
Experience New Zealand Client Comments
Tour client comments | Motorhome client comments
I found Experience NZ online and booked by entire 18 day stay with the help of Shannon. Her service was excellent and I had a proposed itinerary within a few days. She listened to my budget and activities I was most interested in and made changes to my liking. She also added additional people to the trip when a few friends wanted to join with ease. I had a wonderful time in NZ and can't wait to go back. All of the accommodations were beautiful with very helpful staff. Shannon's activity and restaurant recommendations were right on. Every meal I had was excellent. My favorite was the Redcliff Restaurant and Bar in Te Anau. Best meal I had in NZ and best smoked salmon I've ever had! If you're looking for a comfortable trip to NZ, let Experience NZ plan it for you!
Denise, USA, May 2013
You planned the trip of a lifetime! First of all, you have a absolutely breathtaking beautiful country. Everything you recommended was A-1 quality! Every room had an amazing view, the restaurants we tried in your recommendations were superb! I did not have one bad meal in NZ! And of course, you saved me when you coordinated getting my passport back after leaving it the first night I arrive! Please, know that I've already recommended you to some of my friends interested in a trip to NZ. I've been to over 40 countries and countless cities and Shannon, by far, was able to plan the best trip I've ever taken. Thank you!
Monica, USA, May 2013
Awesome! That adjective was created just to describe New Zealand! The South Island was so beautiful that even the long drives were a scenic Mecca. Tourism is one of the largest industries and the country has perfected it's hospitality. When we arrived at a destination for an adventure we felt secure in the safety of it and the guides were all experienced and friendly. The food was fresh and favourable, even if it was at a small bakery where we picked up a quick lunch.
If visiting the North Island, Rotorua is not to be missed! Don't skip the museum (the old bath house). It's very well done and entertaining.
New Zealand should be on everyone's bucket list! If you go, we would highly suggest using Experience New Zealand Travel to plan and then book your accommodations and adventures. We had vouchers for everything and a detailed daily plan - our itinerary was organized, clear, professional, and simple to follow. Our thanks go to Shannon.
Ted and family, USA, May 2013
We had a great trip of the North Island in April. Rachel organised our accommodation, car hire and tours all at short notice and very efficiently. The accommodation was spot on in both Rotorua and on Waiheki Island and we had a memorable trip.
Robert and Elisabeth , Australia, April 2013
Thank you Experience NZ for the wonderful arrangement. I truly enjoyed my time in NZ, the places, people and weather.
Jasen, Singapore, April 2013
A perfectly tailored trip to accommodate my preferences. A truly unique experience of New Zealand with flexible and varied range of accommodation and activities to enjoy! I would highly recommend Experience NZ to any friends and family looking to visit the magic New Zealand have to offer.
Sheena, Hong Kong, April 2013
We cannot offer enough favorable comments about Experience New Zealand. The service was top rate and thanks to the dedicated and industrious ENZ staff, everything fell into place beautifully. If you’re contemplating a trip to New Zealand, do yourself a favor (and save yourself a lot of hassle) by using the professionals at Experience New Zealand. You’ll be mighty glad you did. To repeat a saying in this lovely country, “No Worries!!” are likely to come your way if you choose Experience New Zealand.
Lindsay and Nancy, USA, March 2013
Thank you so much Rachel for the amazing trip you arranged for us. We've fallen in love with NZ.
We would like to tell you how stunning New Zealand is, we know we couldn’t have made a better choice for our honeymoon and we know, for sure, we’ll go back some day. And, of course, we wanted to thank you for all the arrangements and help you provided us with. The documentation you left us at the airport in Auckland was extremely complete and it has been very useful. We have even brought it back home so that we don’t forget any part of our trip.
We can't wait to go back!
Pilar and Enrique, Spain, March 2013
New Zealand is a stunning destination. We will absolutely go back for more. Experience New Zealand helped us fill a much too short vacation with exciting and beautiful destinations. We can't wait for our next opportunity to take advantage of their amazing knowledge of the country.
Pieter and Darla, United States, March 2013
From the outset Experience NZ provided a level of service that exceeded our expectations. Nothing was too much trouble for Laura supported by Denise and her team, who were proactive throughout.
We changed accommodation requirements and excursions and everything was done without hesitation to ensure that our trip to NZ proved to be truly the holiday of a lifetime. Highly recommended to anyone contemplating a journey to NZ.
Colin and Elaine, UK, February 2013
This company is simply superb. Our agent, Shannon Buchannan, anticpated excactly what we wanted, went the extra mile to find unusual activities and wonderful accomodations—the nicest B&Bs with the nicest hosts. We travel extensively, and Shannon is the best agent we have ever found. Great Kiwi experience!
Roxie and Dean, USA, January 2013
We loved our stay in NZ. Laura made everything so easy for us, car rental, vouchers. We did not encounter any glitches. thank you!
Stephanie and John, USA, January 2013
We cannot recommend ExperienceNZ highly enough. Rachel hit all of our points right on the mark. Note: Please do not hesitate to visit Christchurch. There is still much to see and experience there. It may seem a little depressing to visit this devastated City, but it was so worthwhile to see the resilience of the residents, and the vitality of a city, still so much in evidence.
David and Diane, USA, January 2013
After spending two weeks travelling the South Island of NZ we have seen some of the most spectacular scenery that we have ever seen in our lives. Te Anau, the drive into Milford Sound and a cruise up the sound was spectacular. Queenstown and Wanaka were picturesque. A helicopter ride with a snow landing in Fox Glacier was an absolute highlight. Thanks to the terrific team at Experience NZ that put together a family friendly itinerary and went over and beyond their call of duty. I would not hesitate in recommending Experience NZ to anyone planning to travel to NZ. Experience NZ planned our itinerary, recommended and booked all our accommodation, plus provided a folder of recommended activities at each of our stops. When we return to the land of the long white cloud in the not too distant future, we will be certainly calling our friends at Experience NZ.
Paula and family, Australia, January 2013
I can't say enough good things about Experience New Zealand Travel. They offered an incredible level of assistance and expertise in planning my trip. It was awesome having a totally customised itinerary mapped out just for our family. Even with this being our second trip to NZ,we discovered so many things we'd missed the first time when planning on our own. Experience NZ ensured that we saw and did all the things that matched our interests, had ample time to get from place to place, provided maps and brochures for all our activities, found and booked all our accommodations--they did it all! They saved us so much time, money and stress. Because of the superb organisational skills of Experience NZ we just had the most wonderful, relaxing vacation ever. Thank you so much!
Laura and family, Singapore, January 2013
We loved every minute of our trip. Experience New Zealand Travel did a fantastic job for us. When Mother Nature caused flooding along the West Coast of the South island, Experience New Zealand Travel was there for us! While we were on an activity, they re-routed our trip, cancelled other activities and hotels, and re-booked us in new hotels. This was totally above and beyond for us. Thank you!! This was the trip of a lifetime.
Connie and family, Thailand, December 2012
Shannon was terrific. She asked all the right questions to learn the type of accommodation we wanted and the kinds of activities that would interest us, and found just what we wanted. Both accommodations and activities were terrific. Whenever we had a question, her answer came back almost immediately. While we were travelling in New Zealand, some bad weather required that we revise our itinerary and she was in constant contact with us to make certain everything went smoothly. We have been recommending her to anyone planning to visit New Zealand. We have worked with many travel agents and none has been better.
Ruth and Bob, USA, December 2012
Our family has used Experience New Zealand twice, in 2005 and 2012. We appreciate the thorough planning and the great choice of premium accommodation they are able to offer, matching exactly our needs and expectations.
Bruno and family, China, December 2012
We were quite overwhelmed with planning our trip to New Zealand when we discovered Experience New Zealand Travel. Laura took over and made great suggestions, did all our accommodations bookings as well as activities. Laura also provided suggestions for unscheduled time to match our requests and helped with an on-the-fly recommendation while we were in New Zealand. She took all the stress out of planning the trip.
Monica and David, USA, December 2012
The service from ExperienceNZ was very high quality and their organization and inside knowledge completely made our trip allowing us to indulge in the beauty of New Zealand. I would highly recommend using their services instead of trying to navigate the country through the internet.
Rupert and family, Singapore, December 2012
Shannon Buchannan is the BEST trip designer anywhere! She found the perfect places(5 Rivers Resort, Kaimata Retreat, Kincaid B&B) that are off the beaten track, she went above and beyond again and again, steering us to great restaurants and side trips and she responded instantly to our questions. We love New Zealand in part because of Experience New Zealand’s expertise.
Roxie and Dean, USA, December 2012
New Zealand now ranks among the top destinations of the world for us, and the help we had from Laura enhanced the trip. We were particularly impressed with the accommodations she reserved for us, and when I requested some special "New Zealand dining experiences" she knew just where to send us. She couldn't have been easier to work with--always ready to please--and we were quite pleased.
Barbara and John, USA, December 2012
Your website gave us helpful advice to plan our trip, and to know what to expect before we arrived in New Zealand - although I don't recall a warning for the single lane bridges! During our planning stages, Laura answered every request in a timely, professional manner and tailored the towns, lodging and activities to exactly what we wanted; and suggested some things we didn't even know we wanted.
When we arrived at our first lodging, we were handed the full itinerary, all the vouchers, brochures for every towns activities, restaurant suggestions, as well as maps. We were able to fit in towns on both North and South Islands, yet spent the majority of our three weeks on the South Islands. The Southern Scenic Route was lovely, and the areas around Fjordland, Invercargill, The Catlins and Dunedin are so full of places to stop and walk, we wish we had another two weeks to stay there.
Jean and Bill, USA, December 2012
Experience NZ / Shannon were phenomenal in planning a trip of a lifetime to NZ. The trip was diligently planned taking in consideration our family needs and desires. Weather caused a glitch on our itinerary and the Experience NZ team help reroute and reschedule or trip so that we did not skip a beat.
Thank you
Tina and family, Singapore, December 2012
Thanks to Rachel of Experience New Zealand Travel's relentless communications and efforts to understand our needs and interests, our 2 week trip to New Zealand was one of the most wonderful trips my husband and I have experienced. Our honeymoon trip was amazing and served daily by most wonderful customer services through and through, let it be the hotel accommendations, dining experiences, or activities. I have fallen in love with South Island New Zealand and already planning our retirement there after this short two-week trip!
Our stays at Azur Lodge in Queenstown, Whare Kea Lodge in Wanaka Lake, and Stonefly Lodge near Nelson, have been one of the best throughout our years of travel. I would highly recommend those 3 places to anyone visiting Queenstown, Wanake and/or Nelson.
All the arrangements were made smoothly by Rachel and our trip was hassle free with full enjoyment. We normally would do all the homework and plan the entire trips ourselves when traveling, but this time with Experience New Zealand, I could not have asked for more.
Kevin and Maryann, Hong Kong, December 2012
Shannon arranged a fabulous trip- perfectly tailored for our needs. It included a mix of adventure, spectacular scenery and gourmet food and wine. Definitely coming back to experience more of the South Island. Thanks for all your help.
Anne and Claude, Australia, December 2012
Definitely worthwhile arranging our trip through your company. Rachel handled our itinerary professionally and very efficiently. It all went off without a hitch. Many thanks.
Anjali, Hong Kong, December 2012
Experience New Zealand provided their prompt, friendly, and flexible expertise in order to meet my travel goals, time constraints, and budgeting concerns. The setup was easy, and left me excited for my travels. The two weeks I spent around New Zealand will never be forgotten, and unequivocally top other experiences I've had abroad. Everything is meticulously organized to make your life easier, and they only direct you where they know you'll have an unforgettable time.
Michael, USA, December 2012
Thank you Shannon for talking me into that Maui camper van! Driving around the North Island in my Maui was one of the absolute high points of our trip. The ability to "camp" in luxury right on the beach at Hahei was almost too good to be true----the sound of the waves all night, looking at the milky way from my comfortable bed under the comforter after a glass of wine was just too wonderful! Some day I will return to the Coromandel Peninsula!
Jill and Gary, USA, December 2012
This was our best trip ever. From the moment we made contact with Experience NZ, Shannon was very friendly and professional, organising the itinerary to suit our requirements perfectly. Car hire, excellent accommodation, wonderful nature trips and cruises, ferry tickets and flights to and from Stewart Island (an unforgettable experience), were all arranged for us and it was reassuring to know that Shannon was at the end of the phone if ever we needed to contact her. We cannot speak too highly of Experience NZ and would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending them to anyone planning a trip to this fabulous country.
Jill and Tony, UK, November 2012
Shannon,
Sharon and I would like to thank you and Experience New Zealand Travel for our wonderful trip to New Zealand. The tours, sights and accommodations that you recommended all exceeded expectations. Accommodations were conveniently located near the attractions with access to good transportation.
But most importantly was your prompt assistance in helping us to get to Milford Sound after the road was closed on the day our AAT tour bus was scheduled to drive in. When it became clear that the flight to Milford on the next day would also be cancelled due to weather, you provided us with the option of using the bus from Queenstown. I had no idea I could take a bus but I am glad we did. The bus ride over was scenic and we had a very informative driver. Had you not recommended the bus, I would be sitting at home right now disappointed that I went all the way to New Zealand and was unable to visit Milford Sound. I feel that the real test of a travel agency is solving a problem when something unexpected goes wrong. You and Experience New Zealand Travel passed that test with flying colors.
Our tour director Mark Hockley for the AAT Kings portion of the trip was the best. His commentary was always interesting, educational and most importantly kept us in good spirits. While we knew that he was an experienced guide, the entire group was astounded to find out that this was his first tour with AAT Kings. We had assumed from Mark's knowledge of the area and attention to detail that he had done this tour several times. Our driver Paul was very smooth and made us feel safe during the entire week. I would recommend both Mark and Paul for any of your bookings.
Thanks for your help and patience in planning our trip.
Don and Sharon, USA, November 2012
Our family had done quite a few trips over last one year...Europe, China, India and now New Zealand and we enjoyed the most on this New Zealand trip. Thanks to Shannon for this. It was pleasure working with her. She loves her job and her positivity reaches out to the clients. The trip was planned almost perfectly.
After a long flight, for the first activity at Auckland, we forgot our vouchers but she took care of it without us knowing all the hassle she would have undergone to sort that out. And then she for warned us on the unusually cold weather at Milford Sound and we reached there prepared. Great job Shannon!! We would be recommending you to our friends.
Arun and family, , October 2012
I returned from New Zealand just a few weeks ago and remain totally in awe of the experience I just had. This is truly the most spectacular country I have ever visited. The itinerary that was put together for me by Shannon of Experience New Zealand was exceptional from the variety of activities, to the seamlessness of all connections, and the beautiful accommodations. I remain forever grateful that I had the opportunity to see such a spectacular part of the world. The beauty of New Zealand was perfectly matched by the personalized service I received from Experience New Zealand.
Shelly, USA, October 2012
Love your service!!
Very impressive
Best service ever!
Safety Conference Group, Thailand, October 2012
NZ is a fantastic place to visit. We are already planning a return. We will contact Laura when we do. Lots of fun activities and sites to visit. The scenery was so amazing and the people the friendliest! Just amazing...
Julia and Stephen, USA, September 2012
I am so very grateful that I happened to stumble upon EXPERIENCE NEW ZEALAND TRAVEL!! Laura exceeded expectations at every turn. She was incredibly patient as we had several itinerary changes and modifications. She did not ever take offense when we didn't want to do something she suggested. She really listened to what kind of trip we were looking for and she provided that and then some!! Her suggestions were always excellent and she designed a trip that allowed us to experience New Zealand in the way we were hoping to experience it.
We had such a great time!!!!! All the accommodations were terrific and the activities were also a great deal of fun. We had so much fun getting to know the South Island and exploring all it had to offer. The best times were just getting off the beaten path and going on hikes. We found some great ones!! We also felt like we learned a new language with all the peculiar (to us) words and phrases used by the Kiwis!
The only bummer was that the trip had to come to an end! I would highly recommend the services of this company in planning a trip to New Zealand. I will definitely use them again when I hope to come back one day to the North Island.
Stephanie, Ryan and Clay, USA, August 2012
Our trip to New Zealand was fabulous and stress-free thanks to Experience New Zealand. They made all of the arrangements and planned our trip so thoroughly that we were truly able to relax and enjoy every moment. Thank you for helping us Experience New Zealand, in a way that none in our family will soon forget!
Shawn and family, Singapore, August 2012
Experience New Zealand was exactly what we were hoping to find when we decided to look for a Travel Agent. Their staff was extremly knowledgeable and courteous which is always nice when you’re planning a vacation to a foreign country. Moreover, they were always prompt with answers and up front regarding all the costs of our trip, including their own (which we thought was a steal for all they did). If you’re thinking NZ, THINK EXPERIENCE NZ.
Bengt and Bonnie, NYC, USA, May 2012
We had such an amazing experience...all of the accommodations were perfect for their locations, and the experiences were just what we were hoping for. Thank you for the attention to details and the very well spelled-out itinerary, which we used like a bible. We can't wait for experience number two...
Peggy and Ken , USA, May 2012
Thank you Laura for organising a fantastic, memorable trip to the South Island for us. We appreciated the advice you gave us in helping to tailor an itinerary to our family's needs and the activities, campervan and vouchers were impeccably well organised.
