Dozens of Otago girls are flying to Rotorua this weekend for the four-yearly GirlGuiding New Zealand jamboree.
A group of girls who left yesterday were the first of many, aged 10 to 17, to head north for the week-long event, to be attended by more than 2000 girls from around the country.
A further 500 leaders and parents will attend the camp at Tui Ridge, Rotorua.
One of the leaders of the Dunedin group that left yesterday, Anne Buck, said jamboree was a very exciting time for the girls, who were "just on tenterhooks" about the trip.
More girls from around Dunedin, Queenstown and wider Otago would head north throughout today, she said.
National President of GirlGuiding NZ, Sonia Faulkner, said a huge range of outdoor activities were planned, including rock-climbing, bike and trail rides, mud-slides and water activities.
Four hundred rangers, aged 13 to 18, would spend half their week camped off-site and could choose from activities such as kayaking on Lake Taupo, tramping at Lake Tarawera, completing the Tongariro Crossing, horse-trekking and water adventures at Lake Rotoma.
In preparation for jamboree, the girls had been fundraising and practising their camping skills.
More than 120 girls and leaders from Canterbury received financial support to attend the jamboree.
