14 Day Geysers To Glaciers
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14 Day Geysers To Glaciers
A full self drive tour of New Zealand starting from Auckland and including 4 days in the North and 10 days in the South Island visiting the top tourist destinations with time to discover the phenomenal West Coast glaciers in the South Island.
Book your self drive tour this month and receive an Earlybird Discount of 10%. Make full payment by 31 July 2018 to qualify or receive a discount of 7.5% if you pay by 30 September 2018.
Tour Info
| Tour Type: | Self Drive Tours |
| From: | Auckland to Christchurch |
| Departures: | May 2018 to March 2019 |
| Price: |
From (NZD) $2303 per person
|
| Tour Operator: | Relaxing Journeys |
| Pace: | Lively |
| Duration: | 14 Days |
| Tour Code: | GNGTG |
Inclusions
| 13 nights accommodation |
| Rental vehicle of your choice |
| Te Po - Maori cultural experience with traditional hangi |
| Scenic Interislander Ferry Cruise |
| Milford Sound Nature Cruise |
| Travel wallet, comprehensive customised itinerary, bound map book, accommodation & activity vouchers and local travel guides |
Book your self drive tour this month and receive an Earlybird Discount of 10%. Make full payment by 31 July 2018 to qualify or receive a discount of 7.5% if you pay by 30 September 2018.
Day by Day Tour Itinerary
Day
1
Arrive Auckland
“Haere Mai” Welcome to Auckland. On your arrival in Auckland pick up your chosen car and tour documentation, guides, maps and travel vouchers. You then travel onto your centrally located accommodation. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore what Auckland has to offer.
Day
2
Auckland - Rotorua
Travel south through lush Waikato farmland, perhaps via Waitomo Caves, to Rotorua, steeped in Maori culture and history. This evening experience Te Po, Te Puia’s cultural experience. It is a feast of cultural storytelling, entertainment and Maori kai (indigenous food). After a formal Maori welcome, relax and enjoy a performance including the beautiful songs, haka and poi dance. After dinner you will be transported by people movers to enjoy the spectacular lighting of the Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley and hot chocolate. (2 nights)
Day
3
Rotorua
A day free to explore this exciting thermal region – there are many activities to enjoy. Perhaps visit the Agrodome to see a display featuring New Zealand’s various sheep breeds and sheep shearing. Or Rainbow Springs to see rainbow and brown trout and native birds including the Kiwi. Another option is the spectacular Skyline Gondola offering superb views over the city, Lake Rotorua and the surrounding mountains.
Day
4
Rotorua - Wellington
Drive south through steam clad Wairakei, to Taupo. Skirt Lake Taupo, across the volcanic plateau past the cones of Tongariro, Ngaruahoe and Ruapehu. Cross the Manawatu plains then along the rugged Kapiti coastline to our capital city, sprawled over the hills surrounding Wellington Harbour. Overnight in Wellington.
Day
5
Wellington - Picton - Christchurch
Cross Cook Strait by ferry, to the Marlborough Sounds and Picton. The road south hugs the coastline between the Kaikoura Ranges and the Pacific. After Kaikoura the road heads inland to the sheep country of North Canterbury. Overnight in Christchurch.
Day
6
Christchurch - Twizel
Cross the broad Canterbury Plains with the Southern Alps to the west. Enter the foothills near Geraldine to the barren MacKenzie Country. View the Church of the Good Shepherd dedicated to the early pioneers of the region. Visit Mt Cook National Park, with time to enjoy the scenic majesty of New Zealand’s highest snow capped peaks before travelling around Lake Pukaki to Twizel.
