Our Kiwi Team

Meet our small yet mighty New Zealand Travel team

There is a Maori proverb that says “He aha te mea nui o tea ao. He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.” - “What is the most important thing in the world? It is the people, it is the people, it is the people”.

As travellers like you, we know that the most memorable and authentic parts of a trip are the experiences you have with the locals - New Zealand is our home and we can’t wait to share it with you.

When you travel with New Zealand Trails, you’ll enjoy the finest service and the warmest welcome from our people. Here are some of the friendly Kiwis (New Zealanders) that you’ll meet on your journey with us…

“NZ trails is sold as real NZ with real New Zealanders and that was exactly what we got. I feel privileged to have felt such a strong connection to the culture, history and spirituality of this country and I thank our guide and NZT for bringing that to this trip.”

- Ali Tooze, Sweet North 

Jodi & Cass - Your New Zealand Travel Experts

When you get in touch with New Zealand Trails, Jodi and Cass are the first Kiwis you’ll meet. They’ll talk through your travel ideas, answer any questions, big or small, and help you plan a New Zealand adventure that is the right fit for you. We keep things small and personal; Cass and Jodi will know your name (and your dog’s!) and you’ll always have a real person to talk to.

Jodi has decades of experience in the New Zealand travel industry and is a founding member of the New Zealand Trails team. Cass has extensive knowledge of our trips from her time as a New Zealand Trails tour guide. They both know New Zealand and our trips inside and out and love sharing their expertise to help you plan your dream trip.

"Cass was really great at answering our questions and helping us confirm the details and availability we were seeing on the website. The free phone line was available and easy to manage. It helped us feel assured that the trip was going to work out when we got more advice over the phone from her."

- JD Shaeffer, Kiwi Classic

"Jodi was very responsive, positive, and helpful. She made an excellent first impression and was a big reason we chose New Zealand Trails. Everyone we dealt with at New Zealand Trails was friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. They are friendly people who love and are proud of their country."

- Donald Grant, World Heritage Walking Tour

Amy & Lydia - Your Guest Services Team

Once you’ve signed up for your trip, Amy and Lydia will help you put together all the details. They’re always only a phone call or email away. They will give you advice on flights, book your pre and post trip accommodation, provide you with plenty of resources and answer all your questions about travelling to New Zealand. They’ll sweat all those little details so that you don’t have to!

"I must confess that over my 40 years of travelling the world I’ve never experienced such a level of professionalism, caring, helpfulness, kindness and rapid response to my questions. It’s unheard of, at least in my experience."

- Elizabeth Kwasniewski, Grand Explorer

Nigel, Amanda, Kim and Kristyn – Your Ground Crew

Behind the scenes of your New Zealand Trails trip is a wealth of operational knowledge. Nigel is the founder of New Zealand Trails and has been running New Zealand travel companies for over 25 years. Amanda, Kim and Kristyn each have over a decade of experience in crafting incredible adventures. With an unbeatable eye for detail and an intrinsic understanding of what it takes to run an outstanding tour, they have your trip completely under control so that you can just relax and enjoy the adventure.

"New Zealand Trails went above and beyond my expectations. It showed me the beautiful places I have dreamed about for years. The staff are wonderful, very kind and accommodating. They were on top of their game and made sure everyone was safe and looked after well. I feel very lucky to have found this company and will definitely recommend them to all my friends. Thank you for my most unforgettable journey."

- Lynda J, Grand Explorer

Huxley, Bo, Roo, Bella, Boo and Pipi

We couldn’t talk about our team without mentioning some of our most valuable players – our adventure dogs Huxley, Bo, Roo, Bella, Boo and Pipi. They join us every day at our ‘HQ’ in Arrowtown and their job description includes napping in the sun, exploring the river at lunch and sneaking treats from Nigel!