Outwest Tours
Outwest Tours
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Out West Tours offers an excellent wild West Coast experience, taking you off the beaten track on a journey into the wild heart of the land. Enjoy spectacular landscapes and travel historic mining trails as you relax in one of our fully air-conditioned four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles.
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5.0
41 reviews
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40
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1
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CAWorldExplorer
California87 contributions
Mar 2020
If you want something unique for your family vacation in New Zealand, this adventure is worth it. As a family of five, we consider it the highlight of our trip. The tour truck was capable, fording streams and traveling over rutted roads as we passed through old growth forest and colorful valleys. Mikey, our tour guide, was extremely knowledgeable. At a point, we reached a lookout over the sizeable property of Johnny, the Bushman. Red deer, cows and goats could be seen meandering along a small waterway. It was as if a paradise valley lay at our feet.
Arriving at his cabin we were treated to some of his pet deer coming in for our handout of carrots.
Then, in to Johnny's cabin for a colorful story of his life and how he lives by himself ... with his three dogs, and tends his property with the care of a man who understands the true wealth of a piece of the earth. His property has pancake rocks that have more character than some tourists see going south along the west coast of New Zealand. There are caves, waterfalls, glow worms, archeological features; and the stories he tells will remain in your memory long after Johnny has gone from this earth. I can only encourage you to get together with this man while he is still around to tell what the New Zealand Outback was like in the early days. And to New Zealanders, you, too, will find this fascinating and worth a trip to the West Coast region. Stories that even your Grandpa would not have been able to tell. We hope to see this again.
Arriving at his cabin we were treated to some of his pet deer coming in for our handout of carrots.
Then, in to Johnny's cabin for a colorful story of his life and how he lives by himself ... with his three dogs, and tends his property with the care of a man who understands the true wealth of a piece of the earth. His property has pancake rocks that have more character than some tourists see going south along the west coast of New Zealand. There are caves, waterfalls, glow worms, archeological features; and the stories he tells will remain in your memory long after Johnny has gone from this earth. I can only encourage you to get together with this man while he is still around to tell what the New Zealand Outback was like in the early days. And to New Zealanders, you, too, will find this fascinating and worth a trip to the West Coast region. Stories that even your Grandpa would not have been able to tell. We hope to see this again.
Written 14 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pan123969
Hawaii66 contributions
Apr 2021
Outstanding out west tour to Denniston.
Yes you can drive up yourself , but in doing so you can really miss out.
We took the tour with Mickey form Outwest Tours and were rewarded with a day that far exceeded our expectations. Mike’s knowledge of the area the mines and the history were second to none. He brought the area to life and covered parts of the environment you wouldn’t know about if you didn’t have his local knowledge.
We can’t recommend this tour and these guys enough, if you want to know Westgowith Outwest.
Yes you can drive up yourself , but in doing so you can really miss out.
We took the tour with Mickey form Outwest Tours and were rewarded with a day that far exceeded our expectations. Mike’s knowledge of the area the mines and the history were second to none. He brought the area to life and covered parts of the environment you wouldn’t know about if you didn’t have his local knowledge.
We can’t recommend this tour and these guys enough, if you want to know Westgowith Outwest.
Written 6 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Erica A
Nelson, New Zealand28 contributions
Nov 2022 • Friends
Mickey shared his passion for the area, the history and the people. He has spent hours and hours researching, and exploring the area so we learnt so much more than story boards could ever explain. He is an incredible host who assesses his clientele and fits the tour accordingly. Wear sturdy shoes. You’ll need them! Highly recommended.
Written 17 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AliNel01
Nelson, New Zealand107 contributions
Dec 2020
We did the Denniston tour with Mitch, he was born there and brought the area to life with stories of his younger days interwoven with life in the coal business and the wider history of Denniston and the coalfields, as well as an insight into the greater Westport area now and in the past. Having a 4WD vehicle we could access out of the way places including an old fan house. We took our own lunch but sat down for a cuppa at the old high school, now a museum with a well-done mock-up mine (might need a torch!). Views from the top of the incline are spectacular. We would love to return and do one of the other tours, they sound equally interesting. Many thanks to Mitch, Mickey, Doreen and team, very well done!