Day
7
Twizel - Dunedin
Drive south to historic Oamaru and on to Dunedin – “the Edinburgh of the South”. An early arrival allows the choice of excellent optional activities. Perhaps you’d like to join a cruise of the beautiful Otago Harbour and Taiaroa Head, along with a scenic bus tour of the Otago Peninsula with Monarch Harbour Cruises. You can also include a guided tour of the award-winning Yellow Eyed Penguin Reserve or Royal Albatross Centre. Enjoy the historic and scenic Taieri Gorge Train excursion or explore the city only a few minutes walk away. Stay: Adrian Motel, Dunedin
Day
8
Dunedin - Queenstown
Drive across the rugged country of Central Otago, past the fertile stone fruit orchards beside the mighty Clutha River. Reach Queenstown, an alpine resort nestled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. Stay 3 nights in Queenstown. (3 nights)
Day
9
Queenstown - Milford Sound - Queenstown
This morning drive south following the dramatic southern shores of Lake Wakatipu to reach Te Anau, then travel through pristine beech forests and the Homer Tunnel to Milford Sound. We have included a cruise to enable you to appreciate the majesty of Mitre Peak and Bowen Falls. Return to Queenstown.
Day
UP
Milford Sound Coach Tour & Return Flight Upgrade (NZ$498 PP)
Take a break from driving and as an alternative enjoy a guided coach trip to Milford and an included cruise on the Sound. Return to Queenstown on a scenic flight taking in magnificent views of the alps, glaciers, lakes and forests of Fiordland National Park. This is a quick and convenient way to return to Queenstown. (Duration 35mins) The flight shaves off approximately 4 hours off a return by coach. It is however very weather dependent, so if the weather doesn’t play ball, then you will need to return by coach and we will refund the flight portion.
Day
10
Queenstown
A day free for you to enjoy this fabulous Alpine resort. There are dozens of optional activities as well, from thrilling jet boat rides to leisurely lake cruises, 4WD safaris, bungy jumping. We recommend the world famous Shotover Jet boat ride, take a Gondola to the Skyline high above, a tour to the gold mining area of Skippers Canyon or for the adventurous – white water rafting. Alternatively browse in the many shops and galleries.
Day
11
Queenstown - Glaciers
Drive to Cromwell and on through the Southern Lakes district to the Haast Pass then north, through dense rain forest broken by rugged coastal vistas, towards the glaciers. A short side trip will take you to view one of these massive rivers of ice. (2 nights)
Day
12
Glaciers
A full day to explore this remote and beautiful area. You can take your own time walking up to the glacier, going to the Okarito Lagoon; or join a guided walk on the glacier, take a heli-hike adventure, or a scenic flight over both glaciers. We also recommend a visit to the colony of the beautiful white heron (Kotuku).
Day
13
Glaciers - Christchurch
Travel north along the narrow, bush clad, coastal plain past Hokitika, to Greymouth. Turn inland towards the Southern Alps to travel through the Otira Gorge, over Arthur’s Pass and across the Canterbury Plains to Christchurch.
Day
UP
TranzAlpine Train Upgrade Package
For a small cost we can amend your itinerary so that you drop your vehicle off in Greymouth and then join the TranzAlpine Train for your journey across the Alps. On arrival in Christchurch we’ll arrange transfers to your accommodation and transfers the next day to the airport for your onward flight.
Day
14
Depart Christchurch
Return your car at the airport in time to catch your onward flight.
4.5/5.0
There are 32 reviews of this tour from past clients of Relaxing Journeys, averaging 4.5 out of 5.
Overall Tour Rating
Value For Money
Accommodation
Tour Pace
Relaxing Journeys Experience
Tour Reviews
5
William Allard (United States)
02/03/2018
We had a wonderful time in NZ. The accommodations were just what we wanted and we loved the Kruze commentary.
5
Aasawari Shenolikar (India)
24/10/2017
For us, it was a seamless experience with Relaxing Journeys. Right from day one, when I sent out feelers for a New Zealand vacation, Chelsea Cherri, who got in touch with me, made it a very easy and enjoyable experience. Every single thing - right from picking up the car (ours was a self-drive tour) to checking into hotels and all the activities that we had wanted, Relaxing Journeys did a wonderful job. Hand over the voucher and you are good to do what you want - enter into your hotel room or take part in the activity that was planned - everything was hassle free and went without a hitch. When the helicopter ride at Franz Josef was cancelled, the money was refunded within a day - that speaks of the professionalism. Kia Ora Chelsea Cherrie - I would definitely recommend Relaxing Journeys for all my friends.
