Wanaka Freeride Tour
7 day guided tour
August 30, 2020 to September 05, 2020
$2390 PER PERSON
New Zealand Snowboard Tours
Our base for this tour is Wanaka which put’s us within easy reach of the best heli-ski zones in the Southern Lakes, plus the world class resorts; Cardrona, Treble Cone, The Remarkables and Coronet Peak. Join us on our optional heli-ski day, where you’ll get to ride deep powder in backcountry bowls, snowy ridges and powder basins. You can be sure that our heli-ski guides will make the extra effort to get you the best and deepest snow on the day. Runs vary between 2000 to 3500 vertical feet and you can expect to ride treeless terrain in sheltered basins, bowls and wide-open rolling mountain flanks. To get you prepared for the heli-ski day, we spend 4 days riding at either Cardrona or Treble Cone. These resorts are consistently ranked as the best snowboarding destinations in New Zealand, with the best pipe, park, chutes and steeps. You’ll spend 4 full days riding with our professional and experienced guide who will take you under their wing and show you the the unique terrain each resort offers. Throughout the tour you’ll stay in modern, twin share accommodation, right in the centre of Wanaka. All transportation is included and you’ll travel in comfortable 4WD vehicles.
FLEXIBLE ITINERARY
Our base for this tour is Wanaka, which gives us easy access to Wanaka and Treble Cone. We keep the itinerary flexible so your guide can hunt down the best conditions all day, every day. Each day your guide will assess the conditions and decide which is the best place to ride based on weather and snowfall. Each day we’ll load up our van’s and drive to our chosen area. This flexibility ensures that we will find you the best snow and conditions all day, every day!
DAILY GUIDING
Your professional guides have an in-depth knowledge of the local area, terrain and conditions. You can be assured we will always find you the best snow conditions available. At night our guides are on-hand to show you around the local area and immerse you in the local culture.
OPTIONAL HELI_SKI
For any guests wanting to experience the thrill of heli-skiing in New Zealand, we will have an optional heli-ski adventure. You don’t have to compete for fresh lines here. We will have access to thousands of square kilometres of terrain. Whether you are a first time heli skier or a savvy veteran, your mind will be blown by the mountains and the snow quality. There is a huge amount of terrain that we can access and our guides know how to find whatever it is that you are looking for, ensuring that every guest is smiling. We’ll be able to choose from open bowls, low-angle powder, ramps, couloirs, glacier runs, and New Zealand steep faces. We’ll ride in alpine terrain (no trees) and on glaciers. The scale, vastness and beauty of the Southern Alps is awe-inspiring. The terrain we ride will suit the ability level and pace of our group. Our goal is to find the best powder you have ever experienced. There are no groomed runs here, all of the riding is in the backcountry and provided by Mother Nature. We aim to ride untracked snow on every run.
SNOW & CONDITIONS
This tour is running at the best time of the season for snowfall and optimal heli-ski conditions. Your guides have an in depth knowledge of the local area and will be able to find any type of terrain to suit your ability. Even if we don’t get fresh snow overnight, our local knowledge will ensure you’ll be able to ride light quality snow days after a storm.
SMALL GROUPS
We offer one of the smallest client to guide ratio’s in the industry which ultimately leads to a better experience for everyone. Our small groups allow greater manoeuvrability and ease of access to the best areas a destination can offer. When we are on mountain, our maximum group size is 4 people per guide. This also makes for a more personal experience between our guests and guides.
COMFORTABLE ACCOMMODATION
We make sure all our guests stay in comfortable accommodation that’s in the best location. Throughout the tour you’ll stay in a lodge just steps away from the shores of Lake Wanaka and close to all the action in town. Our comfortable twin share rooms are equipped with a 2 single beds and everything you need for your stay. Each room has heating, TV, and free WiFi.
