Hiking, Trekking & Snowshoeing Reviews
Hiking, Trekking & Snowshoeing Reviews
Reviews and feedback from guests on our alpine hikes, treks and snowshoeing tours.
The early November trek up to Caroline Hut was absolutely fantastic! Although challenging, the trek was truly rewarding and I learned a great deal to add to my basic mountaineering skills. I have our guide, Bia, to thank for this experience. Not only was she very professional, knowledgeable, and highly competent, she managed our skill ability exceedingly well.
Caroline Hut is in a sublime location and I enjoyed the awe inspiring views of the Caroline Face and Mt Tasman. I will be back for another adventure!
I honestly do not know where to start and what to say other than everything and everyone was pure perfection. I had limited time so I was only able to do 2 days Aoraki/Mt Cook Trek but even in such a short time, we saw the most breathtaking views: Tasman Lake, Tasman Glacier, Aoraki, Mt Tasman, Ball Pass... We watched the moon rise which is really hard to describe. In the morning before we head down, our guide Dave took us to the hill next to the hut which again provided even more views where we get to see the Ball Pass. The Caroline Hut is definitely a luxurious stay overlooking the Mt. Cook and Tasman Glacier.
While the views were great, I think people at Alpine Recreation were even better. Flor helped us with all the accommodations and scheduling. Axel did the walkthrough before the trip and patiently answered many questions before and after the trek some of which was really about mountaineering in general not the trek. It was super fun and fulfilling to learn from an experienced mountaineer. Thank you for sharing your depth of experience with us. Dave was our guide and he was excellent. We always felt safe and he went above and beyond with such a positive attitude to make sure our trip was memorable. And it was thank you so much Dave.
I could not ask for anything better and cannot wait to be back. Thank you for having me.
A Phenomenal Hiking Experience with Alpine Recreation My recent adventure with Alpine Recreation has been, without a doubt, the best hiking experience of my life. From start to finish, everything was seamless and of exceptional quality. The booking process was straightforward, and the accommodation at Edelweiss House provided a comfortable and convenient base. The hike itself was breathtaking, with stunning scenery at every turn. The Caroline Hut was a highlight; offering comfortable mattresses and warm sleeping bags, ensuring a restful night in the heart of the mountains. Our guide, Monika, was outstanding. Friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive, she went above and beyond to ensure the group's well-being. After learning about my sore back, she thoughtfully helped lighten my pack, allowing me to fully enjoy the experience. Her expertise and calm demeanor made me feel safe throughout the hike. Even in the middle of the mountains, the food provided was excellent. From good coffee to a seemingly endless supply of biscuits, every meal exceeded expectations. While the hike was challenging, it was immensely rewarding. The opportunity to experience the essence of mountaineering in such a comfortable and supportive environment was truly special. I highly recommend Alpine Recreation to anyone looking for a professionally organized and unforgettable hiking adventure.
Alpine Recreation was the best way for us to enjoy a little adventure at Mount Aoraki / Mount Cook, away from the crowds. We were there in late November, got to experience some alpine trekking doing the Ball Pass Summit Trek and learned some news skills while doing it. Our guide, Simon Ball, was great too. He always made us feel safe and comfortable, he was super willing to explain and answer our questions, and talk us through what we were doing. The Caroline Hut is the best mountain hut I've ever experience, very well maintained by Alpine Rec. I would definitely return to Aoraki with Alpine Rec, if the opportunity were to happen. It'll be rather difficult living in the antipodes of NZ, but one can still dream!
I completed the Ball Pass Summit Trek in Nov and it was fantastic! An amazing group of people (six in total) and three exceptional guides. The good weather ensured that we had uninterrupted views and were waking up to Aoraki in breathtaking light. I highly recommend Alpine Rec, they are experienced, responsive and professional.
If you get a chance to do a trip with Alpine Recreation and experience the Caroline Hut it is one of the most memorable and satisfying hike/climb I have done - the view is stunning!!!! Alpine Recreation did an awesome job and thanks to good weather we were able to summit Kaitiaki Peak.
The peace, solitude, remoteness, wide open spaces and clear mountain air all conspire to soothe and revive city-weary souls.
