Stop off en-route to Europe? by Ian Collier

Let’s face it, from Christchurch we are pretty much exactly on the opposite side of the Earth from most places in Europe, and 12,000 miles away, give or take. It will take anything from 27-35 hours to get from Christchurch to London. It can be a rather daunting prospect if… Learn more

Travel Safe by Ian Collier

A frequently asked question is ‘will I/we be safe’? Well, everyone has a different perception of ‘safety’ but we’re certainly not going to recommend travel to ‘unsafe’ places! For up-to-date travel information, the best resource for Kiwis are the advice and travel advisories published by MFAT at Safe Travel where… Learn more

Exploring Portland and the Oregon Coast by Ian Collier

The Pacific Northwest is very ‘hot’ for Kiwi travellers at the moment. In 2016, I’d enjoyed visiting Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies, Alaska’s inside passage and the Californian coast. As we now have many clients keen to self-drive this region, my partner and I decided to return in August 2017… Learn more

Hiking Whistler-Blackcomb in summer by Ian Collier

Whistler is best known as a world class ski resort in the winter months, and the impressive infrastructure they put in place ahead of hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics certainly reflects this. I was fortunate to visit Whistler in September 2017, during the summer months, when it is transformed into… Learn more

Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu by Ian Collier

For many people, the culmination of a trip to South America is a visit to Machu Picchu, the famed lost city of the Incas. For some people however the hike along the Inca trail is almost as important as getting to Machu Pichu and we are seeing this on more… Learn more

My Alaskan Dream Cruise by Ian Collier

At the beginning of this week, I learned that Russia sold ‪Alaska to the USA in 1867 for US$7.2m. Ok, so even adjusting for relative values today, it works out a paltry US$80 per square km. Having now finished my week long exploration of just SE Alaska, I reckon they… Learn more

Climb Kilimanjaro by Ian Collier

I was fortunate to climb Mt Kilimanjaro in 1994 as part of my O.E and it remains one of the most memorable experiences of my travels! At the time there was really only 1 option – the very well trodden Marangu Route over 5 days (3+1/2 days up and 1+1/2… Learn more

Cruise the Galapagos by Ian Collier

We’d highly recommend cruising the islands for as long as your schedule and budget permit, it’s a long way to travel from NZ, so make it worthwhile! You will typically overnight in either historic (and high!) Quito or the larger coastal city of Guayaquil, then fly out to the Islands… Learn more

See the Mountain Gorillas by Ian Collier

A visit to the Mountain gorillas of either Rwanda or Uganda is often the highlight of any trip to Africa and often enjoyed as a side-trip from Kenya or Tanzania. It’s certainly not cheap, at around NZD$1000 per day for a 4 day package, but if your budget allows, it… Learn more