and started working together as a team. The leadership of our guides Tony and Maya set the tone for the trip. Eric is particularly grateful to Tony for remembering that Eric's regret about his trip to Mt Cook as a 29 year old was that a storm prevented him from hiking Sealy Tarns. Tony's support and encouragement allowed Eric and Gary, a fellow traveler to complete this hike.

Eric Sorensen, USA, Pure South

Experience once in a lifetime activities like heli-hiking on Tasman Glacier.

Your trip, your way!

We know how important it is for our guests to explore New Zealand in the way that suits them best. If they’re only doing it once, they want to do it right and with that in mind, we’ve hand-selected all of our hikes and activities based on what we, the locals know to be the best of the best here in New Zealand. Many of our guests are independent-style travellers, and for some of them, their trip with us is the first time they’re travelling with a group. Each of our itineraries has built-in flexibility so that you can walk at the level and pace you enjoy the most, see what you want to see, and have those special moments alone in nature. We won’t just show you all the main attractions; we get to know you as soon as you get in touch, and we’ll help tailor your trip so that it’s everything you’ve dreamed of and more.

Guests often have questions like “Will I be fit enough?”, “Will this trip be active enough for me?” or “I’m very active but my travelling companion prefers an easier pace, is that ok?”. With our small group size and multiple guides on activities and walks, we are always able to offer you different options so that you can scale your activity level up or down depending on how you’re feeling each day.

We often have guests of different abilities join our trips and your guides are experts in making sure that you’ll never feel like you’re holding anyone up or that you’re getting an extra challenge if that's what you're after! If you’d like to really stretch your legs then you'll be able to walk faster and further with our lead guide, and if you’d like to take your time then you can walk at a relaxed pace with our ‘tail end Charlie’ guide.

This was a wonderful trip and gave us a good overview of the South Island. It was helpful to know that the guides also felt we got to see all of their favourite places. I loved that this tour had different activity levels so my mom and I could both enjoy ourselves. The guides and our fellow trip mates were all great people and made the experience even better.

Callie Pfister, USA, Masterpiece

Explore our National Parks and Great Walks at your own pace.

We’ll take care of everything

From the moment you get in touch with us, our small but mighty team down here in New Zealand is there for you. We love hearing about your trip plans and all the things you’d like to tick off while you’re down here and we’re always happy to answer any questions you might have about our trips or New Zealand in general.

Once you’ve joined us, our wonderful Guest Services team are there to help you put together all the bits and pieces so that your trip runs smoothly, including flights, pre-and post-trip accommodation, travel insurance and extra activities. We’ll take the stress out of planning so all you need to do is dream about your visit until the day finally arrives!

We're extremely proud to have won several Trip Advisor Travellers' Choice Awards, putting us in the top 10% of experiences worldwide, and to be a finalist in the 2024 Tourism Industry Aotearoa/New Zealand Awards in the Visitor Experience category so you can be confident that we will take extremely good care of you. 

We were planning to drive and tour on our own around the South Island - but it seemed a bit ambitious. I happened upon your business when reviewing other options. I cannot believe my luck. This was our first guided trip, and I believe you have set a gold standard for any future trip that we take. It will be hard for anyone to match this trip. It was an excellent adventure and wonderful introduction to your beautiful Country. Thank you for sharing so much of your life and Country with us. It is our preferred way to experience a new place, more as the local residents do, not as tourists. I feel we got exactly what we were looking for.

Marilyn Bell, Masterpiece

Our all-inclusive trips take the hassle out of your New Zealand adventure.

Our five-star rated guides are all New Zealanders

We reckon the best way to experience a country is with the locals, and our team of New Zealand guides are exactly that! Our guides are experts on all things New Zealand, including our unique ‘Kiwi’ culture, our flora, fauna, history and more.

Out on our trails, they’ve always got a smile, interesting conversation and words of encouragement for you when you need it, and they’re experts at anticipating what you need, before you even know you need it. Our highly trained crew aren’t just hiking guides, they’re fantastic cooks, listeners and storytellers! Most importantly, they’re your new ‘Kiwi’ mates! They’ll show you New Zealand like only locals can.

Many of our guests have questions about whether a walking trip is right for them. They may have recently had surgery, are unsure about their fitness levels, are travelling alone for the first time or perhaps have some specific dietary requirements. After 12 years of running these tours, we've come across every different requirement and we know our guides have got you covered. If you’ve got questions about your specific situation, then just drop Jodi and Cass a line, they’re the experts in all things New Zealand and they can talk you through what a New Zealand Trails trip would look like for you!

I have never felt so at home somewhere so far from home. Our experience in New Zealand was one of our very favourite adventures. We had a great 14-day Masterpiece Hiking Tour with New Zealand Trails and explored for another week on our own…… We came home with an appreciation for the grandness and resilience of our planet, renewed wanderlust, new friends, confidence in our hiking ability, Tim Tams, Whittakers Chocolate, and a commitment to return.

Marsha Seekins, Masterpiece

Our Kiwi guides like Aaron are waiting to share their backyard with you!

Our lifetime guarantee

We know you’re taking care of loved ones, expecting grandchildren, and juggling other priorities back home. Life happens, things aren’t always certain, and sometimes your dream trip has to wait. We want you to join us when the time is right for you. That is why your deposit is valid for life. It can be transferred to any future trip or trip date, as long as you let us know at least 90 days before your trip departure.

Sound like you? Give us a call! We’d love to see you down here for the adventure of a lifetime!