Eleanor and Philip , Singapore, April 2012
Laura, thank you for the time you took in organizing the trip, as well as the professionalism you displayed throughout, as evidenced by the promptness with which you replied to all my emails. You have a beautiful country. The scenery, from the snow-capped mountains, spectacular gorges through to the turquoise-coloured lakes of Wakatipu and Wanaka, simply took our breath away. You put together for us a brilliant package. The accommodation choices, in their variety, location and level of comfort were excellent. As mentioned previously, Kaimata was a highlight. But the others were also impressive. The hosts were all most friendly and obliging. We thoroughly enjoyed all the activities we paid for, except of course for Kerrie and Marie with the whale watching tour, given the heavy seas and their propensity for sea sickness. The Milford Sound Cruise and the Eco Wanaka Adventure tour were the standouts. We were blessed with lovely weather for both. We all fell in love with Lake Wanaka and the township, largely because of the passion and engagement of the guide, Chris Riley. He was brilliant. Then to finish it off with the TranzAlpine train trip from coast to coast was the perfect way to end our holiday. Hopefully, in a couple of year’s time, we will explore the North Island and, hopefully, we will be able to use your services once again.
Chris, Australia, March 2012
Helen and the team at Experience New Zealand were the perfect choice for a tailor-made and well guided trip around South Island. Despite the short time, Experience NZ managed to accommodate all our needs and gave us an unforgettable 10-day journey. Thank you and we hope to visit again!
Anish and Sheetal, Kenya, February 2012
If you want to see New Zealand and do not know where to start, look no further. Start with Experience New Zealand.
Donna and David, USA, February 2012
Experience NZ did a terrific job of designing an itinerary that matched our interests and expectations. They are great value. This is the second time we have used them and highly recommend them.
Dan, Oris and Michael, USA, February 2012
The personalized attention we received from Helen assured a trip that was everything we dreamed of. New Zealand is a magical country with stunning scenery, friendly people, and fascinating activities. We'll definitely be back.
John and Debbie, Canada, February 2012
Experience NZ expertly prepared a tailor-made itinerary for us which enabled us to see as much of New Zealand as was possible in 29 days. The service they provided was first class with extremely helpful advice, and was accommodated within the budget we had set.
Paul and Maureen, UK, February 2012
We had had a difficult time finding a travel agent who was willing to listen to us and arrange for the things that we wanted to do, and avoid the places/things that we were not interested in. Plus while we were willing to pay for accommodation that had something special, e.g., a great view, we wanted to economize in other cases, which Helen accommodated. During the course of planning the trip, we dealt with two agents there, and so we would definitely recommend Experience NZ.
Dinyar and Janet, USA, February 2012
Shannon was the best thing to happen to our New Zealand holiday. She took all my requests about seeing as much as possible while minimizing drive times and maximizing family activities on board and booked us an amazing trip. Our 2 children (under 5) both had a lot of fun, but so did my husband and I. I will be recommending your company to any friends planning a trip to New Zealand. Thanks again!
Rebecca and family, Australia, January 2012
We are seasoned and discriminating travellers and have visited all 7 continents. Helen Foo met and exceeded our expectations. She was very responsive and well organized. I would recommend Experience and Helen to anyone traveling to New Zealand.
Charles and Barbara, USA, January 2012
Highly recommended travel agent, they understood our needs and acted efficiently accordingly.
Namir and Maria, Dubai, January 2012
Great for us first timers to have the trip organised by someone who knew where to go/stay and what to see. Laura, our travel agent, was very proficient at adapting the itinerary to our needs.
Peter and family, Australia, January 2012
We loved the South Island trip that Experience NZ arranged for us, it was so trouble free. We have used them before, when we toured the North Island and that was just as good. All their suggestions and accommodation recommendations were spot on.
Yvonne and family, USA, January 2012
Helen Foo at Experience NZ was a pleasure to work with. She was given very little time to plan an exciting and thorough itinerary for our family. We knew that it would be a challenge because we were traveling during the last week of December and the first week of January and wanted to cover a lot of territory in a relatively short time. She had wonderful suggestions for where we should go and what we should do. She was attentive and efficient and the result was a fantastic itinerary that was perfect for us. All of the connections were smooth and efficient, the accommodations were great choices, and the activities were interesting, exciting, fun, and memorable. We had a terrific holiday and are already looking forward to a return visit. We will definitely call Helen to work with again. And we have already recommended her to several of our friends who are planning holidays in New Zealand. Thank you to Helen Foo and to Experience NZ for helping us plan a wonderful and memorable trip.
Lori and Steve, USA, December 2011
Exceptional, thoughtful, 5-star service. We had an absolutely amazing, once in a lifetime trip. Thank you so much!
Nicole and family, USA, December 2011
Experience New Zealand was fantastic to work with. Helen made our planning easy and our trip simple, just the way we wanted it. Using Experience New Zealand was the best decision of our 21 day vacation.
Michelle, Larry and family, Canada, December 2011
Great service, well organized and understood what our family requirements were. Provided information on accommodation and even helped to book restaurants. With 10 days, we got to relax, play golf, sight-see, do amazing activities, all thanks to Helen's guidance. Would highly recommend using this service provider, it makes planning the trip so much easier and you get to relax and enjoy yourself when everything is booked and organized for you, especially when it is right down to the last detail.
Jillian and family, Hong Kong, December 2011
Wow! New Zealand is an amazing place! We found the options of places to visit and things to do overwhelming. Experience New Zealand helped us find incredible activities with outstanding tour companies. Also, they helped us find family friendly accommodations for the 5 of us. Since we drove all over - their short hikes and other suggested stops along the way were perfect to break up the car time! Thank you Laura - we want to come back sooner than later and are glad we had your Kiwi expertise to help us build our trip!
J’nee and family, Hong Kong, December 2011
Experience New Zealand was a great company to use to plan a trip to a country that has so much. Whatever your interests and your budget, they will work with you to plan your trip. The detailed itinerary provided worked well as a document to preview our trip, to get everywhere and find everything and finally as a remembrance of a great journey in a wonderful country.
Nora and Paul, USA, December 2011
After being to many places I found New Zealand the best of all. Friendly people, amazing places and adventure. For sure your company played a key part in all that. Thank you very much. For sure I'd recommend you.
Ernani and family, Brazil, December 2011
We had a lovely, lovely first visit to New Zealand last week renting a campervan and traveling around South Island. The Experience New Zealand folks planned a great itinerary that met our time requirements, interests, and children's age level. Everything went as smooth as silk on our trip. We will definitely return to NZ again and will use Experience New Zealand on that trip.
James and Family, China, October 2011
On behalf of the others on our trip we just wanted to let you know what an amazing time we had on the south island based on the itinerary Laura created for us. We had no idea what we wanted going in, and you delivered perfectly. We loved our itinerary, and what was great was that all four of us had a different pick for our favourite activity. Hands down the Hollyford Track is the group favourite though - thank you so much for recommending it! We relied on Experience New Zealand's expertise because we wanted to visit New Zealand but knew very little about where we should go. Laura provided us with a spot-on itinerary that gave us the perfect amount of time in each place and was full of fantastic suggestions. We were absolutely thrilled and are extremely pleased with their service. Thank you so much for your help - we are thrilled and can't wait to come back to New Zealand one day!
Estella and friends, USA, October 2011
'That was the best holiday ever', proclaimed my kids as we sat in Christchurch Airport in quiet contemplation of our simply stunning tour of the South Island. The package put together for us by Experience New Zealand Travel was utterly faultless, never failing to exceed expectations. The accommodation was magnificent, from simple farm stay to luxurious resort. All the hosts were incredibly friendly. The suggested activities were spectacular and varied and the schedule was just about the perfect balance, enabling us to to all the best stuff without completely killing ourselves. Experience New Zealand Travel provided a flawless service, working closely with me to refine our agenda and seamlessly rearranging the entire package after the recent Christchurch earthquake interrupted some of our plans. This is the best travel agent I have ever used, by far. Their bespoke service is not a luxury but an essential way to ensure a truly memorable trip to one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Mark and Family, Singapore, April 2011
Fabulous trip. Courtney did an amazing job planning our first visit to New Zealand. Every aspect was beyond expectations. Only down side was, we needed at least 2 more weeks.
John and Jacquie, USA, March 2011
We had the trip of a lifetime, through the North and South Islands, starting with Kauri Cliffs in the North and ending with Matakauri lodge outside of Queenstown. Each locale was outstanding and the planning with Kim of ENZ staff was a pleasure. The self-drive cars were great and all the transfers and internal flights worked perfectly. A last minute switch from Christchurch to Bay of Many Coves was implemented smoothly. The hosts at each lodge were warm and welcoming and the service was superb, giving a sense of the micro environs, with great food and a range of local wines. Our activities included golf at Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers, flight into Milford Sound, jet boat on the Matukituki river in Wanaka and each went off perfectly. ENZ is a great partner for travel and it was a pleasure to go back and forth with Kim Dixson to get optimal customization of travel plans.
Chris and Diana, USA, March 2011
Working with Courtney was delightful. The accommodations that she arranged were exactly what we wanted and her suggestions for activities were spot-on. Although we challenged Courtney by having her plan a "tight" itinerary, she came through with flying colors. We wouldn't have changed a thing about our itinerary and couldn't have asked for better assistance in planning our trip.
Kimberly and Friends, USA, March 2011
You truly outdid yourself planning this spectacular trip for us. Having never been to New Zealand, you gave us the perfect trip to enjoy and experience both the north and south island. All of your vendors are first rate and very professional, yet friendly and fun to be with. Thank you for a trip of a life time!
Jo and Marc, USA, March 2011
We are in a time where so much is available on the net. Nonetheless it is not so easy to stumble upon a web site that can deliver what they promise. I was fortunate to try “Experience New Zealand” and equally fortunate to be assisted by Kim Dixson. The whole process was essentially stress free and very professional. It is a service that I will use again, I would and already have recommended to others.
Mario and Valarie, Singapore, December 2010
Our trip to New Zealand was absolutely wonderful. We cannot thank you enough for making it possible! You gave us great suggestions and insights, and pointed us to the right direction. It was really nice to check in and find our itinerary, vouchers and maps all ready to go. We did not waste time and had such a relaxing and beautiful time in NZ. We now plan visiting the South island and will definitely getting in touch when time comes!
Valeria Ross, Singapore, December 2010
Jayme was patient, helpful, and provided fantastic support for our honeymoon trip. Highly recommend her.
Garen and Stacey, USA, December 2010
Great hosts at all accommodations – very helpful. Uniformly fine breakfasts. Very comfortable.Lonely Bay Lodge a special place. Beautiful lodge with everything you could possibly need. Great restaurants in the immediate area. Our host in Wanaka booked a helicopter trip. The helicopter landed on her property. Unbelievable ride – unbelievable experience. Overall experience - A"10"
Grace Family, USA, December 2010
Guys, just a few simple comments: (1) Go to New Zealand ASAP (2) Spend at least 10 days (3) Use Experience New Zealand to help you organize and make the best of your holidays in such an incredible place!
Miguel, Brazil, December 2010
Courtney, we were very pleased with the level of thorough planning and delivery of your Experience NZ services which have helped us complete an amazing first family trip to your great country. The places we went to and the activities we did made the investment well worth it and we just wished we had more days to get to know a few places even better. We will surely come back one day and target both North and South Islands.
Cyro, Brazil, December 2010
Our first time to NZ, and thanks to Courtney we had the best holiday ever, our itineary was perfectly planned, and even though we made 2500 km in 14 days it didn’t feel too heavy as we had several stops on each travel which especially made the trip funny and easy for our 3 kids.
Mads and Family, Singapore, December 2010
Our family of five loved the two weeks we spent on the South Island. It was the perfect place for an adventure trip with three teenage boys. Experience New Zealand helped us set up a wonderful schedule where we were able to visit a variety of locations and do some amazing activities. Family highlights included snorkeling with the dolphins in Kaikoura, chartering a boat and kayaking in Abel Tasman, skydiving in Wanaka, cruising Doubtful Sound, flying over the Southern Alps, and helicoptering to Fox Glacier. We look forward to returning again.
Laura and family, USA, December 2010
We are so glad Experience New Zealand handled our trip. Kim made everything so easy. She really listened to what we wanted on our trip and wow did she ever deliver. All of the accommodations were perfect for us and she arranged the coolest activities. We have physical limitations but she talked to each of the tour/activity companies to determine if the activity was something we could do. It was great. We did not miss anything. We were able to do all of the activities and really enjoy ourselves and your beautiful country. She also helped make adjustments along the way through our trip. Things always come up on a long trip, but she quickly solved whatever problem presented itself. Thanks to her great planning, issues rarely arose. This was the easiest and most fun trip we have ever had. We will definitely visit again soon and we know just the person to plan it. Kim is now on speed dial!!
Beth and Craig, USA, November 2010
We visited NZ for our 25th wedding anniversary. Experience NZ put together an amazing trip with all the arrangements for lodging and activities. I specifically wanted to deal with a Kiwi travel agency because I thought they would know where to stay and what to do. My suspicions were correct and my wife and I would never have been able to arrange such a trip on our own using the internet. We will have lasting memories thanks to Experience NZ.
Louis and Jane, USA, November 2010
Can strongly recommend AAT Kings - perfect service from the office and excellent driver and guide with knowledge of all places, mountains, lakes etc. and very good at communicating these informations to all of us. A splendid tour highly recommended, see the best of New Zealand, we surely did! Thanks to Clarke and Murrey and the staff of the office.
Susanne and Hans, Denmark, November 2010
Courtney,thanks for the wonderful trip you planned!! We loved the hotels and the tours!! The lodges were all wonderful, it was very nice to chat with local people, particularly from Canyons Lodge, Rotorua and Wanaka!! We got an upgrade for the room in Christchurch hotel (awesome too) and Wanaka for being in our honeymoon, obviously thanks to you, that had previously told them!! In Canyons Lodge, our host made us feel like home (actually much better than home). We even had a professional cook to prepare our breakfast, which was amazingly good!! All hosts actually gave us great tips also about the place and restaurants!! The maori family also were very helpful and very friendly too, explaining about their culture and traditions!! Therefore our experience with the hosts made our trip really special, thanks for that!!
Ane and Alexandre, Brazil, October 2010
Experience NZ have such great experience that they provide simply outstanding service - their recommendations for an itinerary around length and best options for the time we had, accommodation to meet our budget, suggested activities, dining options in each location, driving instructions/suggested routes provided, thorough travel documentation including maps, brochures on each accommodation option and flyers on activities - it was all outstanding and we wouldn’t hesitate to use them again (having seen the South Island we are certain to be heading back to NZ at some stage to see the North Island). Thanks for making our family holiday just fantastic.
Bricknell Family, Australia, July 2010
We are now firming our 3rd NZ vacation with Denise and staff. Yes, we have experienced the wonders of NZ, coining a phrase on our last trip "Out of Adjectives". The wonders of NZ are now a given to us. Also, a given, and equally as important to us, is Trust. Our pending trip's style is significantly different from our previous trips, and we weren't certain how to pull all the pieces together. A quick note to Denise, and all was "done and dusted", including her insightful suggestions. We have absolute trust in Denise and the Experience(d) NZ staff. We trust that your holiday will be as spectacular as ours have been.
Bob and Nancy, USA, June 2010
Once again, thank you so much for your prompt replies and help with our bookings, it's great to see there are still people out there who give exceptional customer service! You are a credit to the company Courtney!!
Natalie, Australia, June 2010
We worked with both Denise and Kim for our trip and we could not have asked for anything better. From the initial planning stages to the last final adjustments, everything was handled professionally and enthusiastically. The people at Experience New Zealand seem genuinely concerned that we would have the trip of a lifetime and enjoy New Zealand as much as they do. New Zealand is a beautiful country and we did have the trip of a lifetime because of Experience New Zealand.
Barry, Michael, Anne and Kevin , USA, May 2010
Courtney Young was most effective in helping to create such a wonderful and memorable honeymoon experience for us both, being totally budget limited and clueless. Her planning, from the most unique activities to the rather exquisite accommodation recommendations, the little details that added precious colours to this awesome journey, on top of coping with the various unpleasant emergencies least unexpected during the trip. Thank you for working so closely with us. We really appreciated all her professional efforts that went the extra mile for us, making us feel super well taken care of, like a million bucks!
Andrew and Gina, Singapore, May 2010
Courtney was the most wonderful itinerary planner anyone could have.She really designed the complete travel experience around our mindset.We followed everything in the packet she provided for us and every suggestion was spot-on!!! Thanks Courtney so much, words really cannotdescribe what a wonderful trip you planned for us.
Lynda and Uli, USA, April 2010
The planning and care and attention to detail we received from Experience New Zealand Travel was first rate from beginning to end. We would highly recommend them and will use them again in the future
John and Sarah, Vietnam, February 2010
Kim arranged a trip of a lifetime for us in February/March 2010. She really listened and arranged everything according to our needs and in the three week time frame that we had. The variety of first class accommodation was wonderful, the suggested places we visit based on our interests of hiking birding and fine wines was right on target. The folder of travel vouchers, maps, places of interest, suggested side trips was comprehensively put together. We can highly recommend experience New Zealand to plan a trip of the highest calibre. Thank you Kim!!!!!!!
Anne and Jim, USA, February 2010
Kim- We arrived back home yesterday. I’m still trying to figure out what day and time it is, but wanted to let you know that all of your arrangements were great and our time on the South Island was fantastic. Riverrun and Evergreen were both wonderful in their own ways and the Doubtful Sound cruise was an all time highlight. Of course we were frustrated at not being able to stay longer and do more, but your help in focusing us on the areas we did cover was invaluable. Please feel free to use us as a reference, and we hope to be back there in the not too distant future.
Richard, USA, February 2010
We would be very happy to recommend Leanne at Experience New Zealand Travel, for the itinerary planning, accurate instructions and personalised guidance. Leanne helped to make this an outstanding and worry-free holiday.
