Eco Tours in New Zealand

I appreciated the inclusion of the indigenous tour guides throughout the tour. It helped me to better understand the many contributions they made to the the history of Australia and New Zealand. I was impressed on how the government has valued the culture of these indigenous people by collaborating their beliefs into the many buildings, parks, and politics of the cities. I also enjoyed the host dinner I attended. Margaret was an awesome hostess. She shared her home grown vegetables as well as used the apples from her tree to make a delicious apple dessert that made me appreciate the time she put into make our visit special. We shared a lively conversation about many things throughout the evening. It's these experiences that I will remember most of all.

Collette does an excellent job at providing land tours. They have active itineraries that provide a great combination of local tours and free time to explore on your own. The guides are extremely knowledgeable about local customs, traditions and points of interest. Their online app is excellent for communicating the daily schedule, local points of interest, local dining and local maps for each area where you spend a night. They have a good combination of provided group meals and meals on your own to explore and enjoy at your own pace.

Fantastic tour, we enjoyed everything. Would definitely recommend it if you don't want the hassle of driving yourself. All the hotels were clean and comfortable and it was good that breakfast and several evening meals were included We visited so many amazing places and saw spectacular scenery everywhere. We didn't do many of the optional activities as so much was included already but I really enjoyed the jet boat trip on the Haast River.

What a wonderful trip! Gorgeous scenery, good food, Maori culture, Lord of the Rings opportunities, wildlife, and great travel director and driver. The locations chosen offered a nice variety to see different parts of both the north and south islands, learn about the agriculture and farming, as well as the history of the country.

Yes The bus tour with a safe driver, excellent tour guide gave us the opportunity to witness the beauty of the Southern island and gain knowlede of it's history and culture

I had a wonderful and absolutely incredible experience on this tour! First, I have to mention our tour guide, Isobel, who was knowledgeable, caring of her “flock”, hands-on in every respect, down-to-earth, and so humorous! She made every day truly fun, and our group learned so much from her. I’ve been on six tours with Trafalgar and have had excellent tour directors for each, but Isobel topped them all! Her lighthearted nature was a joy, and I loved her personal stories, as well as the history she relayed, and tidbits on everything New Zealand. I came away truly enamored with New Zealand, its people, and culture. As a seasoned traveler in various parts of the world, I don’t think I’ve ever met kinder, more helpful people than New Zealanders. They just seem happy with life and that happiness spills over into all their interactions. The itinerary was well-planned and thoughtful throughout, with many included activities and experiences. From Auckland in the North Island, which included a trip to Hobbiton (charming and magical!), to Rotorua with a Māori cultural performance, dinner, and steaming geysers, then an educational and informative trip to a National Kiwi Hatchery, the activities were varied, interesting and unique. This continued on the South Island, where we took in the breathtaking scenery of Queenstown, the Southern Alps, and Milford Sound. A stargazing night in the Dark Sky Reserve of Tekapo allowed the opportunity to see the Southern Cross for the first time! I learned that the Southern Hemisphere sky doesn’t have the North Star or Big Dipper, since they are too far north! Who knew?! Not me until that night! Christchurch was probably my favorite city with its recent earthquake in 2011 that has impacted the city’s center’s architecture, and created such a resilient spirit and sense of community among residents who have endured so much in the past 15 years. This was so beautiful to see that in them, though the pain was often just below the surface such that many residents have never been to the Quake City Musem, which tells the story. It’s a pedestrian-friendly, walkable city with botanic gardens, a lively, old-fashioned tram that runs through the city, as well as a riverside walking path with historical markers throughout. The nearby sheep farm experience was also enjoyable, especially since sheep outnumber New Zealanders 4.5 to one! I also want to comment on the hotels, which were of excellent quality in the main cities, with helpful and welcoming staff. I also appreciated that this itinerary included staying in 3 of the hotels for at least 2-3 nights each, which made the trip more enjoyable with less packing up. Yet, we still saw and did so much. There was also some free time built in to do things such as a gondola ride/view in Queenstown, as well as the Kiwi Park, and even an optional Lord of the Rings tour - activities that my mother and I did in our free time there. I’ll also mention that the included flight from the North to South Island was organized, smooth, and without a hitch, despite a short weather delay. Our amazing tour guide, Isobel, had it all worked out! Overall, we had a truly memorable, amazing trip in all respects. I even think that New Zealand may be my new favorite country. Bravo to Trafalgar and their NZ partner company AAT Kings for putting together such a great trip and hiring the awesome Isobel to guide us! I couldn’t have asked for a better, more fulfilling trip to New Zealand. As the icing on the cake, and in a crazy and surreal tourist moment, I even encountered, met, and chatted with the Prime Minister in our hotel elevator in Christchurch! He was in town to speak at the National ANZAC day (April 25th) dawn memorial ceremony, which many of our group attended, since it took place in Cathedral Square outside our hotel. I just happened to be on the elevator at the right time when his group got on (he was carrying his own luggage!). It was an amazing honor and a travel memory that I’ll never forget.