About the Travel Club

We exist to provide members with the opportunity to join a small group of like-minded travellers to enjoy a tramping based holiday overseas, while also supporting Federated Mountain Clubs. Everyone wins!

While focusing on tramping, there are normally walking and sightseeing opportunities included as we travel through an area. Parties are small,  usually 8 – 12, with a group leader from New Zealand in most cases. Trip costs are modest, yet we manage to provide an income to FMC for every trip that operates. Where possible, we use backpackers’  hostels and cabins (and tents!),  and land transport is mostly rental minibuses or local buses and trains.

These are participatory trips where members share the duties of group catering and driving. and otherwise working together under the direction of the leader. This proves very satisfying and must be working well, as we get some people who join us year after year.

Depending on the destination, we may price trips ex NZ or from the start city overseas. We can arrange flights to or from these points and can assist with any pre or post trip arrangements you might like to add on – a one stop shop!  Travel insurance and personal expenses, maybe a few meals – these are often the only extra expenses you will incur. Otherwise our holidays are very inclusive.

If you see one that looks interesting, contact John Dobbs right away, as some  fill very rapidly. Join one of our excellent trips. It’s a win-win situation! Please enquire early, even while a trip is being ‘assembled’,  to make sure of your place.

P.S. John is always keen to hear from anyone suitably able and willing to lead a group and to work with him on an irresistible itinerary somewhere! If this is you, contact him now.

Click here to ask a question about any trip or to contact John directly at travelclub@fmc.org.nz

2012 Trips

SOUTH AUSTRALIA and LARAPINTA TRAIL – May and June.
An interesting combination of the Flinders Ranges and Kangaroo Island through the best of South Australia. Then tackle the Larapinta Trail which is now a great walk of the world – we will tramp the best parts of the trail. You can do just the South Australia part or just the Larapinta Trail or the full McCoy! Will appeal to those wanting a trip closer to home. Dossier Available here

PERU and BOLIVIA – May – June. Led by Eileen Cameron
Two separate trips designed to run concurrently! Complementary destinations of enormous scope and experiences. Superb tramping and Andean culture. Will tick many boxes! Dossier Available here

ITALIAN DOLOMITES – AUSTRIAN STUBAIER – SWISS ALPS – June and July. Led by Marianne and Urs Reinhard.
Separate but complementary trips! The dramatic and beautiful Dolomites in Italy A wonderful circuit in the Austrian Tyrol Mountains and finally another trip to the Swiss Alps. Very appealing to those on our previous trips in Switzerland etc and also those yet to experience the European way to tramp! Dossier Available here

CROATIA, ALBANIA AND THE CORFU TRAIL – GREECE – departs Sept. Led by John Dobbs.
Dubrovnik, “pearl of the Adriatic” kicks off this superb trip. We visit the lovely islands of Korcula and Sipan and enjoy a variety of walks and tramps here and on the mainland. Albania has only recently opened up to visitors and is en emerging destination with much to offer. We travel to the remote north of the country for a challenging alpine tramping adventure  with wonderful local hospitality. We then travel south through the country and cross over to the Greek island of Corfu. The next ten days takes us through many friendly mountain villages, along age old tracks and mule paths, olive groves, vineyards and lovely panoramas. A wonderful and comprehensive journey!

Dossier available here

Sub Antarctic Islands & Antarctica

Readers will have heard of Rodney Russ and Heritage Expeditions, based in Christchurch. They have been providing brilliant natural history expedition cruises to our Sub-Antarctic Islands and Antarctica for 12 years, and won many awards along the way. A recent association with Wild Earth Travel has expanded the range of superb specialist nature watch cruises around the world to unusual and remote places. They are recognized worldwide and offer truly unique, amazing adventures.

The Travel Club has a new link to these companies, which we are very excited to promote. If their trips appeal and you book either through FMC Travel Club or by mentioning your link to FMC if going direct, then FMC will receive a payment in recognition. A wonderful new way to extend real value to FMC! To learn more about the amazing adventures available, contact John Dobbs, or visit the respective websites. Thank you for considering these incredible adventure cruises and supporting FMC in the process.

Exciting trips ahead in 2013

MIDDLE EAST TRILOGY (departs March)
Jordan, Sinai & Israel . Stunning desert tramping through mountains, gorges & wadis  including the new ‘Inca Trail’ of the Middle East, incomparable Petra & Wadi Rum. Experience dawn from Mt Sinai. Complete the Jesus Trail in Israel. The landscapes, history & hospitality are overwhelming! Don’t miss this!

PERU / BOLIVIA (departs May)
The 2012 programme is combined into 5 weeks with less high altitude & camping. All the great things that make a tramping adventure here so fantastic remain : Nazca Lines, Cusco, Inca Trail, homestay on Titicaca, La Paz & Choro Trek, Amazon, Andes, Uyuni salt plains, Pisco Sours! Eileen Cameron leads you through her favourite continent.

Europe Programme :

These 3 destinations  link into each other for those with the time!

UK MEGA (departs June)
Linkable modules – so easy!
Module 1 – England & North Wales : Coast to Coast Walk , Hadrian’s Wall, Snowdonia & more.
Module 2 – Scotland : The West Highland Way, 3 islands, Ben Nevis, look for Nessie & ride a steam train.
Module 3 – Ireland : Anti-clockwise circuit from Belfast to Dublin. Mountain, hill & coastal tramps feature while exploring this ancient & picturesque landscape & enjoying Irish hospitality.

ICELAND (departs July)
Andy Dennis leads another super adventure to the enigmatic land of fire & ice. Varied tramping & touring. Tick Iceland off your bucket list in 2013!  Andy’s trips are very popular. Optionally add Greenland too………Contact us now.

KYRGYZSTAN (departs July)
Seeking thirsty adventurers! Into the heart of the Tien Shan (Celestial Mountains) to Khan Tengri base camp (4100m). A tramping adventure  with Cossack & Chinese influences & stunning scenery. Already seen the Himalayas or Andes? Here is something a bit different. Eileen Cameron leads. Contact us now!

TOP END AUSTRALIA (departs July)
Ex. Darwin including Kakadu, the Jatbula Trail & Litchfield. Mainly camping with escarpments, gorges, waterfalls, wetlands & wildlife aplenty. The Northern Territory is very special, so this will appeal to Australia lovers. New leader confirmed.

JOURNEY TO KILIMANJARO (departs September)
We spend  longer acclimatizing, ensuring a high success rate at summiting this iconic African peak. Really good infrastructure & support. Ideally, add Mt Kenya as a prequel &  a safari or relaxing on Zanzibar to follow. Contact us  to see how it all works. A brilliant trip!

PATAGONIA (departs November)
Repeating our successful 2011 trip with Eileen Cameron. Huge in scope & features, this region will amaze. Torres del Paine, Tierra del Feugo, glaciers, Chilean fiords, volcanos & mighty Iguazu Falls – an adventure of great contrast.

Other destinations not confirmed yet :

Nepal – another Graham Foulds led adventure
New England / Canadian Maritimes (Sept/Oct) – looking for a leader

Most trips are priced beginning at the starting place, not from NZ, meaning flexibility to design a unique  holiday using our trips as modules. All need a minimum number of participants & a commitment to join, or they don’t run. So register as soon as practicable. We can organize your flights & travel insurance too.

All trips provide income to FMC, once they reach minimum numbers. If you want to support FMC while enjoying an overseas tramping focused trip with fellow Kiwi trampers, make your first choice the FMC Travel Club.

Past Trips

The dossiers for previous trips (from 2009) are available on the FMC Travel Club Archive site.

page updated 3/2/2012