5
Reese Porter (United States)
01/10/2017
Our honeymoon was truly unforgettable! Mani made the planning and payment process incredibly simple, even when I changed my mind on a few things more than once, and Relaxing Journeys as a whole was super helpful the couple of times we called them during the actual trip. Even the after-hours helpline was friendly and accommodating (Traveler tip: look into a pre-paid phone once you land. It was cheap and came in handy more than a few times during the trip). The trip itself was amazing! New Zealand is such a breathtaking country, it's a place everyone should visit at least once! On top of the pre-arranged destinations that Relaxing Journeys listed in the itinerary, they also provided worth-while destinations to see along our drives that really filled out the trip. We only had to reach out to Relaxing Journeys twice during the trip: once to confirm a shuttle that was picking us up from our hotel in Rotorua (it was one of our first nights and we weren't adjusted to the cadence of the trip quite yet) and a second time to add on a pick-up shuttle to Milford Sound from Queenstown, (which I definitely recommend for those doing the self drive tour as it gives the person doing the driving a bit of a rest on more long and difficult roads). Both times, we were greeted by friendly and helpful agents that took care of our needs and questions with ease. Even after completing our initial itinerary, Mani had given us a heads up about a road closure on one of our drives and had given us the option to continue with the ferry from North Island to South Island and an extended detour to Christchurch, making for a very long travel day, or a flight that would shorten our day by about 8 hours. We upgraded to the flight from Wellington to Christchurch, Mani asked a few simple questions, and before long had returned with an email saying the flight and second rental car was booked. I literally only had to say yes to the flight and provide some information directly to Mani, and he did everything else from there. It was incredibly easy. From the time we landed to the time we left, Relaxing Journeys really had everything covered. The desk where we picked up our rental car had a hefty zippered-packet ready and waiting for us that contained all of our travel documents, vouchers for accommodations and other recommendations all ready to go. We were able to get in the car and simply go. I cannot recommend them enough! Thank you for a truly unforgettable experience!
5
Caroline Beattie (Australia)
23/09/2017
Everything worked like clockwork. Excellent vehicle, accommodation, hosts, itinerary, information provided and of course THE WEATHER!!!
5
Julia Wood (Qatar)
31/07/2017
The trip was amazing and everything went so smoothly. We loved every minute of it and appreciated all the preparation that went into making our holiday such a wonderful experience.
5
Heather Barnett (China)
22/01/2017
Best two week tour to experience all NZ has to offer. I highly recommend this tour!
4
Katherine Fry (Australia)
09/10/2016
We had a wonderful trip and would highly recommend the trip. If I had the time I probably would have added a couple extra days as some of the drives were quite big and hard to stop along the way but overall we had a fantastic time.
5
Geraldine & Kevin (Australia)
14/09/2016
New Zealand was the perfect place for a self-drive holiday. The beauty is everywhere. We had a fabulous trip, thank you Toni for your skills and services that made our holiday happen so smoothly - we both feel renewed! It was all so breathtakingly beautiful - made even better by seeing all the magnolias, rhododendrons and cherry trees in bloom. Thanks for your recommendations! Perfect timing. We were glad to be able to add the extra days here and there to make the driving more relaxing. It was worth every penny. The roads were fabulous. We enjoyed driving both cars (North & South Islands). The changeover was very smooth. We have already begun recommending you to our friends.
