Summer has officially arrived here in New Zealand and we're swapping shoes for "jandals" (kiwi slang for flip-flops/sandals)

Many of our trips are already full this season so if you are thinking of treating yourselves to NZ's ultimate tour, get in early to avoid disappointment.

In the meantime, put your feet up, grab a cup of eggnog/mulled wine/ Glühwein, or all of the above, and enjoy a festive read.

Our trips are made special by the amazing crew that drive, organise and manage them.  Meet all our team and learn about the drivers, guides and office gurus that make our tours so good - meet the crew here

We love hiking and few experiences match the variety of landscapes experienced on the Tongariro Alpine crossing.

The hike is around 17km in length and includes dramatic volcanic terrain, the towering Mount Tongariro (aka Mount Doom), mesmerising green waters of the emerald lakes and outstanding panoramic views of this beautiful region.

For more details on this and other walks check out the hiking section of our site.

We have recently been joined by some fantastic writers and bloggers from Germany and Spain.  Get an insiders view on our trips with their great blogs below:

• Oihana's Spanish blog
• Nicole's German blog

In January and February we will be exhibiting at the UK's best travel shows.  Both are a fantastic opportunity to find out about new travel destinations and get access to exclusive expo specials (we will have a great competition running so make sure to come and find us):

• Adventure Travel Live - The UKs only travel show dedicted to off the beaten track experiences with guest speakers including Sir Rannulph Feines.  Visit us at stand F8 on 25th & 26th January.
• The Outdoors show - Huge show with featured areas focussing on cycling, hiking, climbing, travel, on the water and more at Excel.  Visit us at stand AT550 from 13th -16th February.

One of our favourite kiwi treasures is the penguin - here's a collection of great clips from these loveable little fellas:

Meet the happiest penguin ever

That's right - penguins are ticklish

Penguins - not always as innocent as they look