Andrew and Susan, UK, February 2010
Experience New Zealand made the overwhelming task of researching and planning a trip to New Zealand a breeze. Every detail was planned to perfection. All of the activities and accommodations were reserved after a thorough assessment of our preferences was submitted. Our expectations were exceeded on every level. We simply could not have done it without the local knowledge that Leanne provided. Thank you for making every moment of our New Zealand trip completely unforgettable!
Sue and Joe, USA, January 2010
I don't know how we found Experience New Zealand but it was meant to be. Kim Dixson took a few random interests and crafted the perfect itinerary for our second Honeymoon. She found unique accommodations in amazing locations with fantastic hosts. She prearranged great activities which made travel easy. We were so grateful for the documentation containing all the information we needed to enjoy a flawless trip. The recommendations and travel tips helped us build complete days with all the little things between all the big things. We think our vacation was better than anyone we've known who's ever been to New Zealand.
Brad and Sherry, USA, January 2010
I highly recommend using Experience New Zealand. They planned the perfect honeymoon for us and tailored our interests to it perfectly. We had the trip of a lifetime!
Mike and Lauren, USA, January 2010
We had an absolutely wonderful trip to NZ!! Experience New Zealand travel was great to deal with and helped get us set up to get the most out of our vacation. We were part of a 3 family group with 14 people, 8 children. Being set up in family friendly accommodations and having a clear itinerary made the trip stress free and so enjoyable we all wanted to move to NZ by the end of it!!
Withers, Teter & McKenna Families, China, December 2009
Denise was wonderful to work with and was a true asset to planning our New Zealand vacation! She really worked around our excursions with a toddler which was very appreciated. This planning made it one of our best holidays ever! Highly recommend using Experience New Zealand!
Justin, Kara and Reid, Thailand, December 2009
We are most grateful to Helen for assisting and guiding us in planning and customising our long honeymoon. What we appreciated most was her local knowledge and advice; meticulous planning according to our needs and preferences, and timely provision of information. Having everything sorted out and prepared in advance smoothened our journey, and things pretty much flowed day-to-day and according to schedule. Thank you so much Experience New Zealand for an unforgettable experience. We have no regrets choosing to work with you guys!
David & Vera, Singapore, December 2009
Kim Dixson is the best travel agent I’ve ever used. I would and will recommend her to anyone interested in visiting New Zealand.
Dale and Serpil, USA, December 2009
Very helpful, knowledgeable and thoughtful service. We would recommend them highly
Alexandra and George , UK, December 2009
That was a the best experience we have ever had booking a tour. Leanne was highly professional and presented all the options. The hotels were lovely and locations breathtakingly beautiful.
Amanda and Barney, Hong Kong, December 2009
When I first came across Experience New Zealand, I was skeptical as I had no references and had come across them accidently thru surfing. But they delivered – and how. My only regret is they don’t have a branch in other countries; I would blindly use them anywhere, everywhere. Thank you for the everlasting memories.
Zubin, Prithy, Tanya and Armaan, Hong Kong, December 2009
Experience New Zealand provided excellent service. We had a fabulous trip and it all worked smoothly.
Andrew, Anita, Tara and Alanna, Hong Kong, December 2009
My New Zealand tour was made worthwhile and exceptionally enjoyable through good arrangement and service provided by Experience New Zealand Travel and their tour agent. Thank you. Kia Ora.
Francisca, Australia, December 2009
The web-site was excellent and easy to navigate. We have since recommended you to friends we met in NZ and a friend here in the UK who is travelling to NZ at the end of the year.
Nicky and Duncan, UK, December 2009
New Zealand is an amazing place to visit. I can’t imagine seeing so much variety anywhere else. We started the trip by seeing beautiful overview of Auckland from One Tree Hill and went to see geysers and a cultural performance in Roturua, From there, we went to Cathedral Square in Christchurch (wonderful big city environment), a relaxing few days by Lake Tekapo (including a visit to Mt. Cook and Fox Glacier), and then an exciting few days in Queenstown where we got to be a part of the more adventurous side of New Zealand. Every drive was beautiful and we already miss being there. All of that in just 10 days – it was great.
Edward’s Family, USA, December 2009
Kim,Our honeymoon was a life-changing experience for me. I have wanted to go to New Zealand for over a decade. Unlike my other international trips, which I have approached with no expectations, I help high expectations for our trip to NZ. When we landed, I said, "OK, New Zealand, don't break my heart." On the contrary, NZ made my heart ten times bigger. If it weren't so far, far away, I'd be back again, and again, and again. Then again, everybody needs a fairytale land far, far away. Thank you so much for helping make our dreams come true.
Mary Ann and Kurt, USA, December 2009
The service provided by Denise is really beyond words! Given the tight budget we had, she was able to customize a very memorable honeymoon for us. Even though we were unable to go for two activities due to the weather, refunds were made promptly and new ideas/suggestions for other activities were provided immediately. We will definitely recommend Experience NZ to our friends!
Frances and Marcus, Singapore, November 2009
You dazzled us! We’ve never had a better trip (and we’ve travelled a lot). We’re both very busy at work so we did not have time to make our own arrangements, but we wanted a custom trip. Kim really paid attention to our preferences, made excellent suggestions, and answered all our questions with care and detail. The trip was brilliantly organized, and the packet of information we received on arrival was so organized and complete that we didn’t have to worry or wonder about anything. All the accommodations exceeded our expectations. We think Kim even pulled some strings with the weather, because we seemed to follow the sun around the island! We are recommending your services to everyone we talk to, and hope to come back to New Zealand again soon. When we do, we will be sure to work with you again!
Steve and Mary, USA, November 2009
This was an adventure and experience of a lifetime. Kim did a fabulous job, setting up and personalizing our trip according to our needs. We would go back in a heartbeat. Trust Experience New Zealand, they won’t let you down
Tara and Kathy, USA, November 2009
We loved New Zealand. This is only country we have ever visited where my husband said we would actually like to live there. The botanical gardens in Christchurch were beautiful; all of the scenery is incredible--the mountains, streams, lovely farmland, the ocean, the wildlife (whales, fur seals, penguins, dolphins); it was just our kind of vacation. We really enjoyed the B & B's and the cottages. Wine country was enjoyable and the boat trip plus hike in Abel Tasman was also beautiful.
Karen,Allan,Tom and Kathy, USA, November 2009
All in all Kim was excellent, and I’ll be passing your details on to others we know who are planning trips out to New Zealand. Many thanks for everything!
Seth and Ann, UK, October 2009
We had an absolutely amazing honeymoon in NZ thanks to Experience New Zealand. Kim did a brilliant job of planning an itinerary that we loved and the entire trip went like clockwork. The itinerary pack with recommendations and leaflets all packaged by location was really well organised and very useful. Our trip wouldn't have been nearly as good without Kim's expert accommodation and activity choices and I would recommend Experience New Zealand to anyone.
Iain and Elena, UK, October 2009
Alan and I would like to thank you for your very diligent, thorough efforts to make our trip to your wonderful country one of the highlights of our lives. You had it all so organized and tailored just for us. We especially loved Quickenberry and have raved over and over that it was one of the best meals of our lives. Robbie is a wonder... Our time at Wanaka was amazing as well. Just listening to Chris Riley's adventures made that trip worth it alone. Hiking up the path on the island and then the incredible views were most remarkable. We got to see a harrier hawk and falcon dueling it out in the sky above our rocky perch and were in awe. The other high point was the drive to Milford and the cruise on the sound. We are already planning and scheming for another trip, perhaps in another year+ on our 25th anniversary. Thanks for providing us with one of the best experiences of our lives.
Alan and Tricia Carlson, USA, October 2009
Denise, we have two major complaints. First, we had to come home and second, we don’t live in your country. Seriously, this was a trip of a lifetime! Deb and I found that every activity and accommodation you recommended exceeded our expectations. It is obvious that you truly are passionate about providing a quality experience for your clients. How you were able to match up our interests with the lodging, activities, people, driving routes, etc. while only knowing us such a brief time AND on such relatively short notice, was simply brilliant...You took so much stress and hassle out of the whole process with the exquisitely detailed itinerary you prepared that we really were actually able to sit back, relax and know that our every need had already been taken care of in advance and that we were in very capable hands. This is one of the things that we felt separates your company from the rest of the flock…the continued support and contact throughout the duration of our trip as needed. I think a lot of companies in this business cut the client loose as soon as the check is in hand. This was certainly not the case here! Thank you so much for your professionalism, and caring. For any travellers who may be on the fence about whether or not to use your company, we can not suggest too strongly that they invest the small amount that it costs. They will never regret it. Thanks for everything
Paul and Deb, USA, October 2009
What a great trip! Kim helped us do so many things. We appreciated her insight, attention and recommendations. Everywhere we went we were greeted by name, including the kids, and every need met. Already planning a return trip some summer down the road. We will definitely be using the services again on that trip! Thanks for helping us with a lifetime of memories.
Eric, Patricia, Riley, Parker and Cooper, USA, August 2009
Experience New Zealand Travel are an excellent example of the many considerable benefits of using a boutique tour planner for international holiday locations where you have limited prior knowledge. They do offer truly independent advice as to what is best on offer for any place in New Zealand given they are not tour operators linked into certain providers. More critically their own wide experience enables them to best plan optimum use of your time and activities, which in our case was a tour along the less popular West Coast and Route 6 of the South Island at the end of the New Zealand winter! We will certainly use them when we go back on our next holiday to New Zealand.
The Conneely Family, UK, August 2009
Experience NZ was a real find for us. We didn't have time to plan a trip with so many activities and different places to stay so Kim created a perfect itinerary which took into account our ideas and added some of her own, which combined to create a perfect trip. The service we experienced was second to none (and we felt, amazingly good value too) we would highly recommend Experience NZ to anyone planning a trip to this beautiful country.
Caroline and Malcolm, UK, May 2009
Leanne met our needs and wants perfectly. She made planning the trip so easy, all we had to do was follow along with the packet of information she provided! When planning the trip, she was always prompt and when we had an activity cancelled during the trip she did everything she could to reschedule. I would highly recommend her services to anyone.
Callie and Wilson, Australia, April 2009
Anything we choose to write here will no doubt fail to convey how pleased we were with Experience New Zealand and with Helen Munn in particular. We have never worked with a travel agent who is so attentive, creative, efficient and personable. Starting with our first contact with Experience NZ, we felt that we were in excellent hands, especially in light of our relatively late start in planning a month-long trip. Helen took up the challenge admirably, handled our numerous e-mails and telephone calls with grace and ease, and put together a truly outstanding itinerary. We remained in e-mail and telephone contact throughout our trip, and on a couple of occasions Helen helped to modify our itinerary in light of changing weather, driving preferences and the like. When we actually met at Experience NZ's offices in Wellington, it felt like saying hello to a good friend. Our only wish is to find the equivalent of Experience NZ wherever we travel.
Eric and Shirin, USA, April 2009
One of the best trips I have ever taken, and it was so easy as we received an incredibly detailed itinerary with no detail missed. Definitely a great value for the relatively small daily service fee. Helen was responsive, thorough, knowledgeable and efficient! Will travel to Australia next so I can use Helen's services again (and have recommended her to numerous friends)!
Amber and Shannon, USA, March 2009
We had a great time; the service provided by Kim and the team was excellent. The trip and New Zealand exceeded our expectations, well done. When we travel to New Zealand again with the kids, I will definitely give these guys a call.
Graham and Cath, Australia, March 2009
New Zealand is a most wonderful country. We found that everyone we met was friendly and helpful and always prepared to go that extra mile for a visitor. Kim at Experience NZ is just such a person and she was spot on with her recommendations for accommodation. Although we knew what we wanted to do this time round (our 2nd trip) I know that she would fit the client with whatever is your thing.
Carole and Tony, UK, March 2009
We couldn't have planned such a fantastic trip without Helen's knowledge and expertise. This is the only way to travel to NZ!! She made it so easy and stress-free, it was wonderful!! We tweaked the itinerary a few times, but she was very responsive and made great recommendations!! Please- Please use Experience New Zealand!!
Rebecca and John, USA, March 2009
If you want to truly Experience New Zealand contact Kim at Experience NZ. Our trip was perfect thanks to her knowledge and kiwi suggestions. The maps, vouchers, booked activities, car rental, accommodations - everything was top notch, and reasonably priced to fit our budget. We look forward to going back to New Zealand soon. And when we do, I'll be contacting Kim!
Anna and Chris, USA, March 2009
What a wonderful country, and Experience New Zealand knows it backwards, from visiting each recommended accommodation, going on each tour and each local tour, and then updating those ratings from visitors experiences, such as ourselves. Why use a travel agent in your own country, who might know something, versus a travel agent on the ground in NZ who is continually kept up to date.
Paddy and Bo, USA, March 2009
We found Experience New Zealand on the web and were delighted to have lucked into such a terrific service. We could not have been more delighted with the accommodation and activities. Our hosts were uniformly helpful and charming. We only wish the trip could have been longer.
Julia and Gerry, USA, February 2009
An excellent itinerary on a first visit which gave us an opportunity to explore some of the wonderful things that New Zealand has to offer
Ian and Sue, USA, February 2009
We can't say enough about the help; caring and listening to who we are and therefore what fit our needs. It truly felt like the customized trip we wanted, not a standard package with a mixed bag of events. Impossible to have done this without the highly professional support of the staff. We would highly recommend Experience New Zealand to all our friends. It was the most memorable trip of our life.
Ed and Joan, USA, January 2009
Wow....what an amazing trip, or should I say 'adventure'!!!! We've travelled 'far and wide' as a family around the world (indeed to many exotic locations), but New Zealand was truly in a league of it's own (thanks in great measure, of course, to your excellent services!!)!!! I couldn't more highly recommend your company to anyone traveling to New Zealand. Having now travelled to both Australia and New Zealand, I would recommend that visitors to the region prioritize New Zealand over Australia (both, of course, do both if time and money allow)!!
Jay Family, China, January 2009
Our recent whirlwind 9 day first ever visit to NZ (Wellington and South Island - Nelson to Queenstown) in Dec 08 was one of the best holidays we have ever taken. We know that this is due largely to attentive planning and customisation of our travel itinerary by Kim Dixson at Experience New Zealand not to mention the pristinely beautiful country that is New Zealand. We wished for an extraordinary holiday with minimum planning fuss and Experience New Zealand delivered this to our very doorstep. Thanks very much Kim and Experience NZ for a sublime holiday and wonderful accommodation and activity picks.
Soo See and Family, Singapore, December 2008
Was really great having someone to help finalize our itinerary and help with all the bookings.
Kristen and Family, Singapore, December 2008
We loved New Zealand and Kim was great. All of the arrangements worked out perfectly. We only wish we had more time!
Russ and Toby, USA, December 2008
Kim Dixson did a fantastic job in the planning and execution of our trip! Every activity that she had planned for us went off without problems and all hotel/transportation reservations were done perfectly. Communication was exceptional as all of our questions were answered quickly and completely. It was absolutely fantastic! Our desire was to experience New Zealand's natural beauty and outdoor activities. The trip was perfectly structured to meet those requirements.
Patrick and Cynthia, USA, December 2008
Experience New Zealand started as an excellent website for looking at what there is to do and see in New Zealand. But beyond that was a travel company that was able to put together an amazing travel and adventure tour that absolutely exceeded all expectations. We had superb accommodation, an insightful itinerary, and a New Zealand experience that was suited to us.
Shannon, Neil, Megan and John, Canada, December 2008
We would highly recommend Experience New Zealand to others traveling on these two wonderful islands. We thoroughly enjoyed our trips and by using this agency, we had no problems. The voucher system worked very well with no problems and if we needed to get a hold of our agent during our trip, we could.We can not say enough kind words about Kim Dixson, our agent. Her service was in the outstanding category. We loved the heli-hike, Abel Tasman National Park, Waitomo and visiting many of the countries beautiful wineries. We wish there was someone like Kim helping us with all of our travels in other countries!
Leslie and Gary, Urbana, IL, USA, December 2008
Experience New Zealand organised a trip of a lifetime for us. Their recommendations were spot on and our trip was seamless, with no problems along the way. If you use them you wont be disappointed - they will take the worry away!
Edwards Family, UK, December 2008
We spent five unforgettable weeks in New Zealand. Our trip, including accomodation, rental car, campervan and activities, was perfectly organized by Experience New Zealand Travel.
Brigitte and Ruedi, Switzerland, December 2008
Experience New Zealand really helped us maximize our time and enjoyment during our trip. Recommendations for lodging, activities and restaurants were excellent and lessened the stress of the trip. Highlights included the Dart River Jet boat Safari, the Doubtful Sound cruise and the beautiful scenery driving through New Zealand.
Jim and Janet, USA, November 2008
Kim was extremely efficient. Anytime we had a question or request, she got right back to us (even considering the time zone differences). We really enjoyed working with her and would definitely book another trip with her again. We would also recommend her to family and friends. We really enjoyed the fact that we could create our own itinerary.
Michelle and Aleksej, USA, November 2008
Experience New Zealand is absolutely amazing! It was so great to work with Denise who took care of us from day one on figuring out what we liked, to creating a perfect itinerary, through the trip and returning home. It was so nice to not have to worry about anything once we were there because we knew experience new zealand had already taken care of it even during the trip an issue arose and it was instantly handled. I highly reccomend them to anyone planning to travel to New Zealand as they really know thier stuff!