The trip sounded good from the info but actually the trip exceeded all my expectations when I did it. The professionalism, knowledge and friendliness of the company and the guides. The warm welcoming hospitality. Real connection to the land. The hut is well appointed and we were always careful to be environmentally conscious. It was a perfect trip. Based on the online information I was very excited and impressed by the quality of your company. I think I watched some of the videos on the site, which were great. And the photos. Both those things were really helpful.
Weather was amazing, beautiful, stunning and the views and scenery even better! Was about a 7 hour round trip to BZ (Beuzenberg) Peak, drowned our faces in the stream, followed by a cup of tea and a glass of wine! What more can one want?!
We did the Lake Tekapo trek, our guide Gideon showed exceptional skill in identifying where our strengths/weaknesses were and walked us based on that and tested our skills at times. He read our needs and abilities very well. We liked the size of the groups and were especially impressed that you were still prepared to take us on our trek even though there were only the 2 of us booked in the end. There's also a warm personal feel about the group and your approach to business which we especially liked, integrity is the word I immediately thought.
An absolutely stunning walk. We enjoyed the ever changing colours and moods of Lake Tekapo. We were lucky to have .. awesome views Silberhorn, Tasman and Aoraki. This was my daughter's (Grace, age 10) first overnight hike and her first experience of snow; a lovely challenge for our party of 3 generations. Unique, picturesque; we enjoyed the experience, the vistas, the tussock grass and the solitude.
Stunning scenery, wonderful food,amazing night vista and Stella our guide is a star!
It's the silence and space...two elusive acquisitions.
Paysages magnifiques depuis les différents pics. En espérant que nos photos sauront restituer un peu la magie des lieux.
Beautiful, two days trek...good weather, amazing colours, very quiet place, a "must" for hikers.
Did the Ball Pass Crossing with 'Bia' and had an exceptional experience in pretty much every way possible! Highly recommended!
Our alpine guide 'Jono' took us up to the Caroline Hut and over the Ball Pass. You could not have asked for a better alpine experience in New Zealand.
Amazing trip to Caroline Hut and over Ball Pass. Challenging but safe, lots of new skills learnt. Guides were brilliant. Ball Pass trip doesn’t disappoint and really felt like one of the iconic Aotearoa “bucket list” adventures. Highly recommended.
My wife and I joined Alpine Recreation on their 3-day Ball Pass Crossing trip, together with two other clients. Our group had a wide range of experience in the mountains, from not much to a fair amount... and we all learned heaps. It was a stunning trip, with lots of laughs, lots of learning and outstanding scenery. Our guides, Stevo and Elke were exceptional. Route-finding on the approaches to and from Ball Pass is a serious challenge, with all the wash-outs and avalanches. But they led us through these obstacles, passing on skills and techniques along the way. I have climbed with friends and clubs before but I have never learned so much, so fast. Stevo and Elke were so supportive, encouraging and thoughtful. They are great communicators, happy to share their knowledge and experience. It was an intense and fun 3- days... a great workout and worth every cent.
The Ball Pass trip was an unforgettable experience. Expertly guided, and a measured amount of challenge. Great food, comfortable accommodation at the lodge, and well provisioned hut.
Had an amazing experience doing the Ball Pass Crossing, something I'd wanted to do for many years. Our guides Elke and Stevo were patient, helpful, knowledgeable, supportive and encouraging. One of the things I most enjoyed was learning new skills, like how to walk with cramp-ons, use an ice axe, and self-arrest if one slips. Also, Caroline Hut is great accommodation with incredible views of Aoraki and its avalanches. I can't wait to bring my partner next time.
I spent an awesome three days with the Alpine Recreation team doing the Ball Pass Crossing. The trip was a great mix of challenging terrain, fantastic views and great company.
I had my first meaningful experience of hiking in snow and ice and learned some skills that I'm keen to use more of in the future.
Our guides, Elka & Steveo, were outstanding. They were immensely capable and personable. Their patient and low key manner was very reassuring and for all the tricky situations we came across I never felt unsafe. They were also very generous with their knowledge and had many wonderful stories to tell.
