About Us - Trips & Tramps
Sustainability at Trips & Tramps
Trips & Tramps is committed to a sustainable future and to improving the social, economic, and environmental well-being of the local Fiordland community in which we call home.
We are dedicated to environmental improvements that foster a sustainable business, with a range of waste reduction and environmental initiatives embedded in our business.
Sustainability and protecting the environment have long been at the core of Trips & Tramps' operations. Owners Kate and Steve strongly believe in protecting the natural landscape and working hard to leave Fiordland better than they found it.
This ethos has been woven into every tour, every business decision and every guest’s commitment since 2003. This has been a long-standing mission with all our activities and align with Southland Regional Tourism’s sustainable southland initiative.
Conservation
Trips & Tramps was one of the first businesses to run a trapping programme starting in 1990. The team would check the predator traps on the foreshore delta area, at the heart of Milford Sound and although it is now managed by contractors, we are delighted to be hearing the chorus of native birdsong in recent times. As responsible concessionaires, we work with the Department of Conservation (DOC) to support other conservation initiatives around biodiversity and visitor assets.
Steve is a trustee on the Coal Island Trust and the Kepler Challenge Mountain Run Trust. The Coal Island Trust was established to fund a sanctuary on Coal Island in Fiordland for endangered native species of flora and fauna and to become a home for rare and endangered birds like the Kiwi.
The Kepler Challenge Mountain Run Trust supports stoat eradication along the Kepler track and has removed over 3000 rats and 900 stoats from the area since 2010.
Community Support
Te Anau is a unique and tight-knit community, and at Trips & Tramps we’re proud to regularly support local initiatives and organisations that help the township and its people thrive. Over the years, we’ve made numerous financial and resource donations to local events and community groups, and Kate is also an active member of the Fiordland Community Board for the Southland District Council, contributing her time and voice to help shape the future of our region.
Our past support has extended to a wide range of local causes, including the Kepler Challenge Mountain Run, Fiordland College, the Fiordland Community Event Centre, Fiordland Squash Club, Te Anau School, and the Fiordland Trails Trust—to name just a few. Whether it’s through sponsorships, hands-on support, or simply showing up, we believe in backing the people and projects that keep our community strong.
In 2025, we were proud to put our Make a Difference Fund into action alongside Ride Holidays—a like-minded tourism operator doing great things through their charity initiative, which delivers bikes to schools across New Zealand. This collaboration brought a brand-new fleet of bikes to Te Anau School, giving local tamariki the chance to experience the joy of riding, while encouraging confidence, independence, and active lifestyles.
To ensure the bikes are well cared for and accessible for future students, we also invested an additional $6,000 to build a purpose-built storage shed on the school grounds. It’s a small gesture with a lasting legacy—one we hope brings smiles and adventure to many more kids in the years ahead.
At Trips & Tramps, we’re all about enriching lives through connection—whether it’s with nature, our visitors, or our own community. Supporting the people and places that make Fiordland so special is a responsibility we’re honoured to carry
Sustainability Business Practises
At Trips & Tramps, we’re committed to measuring and managing our emissions, with the aim of becoming carbon-neutral and encouraging other local businesses to follow suit.
We recognise that Fiordland National Park is a unique and special place, and we understand that our operations and resource use impact the environment. That’s why we’re dedicated to running an energy-efficient business and actively working on reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. Our ultimate goal is to create a sustainable business model we can be proud of.
Reducing waste and emissions is at the heart of everything we do. This shapes our choices in partners, procurement policies, and future planning. We carefully select suppliers to ensure we’re using high-quality, long-lasting equipment — from clothing to vehicles. We track our waste and aim to reduce and divert more each year. Our modern fleet of vehicles is driven efficiently, and regular maintenance helps us keep emissions low.
We’re fully committed to reducing our impact, which is why we release a yearly report on our greenhouse gas emissions. In 2024, we had our carbon report audited. The results were mixed, but it highlighted the challenges small to medium-sized businesses face in getting accredited and showed us how much work remains to make the process more user-friendly and relevant. As our business grows, our emissions continue to rise year on year — but that’s something we’re actively working to manage. Our focus now is on taking meaningful steps and making progress, even if it’s slower than we’d like.
This is why we’re doubling down on conservation efforts and supporting our local community — because that’s where we believe we can make the biggest difference.
The Trips & Tramps “Make a Difference” Fund
At Trips & Tramps, we believe in doing our part to protect and preserve the incredible environment we work in every day. Our Make a Difference Fund supports the sustainability and conservation projects we’re actively involved in across Fiordland.
Every visitor helps make a difference—just by booking directly with us. We donate 50% of the credit card fee from all direct bookings to the Make 
a Difference Fund, supporting local conservation and community initiatives right here in Fiordland.
In summer 2023/24, we were proud to donate $10,000 from the fund to the Fiordland Trails Trust, who develop and maintain the region’s walking and cycling trails. Their work also includes native tree planting and predator control to restore and protect the natural environment surrounding the trails.In 2024/25, the fund helped bring bikes to Te Anau School through a partnership with Ride Holidays, supporting tamariki with access to active transport and outdoor fun. We also contributed an extra $6,000 to build a secure shed so the bikes can be well maintained and used for years to come.
When you travel with us, you're not just exploring Fiordland—you’re helping protect it for future generations.
Contact us to book a tour and learn more about the difference you can help make.
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