EASY TRANSFERS
We take the hassle out of travel and make it a stress-free trip, especially if you’re travelling solo or it’s your first time to New Zealand. Once your flight arrives in Queenstown, grab your bags and your guide will meet you at the airport. We’ll then load the van and make a short door-to-door trip, from the airport. Grab a seat in our 4WD van and we’ll take you to our hotel, check you in, and make sure you’re set up for the adventure ahead.
PRE TOUR SUPPORT
After you sign up for a tour, you will receive pre-trip emails with specific information about your tour, the arrival and departure day process, information about the destination, packing suggestions, and other relevant information to help you prepare for your trip. In addition to this, you have access to our customer care team who are just a phone-call away. And as a full-service travel agent, we are able to take care of your flights, insurance, stopovers and pre or post tour arrangements.
WHY TRAVEL WITH MINT?
In a rapidly changing travel industry it’s important to know that your travel provider is accredited, accountable and responsible. We are a registered member of AFTA and IATA and conduct business in accordance with the ATAS Charter and Code of Conduct. When you travel with Mint you can have peace of mind that you are booking with a qualified and established travel operator with over 20 years of expertise. And as a full-service travel agent, we are able to take care of your flights, insurance, stopovers and pre or post tour arrangements.
This is a 7 day tour. The price per person is AUD $2390. Guests stay in a twin share room. If you would like a quote in your local currency, please contact us. To secure a spot on tour we take an AUD $700 deposit per person, and the final balance is due 90 days prior to the tour departure.
Your tour includes:
- 6 nights twin share accommodation at Aspiring Lodge, Wanaka
- 4 day lift ticket valid at Cardrona Alpine Resort & Treble Cone
- 4 days resort guiding at Cardrona or Treble Cone with qualified guides
- Daily private transfers to and from the resort in 4WD vehicles
- Arrival day pick-up from Queenstown Airport
- Departure day drop-off to Queenstown Airport
- Mint Tours guides on hand throughout tour.
Why travel with Mint?
In a rapidly changing travel industry it’s important to know that your travel provider is accredited, accountable and responsible. Mint is a registered member of AFTA and IATA and conducts business in accordance with the ATAS Charter and Code of Conduct. When you travel with Mint you can have peace of mind that you are booking with a qualified and established travel operator with over 20 years of expertise. And as a full-service travel agent, we can take care of your flights, insurance, stopovers and pre-or post tour arrangements.
What happens on arrival and departure day?
Once you’ve signed up for the tour we will send you through a comprehensive guide with details about the tour including the arrival and departure day process, a map of where we meet, recommended arrival and departure times, flight options, Visa requirements and transportation information.
What if i’m travelling solo?
About 99% of our guests are travelling solo. The accommodation for this tour is single share, which means you have a private room.
Do you ever cancel a tour?
No! Once you’ve signed up for this tour, you’re going! We won’t ever cancel this trip due to low numbers, so you can go ahead and book your flights early and rest easy knowing you’re going.
How many people are on tour?
Each tour is different, but we know that by offering one of the smallest client to guide ratio in the industry allows you to ski or snowboard at your preferred pace, and ultimately leads to a better experience for everyone. When we are on mountain, we have a maximum of 4 people per guide. This ensures you get the most out of your time with us, and keeping the groups small means less time waiting and more time riding powder!
Is this the right tour for me?
We ensure that everyone who joins these trips are a good fit for the difficulty level. This helps ensure that you’re booked on the right tour, as are the other people joining you.
What happens if I need to cancel?
Got cold feet? Couldn’t find a good flight or get the time off work? Cancel up to 7 days after your initial booking and get 100% of your deposit back, no questions asked.
Who are the guides?
All of our tours are guided by friendly, knowledgeable and expertly trained guides who are passionate about the mountains. Most of our guides work for us season after season, so our returning guests will see many familiar faces.
Can you book flights?
Yes. Let us take the hassle out of selecting the right flights for the tour. We can book you the best flight options for the tour, with no booking fees.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes. All guests on tour need to be covered be comprehensive travel insurance. Once you have booked on the tour, we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance. We offer all of our tour guests discounted snow specific travel insurance.