Karissa and Jon, USA, November 2008
I am so glad I found this New Zealand Tours web site. I did meet people that were in a tour group and I didn't seem too impressed with their adventures in Australia and New Zealand. I loved being able to meet up with different tour groups and be able to spend time on my own in New Zealand. I met so many people while I was on this trip and despite the weather, it was an amazing trip, one that I will never forget. I would definitely go back to New Zealand in a heart beat and go back again through Experience New Zealand. I felt as though the travel agents did take care of me and if a tour was cancelled, they would find another tour for me to go on that same day. I felt as though Leanne has known me for years and she only knew me for a couple of months while planning this trip. Leanne knew exactly what types of activities I would be interested in. I would highly recommend Experience New Zealand to anyone that has an interest to travel to New Zealand.
Chandra, USA, August 2008
Far better advice than using a travel agent here in Brisbane. I guess this is because they are really into promoting New Zealand and the best it has to offer as opposed to just closing the sale and sending me to a normal chain hotel.
Scurrah Family, Australia, July 2008
Experience New Zealand Travel. What a godsend! When I looked on the internet, this New Zealand travel agency looked really good, but the customer recommendations suggested even more and were so right. Glenn and his colleagues were wonderful and spot on with recommendations. Because this was such a short trip with myself and two octogenarians who wanted to do and see a lot, the trip was going to be problematic and complicated. Glenn was so knowledgable and helpful. He really considered how we could make the most of the trip, and I don't see how we could have done better. My aunts and I had researched possibilities, and I had been to New Zealand before. Glenn considered our ideas and was very honest about what was likely to work and what was not. Looking back on it, his advice was superb. And he was very willing to help us stay within a budget.
Marcia McCowin, USA, May 2008
Trip more than met expectations. Accommodation very high quality, tasteful and imaginative food, wonderful way to meet locals and visitors. Kiwis across board enthusiastic, proud of country and couldnt help enough.
Graham and Beatrice, UK, April 2008
We decided to spend the first week of our honeymoon in New Zealand, and of course there is more to do and see than a week allows for. Kim did a fantastic job of gauging our interests and time constraints and mapped out the most perfect itinerary. We highly recommend Experience New Zealand Travel because there are too many places we visited like Siberia Valley, and things we learned about NZ that we would have simply missed. Words cannot describe the beauty of NZ in April and thanks to Kim we had the best vacation ever.
Craig and Kristin, USA, April 2008
Our family of four travelled to New Zealand in March 2008 and we all agreed that we had one of our best vacations ever. Experience New Zealand provided invaluable assistance in helping us plan a trip truly tailored to our preferences. Glenn was attentive and responsive and we had several detailed conversations about our itinerary so by the time we arrived we were fully prepared and had all the information we needed to travel around the South Island. We would highly recommend using Experience New Zealand.
Hahn Family, Japan, March 2008
Denise's experience and expertise took the guess work out of our trip. I always feel like you can be misguided by the photographs and write ups in travel books if you have never been there. Denise spoke from personal experience which gave us the confidence that we were not going to miss something vital to the heart of New Zealand especially given our limited timeframe there. The events, hotels, restaurants highly recommended by her, all proved to be fabulous. We would have been so sorry to have missed any of them. We truly feel like we really saw and experienced New Zealand and its people and we are so grateful to her for that.
Beth and Stephen, Australia, March 2008
Thanks to Kim's exceptional service, our honeymoon to NZ was truly an unforgettable experience, and one that we will have fond memories of forever! Our trip was paced perfectly and got better every day. Kim really did a wonderful job of selecting the best activities that matched our level of adventure and interests. The personal service and package of information that was provided exceeded our expectations. Experience New Zealand is certainly a professional company that delivers on their promises and that we will highly recommend to others.
Kyle and Mary, USA, March 2008
This is our second trip to NZ and our second time using Experience NZ. As always they are great at ensuring your every touring and accommodation needs are met and that everything is perfect. 100% of the time. A great way to make sure you have an authentic, bespoke kiwi experience!
Rob and Anu, USA, March 2008
All things considered, this was one of the best trips we have ever taken if not the best. Clearly, it has set a standard which will be difficult to meet in future. Our thanks to you for all of the time, concern and thought that you invested to make this such a memorable holiday.
Robbin and Tom, USA, March 2008
We've used Experience New Zealand twice over the last 3 years - and this is the only way to plan a trip! Your knowledge of the accommodations, activities, and sights helped make this one of our best vacations ever. Maybe again in 2011!?!
Bill and Jo, USA, March 2008
We had a wonderful time for our first trip to New Zealand. Kim set up everything and from the time we arrived at the rental car pick up and received the package from Kim we knew we had made a great choice on travel agent. All the accommodations were booked and ready for us and very happy to serve us. I think Experience New Zealand's reputation helps with that. Several places mentioned not always getting paid from other agencies but always seemed happy that we had been booked through Experience New Zealand. That meant a lot to us and set our minds at ease very quickly once there.We would use Kim over and over again. Great job and thank you very much for your efforts!
Richard and Christy, USA, February 2008
Without doubt, one of our best vacations ever. The scenery is stunning, the people are hard-working and friendly, and the whole country seems very hospitable to visitors. Leanne and Experience New Zealand Travel did an excellent job stringing together a list of must-see's into a well-paced, thoroughly relaxing itinerary. They were most helpful throughout the planning process, answering questions promptly and accurately. We had no surprises on the trip to spoil the fun.
Dan and Jeanne, USA, February 2008
Kim, what a fabulous 7-day trip you planned for us to the South Island!! All worked perfectly, including 6 cloudless days between Arthur's Pass and Queenstown. The two helicopter trips were the most beautiful travel experiences we've ever had (and we have had many). All six of the hotels were great, the people lovely, and the food delicious. Driving was very easy for me. In short, you planned a perfect trip.
Roger and Julie, USA, February 2008
A quality service from a quality company. Thank you for all your help in making our New Zealand Experience a memorable one. The accommodation throughout was excellent and the itinerary carefully constructed to cater for our interests and requests. We have already recommended you to friends who intend to make the long journey South next year.
Sandy and Elizabeth, UK, February 2008
We spent over six months planning what was, for us, the holiday of a lifetime to celebrate our 40th Wedding Anniversary. ENZ worked with us every step of the way guiding and advising us until we had moulded our initial plans into a workable itinerary which almost exactly matched our initial requirements.. Nothing was too much trouble for them. The accommodation they recommended was quite exceptional and turned out to be a much bigger factor than we had originally thought in the overall enjoyment of our holiday. Everything down to excursions and car hire was included in the package and everything worked like a dream. The quality of information provided on our arrival in NZ was exceptional (including recommended driving routes to our selected accommodation, suggested dining alternatives and possible activities in each location ) ENZ offered extremely good value for money and we would not hesitate to use them again. Highly recommended. Thanks Helen and Leanne for making our special trip so memorable.
John and Irene, UK, February 2008
Dear, Kim! First of all on behalf of our small group I would like to thank you for the best organized trip we ever had!Everything was perfect, accommodation, tours, planning, rental car, cruise, scenic flight etc.Thank you also for managing our scenic flight while we enjoyed your country! Honestly, we thought that weather is always a 'force majeure' for planes and we didn't expect that you will be able to transfer that to another destination.But you managed to arrange everything, amazing! Thank you Kim.Just one thing - the trip was too short, but it means that we will be back to see more of your beautiful country!
Sandra, Baiba, Agris and Romualds, Latvia, February 2008
The three and a half weeks we spent traveling in New Zealand were just amazing, thanks to Kim's planning and guidance. It was an incredible journey where we experiened beauty, adventure, lovely accomodations and hosts. It was truely all we expected and more.
Laurie and Lanny, USA, February 2008
My husband and I can't say enough wonderful things about Experience New Zealand. Especially Denise, our travel agent. She gave great recommendations, a step by step itinerary, and great prices!! She is prompt, thorough and considerate. New Zealand is a wonderful place. We spent most of the time in the South Island. It is beautiful beyond words. And the people of New Zealand are exceptionally warm and friendly. We give Experience New Zealand and New Zealand itself a hearty 10!
Karen and Kevin, USA, February 2008
Experience New Zealand organised a trip of a lifetime for us. Their recommendations were spot on and our trip was seamless, with no problems along the way. If you use them you wont be disappointed - they will take the worry away!
Edwards Family, UK, January 2008
This was our second trip to New Zealand booked up for us by Experience New Zealand. Our itinerary was quite complicated and we made various changes whilst planning it and Experience New Zealand patiently sorted it out for us. Everything went according to plan with no hiccups along the way. We had a fantastic experience and will be back again hopefully.
Clive and Anne, UK, January 2008
Katie and I had a fantastic honeymoon in New Zealand, thanks to the hard work of Denise Campbell and her staff. She went above and beyond our expectations and provided us an experience we will never forget. The recommendations were spot on and the service was always amazing. We both fell in love with New Zealand and can't wait to return again for a future vacation. When we do, we will definitely go with Experience New Zealand Travel. I highly recommend the White Shadows Lodge in Queenstown for a getaway.
Rob and Katie, USA, January 2008
Experience NZ is the best travel agent weve ever used. We loved the customized itinerary, rapid answers to our queries throughout the process, and the outstanding selection of accommodations. ENZ really went the extra mile to satisfy our needs. The trip exceeded our expectations, and we just wish we had longer to spend in gorgeous New Zealand.
Marlene and Neville, USA, December 2007
We had a great time in New Zealand thanks to a perfect organisation and design of our stay with 3 children including a baby of 17 months!Will highly recommend the professional services of Experience New Zealand; Looking forward to coming back again in this beautiful country.
The Girin Family, China, December 2007
We had the holiday of a lifetiime. Next time we will visit north of Auckland - Bay of Islands. Then in South Island we will stay at one or two places and do day visits. Still the best holiday to date. Thanks for everything.
Lindsay and Jennie, UK, December 2007
Kim did an excellent job and was a delight to work with. She tuned in quickly to my interests and preferences, and put together a superb package of activities and lodgings.
Kathy, USA, December 2007
In the UK there are a lot of people advertising to be specialist in NZbut the people we split the holiday with were just generalistsmasquerading as specialists through branding. if we had our time againwe would book it all through natives such as yourselves. Perhaps you should advertise in the Sunday Times on this basis.
Peter, UK, December 2007
A Dream Vacation! Kim we can't praise or thank you enough for all you work in making this THE best holiday we have ever had. Our trip to Queenstown went like clockwork and the itinerary provided to us proved to be very helpful indeed with prompts to make confirmation calls etc. Accomodation selected for us by Kim was stunning to say the least.. and looking at the visitor book we weren't the only ones to think so. The activities planned for us were so much fun, and great value.My only regret is not knowing exactly where the second half of our stay was going to take us - otherwise we would have used your services further still.In a nutshell - A beautiful country that takes pride in itself. We will be back for sure.Best wishes for 2008 to Kim and all the experience NZ crew,Mark and the gang xxx
Mark, Alison, Lewis, Danny, Charlotte and Esme, Norwich, UK, December 2007
Great trip! New Zealand is a beautiful country. Id highly recommend a visit by anyone who loves beauty. Using Leanne as our travel agent was very helpful as she could provide first hand information on what is available and what would meet our desires.
Kathy, USA, December 2007
Our trip to New Zealand was made perfect by Experiencenz. It was tailored beautifully to what we wanted especially since we had never been there before and relied on your recommendations. Our honeymoon could not have been any better and the attention from Kim was second to none. You have a special company there and are a credit to your business and your country.We will remember it forever.
Brendan and Orla, Ireland, November 2007
I found your website very easy to move around and that your customer support was very helpful. I had never booked a holiday over the internet this way before and found that I was always provided with up to date information and costs etc. I also found that your company provided me with details I had not even considered and made the organising so much easier. A big thank you from myself (together with my brother and sister) for helping organise Dad's 50th present. I know that a big thanks comes from Mum and Dad. They had a ball and I am sure we will be hearing about it for a short while yet. :o)
Leah, Australia, October 2007
Leanne is an excellent agent, who listened to what we wanted to do, planned an excellent itinerary, had the patience and spent the time to make necessary changes due to allergies and budget. She provided a thorough package, including route, directions, timing, detailed maps and brochures - everything we needed to ensure a smooth trip. Due to Leanne's communications, every place we went, the hosts expected us and warmly greeted us. She was "right on top of it all".Every place Leanne recommended was special and made for a very memorable trip. The hosts were all gracious and amazingly accommodating and the places were off the beaten path, beautiful, and above anything we could have booked on our own.Hindsight shows us that we should have taken Leanne's initial itinerary - and only find a way to add Christchurch area. She knows what's best! Every recommendation she made was spot-on right. All of her ideas for hikes and side trips were perfect and made the trip special.
Chris and Bob, USA, October 2007
We really appreciated the service we got from Experience New Zealand. We could not have pulled together such an enjoyable visit without this help!
Bob and Enoch, USA, July 2007
Without a doubt, this was one of the best holidays we have ever had and the efficiency and expertise of the arrangements made by Kim was exemplary and unfaultable.Thankyou very much for making our holiday in New Zealand one to remember.
David and Louise, Singapore, March 2007
Highly recommended for individualized, detailed planning and recommendations. The itinerary was on target for what we wanted to see and much appreciated.
Barratt, USA, March 2007
Great service - highly recommended - they make the planning holidays so much easier!
Amanda and Patrick, Australia, March 2007
The knowledge and in-depth experience of having an agent in our destination country were priceless. I wish there was an "Experience New Zealand" in every country where we vacation! Our trip was well thought-through, exceeded our expectations, and went off without a hitch.
Lisa Mullan, USA, February 2007
Dear Helen, Just wanted to write and really thank you for organising our South Island trip. We had such a fantastic time and so enjoyed the experience. Thank you too for letting the Fiordland Navigator in on our 40th birthdays, that was a special touch. We were so thrilled with the accommodation, the hosts were 1st class, lovely people. Thank you too for the documentation and daily notes, this was so helpful in organising our days and took the worry out of have we forgotten anything?. We really appreciate your hard work and personal touch with suggestions and restaurant choices etc. Thank you so much!
Mark and Susan, UK, February 2007
Helen gave us a fast, efficient and friendly service throughout. We ended up with a super itinerary which, whilst quite complicated, went like clockwork. We would recommend Experience NZ in general and Helen in particular to anyone.
Pat and Jean, UK, February 2007
We would like to thank Kim Dixson and Silvana Bonderer for their excellent work and their patience with us in planning our trip to New Zealand. The planning took place over a whole year with e-mails back and forth and especially Kim was very good at considering the fact that we brought our 5 year old son.The actual trip was an eyeopener as to how friendly New Zealanders are and to the diversity of the nature especially compared to what we are used to here in Denmark/Europe.We will definitely recommend others to travel to New Zealand especially during the late summer time.
Anne Marie, Lennart and Jan, Denmark, February 2007
I would recommend to all my friends and family to book through Experience New Zealand. Everything they do is with the utmost care and professionalism. The itinerary that Kim worked out for us was the right pace and matched our tastes and budgets. We felt very confident in Kim with her expertise and attention to detail. It also helps that the South Island of New Zealand is one the most beatiful places with varied landscapes we've been too.
Irene and Mike, Los Angeles, CA, USA, February 2007
We asked Experience NZ to help us design a trip to New Zealand that would allow us to hike and explore the South Island with luxury accommodations along the way. We also wanted to visit the best wine producing regions. The trip of a a lifetime came true for us with your help!Winston Churchill said "I'm easily satisfied with the very best". Your recommendations enabled us to taste the best food and wine, drive the most beautiful roads, walk on the spectacular trails, fly through and land on snow capped mountains, cruise the world's most spectacular fiords - all the time staying in the most luxurious accommodations.We have traveled a fair amount over the years but we have never experienced nicer, more helpful and interesting people than we did in your country. Now that we are sufficiently spoiled we have no other option than to return and once again experience the beauty of course your country and your people. Many thanks.
Penny and Seth, USA, February 2007
I'm so glad that we found Experience NZ.com on the internet. It was Kim's personal reply that attracted me and the fact that you wanted to know a bit about the sort of people we are so that you could best help us.You were very patient when we dithered. All of your ideas and recommendations were excellent. You listened when I suggested we would like to do a different itinerary. You gave us good advice about not trying to cram too much in. Our itinerary in the end was perfect for us - it covered everything we had hoped to do in NZ and certainly exceeded our expectations.We were so pleased to meet you (and your colleagues) in Wellington. Do hope you didn't mind us dropping in. New Zealand is a fantastically varied country. We enjoyed driving along the wonderful open roads - it was a real pleasure to motor. We are glad we made use of domestic flights for long distances - they are very efficient and offer good value. Even the airports were a pleasure as they are so small and relaxed!We had hoped for so much on our first long trip together. We thought it couldn't possibly live up to our expectations, and it didn't. It exceeded them!We have come home with so many memories and hundreds of photos.
Judy and Andy, UK, February 2007
The site caters for all requirements and is very informative but it is the service behind the site that is 'top notch'. The communication was (despite the 13 hour time difference) rapid, friendly and relevant and the customer service staff deserve high praise for their efforts.
Paul and Janice, UK, February 2007
Let me start by saying that we toasted Glenn at every stay and experience. Each one seemed nicer than the previous. New Zealand is a treasureIm not sure you should be advertising it so wellmaybe best to keep quiet!! We loved it all, especially the little thingsThe Boat Shed Restaurant(!), WOW, The Bay Café, the seals, dolphins. Cant wait to come back.Thank you for your help with this trip.
