Nearly a decade in the making, EcoZip Kaikōura came from the enterprising idea of Managing Director and co-founder Gavin Oliver who believes tourists flocking to Kaikōura for marine tourism, bird watching, mountain biking, hiking, and embracing Aotearoa’s wilderness will enjoy an adrenaline tourism experience through breathtaking landscapes with an eco-conscious ethos.
“Back in 2014, like a movie director, we went scouting for a location for our second zipline,” Gavin says. “The first site we came across was spectacular, but in our commitment to preserving the environment and particularly protecting the endangered sea bird the Kaikōura Tītī, or Hutton's shearwater, we withdrew from the project. Just a few weeks later, Kaikōura was shaken by the devastating earthquake, making any plans infeasible until the town was fully reconnected in 2018.
“It was during this time of rejuvenation that Kaikōura’s former mayor, Winston Gray, approached me and inquired if my interest in establishing EcoZip Adventures in Kaikōura still held. Naturally, I responded “yes,” but we were faced with the challenge of securing a suitable site. Winston, with his trademark twinkle in his eye, said, “Leave that with me.”