Explore West Coast

Gave me some ideas of trip I want to do, but mostly had long trips

My wife and I booked the full day South Island tour through the i-SITE office upon arrival in Greymouth. They arranged a tour with Explore West Coast and with a guide named Paul for the next day. Paul promptly picked us up (and dropped us off) right at our hotel. We may have lucked out because it was just my wife and I in the tour van that could accommodate maybe 8 total people. We did the stops listed on the itinerary and also stops that weren’t including several lakes along the way. Throughout the tour we enjoyed a friendly and personable conversation with Paul that felt more like we were having a chat with a family member we hadn’t seen in awhile. Paul had great knowledge of the areas we stopped in, Māori culture/history, and conservation activities happening. We enjoyed conversation about New Zealand and comparing the similarities and differences from the USA. We never felt rushed at any of the stops along the way (even panned for gold at a stop) and although the tour was a full day long we wished for more time with Paul. Highly recommend booking a tour with Explore West Coast and I’m sure they have other wonderful guides but see if Paul is available for your trip. We are hoping to make a trip back to the west coast in the future and would happily book a tour with them again!

What a wonderful way to explore Greymouth and surrounding areas! I really appreciate the insightful commentary offered by Paul, especially around Māori history and local conservation efforts. Thank you for sharing the wild west coast with us! Recommend this tour operator for anyone visiting Greymouth.