Molesworth, Tours, Hanmer Springs,South Island, New Zealand

Join Rick Stirling on one of these original unique High Country Heritage Tours (October thru to May) .

2019; A big thank you to all the people who have toured with us over the last few months. Your letters and calls have been absolutely wonderful and its comments like these that will keep me going for yet again another season. If this is semi retirement then I will just keep operating these popular tours, thanks for the encouragement. We are taking bookings for all our Spring, Summer and Autumn Molesworth Heritage tours thru the 2019 - 2020 season.

I am now in my 39th year of operating these original small group tours that I have personally set up. These tours are mainly for like minded Kiwis and fellow travellers who are wanting a personalized professional guided tour of our Back country. We look forward to your valued company on one of these personal iconic excursions. Check further down the page for other peoples personal recommendations regarding our tour operation.

We have toured down South again for yet another very successful Central Otago "Off the beaten track tour" plus another enjoyable North Canterbury & Southern Catlin's Experience. Everybody enjoyed the back roads and the amazing scenery at this time of year.

Please check back again soon for any updates or e-mail us for any further information or booking requirements.

FREE OVERNIGHT CAMPING at Hanmer Springs for self contained campervans is now available for people doing our tours.

We also operate special interest tours outside Molesworth and travel over most of New Zealand. Give us a call and discuss a suitable tour for your groups and friends. We are flexible and have a wealth of experience and safety for you to call upon plus I have the ideal vehicles to achieve that "back road" odyssey.

Recent testimonial regarding our operation;

Dear Rick, First of all, thank you so very much for a wonderful tour . I had heard a friend say how great it is and it certainly lived up to and exceeded expectations. Thrilled to have had such a great tour. I want to come again. Thank you again, Christine Lace, Wanganui.

Hi Rick, I have just returned from a trip to Molesworth and other great places this month. I would like to thank you
for a great tour and your knowledge and explanation of the places certainly made it fantastic. I will be recommending
this trip to others.
Thanks again.

Cheers John

Dear Rick,

On behalf of the NZ Photographic Convention Organising Committee we would like to thank you so much for undertaking this amazing Convention Pre- Tour for the delegates and for going to such lengths (in more ways than one!) to ensure that the tour could go ahead despite the terrible weather we had just had. It has been one of the major talking points for this Convention.

I am sure Joy will provide an image or two for you.

With kind regards

Carolyn Hope

Chair, Organising Committee

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Hello Rick
A very big thank you for the fantastic day we had with you on the Molesworth and Rainbow tour . Being farmers in England we really appreciated your in depth knowledge of the the land, the livestock, the wildlife and the people who live and work in that remote but beautiful area . As we said to you when we had finished the tour it was one of the best days we have experienced in our 4 trips to NZ .
I would highly recommend this tour to anyone .
Many thanks again Rick
Aubrey and Sheila Jones
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Dear Rick
Rick we just want to send a big thank you for from the start of our time with you for the 5th & 6th. From the first time you spoke
you made us feel at home. Not everybody can do that. You made a big joy in John Roberts heart. John said it made him home sick.
Johns wife Neolene and my wife Helen have never been in country like that but are still talking about it.
I'm keen now to get the photos done. You made it so easy to take photos, thanks. We think you must have a computer built in as you so naturally told so much & so many interesting things that made the trip so worthwhile for us. We have told a number of people the need to go on your tour.
Many many thanks for everything Rick.

Colin Oliver
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Hi Rick
Thank you for a wonderful private tour. We both really enjoyed it; your commentary and knowledge were exceptional. Then there was the scenery. Can't thank you for that but we can thank you for showing it to us. The weather was great. The service perfect and we would not hesitate to recommend your services.
Colleen and Gary Thomson.
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Hello Rick

We have great memories of our trip with you over Rainbow and Molesworth. Your knowledge of it all just astounded us, but obviously you have a great love of the High Country.

We would happily recommend your tours to anyone.

Regards to you .

Sue and Tony Theed.

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Hi Rick,

Just to say a big Thank you for the most awesome trip through Molesworth Station Country it's a really beautiful wild place and needs to be kept in a Prime condition too. I will be back and will

probably do it from Picton next time.

Had a good trip down to Hokitika calling in on Westport on the way down.

Thanks again. All the best

Jenny Hodges

Hi Rick and your team,

We did a trip with Take-It-Easy-Tours, Wanganui a few weeks ago, and absolutely loved the two day trip with you through Molesworth and Rainbow Stations.

