You’ve planned a trip to Mount Ruapehu and booked your accommodation, but where to hire skis, snowboards and clothing? We say hire before you go - to not only save a few dollars, but avoid irritating, time-wasting queues either on the skifields, or in ski shops at National Park – where most of the equipment hire off the slopes, takes place.
If it’s snowboarding gear you’re after, Mount Surf Shop in the Phoenix shopping center hires all the stuff: boots, pants, jackets, gloves and wrist guards. A snowboard and boots are $40 a day for adults, or $60 per weekend (extra day $20). The youth rate is $30 a day and $50 per weekend.
If bad weather shuts both fields, Mount Surf Shop will give you a credit note to cover the day’s hire.
If you’re eyeing new gear, Mount Surf Shop has snowboard and binding packages from $499.
The store also offers a tune up service for both snowboards and skis. Mount Surf don’t provide transport, but talk sweetly to the staff and you may swing something.
More Information:
Mount Surf Shop – 96 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui, tel 575 9133, www.mountsurfshop.co.nz
Who says Helicopters & Kayaks don’t Mix? How about Choppers & Beauty Treatments? 
If whirly birds are your thing, why not combine a chopper trip with kayaking, fishing, wine tasting… even beauty treatments. Aerius Helicopters have put together a whole series of zany adventure flights. One that’s caught travel writers attention is the Evening Glow Worm Dinner. A bright red company chopper flies you to the shores of McLaren in the lower Kaimais for ‘an exquisite dinner from one of Tauranga’s finest cafés and a bottle of award-winning wine from the local Mills Reef winery.’ As the evening settles, experienced guides help you into kayaks for the trip out around the lake to the glow-worm canyon. The cost is $580.00 per person.
Aerius mix ‘n match all sorts of activities to produce another 19 different adventures. A chopper will whisk you away to Aqua Vida Health Spa for example, for a half or full day of pampering (body and facial treatments) at the bushland property. If you’re a keen angler, Aerius will fly you to one (or several) of ‘New Zealand’s best fishing spots.’ As the company says, a helicopter has access to a whole world of fishing that is not reachable in any other way. Check out all the other options, including Air Land Sea Experience, and Air Sea River Experience, at www.aerius.co.nz