Peg and Jerry Steinberg, USA, February 2007
We have been raving about our trip, and the incredible itinerary Glenn put together for us. The accommodations just got better and better. Both the pre-booked activities and restaurants and the ones suggested in the itinerary were terrific. We especially enjoyed the Boatshed Café in Nelson, the Te Papa museum in Wellington, the World of Wearable art in Nelson and the Bay House Café on the way to Hokitika, to name a few. The Siberia Experience, the Fox Glacier heli-hike,, and Doubtful Sound were truly memorable highlights of the trip. What a pleasure it was to open our itinerary every morning and have our days activities, routes, and accommodations mapped out for us. After the disappointment of the devastating fire at Mt. Prospect, we were so lucky to end up at Dock Bay, where Dawn arranged a visit to a local sheep and horse farm; we had the pleasure of touring the farm with Andy, who was gracious and generous with his time and expertise. Staying in B and Bs and lodges was a wonderful experiencewe met so many amazing people, both hosts and guests. The Resurgence Lodge was one of our favorites-Clarre and Peter made us feel right at home, and fed us fantastic meals. We enjoyed the experience of dining family style with the other guests. Mike and Bill at White Shadows were such warm and welcoming hoststhe setting, room, food, and attention to detail were amazingwe were fussed over and very well taken care of. Since weve only had a taste of what New Zealand has to offer, we are hoping to be lucky enough to return some day, and will definitely contact Experience New Zealand to help us plan our return trip.(There was one disappointmentour dinner at Herzog; while the setting, food and wine were excellent, we thought it was very priceythey charged us $20 for each bottle of waterand perhaps because they had a very large party at the same time, the service was disappointing)
Carol and Sol, USA, February 2007
Very helpful and excellent service. Itinerary and recommendation were great. Travel very good and professionally prepared. Kim is a gem!
Bo and Debbie, Sweden, January 2007
We have always planned our own trips. After tons of reading and getting a sense of what we wished to do, we found ourselves very uncertain about how long to spend at various locations. We found Denise (Experience New Zealand) on the Net and found her incredibly helpful. Upon arriving in county the itinerary she prepared was invaluable. We had clear driving directions including travel time and tips on finding each location. The B&Bs she recommended were wonderful and the hosts and hostesses added much to our enjoyment. Our trip was great!
John and Elaine , USA, January 2007
Our recent visit to New Zealand was wonderful in so many ways. The spectacular scenery, friendliness of the people, and variety of activities all helped make this holiday one for the memories. This would not have been possible without the hardwork and professionalism of Kim and Experience New Zealand. The logistics of this trip was totally hassle-free due to her recommendations and efficiency. Although we had only 3 weeks to explore both islands, Kim helped put together an itinerary which captured the essence of New Zealand while also satisfying our personal interests. We would highly recommend Kim and Experience New Zealand to anyone thinking about visiting New Zealand.
Ren, Kelly and Lily, Indonesia/USA, January 2007
We absolutely loved New Zealand and we're glad you encouraged us to stay longer than we originally planned. Because of your detailed planning our trip went so smoothly and we didnt have to spend any valuable time getting oriented to each new town.
Russell and Marilyn, USA, January 2007
We found New Zealand to be remarkable for its natural beauty, but what impressed us even more is the friendliness of its people. Everywhere we went, we met all kinds of interesting people who were so much fun to talk to, and so helpful when we needed a hand. Also, the bakeries in New Zealand are so full of delicious goodies, we were very glad to be in a land of hiking and outdoor activities, so that we could indulge!
Nancy and Family, USA, December 2006
Despite giving Kim the challenge of us trying to see the whole of NZ in one trip, she excelled at organising an itinerary that gave us a full flavour of most of the country, with carefully selected accommodation, activities and transportation inbetween. The service provided let us fully relax whilst we were there, knowing that Kim had our best interests at heart. I would certainly recommend using their services!
Simon and Cindy, UK, December 2006
The name says it all... your services really do allow people to Experience New Zealand! Kim was wonderful to work with and was a really good "guide" to someone who had never been to New Zealand before. I am recommending your services to all our friends who are considering a trip to this beautiful country!
The Martin Family, Illinois, USA, December 2006
Denise, you have totally spoiled us for any further trips. You custom made our holiday. All our thoughts, ideas and expectations for visiting New Zealand were met and then some. You created an itinerary for us, then changed it and changed it again because we kept throwing all these ideas at you. You were determined to make sure that we saw and did everything that we wanted to. When you finally announced that "I think you're going to love this" I knew that we would. You gave us a New Zealand holiday that I could only have dreamed about. Thankyou so much.
Angi, David and Jamie, Canada, December 2006
We have never used a trip planning service like yours before and were a little sceptical at the outset. But you all have proven absolutely invaluable. You provided extremely thorough information prior to our trip and extraordinarily well-organized and detailed information during our stay. Thank you for making our experience of New Zealand a fabulous one!
Cecelia and James, Qatar, December 2006
We couldn't be more pleased with the great service, planning and support from Experience New Zealand. Planning a trip for ten people (three generations) is a challenge; but thanks to you it was the trip of a lifetime for all of us. The Lakeside Apartments were perfect for us in every way. The setting on Lake Wanaka is breathtaking and the units themselves were perfect. We were sad to leave!Difficult to focus on a highlight of the trip as it was all fantastic; but the Doubtful Sound cruise would have to be the high point. I hesitate to say too much about it, because it is one of those jewels I selfishly want to keep to myself. Words don't do it justice. The ship, the crew, the food, the views, the entire experience - fabulous! We were fortunate that we had a lot of rain . The more the better, as the mountains literally explode with waterfalls. Yet, the waters were calm enough to get us out to Nee Island to see the fur seals. Thanks for the experience of a lifetime! Also, a big thanks to Trish Popperwell from Wanaka Sightseeing. She's the only person I know who could convince our group of ten to re-enact a battle scene from Lord of the Rings! Her knowledge, warmth and humour made the LOTR tour a great day.
Alexis and Family, Australia/USA, December 2006
We can strongly recommend the great service delivered by Experience New Zealand. They managed to give us a very good introduction to New Zealand in the short time we had. We had a very memorable and packed holiday. Thanks Helen for all your work.
Ganesh and Elizabeth, UK, December 2006
I cannot adequately express what a wonderful job Experience New Zealand did in planning our holiday adventure. Every suggestion was spot on and helped to make our familys trip so memorable. Our accommodations in Wanaka were so beautiful with incredible sunrise views, more than enough room for our large group and enough distance between our young adult children and ourselves that we could actually sleep! Trish and Steve Popperwell guided us through wine adventure unlike any other. By the completion of the tour, they were family! The Doubtful Sound overnight cruise was truly remarkable. The accommodations, the crew, the commentary all were superb. But the scenery left me speechless which is not an easy thing to do. Like my sister, I do not want to talk it up too much as I loved the remote, unspoiled nature of the place. Simply put, to me it was heaven on earth. The Manata Lodge, with wonderful Ethel and Warren, was a delight with its pastoral setting and warm, welcoming décor. Again, Trish Popperwell guided us through Lord of the Rings locales with humor, behind the scenes knowledge and enthusiasm, despite some cold weather. And, I got to play a dead body in a re-enactment! Its a must-do tour! Thank you, thank you for the experience of a lifetime! Were already talking about our return visit, and Experience New Zealand will be the first place well contact!
Stephanie and Family, USA, December 2006
The lodgings were all very clean and attractive and the hosts unfailingly nice. All were good, some were truly outstanding.Although not on the scheduled activities we went paragliding off Coronet Peak and also on the Dart River Safari. Both activities were phenomenal. It helped that we had really nice weather around Queenstown.We also went on the Siberia Experience. We were rained out the first day, but fortunately were able to go the next day without affecting the rest of the itinerary. The Siberia Experience was really a highlight of the trip for me.
Nikos and Ines, Puerto Rico, November 2006
Our trip was meticulously planned with care and attention specific to our interests. Kim Dixson is a "vacation experience designer" not a travel agent! We loved New Zealand because of her excellent guidance, recommendations and expertise. Thank you!
Tracy, Todd and Oliver, USA, November 2006
Experience New Zealand provided very good value for the cost guiding us to some wonderful B&Bs. We used Experience New Zealand for both of our trips to New Zealand!
Vicki Kulifay, USA, November 2006
This was our first trip to New Zealand and as it was our honeymoon, we wanted it to be as perfect as possible. Experience NZ arranged everything and made extremely intelligent recommendations throughout from when to visit to the things to do and how to best plan our time. Mary and I are extremely grateful to the entire Experience NZ staff who helped us plan our trip and would unreservedly recommend them to anybody who is planning to visit this beautiful country.Thanks for all of the friendly, thorough and professional service which helped make our honeymoon a totally exceptional and wonderful experience.
Shaun and Mary, Norco, California, USA, November 2006
Thank you to Kim and Experience New Zealand for turning our honeymoon into the trip of a lifetime for us! We will never forget the wonderful places we stayed and people we met while we visited the magical South Island. Our friends and family have been gushing over our photos (all 800 of them!). We are so glad we put the planning into the hands of such a friendly, fun,and knowledgeable travel agency.
Colleen and Tim, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, November 2006
Absolutely stunning and amazing experience. My daughter and I had the trip of a lifetime together and it will always be a time to remember. Kim was great with her recommendations and honest advice. I chose Experience NZ on blind faith and I couldn't have been more pleased. We were treated to the hospitality of our hosts New Zealand is known for and were shown the true meaning of taking a holiday. Our excursions and adventures were taken care of and the vouchers were readily accepted. Now all I need to do is organize the 800+ photographs (couldn't help it - everywhere was awesome). Thank you Kim for your exceptional service. I will recommend you to anyone I know headed your way!!
Debbie and Aimee, USA, November 2006
Our Honeymoon in NZ was everything we had hoped for and more. We limited our 12 day trip to the South Island in order to stay at a couple of places for an extend amount of time. A three day stay in the remote Awaroa Lodge was a perfect way to start our honeymoon. Only accesible by either a Cessna or a Watertaxi, this lodge was a great homebase to explore the amazingly beautiful Abel Tasman Park. Other highlights included the Fox Glacier hike (a uniquely New Zealand experience), The Siberian Experience, and the Wine Tasting tour (a designated driver is a requirement for this one!). And to top it off, the Kiwis are some of the most friendly and inviting people in the world. Everyone of our hosts made us feel right at home. Finally, This trip would not have gone as smoothly without the help of our Experience New Zealand Agent Kim. Thanks Kim!
Juan and Nicci, USA, November 2006
Helen was fantastic. She really understood our interests and tried to suggest activities and places which catered to those interests. Helen was very friendly, thorough, and followed up with us appropriately without being intrusive (as we often delayed in getting back to her). She was knowledgeable of location of accommodations and their proximity to national parks and areas of interest (which helped with commute time and sleep time). You are in good hands with Helen! Abel Tasman is a must! Hiking, kayaking, and wine tasting in the region provided for a perfect vacation. Ruby Bay Vineyard Cottage was one of the best places we've ever stayed. We couldn't recommend it enough. The hosts were warm, fun, and helpful in providing advice or suggestions. Everyone who visits New Zealand should spend some time in Queenstown and/or Wanaka. Tish and Murray at Evergreen Lodge were fun, interesting, and couldn't have represented New Zealand any better. Bay of Islands Lodge was a comfortable, well located accommodation. Glennis and Peter were excellent hosts with a great sense of humour and amazing cooking skills. Bay of Islands has beautiful beaches and plenty of different opportunities for boating adventures. We'd recommend a visit to the Bay of Islands and the Bay of Islands Lodge if you're going to be in the North Island.
Jason and Adrienne, USA, October 2006
Our holiday in New Zealand will certainly be remembered as one of the best, it certainly lived up to it's expectations. This was brought about by a truly professional company who are certainly dedicated to ensuring that their clients receive value for money and leave New Zealand feeling fulfilled, as we certainly were. A young company with a dedicated staff,who I would place at the top of their profession and we wish them well for the future. Helen - we thank you for all the hard work that you did on our behalf in bringing this wonderful holiday about. We will always remember your beautiful country and its wonderful people even though you beat our rugby team on Sunday. Take care, and thank you once again.
Marlene and Gordon, UK, October 2006
Experience NZ were invaluable to our trip planning for NZ, particularly given the short amount of time that we had to maximise our enjoyment of the South Island. Kim was always efficient and friendly, consistently guiding us to the most appropriate accomodation and activity options for our requirements. A must for first time visitors.
Ian and Emma, UK, October 2006
Travelling from the US to NZ takes a long time, and we wanted to maximize our vacation. ExperienceNZ not only provided great personalized attention and recommendations (including sites and accommodations that only insiders would know about), they also provided impeccable documentation, detailed planning and bookings, and comprehensive travel tips. Our experience in NZ would have fallen short without ExperienceNZ!
Randy and Todd, USA, October 2006
Our agent, Kim Dixson, did not miss a beat. She read us well, and responded to every wish and need we expressed. With the information we provided, she hit the B and B's right on. As a group, we could not have located and booked a wider and more enjoyable variety of lodgings. Our experience with the hosts far exceeded our expectations. We've travelled a bit in a variety of countries, and the accommodations have never measured up to these. In most of the places, by the time we left, we felt that we had experienced the best of the Kiwi's, and established a new set of friends. You can't ask for more than that.We have already passed along information to our friends who are interested in perhaps taking a vacation there, about ExperienceNZ.com. Many months ago, as we surfed the web for an in-country website, we discovered your website. We sent out an email outlining our plans and need for assistance. We literally got a response from Glen in just a few hours. When he handed us off to Kim, we soon discovered we had our "new best friend in NZ." Our only regret was that we only flew through Wellington, and did not actually get to meet any of the crew.
Joe and Marie, USA, August 2006
I consider myself a world traveler and will always find myself heading back to New Zealand and using Experience NZ travel! Thanks to Helen, my new husband and I had the trip of a lifetime! The trip was totally catered to our specific needs and the bed and breakfast's we stayed in were perfect! Thanks for everything.
Dena and Bill, USA, July 2006
Experience New Zealand helped us sort out what the best itinerary would be for our family and then set everything in motion from tours to accommodation to transportation. They made everything easy and enjoyable. New Zealand is a beautiful country and we are so happy we got to see so much of it with the help of Experience New Zealand. Thanks Helen!! We will be recommending you!!
Mary Ann and Robert, Hong Kong, July 2006
This was a perfect trip. I have never seen so many things go right when so many things could've gone so wrong. Helen really made everything worth it, she helped us plan what we did and we couldn't have enjoyed ourselves nearly as much without all the planning she did for us. She matched us perfectly with accommodations and adventures and kept us right on budget! The itinerary was very easy to follow; the accommodations matched and generally exceeded our expectations. She chose great outfits to go on the adventures with. The food suggestions were great. I would NEVER visit your country again without calling her first.
George and sons George and Dale, USA, July 2006
Our trip has been one of the best vacations we've experienced. All the accommodation were what we wanted. Remote and off the beaten path. The interaction with Kim Dixson was extremely helpful. Mildly disappointed that the excursion to Doubtful Sound didn't work out, but the variety of hikes and scenic drives was a good alternative. We're already in the planning stage for our next trip to New Zealand.
Eileen and Bob, USA, May 2006
Kim gave us a lot of great suggestions of things to do and see and took the stress out of finding the right type of accommodation for our needs. Would definately use Kim's skills and experience again and would highly recommend her as an agent to anyone wishing to travel to NZ.
Julie, Jamie and Harrison, Australia, April 2006
An easy web site to move around. It covers all aspects of travel and adventure in N.Z.The response to questions and bookings is excellent.Thanks Kim, love your country, we will be back.
Bernie and Maggie, Australia, April 2006
Given the limited amount of time we had in N.Z., your itinerary was probably the best. The accomodations were excellent, and the places we visited ceratinly matched or outdid our expectations. I would opt for more time in Christchurch next time. And we are looking forward to all that the North Island has to offer. The services that Experience NZ provides are a real advantage to total strangers like us; we could never have accomplished so much without your guidance and your capacity to do all the necessary bookings, maps, restaurants, hosts, etc. Congratulations on defining and operating a very special kind of travel service.
David and Heidi, USA, April 2006
We have travelled all over the world and Experience New Zealand did the best job for us of any travel agent we have ever used. They matched our interests to the planned trip perfectly. They were extremely responsive. They gave us absolutely the custom trip experience without all the custom trip costs, and we truly got personal attention. The places we stayed all well exceeded our expectations. Their knowledge of New Zealand and their recommendations are all based on personal experience which helps tremendously. All the innkeepers where we stayed spoke very highly of their interactions with Experience New Zealand. I liked the fact that we were able to combine their recommendations along with some arrangements we wanted to make on our own. Their flexibility in designing what YOU want to do, combined with their intimate knowledge of New Zealand, made our trip an outstanding travel experience. In working with Experience New Zealand, it was like having friends who really know the country make all the travel plans for you and everything they plan exceeds your expectations.
Doug, USA, March 2006
Helen, thank you very much for organizing our trip to New Zealand. Your recommended itinerary and accommodations were absolutely perfect! The trip was made so much better being planned by people knowledgeable about NZ&we would have been lost otherwise and not seen nearly the interesting places that we did. The hosts at the B&Bs were so welcoming and friendly perfect suggestions! I'll use Experience NZ again when I return there for another fabulous holiday!!!
Andrew and Janet, USA, March 2006
Manesh and I would like to thank Experience Travel New Zealand, and in particular Kim, who made the planning and execution of our trip to New Zealand as smooth as a possible and very memorable. Thank you for everything!
Hasmita and Manesh, Switzerland, March 2006
We had a fantastic time on our 3 week trip to NZ. By using your company we saved a lot of time having to preplan too many things ourselves or waste valuable time on arrival in a town looking for a place to stay. The additional suggestions in the itinerary of activities and restaurants was also useful. I would definitely recommend using your agents again.
