Testimonials
Outstanding guide! I learned a ton, beautiful nature experience and appreciated the patience and kindness that he showed me and the other hikers. He has such instincts to know when people need a bit of help getting over a dodgy section on the trail. His experience, laid back style, positivity makes him an exceptional guide. […]
The course description on the website was super clear and tailored exactly to my needs (a keen backcountry skier with minimal climbing or mountaineering experience). Also Tim being very accommodating by taking my phone call where I quizzed him on some details of the course before booking
The exact course I was looking for to learn and develop my skills and experience. 10/10, highly highly highly commend. I am very eager to join more trips with [our guide] in future. extremely knowledgeable, great with people, eager to assist and educate, could tell he loved what he was doing.
‘Offered what we were looking for locally at a good price & with a good reputation. The whole thing was great, but loved how hands on it was from the start. 10/10.’
What a brilliant week! I felt we really made the most of our time and I took lots from it – enjoyment, learning, a renewed sense of awe at our incredible landscapes here at home. I will definitely be back for more with WMG – already eyeing up some future adventures.
A group of really approachable, knowledgeable and experienced guides. I undertook two different sessions with WMG and both the guides I had were great. I also met several others guides from other WMG groups who were clearly also excellent. Everyone just wanted you to be safe, have fun and learn as much as you wanted […]
Highly recommend WMG. Although we’re relatively experienced & capable, having the team organise our first ski tour trip into the Cass valley made it a much better experience right from logistics and safety to the food ! All very much on point and meant we could enjoy the surrounds, skiing & of course whiskey more […]
Excellent course content, well taught and very worth while. Definitely recommend this to anyone interested in backcountry touring.
’Fantastic [guide] – knowledgeable, informative and good fun. An amazing time! [The best part was] the glacial environment – a unique and spectacular environment which I feel lucky to have experienced.’
‘WMG crafted an absolutely incredible day for us! The heli flights, the hiking, the lunch, everything exceeded our expectations. It was a joy to spend the day with him. We highly recommend Wanaka Mountain Guides for any adventure.’
‘Incredible experience getting to ride in a helicopter right to the top of a mountain and ski untouched snow all day! Tim was an amazing guide and was very knowledgeable about the area, and the helicopter organization was seamless and very well run. Highly recommend taking a day out ski touring with Wanaka Mountain Guides!’
A great day out on the glacier. We learnt a lot of alpine skills from Jules. The scenic and blue sky were awesome. Thank you for organising a fruitful and safe glacier hiking.
’I learnt so much from [Our guide], who was an amazing guide and teacher. [She] created a supportive and safe learning environment and she was so keen to share her knowledge with us. Now I‘m so stoked to expand on my avy knowledge and develop my backcountry skills in the future.’
‘10/10. [Out Guide] delivered the course extremely well and catered to our skill level perfectly. We achieved a great balance of practical training, theory, and some fun skiing. Avalanche Awareness and Practical Training. Best bits were the tips and tricks provided for skinning.’
‘Incredible experience getting to ride in a helicopter right to the top of a mountain and ski untouched snow all day! Tim was an amazing guide and was very knowledgeable about the area, and the helicopter organization was seamless and very well run. Highly recommend taking a day out ski touring with Wanaka Mountain Guides!’
‘The recommendation for the Remarkables as a day trip during our time in Queenstown was absolutely perfect, definitely a highlight of our month-long trip to New Zealand. We really enjoyed climbing and chatting with [our guide]and were super grateful for a chill day in the mountains with some epic views!’
I just wanted to thank you for organising such an epic week. [Our guide for the Summer Mountaineering Course] was fantastic. We learnt so much and felt challenged in a good way, whilst feeling extremely safe and reassured that we were learning best practice methods. He also made an effort to tailor the trip to […]
‘[It is great] how accessible you have made the training and skiing to everyone. Your guiding is very thoughtful, personalized, and assertive at the right amount in the moment. Thank you’
[Our guide] was really friendly and helpful, great knowledge and with good stories to help solidify the understanding. I learned so much and have some basic skills and knowledge. I realize how much more there is to learn. He delivered a huge breadth of knowledge in a short time, and it was still totally digestible […]
Exellent teachers and guides with a wealth of knowledge about your subjects
Excellent. Fit, extremely speedy, experienced, very friendly and helpful, heart in the right place, straight and very clear minded. The best guide that I have had.