What happens once i’ve booked?
Once you’ve booked your spot on tour, you will receive pre-trip emails with specific information about your tour, the arrival and departure day process, information about the destination, packing suggestions, and other relevant information to help you prepare for your trip. In addition to this, you have access to our customer care team who are just a phone-call away. And as a full-service travel agent, we are able to take care of your flights, insurance, stopovers and pre or post tour arrangements.
If you would like some more information or a quote for the tour you can contact us by:
1. Email
Send your enquiry and one of our tour specialists will be in touch asap!
[email protected]
2. Over the phone
Call us on (03) 8563 9437 (within Australia) or +61 (03) 8563 9437 (international) between 9:30 am and 5:00pm AEST Monday to Friday and speak to one of our tour specialists.
You can book your spot one of two ways:
1. Online
Click ‘HERE‘
Once we receive your booking form, we’ll provide you with a quote, availability and further details about the tour.
2. Over the phone
Call us on (03) 8563 9437 (within Australia) or +61 (03) 8563 9437 (international) between 9:30 am and 5pm AEST Monday to Friday, and follow the prompts to speak to one of our tour specialists.
Please note that this is a small group tour that is subject to availability at time of booking.
August 30, 2020 – Arrival Day
Welcome to New Zealand! Your tour guides will meet you at Queenstown Airport. We’ll load up our 4WD transport and then make the 1 hour drive over the Crown Range to our home base in Wanaka. Once you arrive, we’ll check you in to the hotel and make sure you are settled in and ready for the week ahead. If the sun is shining, join your guides for a welcome drink on the shores of Lake Wanaka. In the evening we’ll head out for a Welcome Session and group dinner. Your guides will explain what’s in store for the week ahead. It’s also a great opportunity to any questions and to get to know the group and guides.
August 31 to September 3, 2020 – Cardrona & Treble Cone
To get you familiar with the resort and prepared for the heli-ski day, we’ll have a 4 days freeriding at Cardrona and Treble Cone. These resorts are consistently ranked as the best snowboarding destinations in New Zealand, with the best pipe, park, chutes and steeps. You’ll spend 4 full days riding with our professional and experienced guide who will take you under their wing and show you the many secret riding spots on offer. You’ll also improve your riding skills through carving, riding powder, steeps, jumps & more. After riding, we’ll head to the famous Cardrona Pub for some beers and snacks, then make the short drive back to our hotel. In the evenings we’ll head out for a group dinner.
September 4, 2020 – Optional Heli-ski day
Join us for a heli-ski day as it will be one of the highlights of the trip! We meet early for breakfast at the hotel or one of the nearby cafes so you can fuel up for the day ahead. We’ll load our equipment into the van and then make the drive to our heli staging area. Sit back and enjoy the amazing scenery as we travel along the shoreline of Lake Wanaka until we reach the high country sheep station which is the heli staging area. Once at the station your guides will conduct a safety briefing which includes rescue training and how to use your avalanche safety equipment. They will also brief you on Helicopter Safety. All of the Harris Mountain Heli-ski guides are trained in avalanche rescue and have a wealth of knowledge that they are happy to share with you. Questions are welcomed and encouraged. For our first session, we will typically do 3 – 4 runs before breaking for lunch on mountain. We will have a picnic style lunch in the mountains with sandwiches, snacks and plenty of hot soup, tea and water. In the afternoon we’ll complete our remaining runs, and if there is the opportunity to do more runs, your guides will advise the group. After we have finished riding we will return back to the heli staging area. We’ll then load the vans and head back to Wanaka where we’ll enjoy a group dinner at one of the local pub’s.
September 5, 2020 – Departure day
We check out of the hotel. Join your guides for breakfast on the Wanaka lakefront. We will then drop you back off to Queenstown airport for your flight back home after an epic tour!
