Field Trips and Travel

Wellington Trip

One of the major field trips of the semester is to Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city located at the southern end of the North Island. As a part of the sustainable community development course, this week-long trip provides an opportunity for students to experience one of New Zealand’s main urban centers, as well as issues and concerns associated with community development.

SOuth Island Field trips:

Students participate in several shorter fieldtrips to different sites around Kaikoura, as well as a week-long terrestrial ecology field trip. Depending on the weather and other scheduling factors, sites visited may include the Southern Alps and destinations in the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. Accommodation on these fieldtrips may include university field stations, Department of Conservation huts, Maori Marae stays (i.e., an indigenous village complex), home-stays, or backpacker hostels.

Mid-Semester & Pre-Semester Breaks:

There is a week-long break during the semester. This is a chance for students to rest and/or travel with friends or family. Students are encouraged to take this opportunity to see more of New Zealand. CCSP does not provide accommodation, meals or other services for students during this time.

Additionally, at the close of student orientation, there is a Pre-Semester Break. This allows students to travel in smaller groups for three days for a short trip to a destination of their choosing before classes begin.

In the past students have taken a variety of mid-semester break trips to places including:

The North Island - Auckland, Bay of Islands, Coramandel Peninsula, Tongariro National Park, Lake Taupo, Piha, Rotorua, Waitomo Caves, Taranaki etc.
The South Island – Nelson Lakes National Park, The Routeburn Track, The Kepler Track, The Milford Track, Otago Peninsula, Christchruch, Banks Peninsula, Arthur’s Pass, Able Tasman National Park, The Heaphy Track, Dunedin, Queenstown, Wanaka, The Rees-Dart Track, Milford Sound, Te Anau, Mt Cook, The Marlborough Sounds, Nelson, The Catlins etc.
Stewart Island (south of the South Island)
Australia

Pre-Semester Break recommendations for areas that are closer to Kaikoura include:

Nelson, Picton, Hiking in the Seaward Kaikoura Mountains, Hiking in the Clarance Reserve, Akaroa on Banks Peninsula, Kahurangi National Park, Christchurch, Hanmer Springs, Nelson Lakes National Park.

CCSP does not permit students to travel alone during weekend trips or semester break – travel must always be with at least one other person.