Prepare
The practical page. Read this before you write.
Cost, how to pay, visas, what we supply, and what goes in the bag. This is not immigration advice.
Cost
Outside New Zealand: $3,200 USD for the eight weeks.
A $500 USD deposit is non-refundable and holds your place. The remaining $2,700 is due one week before you arrive.
New Zealand citizens: please write for local pricing. We do not publish a Kiwi rate on this page.
Included
- Transport to and from Christchurch International Airport
- Travel from base camp to teaching sites and the set sightseeing stops
- Three meals a day
- Accommodation and bedding, including a pillow (bring your own if you prefer)
- Wi-Fi
Not included
- Flights
- Travel insurance (you must have it)
- Visa or NZeTA fees
- Toiletries
- Personal snacks and chocolate
Payment
- Bank transfer, debit or credit card, or PayPal.
- We do not take card numbers on this website. Details are sent after you apply.
- The $500 deposit is what secures a place. An application alone does not.
- The balance is due one week before arrival.
- A payment does not guarantee you will be allowed to enter New Zealand. That is a visa question.
The deposit is non-refundable. If something unforeseen cuts the stay short — injury, health, a death in the family — a partial refund of the balance may be considered, in proportion to the time left. Being sent home for conduct is not that.
Visas
Most visitors need permission to enter New Zealand. Some passports qualify for a visa waiver and an NZeTA instead of a visitor visa. Check your own passport. We cannot tell you which visa you qualify for.
People on this tour have used a visitor visa, a working holiday visa, or a religious worker visa. Which one fits depends on your country, your age, and how long you stay. If your visa requires insurance, that requirement is yours to meet.
What to bring
- Passport
- Bible
- Power adaptors (New Zealand uses type I plugs)
- Personal medication
- Some cash
- Sunglasses
- Shoes for walking, sport, and hiking
- A day pack and a small overnight bag
Clothes
Dress for the season you booked, and then add a layer. The South Island can put three seasons in one day. Bring a hoodie or jersey, and a jacket that handles wind and rain.
- March–May: summer into autumn. Warm days, cold evenings.
- July–August: winter. Real cold, and snow if you ski or board.
- September–November: spring into summer. Changeable, often beautiful.
In churches and when we are guests, dress modestly. Walking shoes matter more than a second nice outfit.
On your own time
Anything beyond the set days is yours to pay for. If you want more of the Mackenzie country or the rest of the South Island, look it up and tell us. We will not build it into the fee.