5
Wayne Goorden (Australia)
28/01/2016
New Zealand was amazing but Relaxing Journeys were even more so. My wife and I just completed a 14 day self drive tour of both islands and everything was so well organized by Marie it was all too easy. We even made some last minute changes to our itinerary which involved last minute coach booking for one leg of the trip. This was accommodated without any problem. Even before we left Marie helped us with choosing dates so that our trip wouldn't clash with large sporting events. She also suggested we hire a Cruze GPS system. I highly recommend anyone driving to do so. Not only is it a GPS for finding your way around but it also contains a storyboard of History, myth and legends that are triggered when you enter a specific location. I would recommend to anyone considering a trip to NZ that they put themselves in the hands of Relaxing Journeys for an unforgettable hassle free experience. (RJ: Yippeee - thanks!)
5
Roger Wyman (Australia)
09/01/2016
Everyone in our family really enjoyed the Geysers to Glaciers tour. We toured the north and south islands in two weeks. We certainly packed as much as we could in those two weeks, so it was not exactly a 'relaxing' holiday, but that's the way we wanted it to be, and we feel as though we saw everything we wanted to see in the time we had. Good family accommodation and centrally located everywhere we stayed. The voucher system worked a treat. Beautiful scenery all along the way as we toured. The GPS and commentary was very informative as you went along, pointing out interesting facts about the area. It did take us a while to set the GPS up in our hire car when we reached Auckland, so we had to navigate to our hotel by ourselves, but after that no problems. We found spending an extra day in Wellington worthwhile, as we found so much to do there, rather than using it as an overnight stopover to catch the Interislander to the south island. Would recommend visiting the Te Papa Museum to anyone. At Franz Josef Glacier our family managed to land on top of the glacier in a helicopter, which was one of the highlights of the tour. Also found that doing the longer drive from Wanaka to Queenstown via Arrowtown great as well. So much to do in New Zealand and we would certainly recommend the tour to anyone.
5
Janette Mayne (Australia)
27/09/2015
We have just returned from a great family holiday, driving ourselves and exploring both the North and South Islands. Marie from Relaxing Journeys helpfully organised all the details, with suggestions and adaptions to suit us. To have the car hire, accomodation and selected entry tickets and tours prebooked and pre-paid made the experience relaxing and really enjoyable. The vouchers worked very well, all the attractions recommended were of high quality and the detailed itinerary was great to follow. Checking the location of accomodation before the holiday helped us locate each one easily and taking up the optional 'Kruse' GPS was very informative and worthwhile - even if it took us 24 hours to find the stylus tucked into its back which was essential to use it successfully! We have many happy memories of our New Zealand holiday and would readily book with Relaxing Journeys in the future.
3
Andrew Berger (United States)
22/05/2015
Overall we enjoyed our visit to New Zealand and it's spectacular and diverse scenery very much. The Geysers to Glaciers tour gave us a very good overview of New Zealand's two main Islands. But we definitely enjoyed our stay on the South Island the most. We expected to receive driving directions to all attractions and accommodations. Instead, all we received was an atlas. This made finding our hotels in the larger cities difficult. We would have preferred our accommodations in the larger cities to be located right off the main highways vs in downtown locations. Especially the Quest Auckland hotel, which was difficult to find at night and had very limited parking spaces for checking in. We would suggest you offer an optional package that is geared toward the small town New Zealand experience. We enjoyed our stays in the small cities the most. We were told we had to rent snow chains for our drive to Milford Sound during the winter season. In reality snow chains are only required when authorities post it as such, so we ended up renting snow chains when they were not required. Our snow chains were not available in Picton as we had been told they would be. But that was a blessing, as we would have needed to pay more than the $69 cost quoted by our tour consultant for our 10 day visit on the South Island.
5
Gareth Parry (United Kingdom)
17/04/2015
Excellent organisation and packing in some wonderful places and experiences. Organisation spot on. All transfers, accommodation and car hire went well. Many thanks to Mani for being so helpful in tailoring the tour to our needs. Would recommend your company to anyone going to New Zealand. Kia Ora.