Written 30 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Margaret G
32 contributions
May 2021
We did the 5 hour tour with Micky and we could not have had a better experience. He was knowledgeable, took us to places that we would never have found ourselves, and explained how the mining all worked really well. A lovely way to spend time in Westport. Strongly recommended.
Written 13 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Renee v
40 contributions
Oct 2022
We had a wonderful day with Johnny and his cousin Morris. The weather was not kind to us, but that also is nature.
Morris drove us to the wild, Johnny's valley, which is paradise! While doing that, Morris told us about the history of Charleston and all the nature environment especially the land and its trees. Johnny welcomed us in his home. Johnny and Morris grew up together in the neighbourhood. They share the great stories about their family and working life. It is all in the pictures, Johnny showed us.
Then, after meeting with Guinness the deer, we leave for the tour in the valley/paradise as described on the Outwest Tours website. Johnny's dogs and pig followed us all the way.
All the rain, gave the valley a special scenery. A bit adventurous, but it was great! We even saw the deer in the fog.
Morris drove us to the wild, Johnny's valley, which is paradise! While doing that, Morris told us about the history of Charleston and all the nature environment especially the land and its trees. Johnny welcomed us in his home. Johnny and Morris grew up together in the neighbourhood. They share the great stories about their family and working life. It is all in the pictures, Johnny showed us.
Then, after meeting with Guinness the deer, we leave for the tour in the valley/paradise as described on the Outwest Tours website. Johnny's dogs and pig followed us all the way.
All the rain, gave the valley a special scenery. A bit adventurous, but it was great! We even saw the deer in the fog.
Written 27 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Winnall01
59 contributions
Oct 2024 • Couples
I could not manage in less than 1000 words to say how magnificent this tour was! We were lucky enough to be the only customers and Mickey’s absolutely vast, personal knowledge of the area, its history, the landscape, the people (living and dead) is unsurpassable! We were treated to some exquisite scenery, fascinating historical insights, tremendous off road experiences and the kind of experience which only comes from someone immersed in the history and culture of their community. Mickey is a national treasure!!
Written 19 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Janice C
Austin, TX66 contributions
Feb 2023
Johnny's Journey Tour: To get there we were in a Unimog (a really big 4WD) on a narrow rutted road. The sign on the gate said "road not maintained". Fortunately our driver was very skilled. We even drove down a river for awhile. Meeting Johnny and hearing about his valley and life was very interesting. We met his stag, dogs & goats. We watched him feed an really big eel. The day was most enjoyable. Highly recommend
Written 21 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike D
Christchurch, New Zealand21 contributions
Apr 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed our tour to Stockton Mine. Was very informative with great informative commentary. Was an amazing to be see beyond the gate. Vehicle was very comfortable. Entire family enjoyed the trip. Amazing value for money.
Written 26 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
fussymis
Hokitika30 contributions
We started our tour in Westport where we were picked up in this great big unimog bus. It was really comfortable and had clear walls so that you could enjoy all the great west coast scenary. We continued up the coast to a small town called granity where we the assended up the hill to the stockton mine. Stockton mine is a main employer for the buller district and provides these tours to the public for a small cost of $10. This $10 fee goes to charity to support the rescue helicopter. They cover all the costs for the tour and it is a great service that they are providing. Their workers are extra friendly and wave as you enter their place of work. The first machines we saw were the big Mining trucks. They were parked up beside the road. Our guide stoped so that we could get some images of the giant machines. We then continued up the hill to the Bathhouse. This was a huge drying room where all the miners leave their gear to dry. It was built in the 1940's and is still in great working order. We then moved through to the rest of the mine and saw big excavators and the Largest Dozer in the world. Every moment of this tour had something to look at and it was a truley awsome experince to stand next to these great machines. I would definatly recoomend that you take a look. You do need to book well in advance and it is very weather dependant. School groups are also free.And dont forget to take lunch because it is not supplied.
Written 23 August 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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