Jim and Mary Allen, USA, February 2006
Our trip organised by Experience New Zealand was fabulous. The standard of accommodation and hire car was exemplary. The whole thing went without a hitch and they had thought of everything down to marking our route on the map! It was totally hassle free and meant that we could get on with enjoying ourselves and seeing as much of New Zealand as possible.
Kirsty Lloyd and Dan, UK, February 2006
To sum up our trip... it was fantastic! You did a great job in every aspect. We will highly recommend you and your agency to all of our friends and business contacts who are considering New Zealand for their next vacation. There are so many great things to say about the trip, that it would take up several pages. Thanks for doing such a fine job for us.
Bernie and Gwyn, Alaska, February 2006
Our New Zealand experience was wonderful, because Kim was so apt at personalizing it to our needs and interests. Having never being there, she interpreted our interests with her knowledge and created a wonderful experience. Thank you Kim....
Caroline and Jerry, USA, February 2006
Experience New Zealand team make wonderful holiday for the whole Chion-Hock family, including discovery, very good program and finding the best rate quality/price for the accommodations........... MERCI BEAUCOUP SILVANA !!!!
Corinne, Didier, Myriam and Adrien, Ile de La Réunion , January 2006
To travel to the other side of the planet not knowing much about the place you're going can be a nerve-wracking experience, but using Experience New Zealand to book our honeymoon was one the best decisions we've ever made! The three weeks we spent travelling the country were absolutely magical! From the top of the North Island, to the bottom of the South, every place we stayed and every adventure we took were amazing and exactly suited to our tastes. Thank you Experience New Zealand, for making our dream vacation a reality!
Michelle and Matt, USA, January 2006
Excellent planning services saved us a lot of time and provided me with relaxed accommodation in locations and properties we would not have been able to find by ourselves..
Mercier family, Hong Kong, January 2006
Experience New Zealand did a nice job for us on both trips. We were unfamiliar with the areas and they handled the arrangements without a hitch. Even now that I know more about where to go and what to do, I will use their services in the future. They serve as a great resource and add value to the trip. Thankyou.
Charlie and Vicki, USA, January 2006
Our travels through New Zealand were significantly enhanced by the thorough and thoughtful planning of Helen at ENZ. We enjoyed the level of involvement in the planning on the front end and reaped the benefits at every destination.
Wendy, Keith, Sydney and Abby, USA, January 2006
We found the documents at the Budget counter and were very positively surprised regarding all the information you had gathered for us. Everything worked out excellently and we had a wonderful time in NZ. The mobile home was extremely well equipped and huge. We probably should have spent less hours on the road since the roads are quite windy and steep and driving a 3.5 ton mobile home on the wrong side of the road just adds to the complexity a bit. We also used some of your excellent recommendations for dining both in Kaikoura and in Christchurch. Thank you for arranging everything for us so nice. We felt really pampered. We showed your travel itinerary to our kiwi friends in Auckland and they were very surprised a NZ company would do so much. So pad yourself on the back for that.
Jonas, Marie-Louise, Fredrik, Gustaf, Cecilia , Sweden, January 2006
This was the adventure of a lifetime. Glenn put together a fantastic trip for our honeymoon. The accommodations were extraordinary, the food and wine recommendations were fabulous, and the activities Glenn arranged were a blast. We had a great time exploring the South Island and we can't wait to return to NZ some day.
Michelle and Joshua, USA, January 2006
Unbeatable local knowledge. The best arranged trip we have ever had anywhere.
Peter, USA, January 2006
It can't get any better than this. Kim and her team know their stuff, and most importantly, they plan for what you want, personalize your trip, saves you all the hassle and put that wow factor into your travel. . I will use them again for my next trip to NZ
Yanghong and Xueyi , Singapore, January 2006
With Helen it was "no worries". As the trip went along we often said, well let's see if Helen can top the last place, and sure enough she did. Was surprised how easily the trip came together just using e-mail. Only complaint is we did not get to meet her. Sorry we didn't get to chat on the phone at the end of our trip. You get an A+. Most everything equaled or exceeded our expectations. Really appreciated the detail of your driving instructions. Accommodations were terrific, everything went without a hitch.
Bob and Laney, USA, January 2006
Helen, thank you for all your assistance in planning our trip to the South Island of New Zealand. Our family had a wonderful time with activities that we all enjoyed! We shared exciting experiences together, like tandem skydiving to River Surfing to quiet elegance of Doubtful Sound. These are all great memories for our family. Thank you again!
The Kopp Family, Hong Kong, January 2006
An email to thank you for arranging a fabulous holiday in NZ. We had a great time and were amazingly lucky with the weather: raining only on one day in Wanaka, and that was the day we chose to get very wet anyway by going canyoning. Overall a fantastic trip that we'll never forget, and very sad to leave. Only consolation that we'll certainly be back. Your service is excellent, really taking the time to work out what sort of clients you are dealing with and what would suit them. I like the transparency of your charges too. The itinerary and welcome pack with all brochures also first rate. I'll recommend you unreservedly to anyone thinking of going to wonderful NZ
UK Clients, UK, December 2005
We have used Experience New Zealand twice now and have been extremely pleased with both trips. Its the best of both worlds: the freedom of a self-drive tour along with the comfort in knowing the plan was done someone with so much experience and ability. Too bad there is not someone like them in every country.
Jim and Lea, Singapore, December 2005
Hindsight being a wonderful thing, we tried to cram in a little too much, particularly in the last few days but the things that stand out are: the friendliness of most of our hosts, the awesome scenery around each bend and the memories of seeing 11 whales, the magical experience of swimming with seals, all 3 children celebrating Boxing Day with bungy jumps over Queenstown, an 18km sea kayak, a 14km trek through the equivalent of rainforest and the true sound of silence in Fiordland: can we come back?!Thank you so much Denise
Graham and Sharon, Great Briatin, December 2005
Silvana, Just some words to tell you that we had a wonderful vacation in New Zealand. The country is so nice, the weather, the people, the attractions, the motorhome... everything was great!
Cecilia, Mexico, December 2005
Denise was amazing. She is patient and helpful and so full of information and suggestions. There were four of us involved in developing the itinerary and activities, all of us with differing opinions. Deciding on the final itinerary was a long, difficult process. Denise was terrific at helping us to focus on the amazing places to visit and stay, and the great things to do once we got to each location. I would highly recommend Denise to any friends traveling to New Zealand. She's an unbelievable wealth of knowledge. This was Jerry and my third trip to New Zealand. And, by far, this trip was one of the best we've ever taken. In my opinion, the success of our trip is due, in large measure, to Denise's patience, guidance and input.
Debbie and Jerry, USA, November 2005
We have done a lot of traveling in the last 40 years, but I think that New Zealand is probably the most beautiful place on earth! It was a great experience and Denise planned a perfect trip for us. Thank you. Sandy and Renee
Sandy and Renee, USA, November 2005
Hi Helen, We had a fantastic time in New Zealand. Nelson was our favorite city, so glad you recommended it to us. The trip was unforgetable and all of our stays were superb. We will recommend your agency and you to anyone looking for a fabulous vacation.
Jan and Mark, USA, November 2005
Helen, all the plans that you made for us were excellent! You really understood what kind of trip we were looking for, what kind of accommodations we wanted, and were very prompt in answering all our questions!!
Anne and Gordie, Canada, November 2005
New Zealand is a spectacular, unspoiled treasure. Working with Glenn and his team let us enjoy the trip and not worry about the details. The accommodations and activities they arranged were perfect for us. It couldn't have gone any better.
Dan, USA, November 2005
Silvana,The pleasure has been mine. You have been very prompt and and informative with all your responses and I would not hesitate to recommend you to anyone that wants to travel there in the future. Thank you for all your help and recommendations, tips, suggestions, etc. Take care
Fernando, USA, November 2005
Denise was exceptional in the planning and execution of our trip to the South Island of New Zealand. Her recommendations were intelligent and well thought out to reflect our objectives and interests. Throughout our collaborative planning process, she was always highly communicative and responded to all of our communications in a timely and comprehensive fashion. I have very high standards for those I do business with, and Denise has met or exceeded all of my expectations. We would recommend her to everyone without reservation!
Ron and Susan, USA, November 2005
Glenn, It is approaching almost 1 year since our trip to New Zealand and we have not stopped thinking about it. We have taken it upon ourselves to be self-appointed ambassador constantly promoting New Zealand tourism. There are so many wonderful things about your country that we fell in love with Whare Kea, Martinborough Wine Festival, and Wharekauhau just to name a few. The people, the scenery, the adventures and excursions, it was everything we wanted and it offered so much more than we could have imagined. We want to plan our Winter and Summer trips well in advance, before more people discover New Zealand and bookings become scarce.There is no doubt in our minds that we were able to experience this amazing New Zealand vacation because of the knowledgeable travel agent that crafted our itinerary. Glenn, your honest advice and attentive customer service made a lasting impression on us. We have many friends in the US travel business and they are rightfully impressed when we share with them what we have come to know as Glenn's brand of customer service.We look forward to the years ahead, which will bring us back to New Zealand. We will be calling you very soon!
Ken, USA, November 2005
If you ever go to New Zealand, be sure to contact Silvana Bonderer at Experience New Zealand. She did a fantastic job setting things up for us! From accommodations to shuttles, everything she arranged was a big success! We'd use her services again in a heartbeat!
Lorie, USA, November 2005
We recently visited Australia for three weeks followed by New Zealand for three more. After spending many days putting together our own accommodations, travel, and sight seeing packages for Australia from dozens of internet sites, we were very happy to run across the Experience New Zealand web site. At first our plan was to use some of the information ENZ provides on its site to simply help plan our New Zealand adventure. But the uniqueness and diversity of what New Zealand has to offer made it quite apparent that the expertise of ENZ was exactly what we needed. The entire process of planning and approving the trip with Glenn Campbell was a joy and the end result could not have been better. We don't know where or when but we shall return to New Zealand if for no other reason than to let ANZ do it again.
Warren and Joey, USA, November 2005
Thank you Helen for organising a fantastic honeymoon for us. You took all the hassle out of planning an itinerary and booking accommodation and the places you booked for us were all amazing. New Zealand is a great travel destination with world class scenery and hospitality. We'll definitely be back soon!
Rory and Rebecca, Australia, October 2005
Denise, We are all very pleased with the lack of stress we incurred in lining up what looks like a spectacular trip in New Zealand. Had we tried to do this on our own, we clearly would have missed most of the important sites. Thanks again for all your help.
Neil, USA, October 2005
Experince NZ provided a fantastic service and made our trip to New Zealand much easier as all the hassle was taken away from us. Silvana kept us regularly informed and planned our itinerary perfectly. If getting a motor home go for the biggest you can as space a big problem in the 2 berths and go for the all inclusive insurance deal as we would have had to pay $700 for a new windscreen if we had not. We had a brilliant holiday and would definitely use Experience NZ again. Thanks.
Jean and Darren, Cyprus, October 2005
Denise, Well, we have finally settled back here in the UK. Its time to put pen to paper and try to sum up our experience. We are absolutely sure that had we tried to organise a 3 week holiday for seven of us, followed by a two week honeymoon, on our own we would have come badly adrift. However, having read your website and spoken to you that first time we knew that you were the company to help us. All of the venues that we received guidance on from you were just right for our needs and were certainly set in some amazing locations, especially the honeymoon hotels/cottages. You can be assured that you have our fullest recommendation. Denise, Glenn and all of your excellent staff, we would like to thank you for being so professional, friendly and wonderfully supportive. To travel to the other side of the world is quite an undertaking, to book everything with a company that you dont know is a brave decision, but you have all made our journey of a life-time as easy as a trip within our own country.
Jon and Yvonne, UK, September 2005
Denise, You exceeded our expectations. I appreciate your helping us with Dylan who became ill during the trip. ENZ is a service I would highly recommend folks to consider. We usually just go on our own schedule. However, this was better because the level of accommodation and recommended restaurants were consistent to our levels of expectations (which we discussed with Denise in our telephone session).
Smith family, USA, September 2005
Denise, As we worked through our itinerary we realised just how much work you had put into it. It was such a varied programme, giving us a great opportunity to see so much of your beautiful country. For that, we give you many, many thanks. We would also like to say that the hosts in each region were all so kind, and a real pleasure to be with. As with you, we will never forget them. Thank you once again Denise for making our holiday in New Zealand such a wonderful experience.
Pearl and Gordon, UK, August 2005
Dear Ian, Greetings from your happy customer from the Netherlands! You have asked for some photos which is difficult as I took about 600 photos! In summary, we very much enjoyed our travels in NZ with Pacific Horizon, despite the rain. The vehicles themselves were probably on the small side (but that was our choice); but were problem free. I must also comment on the charming and helpful personel at the Christchurch and Wellington depots. We very much enjoyed our time in Wellington with our children. If it was not for the rain we might have seen more of the city. Thank you once again for your help in making our trip to NZ a success. Take Care. Kind regards,
Jan de Vries, Netherlands, March 2005
Dear Ian, We are back in speeding Hong Kong life style, and trust me this is a big deal to go back to normal life after the so nice time we get in NZ.My family and I thank you and your company for the great service and care you provided us with. It was a really amazing trip across the South Island. We drove 1600km within 11 days and took about 600 digital pictures! Sometimes we even had to say "ok, hold-on with photo, we will never reach the target of the day if we stop every 2km for some nice pictures" It seems your place is like paradise and just proves it's real and not just dream. Once we stopped for lunch on small sandy riverbank and got stuck with the rear wheels spinning and sliding. I had to dig by hand in the sand in order to stuff the wheels with wood and stones and I was covered with hundreds of sand flies within 5 minutes. Three weeks later I still have few marks and I never experience such itchy things. This is a funny story but for sure we are not about to forget our time in NZ. In fact we have already done some expectations for the next one.Thanks again.
Stephane, Sophie, Camille et Marie, Hong Kong, March 2005
Hi Ian, We are back from your wonderful country and wished we could have stayed longer! We had a GREAT trip. We loved the ruralness of the country, miles and miles of pastures, sheep, cows and horses. The Doubtful Sound overnite trip was awesome! it rained over 1 1/2 feet while we were in the area but we felt that it was the best way to see the rain forest. I don't think we have ever seen so many waterfalls! We enjoyed everything we did but I think the two things that stick out in my mind were the Doubtful sound trip and the Walter Peak Farm excursion. I would repeat those. The top 10 holiday parks were also fantastic. Thanks again for helping to make our trip a wonderful experience!Warm regards,
Christine, USA, February 2005
We are so grateful to Helen at Experience NZ Travel. She took care of making all of our travel arrangements and was very efficient and right on target with meeting our family needs. We enjoyed our trip and all the accommodations and outings were outstanding!
The DuCharme Family, Singapore, February 2005
Dear Denise,We arrived home on Sunday after a spectacular trip. Marsha and I want to thank you for your help. Everywhere we went we were greeted warmly and treated extraordinarily well. We particularly enjoyed the Queen Charlottes trek, but to single out one part that was better than another is impossible. Queenstown and Punatapu were wonderful. The surprise of the trip was the one day Routeburn trek that Sue from Punatapu suggested. Meg and John at Riverrun in Wanaka were terrific hosts, etc. etc. They suggested kayaking on the Clutha. I fell out of the kayak (I have never fallen out of any watercraft before) and had a truly enjoyable swim in the rapids before getting back in the kayak. A memorable experience.There were three unexpected highlights of the trip. One was the incredible warmth of the Kiwis wherever we went. The second was the outstanding beauty of the flora and fauna something that needs to be seen in person to be believed. Third was the interaction with other travelers from all over the world, whether they were at Riverrun, Punatapu, St. Mary's Convent etc or trekking with us in the Queen Charlotte sound.We enjoyed having lunch with you and appreciate your help in arranging and directing us to the wonders of New Zealand. Warmest regards
Mark and Marsha, USA, January 2005
Dear Denise,Gary and I are finally home and just had to let you know what an incredible time you planned for us. Our accommodations were superb and all the hosts made us feel like family. Each one was so different that we couldn't wait to meet what lay ahead. Our days just flew! The one thing you should have insisted upon is that we give ourselves at least 6 more weeks in your beautiful country! We're already talking about coming back to take in the Bay of Islands, the Coromandel Pennisula, the Catlins, and Stewart Island. Thank you so much for steering us in the right direction. We couldn't have enjoyed a trip any more than we did and we certainly will recommend you for our friends who are talking about coming to NZ.Warm Regards,
Loe and Gary , USA, January 2005
Nicola, Thank you for such a hard work you have done organizing and taking care of our trip. Right now it is Monday almost 2:00 am in Mexico City and just for curiosity I checked my e-mails to see if I had some news from you, and .... all my trip was there! Thank you very much.I spoke with Tere this morning and told her about how nice, good, professional and fast you are when helping me organize everything. I also told her that amazingly enough I decided to leave everything in your hands regarding our trip organization and planning; she knows me very well, and could not believe it and was amazed about it, since I never do it, usually I do the planning myself and it is very difficult for me to trust someone else and let someone do all the planning and organization for me. I told her that I did it because you gave me a sense of complete trust. It is never too late to change our way of thinking, don't you think?
Mr H Lopez C, Mexico, December 2004
Helen, You are absolutely marvelous, and I will send all our friends to you in the future. I can't thank you enough for all the work you have done for us. You are obviously swamped, juggling hundreds of tourists and their tours, so it is very impressive that you've kept us so well informed and made us feel so welcome.
