The Trip Notes provide detailed information and background for the Adventure Consultants Luxury Backcountry Trekking trip.
You can view the trip notes online by clicking the image or download a pdf by clicking the following link:
Luxury Backcountry Trekking Notes 2021/22
Team Membership
The trip will run with a minimum number of 1 person and a maximum of 5.
Our Guides
Adventure Consultants is a member of the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association Professional and experienced mountain guides run the course. Adventure Consultants have a commitment to ensure the highest standard of instruction and guiding practices and we only employ guides who share in our philosophy. Our guides will offer you the best possible learning experience, and a safe and enjoyable time. An open Adventure Consultants' mountain guides are qualified IFMGA/UIAGM Mountain and Ski Guides and helpful approach is encouraged within the group to help communicate and reinforce the learning process.
Our guides are all NZMGA and/or IFMGA internationally qualified. They have been trained and assessed through the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association, and operate to the high standards and guidelines set out by the association.
Head Office Support Team
Running successful journeys and expeditions is more about experience, knowledge and strategic management than any other factors. As an organisation, we place a substantial amount of time and resources into ensuring our trips are well planned and supported. You can be assured that the AC staff will provide you with friendly advice and knowledgeable support throughout the planning stages of your trip and we will be there to provide backup while the trip is running.
Suze Kelly, General Manager
Suze has been coordinating the office at AC headquarters since 1996 and was our Everest Base Camp Manager in 2000, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Much of the quality of our expeditions and the way we go about things here at AC is owed to the attention to detail which Suze applies in her role. Suze has skied and climbed in New Zealand all her life, including ascents of Mt Aspiring and Mt Cook and internationally she has climbed Island Peak, Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, Lhotse, Everest and Vinson.

Your Health
Our registration form requests that you advise us of any medical problems you may have and if you are on any medication. Any information you supply will be treated as confidential.
Difficulty Rating
Each of our trips is individually rated according to its physical and technical difficulty, displayed in the icons towards the top of each trip page. You can click on the accompanying question mark for additional descriptions and the full run-down of our grading system is available on our Difficulty Ratings page.
Preparing for Your Trek
To make the most of your trekking experience we encourage you to work on your fitness prior to the trip. You will find that training with a 8kg+ pack on is the best preparation for the mountains, with the aim of getting 'pack fit' and building your endurance. Your guide places special focus on fitness levels and will regulate the pace accordingly. Read our AC Blog article 'Fit to Trek', or see our Fitness Training Programs for information on how we can help you prepare for your trek.
Food
We place emphasis on providing nutritious meals and a good supply of snack food throughout the trip. If you have any special dietary requirements, please advise us at the time of registration.
Accommodation
Adventure Consultants will provide your accommodation while the trip is operating, which is from 9.00am on Day 1 until 5.00pm on the final day. When in the mountains we will stay in Whare Kea Mountain Chalet, a two bedroom chalet nestled at 1,750m/5,741ft amongst the peaks of the Southern Alps, with astounding views of Mt Aspiring. This comfortable wilderness lodge offers solar power, central heating and even a hot shower.
Clothing & Equipment
Trekking in the Southern Alps requires you have the highest quality clothing and equipment due to the extremes of weather conditions. Our focus is on having the essential clothing and equipment while keeping your pack as light as possible.
Your guide will go through the equipment checklist with you at the beginning of your trip. Actual equipment taken may vary subject to seasonal weather and route conditions. All group equipment will be organised by your guide.
We can offer secure storage at our office for your luggage and valuables during the trip.
Communication & Messages
Our guides are in radio/cell/satellite phone communication with our operations base and Department of Conservation headquarters throughout the trip. This assists us with schedule and weather forecast updates, helicopter coordination and safety back up. Urgent messages can be relayed via our office to the field if required. Each party carries a locator beacon for additional security.
Trekking Season
We trek around Whare Kea Chalet from November through to April as conditions allow. From December onwards, we can expect less snow and as temperatures warm up into the summer months of January and February, we traditionally experience more settled weather. From March through April, late summer conditions exist, however, cooling temperatures can bring snowfalls to the Alps. At this time of year, the days begin to get noticeably shorter.
Travel
We commence this trip from our base in Wanaka. The nearest airport is located in Queenstown, approximately one hour's drive away. Air New Zealand and Jetstar airlines provide daily services to Queenstown from Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington. There are also direct international flights from most major Australian cities.
A shuttle service operates several times daily between Queenstown and Wanaka (from $35 each way), see https://www.ritchies.co.nz/wanaka. We are happy to assist with your transfer arrangements.
Bus services also operate daily between Christchurch and Wanaka (approximately 6 hours' travel time).
Weather
New Zealand has a maritime climate and the weather is always a consideration in the high mountains. In the event that weather or snow conditions were not suitable to enter the Brewster region at the start of the trip, we can talk with you regarding trekking in a different region or an alternative activity. When booking your trip, please specify the dates you are available.