"Active South America exceeded my expectations. Everything was planned out to perfection. All you could do was relax and take in what the country offered you."

Graham Pratt (Colorado, USA) Jan 2007 Jaguar

MEET OUR GUIDES:

ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure travel guide
Sebastian Hansen
"Sebastian rates a 10! I can't imagine that he could have done more to insure a fun and satisfying trip for all involved. He kept us well informed about necessary details, was knowledgeable about the areas we visited, and maintained a good sense of humor. Sebastian is a good listener and doesn't show off or require particular attention. He always seemd to be one step ahead so there were no snafus along the way. He is a huge asset to Active SA."
Greg Lapic (Longview, Washington, USA) Feb 2010 Condor

PHOTO OF THE MONTH:

Photo gallery of pictures from our ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure vacation
Iguana Jan 2010
Travelling on two wheels is a great way to meet the locals and slow down to smell the coffee.

South America adventure tours - meet our team
We started ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA with one thing in mind - to run the best active, outdoor adventure trips in South America, and we're now running trips in Peru, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Patagonia and Costa Rica.

Our itineraries are the result of years guiding active adventure trips all over South America and around the world. We decided to combine our expertise in running active adventures in New Zealand and Australia with our experience and knowledge of South America to create ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA. Read more in our latest brochure.
Active South America's founder, Andrew Fairfax
Andrew after a bike ride...
from Morocco to Paris.		 Andrew Fairfax
I started ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND in 1996. I originally trained to be an attorney, graduating with a BA in Political Studies and an Honours degree in Law. I discovered after a few months at a major New Zealand commercial law firm that I'm not really interested in life behind a desk, and promptly quit. I then decided to follow my life-long passion for the outdoors, and began working as an adventure guide. We've been running awesome active vacations in South America, New Zealand and Australia, and our many happy clients would agree that it's our mission to run the most active, adventurous trips no matter where we go in the world.
Active South America's founder, Phil Boorman
Phil exploring the
Amazon Jungle		 Phil Boorman
I first travelled to South America in search of adventure when I was seventeen. I spent several years teaching and guiding overland expeditions through every country in South and Central America, focusing on Peru and Ecuador. In between my trips to South America, I worked as a guide for ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND. I was soon asking myself, "Why can't I show people the best South America and the Galapagos has to offer in an active adventurous way?" The answer is ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA. Andrew and I have combined our passions for South America, adventure travel and outdoor pursuits to create the best active tours in Peru, Patagonia, Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador.
Active South America's, Adrian Bailey
Adrian hiking in Peru		 Adrian Bailey
When you pick up the phone, you'll most likely reach Adrian or Phil here in our main Pacific Office in Queenstown. Adrian is very much an outdoor enthusiast so he is always happy to chat about hiking, biking and kayaking. Originally from Wales, he has travelled the world competing in marathons and ultra marathons for more than a decade. If he's not helping people plan their adventures to South and Central America, he's training for the 100km race (that's 62 miles!) at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Active South America's, Dawn Hamilton
Dawn in Peru		 Dawn Hamilton
Dawn helps people from around the world prepare for their trips to South and Central America, drawing from her own extensive travel experience to answer questions that range from 'what can I expect hiking the Inca Trail?' right through to 'do I really need extra socks?' She's also a bit of a weekend warrior, often arriving in on a Monday with stories about her latest downhill mountain biking escapades!
Active South America's Peru Operations, Pablo Perez
Pablo hiking in Spain		 Pablo Perez
Pablo is responsible for making sure your trip runs as smoothly as possible. Originally from Spain, Pablo first travelled to Peru and Ecuador when he was just 16 and has been in love with South America ever since. He's travelled on five continents, lived and worked in five countries and speaks seven different languages! He's also a new father to baby Elina - possibly his biggest challenge yet!
Active South America's Costa Rica Operations, Andres Mora Piedra
Andres on a volunteer project		 Andres More Piedra
Andres runs our San José office and still leads many of our Iguana and Quetzal trips in Costa Rica. A man of many talents, Andres is not only an outstanding leader, but also a highly skilled kayaker and accomplished photographer and a member of the national Costa Rican rafting team, competing all over the world. As you'd expect there's not much he doesn't know about Costa Rica!


Since Andrew ran his first official ACTIVE trip in 1996, a lot of people have found their way to us - both clients and staff. We've become very successful, due in no small measure to the dedicated and professional guides who come to us, the interesting clients that our trips seem to attract, and the passion with which we tackle everything we do. We've avoided the temptation to grow indiscriminately, preferring to focus on areas we know intimately, and run a first class guiding operation.

Our seasoned operations team are all ACTIVE veterans, working year round in our main office in Queenstown - with logistics support in San José and Cuzco. This constant support ensures that your trip leader has everything he or she needs to make your trip flow as smoothly as humanly possible, given the vagaries of South American travel. Which is a polite way of saying that sometimes the locals run things on "island time." No worries - we know how to handle everything!

Request a FREE Brochure