Culture, Sustainability and Environmental Practices
Lakeland Explorer proudly showcases the Mackenzie and Waitaki regions to domestic and international visitors.
Lakeland Explorer proudly showcases the natural beauty, history and culture of the Mackenzie and Waitaki regions to visitors from around the world.
We connect with Te Wai Pounamu’s Southern Alps, lakes, canals, and rivers through the Mackenzie and Waitaki regions. This is a place of rich history and cultural significance, as well as stunning landscapes.
Lakeland Explorer strives to incorporate both Maori and European cultural traditions in our tour experiences. As we travel and view points of interest, our guest commentary includes Tangata Whenua and European history, flora, fauna, geology, geography, conservation information, etc.
Our stargazing experiences begin with a simple powhiri, to welcome our guests to this land, acknowledge past peoples, show respect for cultural tradition, and share legends with the night sky experience in our Gold Status Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve.
We aim to lead by example of respect and care, to share information and encourage discussion.
Tiaki Promise
Lakeland Explorer has signed on to support the Tiaki Promise. The Tiaki Promise is our commitment to care for New Zealand, for now and future generations.
Te Wero, Our Challenge: We welcome manuhiri, our guests, in the spirit of manaakitanga, (respect, kindness, hospitality), encouraging all visitors to pick up this Wero, to act as a guardian, protecting and preserving our home, our people, our place, our culture.
Lakeland Explorer’s sustainability and environmental practices.
Lakeland Explorer proudly showcases the natural beauty of the Mackenzie and Waitaki districts. We strive to be environmentally friendly in our business and to focus on sustainable practices in our workplace.
Hire Equipment and Food Supplies
Our hire equipment includes bike carry bag, biodegradable rubbish bag, map, and trail notes.
Packed lunches are supplied in biodegradable paper bags. No single use drink bottles are provided; we ask our guests to supply their own refillable drink bottles to reduce waste.
Lakeland Explorer also uses natural and environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies on all equipment wherever possible.
Resource Management
Lakeland Explorer aims to reduce the amount of vehicle travel required for its services as much as possible, by encouraging group bookings via discounts to fill vehicles and coordinating clients into one transport group whenever possible.
Lakeland Explorer also manages its travel footprint as a founding member of the Cycle Trail Cooperative (CTC). The CTC is a group of small owner-operators who work together to support each other’s businesses and clients along the trail. Members reduce road transport costs by sharing journeys and contracting each other’s transport services.
Waste Management
Lakeland Explorer is committed to sustainable and environmentally-friendly waste management practices and aims to minimise the amount of waste created as much as possible.
Lakeland Explorer proudly supports…
Alps 2 Ocean Official Partner and Sponsor
Established in 2012, the Alps 2 Ocean Official Partner Programme recognises that the physical cycle trail is only one part of the overall product that will attract cyclists to the Mackenzie and Waitaki Districts.
In addition to a high-quality trail, cyclists … expect a high level of customer service and appreciate a warm welcome.
Eastern Falcon Conservation Trust
The Eastern Falcon Conservation Trust (EFCT) was established in 2014 to help ensure that that eastern falcons are sustainably re-established throughout the open dryland ecosystems of Canterbury, Otago and northern Southland. It is estimated there are approximately 3,500 eastern falcons and that this population is in decline. They are classified as near-threatened.
The Tiaki Promise: Care for New Zealand
New Zealand is precious, and everyone who lives and travels here has a responsibility to look after it.
The Tiaki Promise is a commitment to care for New Zealand, for now and for future generations.
CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Research Trust
We fund research that aims to fix paralysis following spinal cord injury.
CatWalk is dedicated to supporting world-class research and innovation. Our goal is simple, to get people out of wheelchairs and back onto their feet.