Had an amazing trip with these guys. Tim was incredibly helpful and responsive with organising the trip. I did the grand traverse in March. Jules was my guide and he was fantastic. You can tell how much he enjoys guiding people. We moved through the day at a good pace. Safety was excellent. Thanks guys […]
It was an excellent day and really lived up to the hype. Both guides were experienced and very technically proficient so it meant that everything went smoothly. There was also some quality kiwi vs aussie banter which was entertaining. I’ll definitely be back for more mountain adventures!
Don’t hesitate to book with this crew! Had the pleasure of doing the Grand Traverse of the Remarkables with Wanaka Mountain Guides. Professional, highly skilled, and excellent customer care. An incredible way to explore the lesser seen parts of NZ!!
‘We had a great day rock climbing in Wānaka! Since we only had one day in Wanaka for climbing, we wanted a guide to take us to good spots so we could be more efficient, and [our guide] was great, giving us several options along the way and kept us safe. Would highly recommend this […]
Full of praise for [our] guide. Learnt more in 2 days from him than I have in several years tramping.
[Our guide] was really knowledgeable but also very realistic and sensible regarding what we needed to know and focusing on the common and more simple things. He was very patient with us when at times we got a bit muddled! He was a fantastic instructor.
[Our guide] was an outstanding teacher. Very patient, knowledgeable and an excellent communicator. The course was engaging and I learnt loads! We spend a day in Wanaka at the climbing wall to get our rope work sorted and then moved onto the snow on the second day to put all our skills to work. Feeling […]
A great knowledgeable instructor. He made sure each participant understood the material. Friendly and made you feel comfortable asking any questions. I would highly recommend [the guide] and would love to be a part of another one of his instructional courses.
A very professional guide and great company. He took time to explain to us what walks were possible/practical each day depending on the weather and the impact it would have on the surrounding rivers. If you are city dwellers it is very comforting to know that your guide is thinking of the safety of the […]
Thank you again. That was an awesome day out and I really appreciated how generous [our guide] was with his time and knowledge. He crammed in more than I thought possible in a day.
It was 4 days I’ll never forget! The experiences I had I only want to grow on. I set out to accomplish a task, but I got so much more! You showed me a whole new world with your sport and I can’t thank you enough! Thanks so much for doing a great job at […]
First class guide with excellent skills with safety being the priority. However, even his cooking was good! :-)… overall had an amazing adventure! [Our guide] managed all aspects of our safety efficiently and professionally. It was a truly great experience! [He] did a first-class job guiding us with his in-depth knowledge of the mountain. He […]
They have a wide range of different courses to pick from for every interest and skill level. They were also very responsive to emails and have very experienced guides. Would recommend!
Really good no1 fun day. Perfect conditions, great guide, got everything out of the trip that we wanted and more: fresh tracks, beautiful scenery, stunning weather, great company, and very safe and knowledgeable guide.’
Myself and two friends (who’d never done any back-country touring before) skied/boarded with Wanaka Mountain Guides at Treble Cone a couple of days ago. He did a great job with finding some fresh powder and managing the day in a way that meant we all had fun and ended the day with some great memories.
[Our guide] was everything you could ask for in a guide, quick and capable with the rescue, very generous with sharing knowledge, a great cook and I always felt he had the right attitude with risk management etc.
Excellent – great knowledge and very good at simplifying potentially complex information and presenting it in a way that we all understood.
[Our guide] was excellent at communicating and explaining the content. He did it in a way that was easy to learn and not too much all at once. Super nice guy.
A great local company offering backcountry tours. Less people, fresh lines and opportunity to enhance your backcountry skills. Our guide, was exceptional. He picked a great route, great skiing in variable conditions, and included some snow science along the way. Highly recommended.
I did a day ski touring trip with WMG. [Our guide] was excellent at communication before I arrived in NZ as well as sorting out some travel logistics for me. [He] was very helpful and great at explaining what we were doing. He took the time to give some ski tip instructions and made sure […]
10/10. Extremely Knowledgeable. Fantastic Group Facilitation Skills. Great Teacher. Passionate about Skiing, Mountains/ Weather/ Snow Pack. Incredibly Patient. Cool, Calm, and Collected.