I can't imagine doing that trip without highly competent guides.
I'll definitely be back for more!
Well organized and supported trip. Lots of fun, a beautiful route, and a guide team that was flexible to the needs of multiple group members. I would highly recommend and intend to go with this team again.
The most beautiful, breathtaking landscape I've ever seen! Our guide took us up along Snake Ridge today...amazing clear blue sky and the view of Mount Cook spectacular. Would love to come back.
My partner and I had a wonderful time in September 2022 snowshoeing up in the Two Thumb Ranges and staying at Alpine Recreation's Rex Simpson Hut. There was still some good snow up in the mountains in early spring, and we got to the top of Beuzenberg Peak, which was fantastic. We were blessed with perfect weather. It is so serene up there - the peace and quiet are unreal.
Alpine Recreation made it all easy for us. We got kitted out with what we needed to the extent we didn't have things ourselves. Our guide - Pete M - was fantastic and great company. He was also a good chef, preparing our breakfast and evening meals! And Rex Simpson Hut is well-appointed; it's a delightful place to unwind after a day spent snoeshowing.
I'd thoroughly recommend this trip and Alpine Recreation to anyone!
A snowshoeing experience to remember!
We were looking for a snowshoeing trip somewhere in the New Zealand Southern Alps and were fortunate to discover Alpine Recreation’s Two Thumbs Range five-day snowshoeing excursion. We have used Alpine Recreation before, completing a climb to Caroline hut that encompassed three days of stunning wilderness experience. So we knew that the snowshoeing trip to Two Thumbs would also be something special.
We spent the night prior to our departure at Alpine Recreation’s comfortable lodge, Edelweiss, in Lake Tekapo, where we met our wonderful guide, Dave Henley. Dave completed a thorough check of all our equipment and provided replacement or additional equipment where necessary. His advice was excellent and we were grateful for the additional pieces of kit he recommended we take. He was very familiar with both the Two Thumbs area and the conditions we would be experiencing and tailored his advice perfectly to suit our needs.
We spent the first morning travelling to our drop-off point, less than an hour’s drive away, and then snowshoeing to Rex Simpson hut, which would be our home for the next five days. The pace of snowshoeing was ideally suited to our fitness and the conditions that greeted us. Dave maintained a steady pace with several breaks, allowing for acclimatisation and increasing familiarity with the conditions. The snow was far deeper and more powdery than Australian snow and the initial walk was our opportunity to adapt to these unfamiliar conditions.
Rex Simpson hut was warm, cosy and comfortable and Dave cooked our meals (luxury!) which were healthy and delicious. There was plenty of food, the bunks were comfortable, sleeping bags warm and the atmosphere convivial. Alpine Recreation is very careful to safeguard the pristine environment in which it operates and we were impressed by the environmentally sensitive practices that were followed assiduously.
Each evening we discussed our plans for the following day with Dave, who offered plenty of options with the flexibility to adapt to our preferences or any changes in the snow conditions. We felt very safe given Dave’s comprehensive understanding of avalanche safety requirements and general safety in the mountains. We wore transceivers every time we ventured out and carried avalanche probes and shovels, while Dave carried a Garmin and distributed a PLB to another group member as a back-up.
The weather deteriorated on Thursday with a snowy day characterised by poor visibility. But this did not prevent us going out as conditions were fair (the snow was light and there was no wind) and Dave was more than capable of navigating us on a very enjoyable walk among the knolls and valleys close to the hut. We were also very impressed by his knowledge of the mountains and his descriptions of walking and snowshoeing in other parts of the alps. He was helpful in assisting members of the group perfect their technique and provided a number of very useful tips on the use of snowshoes in a variety of conditions.
We thoroughly enjoyed our snowshoeing in the Two Thumbs Range and would highly recommend it to other lovers of snowshoeing. The guide is pivotal to the success of any trip such as this and we felt that Dave, with his good humour, limitless patience and comprehensive experience, truly ensured that this was a trip that we would long remember. Alpine Recreation is clearly careful in their selection of guides and those we have met thus far have been impressive to say the least.
We will be back for more wilderness experiences in this magnificent part of the world!