PHOTO OF THE MONTH:

Photo gallery of pictures from our ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure vacation
Rimu Feb 2009
2009 PHOTO COMPETITION WINNER! Congratulations to Darcy Thompson, whose moody shot of Okarito Lagoon beat out 1500 others for an Icebreaker top and $200 off his next trip.

MEET OUR GUIDES:

ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure travel guide
Barry Hughes
"Can't express in words how fabulous he was. He was patient, entertaining, and always attentive. He put safety first during our excursions and while driving, but also took lots of time to have fun with us. A very bright guy with a great sense of humor, and he is very knowledgeable about the areas we visited. He is one in a million!"
Vanessa Harpin (California, USA) December 2008 Rimu
"It was a great way to share part of my traveling with a group of people who also like being outside, feeling energized by nature. I felt like it took me to the best spots within the region we covered, showing me a lot more than I could have seen by myself in the same period of time."

Amy Slotnick (California, USA) March 2003 Tui
New Zealand TeamNew Zealand Guides
New Zealand adventure guides
Lofty
Lofty 		Name:  Christiaan "Lofty" Filius
Position:  Lead Guide
Bio:
Lofty, as he's known, has a certificate in Recreation - Adventure Tourism and a YMCA certificate in Recreation Industry Training, but he specializes in leading our family trips because, well, he's a big kid himself! He's put in thousands of hours volunteering at the YMCA running programs for kids since 1997 and also loves kayaking, rock climbing, mountain biking and car racing -- and has broken 24 bones to prove it! 
What our clients have said:

"Lofty was truly excellent. Amazing, always positive attitude, and manages to be incredibly enthusiastic even though I'm sure he's done/seen everything we did/saw on our trip hundreds of times. He had great stories and really shared his love of NZ. An excellent leader, particularly when it can be hard to move 14 random people in the same direction."
-- Scott Larson (New York, USA) November 2009 Tui


"I can't say enough about Lofty or [co-guide] Joni. They are both assets to ACTIVE so you should hold on to them. They are personable, funny, professional, helpful, skilled, etc. It's a new experience for me having never been on a guided trip before, but after spending every day with them for a week (a short time in the grand scheme of things, I know) we really miss them. Truly, they're wonderful people and are exceptional in their respective roles. We were genuinely sad when we parted with them and the group."
-- JB Baran (New Jersey, USA) November 2009 Tui


"I thought Lofty was wonderful. Knowledgeable, fun, light hearted, good instructions and support. Created nice 'team' spirit. Particularly appreciated his interactions with my kids."
-- Bob, Doug & Benjy Wachter (San Francisco, CA, USA) April 2009 Tui


"Lofty was the best part of the trip. "
-- Jo Siegel (Post Falls, Idaho, United States) March 2009 Tui


"Couldn't ask for a more enthusiastic,fun and personable (if not a bit crazy!), lead guide! GREAT with the kids!"
-- Karen Jones (Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States) December 2008 Kea Family


"We loved Lofty! He made us laugh, kept us in line, got us where we needed to be, beat us at almost every card game, taught us some new games, and kept us safe."
-- Chantel Gunther (UT, United States) January 2007 Kea Family


"Lofty was just a pleasure to be around and did an incredible job leading the trip. Always had a good story, too. His knowledge of the area and people really enhanced the trip. We were able to do things and go places that we would never have been able to find on our own. Lofty is great great great!"
-- Adam Lewandowski (KY, United States) April 2007 Kea Family


"Lofty is one of a kind. He was amazing and really made our trip outstanding!"
-- Jordan Carman (KY, United States) April 2007 Kea Family


"He was the best guide ever! He made me feel safe and at home."
-- Paige Kerman (CO, United States) December 2006 Kea Family


"Lofty was wonderful for parents and kids. He has become a great inspiration for our 16 year old which is an added bonus."
-- Carol Denton (AB, Canada) March 2006 Kea Family


"Lofty is Numero Uno!! He interacts extremely well with kids. What he does really well is that he interacts with everyone not just the people who are easy to entertain. We all loved Lofty."
-- Peter Jones (WA, United States) December 2005 Kea Family