Meet our Guide: Jeremy Martin

Jeremy Martin:

Growing up on the foothills of the Southern Alps of New Zealand with active hikers for parents was a great situation for Jeremy to grow a passion for the outdoors. He has been lucky enough to turn this love into a career, working as an instructor and guide in the outdoors for nearly 20 years; from rafting in Turkey, sea kayaking in Scotland, road cycling in Ireland, to team building with school groups in New Zealand. He loves having a job where waiting for work to start is like waiting for the playground to open - and sharing his great enthusiasm for adventure travel and discovery.

What do you get up to when you are not guiding? 

A lot of guides have a second career that they fall back on when they're not guiding. For me, it's scaffolding in Wellington. This can mean anything from covering a high rise in scaffold so it can be earthquake-strengthened, or building a small tower in a school gymnasium so that the caretaker can change a light bulb. When I'm not guiding or scaffolding I'll hopefully be in the wilderness on my own, or with my girlfriend Libby, by kayak or on foot. If not doing any of the above I'm at home growing veges or poring over maps.

As a guide what’s a top tip you’d pass on to our hikers? 

Adjust your pack straps! If your pack seems to have a lot of spare straps, it's possible they're there to get a good snug fit for you. As well as being more comfortable, it can make for a more stable and injury-free hike. I find it hard to resist walking up to strangers on the trail and asking them if they would mind me tightening their shoulder flare straps for them!

Sharing a laugh is such a benefit of group travel, share with us one of your funny moments on a trip? 

I once picked up a group of clients at Inverness railway station for a kayaking trip in Scotland. After an hour's travelling in the van we realised that one of our group had signed up for a walking trip! My colleague, heading in the opposite direction, had the kayaker in his van... We arranged to swap the following day but it turned out they each liked their group so much they stayed on the "wrong" trip for the week!

What is one of the things you love most about your job? 

Being at work and often thinking there's nowhere else I'd like to be.

Favourite place to hike and why? 

Fiordland, New Zealand. Is this the most spectacular meeting of water, ice, mountains and rain forest in the world? Look at a map of the world and you won't find anywhere else at temperate latitudes where you can put your finger randomly on the map and say it's possible no human has ever stood in that spot before. It's untamed and elemental.

Testimonials

"An excellent holiday over both islands. Exceptional leaders in Cath (North Island) and Jeremy (South Island). They were knowledgeable, enthusiastic, encouraging and intelligent, fun leaders. They were very keen on making sure we had a good experience. I would heartedly recommend."

-AMarieM52, Trip Advisor March 2019