Welcome to

Aotearoa Mountain Guides

Join Lydia Bradey and Dean Staples for personalised alpine experiences in Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond.

Aotearoa Mountain Guides is led by Lydia Bradey and Dean Staples, two of New Zealand’s most experienced and respected mountain guides.

With decades of experience in the world’s greatest mountain ranges, AMG offers bespoke guiding across skiing, climbing, trekking, expeditions and high end mountain experiences.

Whether you are seeking a new challenge, planning something truly ambitious, or simply building confidence, AMG creates flexible, personal and professionally guided adventures shaped around you.

Our Services

Bespoke ski guiding across backcountry touring, glacial terrain and heli-skiing, designed to suit your abilities and objectives.

Skiing

Guided rock, ice and alpine climbing tailored to your goals, from skill development to technical mountain ascents.

Climbing

Curated trekking and heli-trekking into Aotearoa’s wild and inspiring landscapes.

Trekking

International expeditions to the world’s most remote and interesting locations. Join an existing trip, or create your own.

Expeditions

Specialist mountain safety, logistics and location support for film and production teams working in remote or technical alpine terrain.

Film Logistics & Safety

Exclusive mountain experiences created around opportunities less common, with the personal expertise of Lydia and Dean.

Limited Experiences

We are here to shape a unique experience specifically designed for you.

Many of our most memorable adventures start with a simple conversation. Get in touch to discuss your ideas and objectives.

Make an enquiry

What people are saying

“I have had the pleasure of being guided on a number of mountain expeditions by Lydia, most recently to the summit of Everest in April/May 2018. Being ex-military, having served as an infantry officer, and being a professional guide, I am a pretty hard taskmaster with very high expectations. I am thrilled to say that Lydia has always measured up and more.”
— Brad Horn, Managing Director, Epic Private Journeys
“As someone who has climbed and ski toured with many outstanding guides in the US and New Zealand, I can say that Lydia stands in a league of her own. Her decades’ long experience in various high-altitude and extreme environments gives her the type of knowledge and authority that’s rare to come by.”
— Lisa Kostova, Entrepreneur and mountaineer, USA
“Deano was my guide for a private expedition to summit Everest. He is the perfect blend of elite professionalism with a relaxed demeanour – at all times I had 100% confidence in our safety and had a great time climbing in the company of such a good bloke. His patience, caring nature and ability to teach technical knowledge in a friendly way, led me to engage Dean again to up-skill my daughter, Jade, in preparation for her North Pole, Greenland and South Pole expeditions.”
— Paul Hameister OAM, 2021
“As six ‘adventurers’ we had a trip filled with hard work, fun, laughter and emotion and despite only knowing [two of the members] you managed to integrate yourself with ease into our group and yet still look after our welfare and safety in a truly professional manner."
— Philip & Penny Walker, September 2018, Everest Base Camp Trek, AC
“For this project I turned to something of a New Zealand legend, Dean Staples. One of the country’s most renowned guides… His vast experience and unquestionable competence finding expression through deed not word. He has a calm determination, and is neither easily excited nor easily deflected - the kind of person you can rely on to see things through, as I was soon to discover.”
— Charles Sherwood; “Seven Climbs” (Vertebrate Pub. 2020)
“Dean is the ultimate professional in the mountains, while he knows how to challenge my comfort zone I always feel secure with his risk management and my safety. Super fun guy to climb with!”
— Chris Douglas, 2021