Fabulous, knowledgeable, interested in making sure we had an enjoyable day and that we gained some important tips to identify avalanche terrain and rescue techniques
I Learnt heaps on my course, it was a wonderful experience. WMG has very experienced and knowledgeable guides who share this knowledge with skill, expertise, and grace. Highly recommended.
[Our guide] had a diverse bunch of people in his group and managed them all well. He was calm, knowledgeable and easy to learn from.
Great team at Wanaka Mountain Guides. A well organised, professional team of experienced guides who make each mountain adventure exciting and rewarding. Looking forward to the next adventure in the hills! Highly recommend.
[Our guide] was very knowledgeable, patient and good company. He planned our time very well, despite losing a day to bad weather. Feedback was always constructive and encouraging, even when I struggled with the ice climbing! I would not hesitate choosing him again.
Tim is a very friendly and easy guy to get along with, yet he is always still very professional. He has an uncanny knack for seemingly being able to pull a rabbit out of the hat despite the odds stacked against such a feat. Even with the very average weather we encountered, we still got […]
With [our Guide’s] patience and perseverance, I summitted my first mountain, Mt Aspiring, followed by many other summits after that. I thoroughly recommend Wanaka Mountain Guides for their services and professionalism for beginners through to advanced climbers.
During this trip in particular, I was so impressed with Tim’s technical knowledge and skills that it reminded me of just how little I know and how poor my ability is in comparison. Very happy to continue this way and would recommend others to going guided. Felt totally safe and confident in his abilities at […]
Very good guiding, very good cooking, very good company.
He was extremely professional at all times. He had a quiet confidence that was admirable yet he wasn’t arrogant. He was quick to correctly judge my abilities and let me be challenged just beyond my comfort zone enough to feel accomplishment. I quickly felt that I could trust him. He was obviously very capable and […]
Tim thinks holistically about our experience and learning – all the pieces fitted together beautifully and culminated in a great final day/morning. He has a great talent for appearing to effortlessly develop contingency plans that still keep us on track even when the weather is totally unpredictable. Tim beautifully navigates the line between humour, warmth, […]
Tim is absolutely brilliant. I feel safe at all times with him, yet he doesn’t stifle me and gives me the freedom to go on my own when I feel comfortable doing so. He makes me feel relaxed and at ease both on and off the mountain. His local knowledge is incredible and seems to […]
Professional, competent, friendly, and patient.
Tim showed a high level of experience, knowledge, and professionalism in all areas of the course and were also able to convey their knowledge in a logical way that made it easy to progressively learn and practice all the skills. The skills were also taught at a rate that meant I was continually challenged to […]
Thank you for your patience and good humour. Pretty much everything I did last week was new and challenging and generally way outside my comfort zone. But despite having by far the least experience of the group you managed it in such a way that I never felt I was too much of a drag. […]
Tim did an outstanding job of creating building blocks of learning – e.g. around crevasse rescue – so each of us was able to assimilate the learning involved at a rate that was appropriate for each of us. He also very skilfully managed and created situations where we could test ourselves at a level at […]
Testimonials Courses
‘They have a wide range of different courses to pick from for every interest and skill level. They were also very responsive to emails and have very experienced guides. Would recommend!’
— James, Summer Mountaineering Course
‘Myself and two friends (who’d never done any back-country touring before) skied/boarded with Wanaka Mountain Guides at Treble Cone a couple of days ago. He did a great job with finding some fresh powder and managing the day in a way that meant we all had fun and ended the day with some great memories.’
— Mark, Introduction to Ski and Splitboard Touring Course
‘I Learnt heaps on my course, it was a wonderful experience. WMG has very experienced and knowledgeable guides who share this knowledge with skill, expertise, and grace. Highly recommended.’
— Stuart, Avalanche Skills Course
‘Tim was excellent at communicating and explaining the content. He did it in a way that was easy to learn and not too much all at once. Super nice guy.’
— Kayden, Backcountry Ski and Splitboard Course
’10/10. Extremely Knowledgeable. Fantastic Group Facilitation Skills. Great Teacher. Passionate about Skiing, Mountains/ Weather/ Snow Pack. Incredibly Patient. Cool, Calm, and Collected.’
— Fiona, Avalanche Skills Course
‘Excellent – great knowledge and very good at simplifying potentially complex information and presenting it in a way that we all understood.’