5
Lea Quinn-Jones (Australia)
03/01/2015
We loved our trip, the basic itinerary was already great but we did change it slightly to incorporate some extra items I wanted to include, these were handled with ease by Leanne along with some great advice on how to add them in. Everything went like clockwork, the vouchers made life so much easier and they were all accepted without query. It was so good to have everything not only booked but prepaid, checkouts were a breeze as a result. We had an absolutely fabulous trip and we will be back for sure. Thanks Leanne for all your advice, assistance and excellent service.
4
Eng Ong (Australia)
18/12/2014
We booked our trip for 4 through Leanne and she was a great source of advice. There was no questions that went unanswered for more than a day and everything was explained to us very clearly. We visited a lot of places over the 14 days, although we sometimes felt a bit rushed as we'd spend just a single night in a number of places and need to be off by 10 the following morning. Nevertheless this was expected. We had no problems with any of the planned activities, car rental or accommodation. The travel pouch with maps and brochures, together with all the vouchers in a 'cheque-book-like' little pile was a nice touch. There was 1 thing that could be done better: the Kruse GPS Nav unit. Overall, it is a good little tour guide, but it lacks manual self settings such as night mode, route options (shortest vs quickest), estimated time of arrival and distance to destination. Booking our holiday through you is like shopping in a one-stop-shop. It has definitely saved us time and effort, all we needed to do was show up! Thanks very much to Relaxing Journeys, and in particular our tour consultant Leanne!
5
Gaurav & Kanchan Talan (India)
16/12/2014
When I first decided to visit New Zealand with my wife, I wanted to make this trip really special and hence I contacted the best 'considered' tour agents here in India which are 'Make my Trip' and Yatra.com. I sent at least 10s of emails to ask them for a customized trip and all I could get in terms of customized were minor add-ons on their pre decided packages which they were adamant not to change according to my needs. Things were clearly not working out and alas, I decided to look for an alternative. After some research on the web, I came across the website of 'Relaxing Journeys' which appeared promising with their highly customized packages. Though I was not very hopeful, I still decided to send an e-mail to try it out.
And VOILA, I didnt even have to tell them how I wanted my tour to be. The very first itinerary that they prepared according to my dates and the needs (self-drive) was as perfect as it could be, and that too at a cheaper cost than all my previous searches. Everything from designing the trip to the payment process was extremely smooth and I did not have to make a single phone call for anything (thank you Toni for your prompt responses to my emails). I have so much to say about my wonderful journey in New Zealand that it cannot be written here in the space provided. Upon the arrival at Auckland Airport, we were handed over with such elaborative maps and the schedule of our tour, that even after the trip, they serve as a beautiful souvenir to keep with us. The staff at the car rental company and all the hotels were warm and welcoming. The highly customized 'Geysers to Glaciers' tour has truly been once in a lifetime experience for both of us. The upgraded vehicle and an upgraded suite at Christchurch were of course the cherry on the cake. I highly recommend Relaxing Journeys if you wish to have a great time during your holiday in NZ.
And VOILA, I didnt even have to tell them how I wanted my tour to be. The very first itinerary that they prepared according to my dates and the needs (self-drive) was as perfect as it could be, and that too at a cheaper cost than all my previous searches. Everything from designing the trip to the payment process was extremely smooth and I did not have to make a single phone call for anything (thank you Toni for your prompt responses to my emails). I have so much to say about my wonderful journey in New Zealand that it cannot be written here in the space provided. Upon the arrival at Auckland Airport, we were handed over with such elaborative maps and the schedule of our tour, that even after the trip, they serve as a beautiful souvenir to keep with us. The staff at the car rental company and all the hotels were warm and welcoming. The highly customized 'Geysers to Glaciers' tour has truly been once in a lifetime experience for both of us. The upgraded vehicle and an upgraded suite at Christchurch were of course the cherry on the cake. I highly recommend Relaxing Journeys if you wish to have a great time during your holiday in NZ.
