Keen to build on the base he has developed with his 4x4Explorer.co.nz website and subscription-based off-road route selection service, Overlander extraordinaire – and regular NZ4WD contributor - Richard Soult has created 4x4Explorer Adventures, a bespoke guided tour business based on – and with the full support of – well-known Christchurch-based author Mark Wilson’s 4WD South Explorers’ Club.
To find out more – both about the business and his plans for it – we sat down with Richard and asked him these questions.
NZ4WD: OK Richard, tell us how 4x4Explorer Adventures came about.
RS: Like a lot of things in life, the idea came from a chance meeting. At the beginning of 2019, I was leading a group of friends on a trip around Central Otago, sharing my knowledge of the area and exploring some of the great tracks it has to offer.
We had just done the Waikaia Bush Track and were heading to Potters Hut for lunch. At the start of the Potters Hut track, there was a convoy of vehicles. After a brief discussion, which confirmed that the hut was their destination as well, the convoys merged and we set off together. Once at the hut, I introduced myself and was surprised that the leader of the convoy was none other than Mark Wilson, the well known author of 4WD South and owner of 4WDSouth Explorers Club. After lunch, we went on our way, but the seed had been sown.
Having started 4x4Explorer in mid 2018 and been pleasantly surprised by its success, I had been thinking about how to develop the business and guided tours seemed to be the way forward.
At that time though we were just about to leave for Europe to log Routes through the French and Italian Alps and the Pyrenees, so it would have to wait.
Two + two = five
When we got back to New Zealand at the end of 2019, I got in touch with Mark to see if I could somehow get involved with his business. We arranged to meet at a café near his home in New Brighton to have a chat. My initial idea was that we could use the Mark Wilson name and the 4x4Explorer brand to achieve something bigger. The classic two plus two equals five scenario.
I wasn’t at all sure how Mark would react to this approach and his response took me completely by surprise! He told me that he was looking for someone to continue 4WDSouth Explorers Club so that he could concentrate on his full time job and club activities.
He then proceeded to explain the steps needed to set up an Adventure Guiding business and said that he was more than willing to help me along the way. This wasn’t what I was expecting but Mark made it clear that he really had to focus on his job and family and that going away for extended periods was just not working.
NZ4WD: What were the hurdles encountered in setting up the business?
RS: Time and money! In order to become an Accredited Adventure Guide, you need to produce a comprehensive safety plan or Safety Management System (SMS), which needs to be audited in order to show best practice.
Initially, I thought that this was just red tape, but the more that I got into, the more I began to realise the level of responsibility involved in leading people in these type of activities. Although we ask people to give their level of experience prior to joining a trip, this can be subjective and is totally different from driving with friends, whose experience you know.
It really makes you think about how you would and should react in various circumstances whilst offering a package, which is fun and challenging at the same time.
The mantra is always Safety First! The whole exercise was time consuming and costly but necessary and worthwhile.
Concession required
In order to carry out a business on DOC land, a “concession” is required. I was extremely fortunate in that Mark’s concession still had many years to run and that he was happy to pass this to me as part of the continuation of the business.
NZ4WD: How did you decide on the format and pricing of your trips?
RS: I guess the thing here is, that if it’s not broken, don’t fix it! Mark’s 4WDSouth Explorer Club business was extremely successful and offered two, week-long trips that could be combined to make a two-week trip. The first takes in the best tracks of the Marlborough and Buller region, while the second starts in Fairlie and heads down to Central Otago.
Before speaking to Mark, I had done my research and found that the market in New Zealand has several successful operators, but that it is far from saturated. It also became apparent that there was a gap in the market. The vast majority of operators offer the “caché “of driving on private land and include catering and accommodation
The principle that Mark had established was a “guiding only” model. You pay per vehicle and not per person and you organize your own food and accommodation. If you enjoy camping, you can camp. If you prefer a hotel, you can stay in a hotel.
On the trips that I ran with Mark during the transition period, our clients were delighted with what they got. I was pleased when I asked everyone at the first debrief if there was anything that we could have done better, to be met with the response that everything was perfect!
NZ4WD: What can clients expect to gain from your trips?
RS: A number of things. What we are offering is a fun holiday with like-minded people in a safe environment with an expert guide. The people who come on our trips have varying levels of off-road driving experience and different types of vehicles. We have had people from the North Island with experience and well set up trucks, but lacking our local knowledge. We have also had people with brand new “shiny” trucks looking to get out there and see what their vehicles can do.
We are not offering a 4WD course, but we do give advice on such things as tyre pressures, gear selection, convoy protocol and obstacle crossing.
So, to answer your question, I guess the real answer is confidence. Once you’ve been on one of our trips, you will have the confidence and knowledge to go out on your own, or with friends and most importantly know your limits.
I always say that the reason that I own a 4WD is to get to amazing places and meet amazing people. On our trips, you will do both and have a lot of fun along the way!
NZ4WD: What are your plans for the future?
RS: We’ve got a few plans in mind, but for this summer, we will continue to run the trips that Mark had organized. This will take us until the end of March. It’s worth noting that over 90 percent of clients rebooked to do the trip that they hadn’t done. We need to therefore offer these clients new routes and we are working on some great Overlanding trips with the possibility of joining for one week or two.
Weekend options
The other thing that we will be offering will be weekend trips. We’re conscious that a lot of people are “cash rich and time poor”. We’re now based in Christchurch and there are heaps of great weekend trips to do within easy striking distance. We will be announcing some new trips shortly. The weekend trips will be designed so that people can either do the whole weekend or tag along for a day to fit in with other commitments.
The other exciting thing that we are planning is offering bespoke trips. On these, we will cater for the grades that you wish to drive, the start and end point and the type of accommodation required. Just let us know what you want and we’ll organise the perfect trip for you and your friends.
NZ4WD: How can people find out more and book a trip?
RS: Simple! People can get in touch through 4x4Explorer.co.nz or contact us via Facebook on the 4x4Explorer page. Failing that, they can give me a call on 027 367 6608 and we can discuss what they’re looking for.