— Andy, Avalanche Skills Course
‘A very professional guide and great company. He took time to explain to us what walks were possible/practical each day depending on the weather and the impact it would have on the surrounding rivers. If you are a city dweller it is very comforting to know that your guide is thinking of the safety of the group. [He] certainly kept us well fed as well. We are looking forward to future trips in the beautiful mountains around Wānaka which is a refreshing change and takes us out of our comfort zone for a few days at least.’
— Michael, Siberia Hut Trip
‘Thank you again. That was an awesome day out and I really appreciated how generous [our guide] was with his time and knowledge. He crammed in more than I thought possible in a day.’
— Megan, Remarkables Alpine Rock Climbing Course
‘Fabulous, knowledgeable, interested in making sure we had an enjoyable day and that we gained some important tips to identify avalanche terrain and rescue techniques.’
— Brenton, Avalanche Skills Course
Testimonials Trips
‘A great local business offering backcountry tours. Fewer people, fresh lines and opportunity to enhance your backcountry skills. Our guide, was exceptional. He picked a great route, great skiing in variable conditions, and included some snow science along the way. Highly recommended.’
— Nathan, Remarkables Backcountry Tour
‘I did a day ski touring trip with WMG with Tim as my guide. He was excellent at communication before I arrived in NZ as well as sorting out some travel logistics for me. Tim was very helpful and great at explaining what we were doing. He took the time to give some ski tip instructions and made sure that everyone in the group was looked after in terms of ability while touring. It was a wonderful day out. Thank you.”I did a day ski touring trip with WMG with Tim as my guide. He was excellent at communication before I arrived in NZ as well as sorting out some travel logistics for me. Tim was very helpful and great at explaining what we were doing. He took the time to give some ski tip instructions and made sure that everyone in the group was looked after in terms of ability while touring. It was a wonderful day out. Thank you.’
— Sheila, Remarkables Backcountry Tour
‘I started climbing with Tim 14 years ago. I often wonder what on earth he thought about me and whether or not he should take me up a mountain, but with his patience and perseverance, I summited my first mountain, Mt Aspiring, followed by many other summits after that. I thoroughly recommend Tim and Wanaka Mountain Guides for their services and professionalism for beginners through to advanced climbers.’
— Joy, Private Guiding
‘First class guide with excellent skills with safety being the priority. However, even his cooking was good! :-)… overall had an amazing adventure! Tim managed all aspects of our safety efficiently and professionally. It was a truly great experience! Tim did a first-class job guiding us with his in-depth knowledge of the mountain. He was efficient, professional, and helpful with all aspects of the trip. Very safety conscious and very patient given I was a bit slow at times! It was a really fun and memorable adventure. I would thoroughly recommend having Tim as your mountain guide.’
— Murray, Aspiring Ascent
‘[Our guide] was everything you could ask for in a guide, quick and capable with the rescue, very generous with sharing knowledge, a great cook and I always felt he had the right attitude with risk management etc.’
— Paddy, Glacier Ski Tour
‘Professional, competent, friendly, and patient.’
— Greg and Colin
‘Really good no1 fun day. Perfect conditions, great guide, got everything out of the trip that we wanted and more: fresh tracks, beautiful scenery, stunning weather, great company, and very safe and knowledgeable guide.’
— Wayne, Treble Cone Backcountry Tour
‘It was 4 days I’ll never forget! The experiences I had I only want to grow on. I set out to accomplish a task, but I got so much more! You showed me a whole new world with your sport and I can’t thank you enough! Thanks so much for doing a great job at coaching someone who had no idea what they were doing lol. I work with some great leaders so I know one when I see one! I am a beginner climber and he gave excellent instruction on how to be safe while taking me out of my comfort zone. I’ve found a new love for this sport and it’s thanks to him! Absolutely exceeded my expectations!!! Wānaka Mountain Guides!’
— Landen, Mitre Peak Ascent
‘Tim is absolutely brilliant. I feel safe at all times with him, yet he doesn’t stifle me and gives me the freedom to go on my own when I feel comfortable doing so. He makes me feel relaxed and at ease both on and off the mountain. His local knowledge is incredible and seems to be able to pluck a great adventure out of the hat somewhere no matter what the weather is doing at the time. He’s the best guide I’ve had by far!’