5
Yoon Ann Chin (Malaysia)
01/11/2014
We had a wonderful time in New Zealand! The tour was a good pace for us as we wanted to see as much as possible during a short period of time. The arrangements were very good, though we had a few hiccups with the accommodation which was resolved on the spot. The Kruse GPS was informative although not very user friendly. All the side excursions were great and well worth the money spent! All of this would not have been possible without the support of Toni Harris, who did an excellent job at keeping me informed from the day I made the inquiry right up to the day I left New Zealand. Thanks Toni! All in all, we had a great time and will not hesitate to use your company again!
4
Gavin Beveridge (United Kingdom)
01/07/2014
Excellent taster tour of New Zealand, although alot of driving for the time I had, next time I would tailor the itinerary more towards places where I could do outdoor/action/adventure! That said I loved the country and will certainly be back. Thanks for all your help!
5
Dorothy Vlastelica (United States)
13/01/2014
Our Tour Cosultant, Mani, did a wonderful job arranging accomodations and vehicles for our trip. The directions and suggestions for what to see as we drove along were excellent. The people of New Zealand were so gracious and friendly. We really enjoyed the scenery and the food.
5
Michael C Karas (United States)
15/12/2013
The trip went as planned without a hitch. The vouchers were eagerly accepted and we were often given one of the best rooms at the motel. Our hosts were very courteous and helpful.
4
K Wright (Australia)
25/09/2013
We had an amazing trip. There was a lot of long distance driving as in up to 6 hrs some days but we had limited time to see both Islands so that was ok. A couple of very minor hiccups, one was they gave us the wrong time to be picked up for Hangi experience and we were lucky the motel told us the correct time. We had to detour due to a land slide so missed seeing a place we were really looking forward to, thats only mother nature though it could not be helped. When I called to ask what we should do Sally was very helpful in giving us another route and getting us new accomodation in different places. Lake Tekapo is amazing!!! Would definately book through you guys again and will reccomend you to others.
4
Charles Ng (Singapore)
09/06/2013
We did a 14 days Geyser to Glacier self-drive tour, from Auckland to Christchurch and had a great time! Beautiful scenery every day with varying landscapes that each tell a different tale. The pace was sufficiently comfortable with some degree of self-discipline required to maintain a schedule as being a self-drive, there is always a tendency to sleep-in. Along most routes, there will always be scenic spots or historic locations that constantly will make you want to detour, and mind you, it will be worth it! The longer stays in Rotorua as well as Queenstown are definitely well planned for the myriad of activities available. The only part where we felt was a long day, was after we took the first ferry from Wellington, arriving in Picton around noon, and having to drive about 5 hours to reach Christchurch. By the time we arrived, we were knackered! Most motels have WiFi available and being part of the GoldenChain, have a minimum standard to keep to, thereby guaranteeing a comfortable, but not excessively luxurious, stay. Our tour consultant, Toni, was expeditious in answering all our email queries, as well as prompt in making adjustments to our package. Her friendly persona definitely helped in making you feel well taken care of! Thank you!
4
Roz & Derek Walker (United Kingdom)
04/05/2013
New Zealand is a really nice country full of interesting views, panorama's and things to see and visit. Every day was different and each day was better than the previous. The wildlife is amazing, (but watch out for the cheeky Kea's) the sheer variety of trees and vegetation was unexpected. Relaxing Journeys organised the accommodation and routes really well, fortunately we had no difficulties or problems so did not have to contact them during our visit. Realising before we went, that the majority of cars in New Zealand are automatics, we requested a manual hire car but ended up driving an automatic, a bit daunting for someone who has only ever driven a manual gear box.
4
Lyn Butcher & Chris Noble (Australia)
22/02/2013
We were very pleased with the cars provided and the accommodation was mostly good except at Franz Joseph where the beds were a problem for us. Overall the accommodation was very good and we had no problems. Thoroughly enjoyed our luxury accommodation in Queenstown and it added to our enjoyment of our tour.
5
Jane Townley (United States)
29/10/2012
Fabulous first view of New Zealand. A perfect tour of all the New Zealand high points. Seamless transfers, hotel bookings and automobile. We would strongly recommend Relaxing Journeys, and plan to use their services again on our next trip to the land of the long white cloud.
