Booking Terms
These are the terms for booking a guided trip with South Island Adventure Fly Fishing Ltd. Please read them before you pay your deposit, and get in touch with Chris if anything is unclear.
Deposits
To secure your booking, Chris usually asks for a deposit of $500 NZD per guide day.
All listed prices are in New Zealand dollars (NZD) and are current for the season shown.
How much of your deposit you get back depends on when you cancel:
- More than 3 months before your booked dates: your deposit is fully refunded, less any transaction fees charged by third parties (for example PayPal or Wise).
- Between 1 and 3 months before your booked dates: Chris will happily refund your deposit if he can fill those dates with other new clients.
- Within 1 month of your trip: your deposit is not refundable.
Why late cancellations matter
This is a small, seasonal business. Once you confirm a booking, Chris will usually turn away other enquiries for those dates from then on.
A late cancellation can be a real burden, so thank you for understanding why these terms are in place.
Paying your deposit and final balance
The easiest way to pay your deposit is usually by a PayPal or Wise link that Chris sends you. Anyone can pay through the link with a credit card.
The invoice includes the fee PayPal or Wise charges for the transaction: 4% for PayPal, or around 2% for Wise.
If you prefer, you can pay the deposit by bank transfer (direct credit) or in cash. If you pay by bank transfer, please make sure Chris receives the full deposit after any transaction fees are taken out of the amount you send.
Your final payment, including any additional fees and expenses you have run up during the trip, is charged at the end of the trip. You can pay it in cash, by PayPal or Wise, or by direct bank transfer.
PayPal charges a percentage of the amount sent, so on larger final payments cash or a direct bank transfer is usually the best and cheapest option. PayPal is still fine if it is what you prefer.
Wise fees are usually around half of PayPal’s. If you don’t already have a Wise account, it usually takes about 10 minutes to set one up and can save you money on fees.
Cancellations and weather
South Island Adventure Fly Fishing Ltd has no control over New Zealand’s weather, which can change quickly.
Trip cancellations are rare, but they can happen if no suitable fishing location can be found on a booked day. If Chris cancels a day, your deposit for that day is refunded in full.
Where possible, Chris will adapt the fishing plan to suit the conditions on the day rather than cancel.
Chris strongly recommends that all international visitors buy travel insurance. Any trip into the outdoors carries some uncertainty about what the day will bring.
Length of a guide day
A full day can run from 10 to 14 hours. The length depends on things like how far we travel to reach the fishing, how much fishing time you want, and the weather and river conditions on the day.
Your satisfaction and safety come first. If you want to keep fishing and the day goes past 14 hours, each extra hour beyond 14 is charged at $50 per hour.
This is always your choice, and Chris will talk it through with you before the day goes past 14 hours.
Spectators and additional anglers
Listed prices are for one angler. Where a trip allows extra anglers, the price for each extra angler is shown on that trip. Each trip also sets out its own rules on multiple anglers and spectators.
A spectator is welcome on most half-day and single-day trips if you would like to bring one.
A spectator fee applies. It covers the use of waders and wading boots, and it makes the spectator a paying guest, so they are covered by the health and safety plan if they are harmed in any way during the day. The fee is reduced if your spectator brings their own waders, wading boots or other suitable safe gear to wear on the day.
Drinks and snacks are not provided for spectators. They can usually be bought at a bakery on the way to the fishing, or Chris can organise them for a small fee.
Health and safety
Your health, safety and enjoyment of the day matter most.
Please tell Chris about anything that could affect your health and safety, including any medical condition that could cause a problem on the water. Share any health or medical issues, and any special needs they bring, before the trip and before the day’s fishing starts.
If you are unsure whether a medical condition could cause an incident on a guided fly fishing trip, please get professional medical advice before you take part.
Carry any important personal medication with you on the day. Fishing often happens in remote places, sometimes several hours from help.
Chris has first aid training and carries an emergency locator beacon at all times. He often carries a satellite text messenger as well. Even so, if a helicopter is needed in an emergency, it may take some time to arrive after the beacon is set off.
Please bring a change of clothes to leave in the vehicle, in case you get wet.
When we reach the fishing location, Chris will give you a health and safety briefing. You will get another briefing whenever we move to a new location during the day.
Adventure activity notice
Under New Zealand safety legislation, fly fishing is designated as an “Adventure Sport”. South Island Adventure Fly Fishing Ltd is required to tell you this before you book a trip.
An adventure sport carries certain risks because it takes place in an outdoor environment where the weather and terrain can be highly changeable. New Zealand is a small land mass surrounded by ocean, so a single day can bring a wide range of conditions.
It is an essential part of Chris’s job to take extra care to identify hazards and tell you about them during your trip. It is his responsibility to point out every hazard he notices, even to the most experienced outdoors person. He is not trying to “baby” you. It is simply part of what a guide is required to do on a normal guide day.
By booking a trip, you are asked to:
- Do your best to watch out for and avoid hazards during the trip.
- Behave safely and sensibly at all times, in a way that does not put anyone on the trip at risk, including yourself.
- Not take part in the day if you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Follow all relevant safety instructions when Chris gives them during the day.
Liability and insurance
Your health and safety are of paramount importance. However, South Island Adventure Fly Fishing Ltd accepts no liability for any injuries, medical conditions, losses or claims of any nature.
For this reason, Chris strongly recommends that all international visitors buy travel insurance before their trip.
These terms were last updated on 19 September 2026.