The commentary was outstanding, your knowledge and love of the place, made it so interesting and enjoyable and heaps of fun for all of us.

The organisation was marvellous and the home baked food was unquestionably, the best.

We can't rate you high enough. We have passed on the great tour we had to others interested, up our way.

Many thanks again,

Diane and Wayne Scown.

Thank you again for a brilliant trip in March. It was certainly one of the highlights of our trip to NZ and if we ever come again we would certainly consider doing a different one with you. Although it was bit chilly, it didn’t really detract from the day at all and the other group you had with you were fun to be with and to watch!!

We are now safely back in Perth after a very happy 5 weeks in NZ. Thanks again, Gwen and Chris Plunkett, Perth, Western Australia

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Gidday there Rick,
Marion and I had the privilege of joining you on tour earlier this week and we just want to let you know that we did so thoroughly enjoy the two days with you. Thank you for your generous hospitality and for sharing, through both your comprehensive commentary and supporting notes and maps. Indeed, we learned so much, and really enjoyed the unique experience you provided.

It was because of the numerous commendations we had received of your excellent running commentary that we decided to take the trip with you Rick. Being blind, Marion (literally) saw nothing of the countryside as we progressed through the two days, but the oral illustrations you gave as we travelled (throughout the second day anyway!) provided her with lucid "pictures" in her mind's eye. Thank you for that...... We wish you well as you continue your magical journey, sharing and keeping alive the reality of life in the outback. Many thanks Rick.
Kind regards,
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Ron & Marion Hainsworth

Good Morning Rick, I wish to offer my sincere thanks for an outstanding tour of Molesworth/Rainbow last week. Simple words are not enough to describe Gavin’s satisfaction in booking this tour for us. I was unsure whether I would enjoy myself, but having personally experienced both the scenery and your interesting commentaries, I am now a converted promoter of the Molesworth/Rainbow tours. You certainly are in the right job, sharing your love of the area and subtly teaching those who visit about the importance of conserving the rugged outback of New Zealand.

Once again thank you very much – we are only too aware that personal recommendations are the only way to express our terrific experience, and this we have done already and will continue to do so.

Regards, Kathryn Mulinder

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Hi Rick

On behalf of the Temuka Ladies Probus Club I want to sincerely thank you for the wonderful tour of Molesworth Station you took us on (25 October), believe me not one person had a bad thing to say about it and with a group like we had that is saying something. Our oldest lady was 85 and there were a few others in their 80's,youngest was in the 50's, they had a ball. What a wonderful tour you gave us, a really memorable day.

Your commentary along the way was great and it beats me how you can remember it all. I can just hear you saying that you do it so often it is easy, sorry, I don't believe that as listening to you it as though you are telling it for the first time and really enjoying speaking about Molesworth, a great ambassador for the back country.

I did wonder when I booked this tour many months ago if it was one for ladies but believe me it was. No-one could help but enjoy it all. It was a marvelous tour.

The food was fabulous, you are a great cook!!!!!!!! lol

Kind Regards, Pam McMillan, Tour Convener

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Hello Rick

David and Margaret Hardman

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Dear Rick
Back in the land of Auckland, stress and traffic.
Thank you for a wonderful time on the Monday the 29th. Jan. Kay and I were very pleased with the tour you gave and of course the home cooking!!
To understand about New Zealand's country you have to go and see places like Molesworth to understand the beauty we have in our back yard.
Your driving was excellent, so good I nodded off for a moment..
Keep up the excellent work you do Rick, let people know of the beauty we have.

Regards
Darren Clarke
Auckland

Hi Rick, Thank you for the fabulous trip to the Molesworth & Rainbow Stations that we had with you this last week, and especially thanks for sharing with us your love and knowledge of this very interesting and special area of Marlborough. The food was marvelous. We loved it all, we'll never forget it, keep up the good work!

Noeline and Eddie Bradley

Dear Rick, Just a note to say thank you and how much we enjoyed our recent travels with you down through Molesworth and back via Rainbow. For non country folk, the sheer magnitude of the place is almost too much to comprehend. In addition, we must compliment you on your almost non stop commentary about the area, history and the people involved. Top marks for the lunches. Clearly you have been an integral part of this wide spread community for many years.

Thanks again for a great experience.

Regards, Dick & Ann Bird

We want to thank you for a wonderful experience in the high country- one that we won't forget and will be recommending to all our friends.