Wanaka Mountain Guides Avis 

I just had another wonderful adventure with Tim Steward of Wanaka Mountain Guides. Tim is an amazing guide, with extensive knowledge of the best places to go and can get the most out of the fickle NZ weather. Tim goes the extra mile to ensure that the trip is safe, well supported and most importantly, fun. Tim is great for gently encouraging you out of your comfort zone and into some of the most beautiful places in NZ.

They’ll Blame the Weather, But You’ll Pay the Price

We all know weather can affect mountaineering trips, but what you don’t expect is a company that won’t reschedule your trip and will keep your money. That’s exactly what happened with Wanaka Mountain Guides.

I booked a four-day helicopter-accessed mountaineering trip to Plateau Hut, but due to some bad weather on Day 1, they canceled the trip prematurely. While I understood the weather delay, I didn’t expect them to ignore confirmed flight windows on Day 2 and make no effort to use Days 3 and 4 to complete the trip. Instead of rescheduling or fulfilling the service, they pushed alternatives like trekking and indoor training—activities that had nothing to do with the contracted helicopter-accessed glacier trip I paid for.

Their terms and conditions heavily favor their business, stating that they will keep guiding fees even when no guiding happens. This directly goes against New Zealand consumer laws, such as the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, which requires services to be delivered as agreed or reasonably rescheduled. They also complety ignore the Fair Trading Act 1986, which prohibits unfair terms, to justify keeping your money for undelivered services. Go check it out.

What they don’t advertise is that if there’s a weather delay, your trip won’t just depend on the weather—it will depend on their guide availability. And if they can’t make it work, they’ll cancel the trip entirely and still keep your money.

Think carefully before booking with Wanaka Mountain Guides. Their lack of flexibility, reliance on unfair terms, and refusal to reschedule could leave you paying thousands for a service you never receive. Avoid the hassle and disappointment—I wish I had.

To help other travelers not having their trips ruined by these unethical practices, I am reporting Wanaka Mountain Guides’ behavior to the appropriate enforcement authorities. At the end of the day, terms and conditions cannot be against the law that protects customers.