Liz , USA, December 2004
Dear Ian, We have now been home (sadly) nearly a week but still feel overwhelmed by our experiences in New Zealand, you do live in a fantastic country. The scenery etc was fantastic, but NZ's biggest asset is it's people who's friendliness and above all positivety are to be treasured. Please export shiploads of positivety to the UK, we need it. Everything that you had arranged went superbly. Our overnights with the van were at Hokitika, Wanaka, Lumsden, Papatowai, Portobello, Milford, Frankton and Ashburton. Some of the sites had more to offer than others but all were of a good standard and superior to most of their European counterparts. I must thank you again for all the work you did for us and I have reccomended experiencenz to a couple of colleagues who have expressed an interest in NZ. We cant wait to visit again! Kind Regards
Reg, UK, November 2004
Ian, what can I say? A truly mind blowing experience, we are already excitedly planning for our return in autumn. The scenic beauty of the South Island was only surpassed by the hospitality of the people. Without any doubt in my mind I will say the highlight of the trip was the drive through Haast Pass, Unbelievable. The Lower Buller Gorge was also outstanding. Actually, everywhere we went was wonderful. I wish to add that had it not been for your knowledge of NZ travel and your attention to detail our NZ holiday would or I should say could not have been such a fantastic experience, EVERYTHING you organised was spot on and free of any hang-ups. The Pacific Horizon motorhome was exceptional and equipped with everything that anyone could possibly need for a holiday and the staff we encountered were extremely friendly and helpful. I could rave on for hours about the beauty of NZ of which you are more than fully aware. I will contact you in the New Year .
Alexander, Australia, October 2004
Ian, I don't know how we could possibly thank you enough for making this happen for us!! Everyday has been a magical and surreal experience. I was very sad to have to come home (most trips I am happy to come home), but this one has really taken our hearts and has made me insanely in love with the country. My girlfriends are all jealous!! Please keep in touch and you will come highly recommended amongst friends and family. We've heard nothing but good things from your recommended locations. Good job!! And thank you for making this birthday absolutely memorable. My 40th is going to be hard to beat!! Andrew is already getting nervous about what he has to come up with to beat New Zealand. (I'm thinking we should just purchase some property and a home there for my 40th Hee Hee).Thank you again and take care!!Absolutely in love, Helen
Andrew and Helen, USA, September 2004
Hi Denise, We are home now after the best holiday ever! Thank you for everything you did for us. It was a holiday of a lifetime, and we have done a lot of travelling in the past. Christchurch was fun, despite Nick spraining his ankle the day we arrived (jetlagged going down the stairs at Hambledon).Calvin, the host, very kindly ran us to the nearest clinic where they x-rayed it and luckily no broken bones. We enjoyed everywhere we went, Lake Tekapo was lovely and the Grand View very comfortable, Wanaka was a favourite, the Lakeview Apartments were very stylish and a beautiful view. We loved the Siberia Experience and we had great weather, also Doubtful Sound was a highlight (accommodation and food couldn’'t be better) and the kayaking was great fun. The West Coast was amazing especially Fox Glacier and Lake Matheson. Punakaiki, and the rain forest were interesting. Villa 10 was a truly lovely spot with great views. We all loved Wellington and The Gatehouse was the best. Lisa made us feel right at home and Ben got on well with her son Elliot same age. The Lord of the Rings tour was brilliant, and Ben loved it! Garth was really good showing us around. The Chocolate Fish Cafe was wonderful. We have so many great memories, so thank you again for everything; we will have to come back as we didn'’t have time for the North Island Warm regards Sue
The Goodson family, UK, April 2004
Hello Glenn. Brian and I have been back from New Zealand now for almost 3 weeks and we are still missing New Zealand. Everything you have recommended have been great and the only thing that I would change is instead of a 2 week vacation, I want a 4 week vacation...just on the south island. Both the north and south island are beautiful but we both agree that we would come back and stay longer on the south island. The scenaries, mountains, vistas, views, activies in the south island is worth every second. I think everyone that have viewed our photos have also decided that New Zealand would be their next vacation spot.Our trip was wonderful thanks to you. We got where we needed to do and everything was set so we had no worries. Thanks for making our trip so great.
Linda and Brian, USA, April 2004
Glenn, First off, I've remarked to a number of people that it was one of, if not the best, trip we have ever taken. The accommodations were superb. With few exceptions, the itinerary couldn't have been better for an introductory trip to NZ. I would emphasize that three and a half weeks is a bare minimum - and at that you only scratch the surface. Our sticking to two nights minimum at each accommodation was essential. In fact the most enjoyable stops were the three and four day ones. With two nights you only get one day to enjoy the area. While you can see a number of things while driving to your next stop, you need the full days to really do anything. We ARE coming back and wholeheartedly recommend your services to anyone contemplating a trip to NZ. Next time we would like to spend more time in the Bay of Islands - but then we could just do the whole itinerary over again and be happy!!!!
Bruce and Sue, USA, April 2004
Hi Glenn, Just wanted to thank you. All along the trip we coincidentally met people who you or Denise had put trip's together for and they were all raving about your choices. We had a delightful time and the places we stayed at were just wonderful. Sue at Punatapu had a beautiful home, gourmet food magnificent grounds and couldn't have been sweeter or nicer. Wendy and Steve at Korimako were fabulous. Wendy is the most amazing cook and we had without question the best lamb we've ever eaten at her home. They are both a lot of fun, as well. Victoria at Eichardt's is just an angel and her staff divine. They have access to the best of everything in Queenstown. Suite #4, ours, was excellent. Many thanks for all your hard work and delightful choices. We certainly enjoyed the best of South Island in your hands.
Pamela and Rick, USA, March 2004
Hi Ian! Got back home from New Zealand yesterday. We had a great trip - very adventurous. We loved the North Island, especially the luge track in Rotorua! Highlights for the whole trip would have been the Tongariro Crossing (absolutely AMAZING!) and the boat cruise at Milford Sound. Regarding the Tongariro Crossing, on some brochures that are available it is recommended to do the Waihohunu track, with some brochures saying this is at least as good as the Tongariro Crossing - NOT TRUE! Can't really recommend any good campgrounds as we only stayed at one for our whole trip! We ended up beside rivers or in forests etc, it was wonderful.Weather was perfect for our first week in the North Island, however much of our time in the South was cold and rainy. We even got to experience snow flakes landing on our tongues in Mt Cook national park, which was fun!All in all we had a great time, no complaints at all. And thanks for all your help!Regards,Debbie
Debbie, Australia, March 2004
Denise, Well, here we are home in California after our superb holiday in New Zealand. Madeleine and I want you to know how much we appreciate all your diligent work in arranging our visit. New Zealand is an absolutely stunning country full of fun and friendly Kiwis. Micha and Klaus and their lovely home at Villa Sorgenfrei could not have been more enjoyable. The Worcester, run so nicely by Maree and Tony has to be among the finest homes in Christchurch. Our apartment at Wairepo was so very comfortable. Richard gave us the full tour of his apple operation and Joyanne is a real character. And Sue Bilbie absolutely bent over backward to make our stay in her beautiful home one never to forget. Our two days there had perfect weather and we thought her view of the bay was a combination of San Francisco Bay, and Hong Kong and Sydney Harbors. We couldn't stop just staring out. I had thought of coming to see you when we were in Wellington but we arrived late on Good Friday and we doubted you would be in Saturday. As you might expect, we ran into a number of your other clients during our tour and each of them shared our sentiments toward ExperienceNZ. You have a fine operation there and should be very proud to represent the finest New Zealand has to offer. Thank you again, Denise. We certainly will take every opportunity to send our friends to you for their New Zealand holiday
Ray and Madeleine, USA, March 2004
Dear Ian, Firstly, the service provided by Experience New Zealand Travel Ltd was exemplary. Very efficient, which made things a lot easier for us as a family. The manner in which our request for the campervan was handled was very professional and tended to our needs and requirements. The manner in which Maui dealt with us was also very efficient and professional. Milford Sound was stunning for its scenery. The visit to the Fox and Franz Joseph Glaciers were awesome. We enjoyed a heli-flight to the top of both glaciers. Another very enjoyable experience was the Whale Watch at Kaikoura. There are many more things that I could write about; however I hope this gives you an idea of our experiences on our visit to NZ.
Emyr, United Kingdom, March 2004
Dear Glenn, I just wanted to commend your company and in particular, Ian Jongepier, for his assistance in helping me organise my trip to New Zealand. I stumbled upon your company by chance on the internet, and am pleased that I did, as your service has been exceptional. Dealing with Ian has been a pleasure - his willingness and enthusiasm to help should be commended - by far the friendliest and most helpful travel consultant I have dealt with over many years of travelling. I will have no hesitation in advising my friends and family to organise any future trips to New Zealand through your company. Looking forward to hitting your shores in 3 days time. Regards,
Debbie, Australia, March 2004
Hi Nadia, We had the most wonderful time in New Zealand. Everything went so smoothly and even the awful weather you had in Feb. disappeared when we got there. Thank you for all your help.
John and Mary, USA, March 2004
Dear Chrisana,We had a great time and would highly recommend Experience NZ Travel. You know, we have traveled a great deal, so we feel our assessment is accurate. The trip was made enjoyable by it's smoothness. The pace was brisk, but we wanted to see a lot. It is easy, English speaking, first world and relatively safe. The people are fantastic. The country is gorgeous. You made offers to assist us in a variety of things which we did not realize you could do. The accommodations were uniformly FABULOUS. We loved Horopito as it was mind boggling to have the place to ourselves. The people at Tokarahi and River Run were also great. We had fun on the sheep ranch at Mt. Prospect. Corstophine House was to die for. The Doubtful Sound cruise was totally awesome and comfortable. Old St Mary's Convent and its grounds were great. Huntington Stables were over the top. Kaikoura Lodge was beautiful. We could have stayed another night in each of those places if we had the time. The activities you booked for us went well. The Siberia Experience was a high. The Whale Watching was fun (not at all choppy). We ate well everywhere. We were constantly thinking of places to see "next" or return to. We hope to be in touch with you in the future. Once again, thanks for a fantastic job on our NZ vacation. We have been singing praises about the entire experience. We made a contact in Blenheim and expect to arrange a shipment of three cases of NZ wine. We will share it over some dinners with our friends (or maybe just each other) and remember happily.
Marcia Darm and Bruce, Oregon, USA , February 2004
Hi Ian, We made it back to California last Saturday. We had a great time in NZ!!! Thanks again for your help and for arranging the accommodations. It was cool that we had a nice place to stay every night. Some people we talked to had not pre-booked and often had a hard time finding a bed for the night, especially in the busier areas like Te Anau and Abel Tasman. Yes, we really had an outstanding time and the weather didn't bother us at all. As I said earlier, it was actually perfect for hiking. We were looking at the pictures we took last weekend and agreed that it definitely was an absolutely awesome experience. Even though if have some really good pictures, they'll never do NZ justice. You have to see it with your own eyes to fully appreciate how beautiful it is. We liked all the areas we visited. Each one of them has its own beauty and appeal. Our favorite place was Wanaka because the scenery is awesome and there is a ton of hiking trails within 1 hour drive. From an accommodation point of view the highlights of our stay were the Blue Ridge Estate (mainly because Brian and Lesley Avery are such wonderful, wonderful hosts), the River Run (awesome views and awesome food - and John and Meg also were great hosts), and Kahikatea. We were actually pretty lucky with the weather too, considering that it wasn't the best summer you had. We only got rained out twice. Other than that it was fine. Not as warm as expected but nice. Actually worked out good because if it had been hot the hiking would have been a lot less enjoyable.Let me close by thanking you again, Ian. You did a great job trying to show us most of the wonderful spots your country has to offer. We want to come back and spend more time in the areas we liked the best. We will definitely use your service again and recommend you to our friends!Best regards,
Sabine and Dewayne, California, USA, February 2004
Hi Glenn, I thought it was time to say hello to you again. Our trip to your fantastic country was a real thrill. We are already planning a return trip! Your help in planning was invaluable. The accommodations were excellent and in many cases outstanding. Considering that in many instances they weren't our first choices, I can only imagine what the number one spots were like!
Barrie and Mark, USA, February 2004
Nadia, I just wanted to thank you for working on my behalf for my trip to New Zealand. It was absolutely fantastic. Next time I'm going to stay for a month. You really came through for me in a big way and I just wanted to thank you for it. Thanks for your time. It was a terrific trip and it was really because of you. Thanks again.
Meade, USA, February 2004
Dear Glenn, Thank you for arranging what turned out to be a fabulous vacation to New Zealand. The Gods definitely were smiling on us when they put us in touch with you. Every place far exceeded our expectations, and we learned to trust your judgement more completely every step of our journey. Terrific job! We will definitely recommend you to anyone we know who plans to head in your direction.All the best,Chris Parker
Chris Parker, California, USA , January 2004
Denise, We are back home after a wonderful trip. Except for a few weather delays and missed flights, we arrived home happy and tired.We want to thank you for arranging a flawless visit for us to New Zealand. As you advised, we loved our Milford Track walk. Ultimate Hikes offers an extremely professional organized walk. Our private rooms were comfortable and warm. The trail had some challenging moments because of heavy rains the few days before our arrival at the trail. Those were quickly overcome and the walk was wonderful. The lodges served tasty meals and New Zealand wines were available. Our group bonded and everyone was helpful and friendly. No doubt following the example set by the staff of Ultimate Hikes. All the bed and breakfast accommodations were comfortable and enjoyable. I'm not sure you have time for too much detail. But we loved Cathy and Phil at Antria Boutique Lodge. Phil's wine tour was well done and enjoyable. Dinner at Herzogs was outstanding. It was our favourite of meals; although, we had wonderful food throughout our visit.Kapitea Ridge Lodge had a wonderful view and they graciously had reserved the room I wanted. Very comfortable and quiet. The walk around Lake Matheson was beautiful. We were able to visit Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers. Although the day we visited Fox it was pouring rain. Wanaka Springs was like visiting family! They got everyone together for drinks and snacks. No one wanted to leave for dinner. But we persevered and finally left for an outstanding meal at the White House. Our favourite of the bed and breakfasts was Evergreen Lodge in Queenstown. Lavinia offers extreme comfort in a beautiful environment. We could live there forever. She was helpful and supportive. The breakfasts were wonderful! Our rental car and all flights in New Zealand were without a problem. Your package we received from Budget was appreciated and used throughout the trip. Ian McKellen sat near us at Saffron's!We'll be back! Thanks to you!
UK Clients, United KIngdom, January 2004
Chrisana, Firstly, I would like to say Experience NZ is a first rate outfit run by people who have been there and know their way around. The level of attention to detail and personal service was admirable. I especially appreciated the packet at the airport on arrival in NZ with driving directions, guidebook and other useful info. I recommend Experience NZ highly to anyone visiting your wonderful country. Secondly, the trip itself went very well. We liked Pukeko Landing and Claremont very much and would recommend both. Rich and Rosie were great. We also enjoyed Punatapu and Korimako. Ron Stewart from Glenorchy was an excellent fishing guide, we had a nice day and did not get too burned. I look forward to returning to NZ someday soon. I appreciate your help, you did an excellent job.
Stan Schwarz, Florida, USA, January 2004
Anne, Now that we are back in the UK I wanted to drop you a line to say thank you again for all your help in arranging our trip. We had an absolutely wonderful time, made all the better by some of the superb accommodation we stayed in. We especially enjoyed Kaikoura Lodge and Wanaka Springs.Thank you again for all your help and I wish you well in 2004.Kind regards,
Sarah Starnes and Steven, Kent, England, January 2004
Hi Chrisana, the trip was fabulous. The Old Convent and Aporo Pondsiders were very welcoming. In Nelson area, we relaxed and visited the Abel Tasman Park. In Dunedin we went to visit the yellow eyed penguins and the albatross colony. We went for a walk in the peninsula. It was lovely, so peaceful. We then drove to Te Anau. This was one of my favourite places, certainly because of the cruise on the Doubtful Sound. This was beautiful, the children were so happy because we saw dolphins. It is great and grandiose. We walked along the lake, the trees, the colors and the sunsets are fantastic. We spent quite some time lying on the grass and just being happy there. The hosts at Old Nick were very friendly. In Queenstown we admired the art work of Tim Wilson. The road to Fox Glacier is fantastic for the trees (especially Haas you should see the paintings of Tim Wilson of that area amazing!) Overall, it was great, you did a perfect job. We wish we had more time for our trip. The people we met were so easy going. Nothing seemed complicated, just enjoying. We will definitely go back to New Zealand. It was so hard to arrive in Bangkok, the air is so polluted and there are too many people. We needed two to three days to find back our routine. Thanks for arranging everything; we will be in touch again.
Sylvie, Thailand, January 2004
Dear Anne, We just got home yesterday. I had meaning to call you while we were still in New Zealand, but it just didn't happen. I just want to thank you for a wonderful holiday. I learned on our travels from one of the B&B owners that you are an intern. Well, I just wanted you to know that I had no idea. I thought you were a fully experienced agent. Everything ran so smoothly for us. We were thoroughly pleased with the accommodation as well as the activity choices. Thank you again Anne, for everything.
Priya, USA, January 2004
Glenn, Well, we're home safe and sound and, really just in the last couple of days, over the jet-lag. We had a truly fantastic holiday and can now say we've 'done New Zealand'. Not completely of course because we didn't ever get to the Coromandel peninsula and we didn't see any of the southwest corner of the North Island. But we gave it a good shot over the space of almost 3 months and we have loads and loads of happy memories of people met and places visited. All the accommodations were very, very, good as per our last trip and the car hire and all the excursions went flawlessly. Thank you Glenn, and all at Experience NZ Travel, for making our two holidays in NZ so unforgettable.