4
John Redsell (Australia)
01/01/2012
I thought that Jarrod did his job well and in a timely manner. Everything was at the rental car place when we arrived and all vouchers worked well when presented. Some of the accommodation was less than perfect, but all was acceptable. One difficulty experienced was in the uniformity of access to internet. This was not a prerequisite which we had asked for, but some places had limited free access, others charged from the start. Some did not seem to have it at all. There were a couple of places that also placed unrealistic time access to laundry facilities for people who were actually travelling. It was a rushed tour, but this was of our making, not yours. A couple of the places were a little distant from the points that we had identified as where we wanted to stay the night, but again, this was not over the top and probably was as much to fit the budget as anything (e.g. Nelson). Loved the country & will definitely come again.
5
Dagnall Family (Australia)
20/12/2010
What a fantastic holiday. Such a beautiful and friendly place to holiday. Two weeks is not enough time to fully enjoy both the North and South Islands. I would suggest if people have the time that you need at least two nights stay in each place. One day travelling and one day to enjoy. All the accomadation booked for us was lovely and clean. The Managers of each place where full of information about local things to see and do, and so friendly. So many beautiful places to see, will never forget seeing our first snow capped mountain. The drive to Milford Sound, awesome! Landing in the snow via helicopter over the glaciers, awesome! The luge in Rotorua and Queenstown, awesome! Cultural night in Rotorua, awesome! Jet boat ride in Queenstown, awesome! And on, and on it goes! We would definitely recommend Relaxing Journeys, everything was perfect and trouble free.
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4
En Yung Chew & Edwin Tan (Singapore)
30/10/2010
The services rendered by Relaxing Journeys are simply more then exceptional! They are absolutely terrific! Jarrod was very responsive to all queries about the trip. All emails and enquires are answered promptly and a lot of care is taken to ensure that the trip is well planned and customized according to our requirements and requests. Generally, our customized Geysers and Glaciers trip was very enjoyable and well planned, upon reaching the airport, we just picked up our travel itinerary, and followed the activities planned from start to finish! The voucher system used in New Zealand made it very simple for tourist like us to get around the country with the attractions and accommodation handled with ease. GPS and Excess Reduction is highly recommended for route planning and higher insurance coverage for any traffic incidents. Unfortunately, I was involved in a car accident and fortunately, Debbie handled my incident very professionally. My accommodations were rearranged as we faced a 3 day disruption from the original itinerary without any additional cost! We even have a refund for the attractions that we did not go for due to medical reasons! The good thing about getting their services is that since they are based locally, they are great problem solvers and are able to exhibit their professionalism and render their assistance for any problems or incident encountered in the journey in real time and in lightning speed! The trip was enjoyable. New Zealand is a terrific country with beautiful scenery and very friendly people across the country. If I were to go to New Zealand or Australia again, I would not hesitate to use their services again and will definitely recommend to my friends for a fuss free well planned holiday in New Zealand. You will have a piece of mind when travelling in the country because you can trust that the team will take care of you from initial planning stages to actual holiday in NZ and any post trip issues and you can be assured of their prompt response to any situations or enquires that you may have for the holiday. Thank you Jarrod and Debbie. I am very happy and sincerely offer my heartfelt appreciations for a job well done!
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4
Rob & Gill Barrow (United States)
28/02/2010
We recently returned from the Geysers to Glaciers tour in wonderful New Zealand. Booking our New Zealand trip through Relaxing Tours was a very efficient, effective, and inexpensive way to see the country. From start to finish Jarrod made the planning process simple and painless. He made our additions and special requests to our journey happen. Once we arrived in county after a very long flight, the rest of the trip was a breeze. Our rental vehicle was waiting at the airport, we were provided a detailed day by day itinerary, a road atlas, and we hit the road with our voucher book in hand. Before we arrived I had wondered if there would be some additional/hidden expenses with the tour, but everything was as straight forward and simple as advertised. All we had to do was show up at each stop on the itinerary and hand them our voucher, with no additional fees or surprises at any stop. All of our accommodations were basic but very clean, and the hotel owners very friendly and willing to help out with advice on local places to see, eat, shop, etc.. Having kitchen facilities at each stop also allowed us to cook and save money for shopping and other adventures. I would highly recommend Relaxing Journeys as a nearly effortless way to book a vacation in New Zealand. Not having to worry about all the details allowed us to concentrate on the fabulous scenery, natural beauty, and culture of the country. The only problem was that I wish we could have stayed longer! Thank you very much for your excellent service.