— Marcus, Aoraki / Mount Cook Ascent
‘Tim showed a high level of experience, knowledge, and professionalism in all areas of the course and were also able to convey their knowledge in a logical way that made it easy to progressively learn and practice all the skills. The skills were also taught at a rate that meant I was continually challenged to think about what I was learning and what to do next, but also in a way that made sense and gave us time to absorb all the information so everything came together at the end when we consolidated our learning on the final day on the mountain.’
—Katie, Summer Mountaineering Course
‘Tim is a very friendly and easy guy to get along with, yet he is always still very professional. He has an uncanny knack for seemingly being able to pull a rabbit out of the hat despite the odds stacked against such a feat. Even with the very average weather we encountered, we still got quite a lot done.’
— Mark, Private Guiding
‘He was extremely professional at all times. He had a quiet confidence that was admirable yet he wasn’t arrogant. He was quick to correctly judge my abilities and let me be challenged just beyond my comfort zone enough to feel accomplishment. I quickly felt that I could trust him. He was obviously very capable and I could see that he was never really struggling to do any moves or in fitness so this encouraged me also. He let me take the lead when he knew I was capable which was great as I was able to feel the risk and yet know that he was on the ball with belaying. I couldn’t have asked more from a guide – I know that I was perhaps more energetic than some of his clients but he rose to the challenge of keeping me entertained and kept me busy! He also was a really good cook on the Mountain – his meals were nutritious and filling… just what I needed!’
— Anna, Mount Aspiring Ascent
‘Tim did an outstanding job of creating building blocks of learning – e.g. around crevasse rescue – so each of us was able to assimilate the learning involved at a rate that was appropriate for each of us. He also very skilfully managed and created situations where we could test ourselves at a level at which we were comfortable, without specifically calling this out. Tim is exceptional as a guide. Tim brings a number of qualities to guiding which are very difficult to teach and which make him stand out to me.’
— Ruth, Summer Mountaineering Course
‘Thank you for your patience and good humour. Pretty much everything I did last week was new and challenging and generally way outside my comfort zone. But despite having by far the least experience of the group you managed it in such a way that I never felt I was too much of a drag. I could not honestly say I enjoyed everything as I was doing it but I am really pleased I did do it and I am looking back with great fondness on the week. I am going to try and continue rock climbing (and to do it without whimpering) and I am determined to master prusiking. I will be ready to cross any glaciers around Sydney.’
— Duncan, Summer Mountaineering Course
‘During this trip in particular, I was so impressed with Tim’s technical knowledge and skills that it reminded me of just how little I know and how poor my ability is in comparison. Very happy to continue this way and would recommend others to go guided. Felt totally safe and confident in his abilities at all times. He has a very relaxed and easy manner, and I felt we got on really well. I’m not normally the most sociable of people (maybe that’s why I normally climb on my own!), but I felt very comfortable and relaxed with him the whole time. A really nice guy, and [I] would love to climb with him again.’
— Marcus, Private Guiding
‘Tim thinks holistically about our experience and learning – all the pieces fit together beautifully and culminated in a great final day/morning. He has a great talent for appearing to effortlessly develop contingency plans that still keep us on track even when the weather is totally unpredictable.
Tim beautifully navigates the line between humour, warmth, playfulness and complete professionalism and retaining true authority. This is an art and he’s mastered it. He’s a delightfully genuine guy. He also has the patience of a saint. This I think is an essential requirement for all guides!!’
— Ruth, Summer Mountaineering Course
‘Professional, competent, friendly and patient.’
— Greg and Colin
‘Very good guiding, very good cooking, very good company.’
— Robert, Private Ski Guiding
‘Great team at Wanaka Mountain Guides. A well-organised, professional team of experienced guides who make each mountain adventure exciting and rewarding. Looking forward to the next adventure in the hills! Highly recommend.’
— Arthur, Private Guiding
‘[Our guide] was very knowledgeable, patient and good company. He planned our time very well, despite losing a day to bad weather. Feedback was always constructive and encouraging, even when I struggled with the ice climbing! I would not hesitate to choose him again.’
— John, Four Day Ascent
‘[Our guide] had a diverse bunch of people in his group and managed them all well. He was calm, knowledgeable and easy to learn from.’
— Aaron, Summer Mountaineering Course
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