Anne and Campbell, Longniddry, East Lothian, Scotland, December 2003
Hi Ian, Just a note to say thanks for all your work in helping us to have a great holiday in NZ! It was great to have all the documents, tickets etc so well organized and waiting for us on arrival.I'd really recommend the Milford Track; while it's quite an expensive activity, it's worth every penny and the organization, accommodation and food were all excellent. It's a truly stunning walk. Tongariro Crossing - managed to do by the skin of our teeth due to bad weather, but a stunning walk and so glad we made it!Franz Josef Glacier - great,especially if you opt for the fast group and get further up the glacier.Accommodation was generally very good (with the exception of one!) but we really liked Sansouci Inn and Hydrangea Cottage for character and setting. The Magic Cottage accommodation near Kerikeri was excellent too so you might want to recommend that one in the future. Otherwise everwhere was clean and good quality accommodation with helpful and friendly hosts. Thanks again for your endless patience last year. Have a great 2004 and if you ever visit London let me know and I'll be happy to give you a few tips!Best wishes
Mark, UK, December 2003
Hi Glenn, Just wanted to drop you a note after we left Queenstown and New Zealand last week. We had a great time in Northland- we thought the accommodation was the most unique and scenic place that we had stayed and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Dave and Tamara were very gracious hosts. Great job in picking this undiscovered treasure for us to start out our honeymoon.The Milford Track Guided walk was also very good -- lots of great food and the lodges were spectacular. Thanks for all of your work in booking our arrangements. I appreciated your pro-activeness in calling me and rushing on the bookings before Christmas.
Wendell, USA, December 2003
Hello Denise, This quick note is to tell you that our NZ vacation was one of the best ever! The three venues were all outstanding in location, accommodations, and service! The Paradise tour was wonderful, and the the Dart River Jet Boat Safari great fun!We hope we can work with you again in the future.
Bill and Susan , USA, December 2003
Chrisana, Hi everything went well on the trip. It was great. The itinerary you helped prepare for us was the most thorough of any travel agency we have ever worked with. I am very pleased with all the accommodation, travel arrangements and activities you helped us with. The service and food and people in NZ are top notch. We thought Pondsiders, Evergreen Lodge and The Homestead were all excellent. I would recommend them! We will be back to New Zealand again in the next couple of years. Need to do the North Island next! So I will keep your contact information on file. Thanks again for all you did.
Jill, Florida, USA, December 2003
Hi Chrisana The trip was even better than we ever imagined and we can't begin to thank you enough. Honestly, I cried when coming back. The rat race of living in California seems senseless compared to the beauty and friendliness of your country. I'm obsessed with going back and think living there must be fabulous. The accommodations were great and I'd say we loved Villa 10 the best - what's not to love about that place! I am sad, sad, sad that it is all over! We told everyone about our great experience working with you and I wouldn't change a thing. Don't be surprised if one or both of us is back soon. Thank you again for everything. If I can provide references for you, just let me know as I'd love to brag about how good you are.
Julie and Cici, California, USA , December 2003
Denise, Thanks for organising a truly wonderful and memorable holiday. Too many highlights to mention but the choice of Nelson was perfect for xmas and we would happily have spent more time at The Quarters and River Run and Rocky Range and Evergreen and Mt Prospect, The Gatehouse and ....we loved the variety of accom, situations,and type of people running them. New Years Eve at Doubtful Sound will live with us for ever - a perfect evening and a great trip. The only small nigggle in 3 weeks was Budget Rental Cars in Queenstown who were less than helpful but ther ewas only one person trying to run a pretty busy office . So a big thank you - if you enjoyed organising it we enjoyed living it a thousand times more, but are now safely home to rain and grey and crowds and wind.....
David and Jan, England, December 2003
Dear Ian, Happy New Year! We are back in Bangkok and had such a lovely time in NZ. What a glorious place it is. We did keep laughing when we recalled everyone saying how crowded and busy it is that time of year...and we definitely agree in as much as the booking for lodging and cars, etc,....but it seemed like we were the only ones there. We enjoyed the scenery and the short walks off the roadways that are so clearly marked and natural.Thanks for all you help in the planning. Everything went so well and we loved especially the stay in Hokitika at Awatuna and the Orari in Christ Church. It was all very well planned and I appreciate all the information and expertise you provided.
Michelle, Bangkok, December 2003
Hi Ian and all the ExpNZ crew,We are back in boring Houston. After a long journey back of delays due to severe weather, flooding and tornadoes in Houston. But who cares? Our trip was AMAZING! Even with 3 days lost. Everywhere we went was just so wonderful! I don't have enough good things to say. Your recommendations were amazing and we loved the places and the hosts. And everywhere we went the hosts had good things to say about you guys, they love working with you, and so did we. I'll be happy to write reviews about anywhere you specifically want, or about all of them because I would like to anyway. I just want to thank you all for all the help you gave us when we needed it. We were very lucky we made it. I'll send some pictures soon. We're already planning our anniversary trip!
Daniela and Erik , Houston, Texas, November 2003
Hi Denise, I just want to leave you a quick note to thank you for coordinating what was truly a "Dream Vacation!" Everything was better than we could have possibly imagined! We truly enjoyed each of the locations you recommended, but the Huntington Stables stood out above all the rest! Colin and Carol went way above their call of duty to show us a very enjoyable time. We pulled ourselves away to visit Rotorura for about three hours, but then wanted to get back to Cambridge to just unwind. It was truly the "perfect" place to end our vacation, and I would Highly suggest this location to anyone!Dave and I wish we would have had more time to see more of the country--would have loved to have seen Wellington! Everyone kept telling us what a great city you have.Thank you again for all the time and energy that went in on creating this itinerary for us. We have some family and friends that are looking at visiting New Zealand in the near future, and we will be sure to pass along your contact information!It was a pleasure working with you and thanks again for giving us many wonderful, lasting memories!Cheers, (see...I picked up a little Kiwi!)
Kristin and David, Salt Lake City, Utah , November 2003
Glenn, We made it home. We were so overwhelmed with our New Zealand experience. It more than met our expectations. Everyone and every place we stayed at was wonderful. Cavalli Beach House and Villa Polenza were my favorite. Bill and Paula were fantastic. The kind of folks we could be great friends with. Russell and Trina at Villa Polenza were alot of fun. Trina's decorating style was way cool. Steve liked Punapatu (especially Doolie the cook and Toa the dog). Sue was gone, but her staff took good care of us. Our meal at River Run was to die for and the Kahurungi cottage was a nice place to end up at and catch up on all my laundry and get back into my household duties (we cooked) I can't thank you enough for your help and all the work you did in setting us up on the most fantastic trip of our lives. New Zealand is awesome country and every one we met was so friendly and helpful.Once again, Thank you for everything.Judy
Judy and Steve, Florida, USA, November 2003
Hi Glenn, I hope things are well. I just wanted to let know how absolutely wonderful our honeymoon was. Everything was perfect down to the last detail. Thank you so much for all your help, you truly helped us with a most memorable honeymoon. All our friends and family that have seen the pictures and video we took were awe struck. We will highly recommend you to any and all who tell us they wish to travel to NZ.Again my new wife and I are most grateful and appreciative of all your help.Forever Grateful,
Anthony and Lazara, Florida, USA, November 2003
Hi Ian, I have been meaning to send you an e-mail since we got back, but it has taken this long to get even close to catching up with a backlog of work. It didn't help that I had a 5-day trip to upper NY state a week after we returned. I just wanted to thank you for your expertise and assistance in helping to put together the itinerary for us. We enjoyed the trip enormously. All of the BBs were fabulous. The only downside was that we ate too much almost every single morning and probably ate and drank too much each evening! The New Zealanders were great hosts. Other than local traveling and restaurants (food and wine were truly wonderful), we managed to experience a 2-hour boat trip on Milford Sound, an 30minute sightseeing tour over Rotorua and the extinct volcano and the Shotover Jet outside Queenstown. Of course we managed to see much more, but those come to mind. It was a wonderful experience. Hopefully we will be able to go back for an extended period of time before too long.Thanks again for your help!
Graham and Carol, Edmonton, Canada, November 2003
Chrisana Well, we've been back a week. The trip was great. Your itinerary and accommodations worked out really well. Particular highlights were the sheep farm, the Routeburn Trek, the Rob Roy glacier walk in Mount Aspiring National Park, sea kayaking in Abel Tasman National Park, whale watching in Kaikoura, and the Tongarero Crossing. My favorite accommodations were the Mount Prospect and Aporo. As you may remember, I was unsure about whether taking the guided option for the Routeburn Trek would be worth it. It definitely was. As it turns out, the high pass was closed by snow, so our group was helicoptered over! Not an option if we were on our own. Also, our group was very diverse and enjoyable (including a contingent from China), not to mention the excellent guides. If you have other clients with similar concerns, that is definitely worth mentioning.Now that we have first hand experience traveling in New Zealand, we're thinking about what we'd like to do on another visit.Thanks again for your help in planning our trip.
Doug and Ginny, Boston, USA, November 2003
Hi Ian, We have (unfortunately) now returned from your lovely country and are back in the real world again! Our trip was fantastic and the vans you recommended (Cruise) were great for what we all wanted to do. We would all do it again though in a heartbeat! Some of the highlights we found were: White Island - what an experience! Well worth every cent! How powerful nature can be! Cape Brett - the hole in the rock was amazing, and it was interesting to see all the holiday homes on the islands. Hangi and Concert - over too quickly, but thoroughly enjoyed by all. In hindsight we should have done Rotorua before White Island because we all were a little underwhelmed by the thermal areas! Agrodome activities - Jet boating, Swoop and Zorb - a lot of fun had by all, even the spectators! Kelly Tarton's aquatic world - the penguins were great to see and the highlight. The men enjoyed a mornings fishing with K2 Charters on Lake Taupo and all came home with some trout (and big smiles!). They have all said they would go out with Ed again if given the chance.Thanks for all your help and assistance on planning our trip, it was greatly appreciated. My parents plan on travelling to the South Island next year so I'll keep your email address as we'd like to deal with your company for that trip too.Have a safe and happy Christmas and a prosperous 2004.
Melissa, Australia, November 2003
Hi Denise, Here we are home again after The most wonderful experience we have ever had. We fell in love with New Zealand, her people, the ocean, the sheep, the mountains, the fiords, the bush, whitebait, Te Papa, pavlova's, bungy jumping (I was chicken!). We can honestly say that we thoroughly enjoyed every second of every day. The accommodation you so expertly chose to suit our taste was above and beyond what we had ever dreamed of. The Quarters stole our hearts, especially the most spectacular sunrise, Peter actually rose at 5.45am, a first for him. We walked among the sheep, and enjoyed the fresh corn bread and crayfish. Te Anau was another favorite, and Milford Sound we found to be very awe inspiring. We flew the Southern Alps with Air Fjord land, I was a tad nervous, actually that is putting it mildly, but now I can look back and brag quite readily! Another great day was in Auckland, we hiked up Rangitoto Island and had a wonderful view of Auckland and the surrounding islands. Diane at The Nikau Palms couldn't do enough for us and each time we returned to the house we found home made nibbles which were always delicious. All our hosts were a wealth of knowledge and the food---excellent. There was always the offer to do laundry which is great when living out of a suitcase. We have all the memories of the experience of a lifetime and they will be with us forever. Thank you a million times from both of us for making it just that.
Peter and Julie, Canada, October 2003
Hi Denise, How are you? We just arrived home from our whirlwind trip. It was fantastic and I wanted to thank you for all your insightful assistance with our plans. I really appreciated the fact that you took time to help me organize a very memorable vacation, especially last minute! I will try and call you directly this week so we can talk real-time, but everything was perfect! The weather was super so we didn't have to miss anything. All of your suggestions were excellent and we all had a blast. We will definitely be back to see the rest of the country.It was a pleasure working with you and I am so happy that Steve got us connected. Thanks again and "we will be back"! All the best, Mary ps- My son is now an All Blacks fan!
Mary, USA, August 2003
Hi Ian, Everything was perfect. I cannot say enough about all the great accomodations ... great choices ... we are planning when we can return. It is a beautiful country and the activities are endless. You did a great job and I will recommend your services. We will be in touch when we plan our next trip to your lovely country.
Luttrell Family, China, July 2003
Hello Ian! ... I don't think we can actually put into words how thankful we are for the things you did for us. You planned an amazing trip and I kept thinking I was in a dream and at any moment I was going to just wake up. Jason and I did so many things and saw so much beauty; NZ was far beyond what we imagined it could be. You are such a good person and you really made us feel like friends and we felt so welcomed. And, of course, that signed copy by Peter Jackson, *sigh*, is just out of this world. Jason still opens it up and stares at it, then he puts in away very gently and walks around with a very glazed look in his eye...we're still trying to figure out how the hell you pulled that one off...however you did it, it was just far beyond what we ever expected. I don't think we could ever really say thank you enough. You are awesome at what you do, Ian, keep it up because you really represent NZ so well, we're so glad we found you!
Renée and Jason, Maine, USA, June 2003
I can't thank you enough for ALL the hard work you put into planning our trip and appreciate all the suggestions you made and all the questions you endured from us! Like I said, from all my positive comments, I think my boyfriend and I will be making a trip back there in the coming years. As your company name states, we truly did "Experience New Zealand" and we have you to thank for that!
Colleen and Trish, Amsterdam, Holland, April 2003
We both want to give special kudos to Sue Bilbie from 298 Oriental Parade in Wellington. She took us in to her family and shared her wonderful home with us. We have never stayed with anyone who has treated us so well and taken such great care of us. Our short stay there was the high point of our vacation. Thank you for all of your help.
Laura, USA, March 2003
Glenn, the words I want to use to describe the trip you put together for me haven't been invented yet. For now I'll have to just live with extraordinary. I was extremely pleased with all of my accomodations, and the activities you booked for me were incredible. My only regret was the short amount of time I had to experience such an incredible country and also that I couldn't just happen to miss my flight home and get to live in the Bay of Islands forever. I probably spoiled myself staying at the Cavalli Beach House for so long and making that one of the first stops on my trip. Anyone I dealt with at your offices was extremely friendly and helpful and I can't think of a single disappointment I had with the service you provided me or with the actual trip itself. Rest assured, I will be back.
Joseph, USA, March 2003
A heartfelt "Thank You" for putting together a wonderful personalized itinerary for our spur of the moment trip to South Island. Not only were your lodging suggestions perfect, but we also availed ourselves of most of your suggested activities, including the helicopter in Fox Glacier and the fixed wing visit to Milford Sound. Having both fallen in love with NZ, we are already discussing our next expedition to tour the North Island, with a view to purchasing property for a second retirement home. Be assured you will have our repeat business. Well done!
Warren, USA, January 2003
We would like to thank you so very much for everything you did to help our honeymoon be such a success. We truly had the trip of a lifetime. Much of this was down to your advice and arrangements. From the moment we started to plan our trip, we found both you and your website invaluable for providing information and guidance. Once we got to the stage of booking accommodation and activities, you could not have made things easier. All of your recommended accommodation was excellent, and all of the hosts welcoming and helpful. In particular, we loved River Run. Thank you for your recommendation of dinner! Also, all of the activities you recommended and booked for us were excellent. The dolphin swimming in Kaikoura was a particularly memorable experience, and a really excellent trip all round. We absolutely loved New Zealand, and although we in no way saw everything you have to offer, we feel that we've come away with a really good taste of your fantastic country. Many thanks again, and we will be delighted to recommend you to any of our friends or family who might be heading your way.
Emma and Derek, England, January 2003
Hi Glenn ... I just wanted to write to you and let you know how much we enjoyed our trip and to thank you for your part in it. Everything went just as planned and I have nothing but good reports for every stop. ... Our favorite B&B turned out to be Antria in Blenheim. Kathy and Phil are great people and they have a really neat place. When we left - after only one night - we felt like we were leaving family! But all the bookings were first rate and exceeded our expectations. And we were there long enough to discover the secret of NZ - its people. We were made to feel welcome everywhere we went and never felt like we weren't getting more than our money's worth.
Jim and Lea, Singapore, January 2003
Ian, Thanks again for the great arrangements - everything went like clockwork ... All the properties you recommended were excellent and we didn't have any sort of trouble anywhere. It's also been great interacting with you - I almost feel like we've become good friends! I do wish I could've spoken to you to personally thank you - but you were out of office the day I called. Anyway, keep up the good work, and all the best!
Preeti and Reynold, India, January 2003
Hi Glenn, After 35 years in the service industry I have recently become disillusioned at the lack of customer service in today's world. However I have recently had reason to deal with your staff member Ian Jongepier and my faith in great service has been restored. The story is a long one, but Ian went to considerable lengths to solve a booking problem for me and obtain a refund which was starting to look lost. If you don't already know, Ian is a great representative of your company. I look forward to doing business with you in the future.
Rob, New Zealand, January 2003
Glenn we're back and we had an unbelievable time in NZ! It was so wonderful and we owe a lot of our happiness to you! We did so much that I think we could use another vacation!
Jody, USA, January 2003
Claudia, Where to start?! Simply we had a fantastic holiday. The accommodation and breakfasts were lovely, we were very happy with our accommodation choices and all our hosts were friendly. Finally, we'd both like to say a big thank you for all your help in making our trip such a success. It was a pleasure dealing with you and I miss our e-mails back and forth!
Caroline and Peter, Wales, January 2003
Dear Ian, Just a short note to say thanks for helping me arrange a fantastic vacation. The Maui campervan was a perfect fit! As always I enjoyed my time in your lovely country. And as always, time flew by and I had to leave much too soon. But "I shall return," in the words of another Yank! In the meantime, I thought you might like to see some of the wild and not-so-wild life on the south island. Enjoy...
Wayne, Alaska, USA, January 2003