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4
Deb Michels (United States)
28/02/2010
Thanks for a great trip. From start to finish our dealings with Relaxing Journeys were fantastic - always prompt, helpful with advice, and flexible to our needs. All arrangements (car, pick ups, tours) went like clockwork - and the accommodation was comfortable, generally well-located & always with helpful and friendly owners. We traveled with family from the USA who had never been to NZ - they were knocked out by this itinerary. We felt it really showed them all the high spots, a remarkable feat for 14 days! There was a lot of driving each day, but this is unavoidable if you want to see 'everything' and have a limited time. Also this is clearly spelled out in the itinerary, so no surprize. Most of the drives were incredibly scenic though - so enjoyable in themselves. The atlas we were given highlighted lots of interesting stops along the way which was very useful. Probably the one regret we had was that there was no time in the itinerary to explore Wellington - we arrived there in the early evening and left very early next morning to catch the ferry south. Would recommend to others to add a day or two in here if you can swing it. My partner and I came back after the others had left and loved it. We took the train from Greymouth to Christchurch - well worth the little extra expense. Special thanks to Kirsten for going above and beyond the call of duty in welcoming us to Auckland! It was a great start to the trip and set a tone which continued throughout our trip.
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4
Bahawi Bakar & Family (Malaysia)
07/11/2009
It has been more than a month since we came back from NZ. I should have written to you earlier, on my families behalf, to say many thanks on the excellent planning and arrangements you prepared for us. There is only one word to describe our tour. FANTASTIC! You and and your colleagues really made our recent trip the best family holiday we ever had. All went smoothly, from the day we landed at Auckland International Airport on 7th Nov until our departure on 22nd Nov from Christchurch . The voucher system was very useful. The 4WD was excellent and suited us well. Five grown up adults with five big bags plus 4 lots of hand luggage. South Island is beautiful and we should have stayed there longer. There are so many things to do and my 'grown up' children told me that 16 days in NZ is too short. I hope I can make another trip just to South Island in the near future. For your information our friend is going to New Zealand with his family around middle of 2010 and I told him he should use Relaxing Journeys to plan his NZ holiday. Your holiday itinerary and your email address was passed to him. I told him there is nothing to worry about as everything will be planned for him. Thank you.
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Terry Longhurst (Australia)
25/01/2007
Brian and I had a fabulous holiday. Having the car and places booked was a great way of going around NZ and I will advise anyone I know going to NZ for a holiday to consider going through yourselves. Just a special mention to a couple of places we stayed at where the hosts and accommodation were just brilliant and they were 'SIX on UNION' ( Paul and Sue) in Rotorua, and 'Arthurs Court Motor Lodge' (Frank and Joe) in Christchurch. These people really put themselves out to make our stay something special. So thanks again Craig on behalf of my brother and I.
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Optionals
New Zealand has a great deal of things to see and do, why not add one of our optional sightseeing activities to your trip. Prices are per adult (we'll adjust your quote for any children).
Enquire about our 14 Day Geysers To Glaciers
14 Day Geysers To Glaciers
Self Drive Tours
Tour Code: GNGTG
From (NZD)
$2303 per person
Save (NZD)
$231 per person
32 reviews
(4.5/5)
A full self drive tour of New Zealand starting from Auckland and including 4 days in the North and 10 days in the South Island visiting the top touris... Read More
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