6 independent reviews for New Zealand classic self drive tour
Reviews for New Zealand classic self drive tour
Mark Martyn-Fisher review 13 Apr 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Seeing the wildlife, particularly kiwis.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
New Zealand has much to offer so best to have priorities of what you want to see and do.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, trip included a lot of cultural awareness and a big emphasis on conservation efforts and progress.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Great, full of wonderful experiences.Philip Chase review 27 Mar 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The South Island of New Zealand is a fantasy world of peaks, waterfalls, wildlife, and wonderful kind people.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Make sure you double check the length of stays in each city/town. We probably would have stayed longer in some places and less time in others, but we didn't do our homework on each place.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. All of our tours were run by local companies and both the tours and the hotels abided by practices that we think are good for the environment. For example, we have often stayed in hotels that say they will not clean towels etc. that one leaves on the rack, but they don't follow their own rules. Every hotel we stayed in followed their own guidelines for environmental cleaning.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Unbelievable!! The driving, the tours, the hotels, the people we met were fantastic. Only the hotel we stayed in Rotorua, The Copthorne, gave us pause. They stated that it was a 5-10 minute walk to the restaurants and shops, but it was a 40 minute walk, and we are fast walkers. We ended up taking Ubers after the first evening.Regan Springer review 9 Apr 2025
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Waking up every day in an amazing hotel , looking forward to a wonderful journey of discovery each day. *Note* Lime Tree Inn was not noteworthy. Room was clean but overall the accommodation was nothing like their description online and not up to par with our other stays.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
On a self drive, the estimated driving times were a little under estimated …probably because we were driving carefully so a bit under speed limit as well as the road maintenance delays we often encountered. So many beautiful stops along the way for walks and enjoying the scenery. Also consider staying a few days on Waiheke Island to decompress after long international travel. Gorgeous beaches and fabulous wineries & restaurants!3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Our travels definitely benefited local economy through our purchases. The hotels we stayed at seemed very conscious about reducing environmental impacts. Driving4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Great driving vacation!Hope Farrior review 27 Mar 2025
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Identifying the most memorable or exciting part is impossible because there were so many...from waking up to sunrise and hearing the waves by Lonely Bay to the helicopter ride to the glacier in Franz Josef and everything in between. The full moon on Aoraki-Mt. Cook, Te Puia in Rotorua, the night on Milford Sound with clear skies and shooting stars. Our rooms looking out at Aoraki, Lake Taupo, Franz Josef, the mountains in Kaikoura. Staying at the Bolton Hotel in Wellington was perfect location, wonderful amenities for midtrip (washer/dryer).2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
The pace of the trip was just right for us, many 2 night stays, few days with long drives.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We hope so. We absolutely loved Russ Carr, our driver to Milford Sound. He knew history, botany, geology, and everything about New Zealand. He made sure to stop at special places along the way. What a delight!4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Excellent! The Kiwis were welcoming, kind, and a wonderful, wry sense of humor. They went out of their way to be helpful. A few places that were run by expatriots were less welcoming and kind, more business oriented. Anne at Lonely Bay was lovely (French). The Hermitage Hotel with amazing view of Aoraki is run by Asians and more business...uptight. The Bolton Hotel concierge was very Kiwi, joked with us every time we saw him.Sharon Smith review 3 Mar 2025
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The smooth running and impeccable organisation for our wonderful trip to New Zealand.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Absolutely the right plan to have our tour organised.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Absolutely we felt that we were engaging with people who were local and invested in looking after and promoting New Zealand. The accommodations were fully sustainable too.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
We absolutely loved it and we thought the tour arranged for us was outstanding with a complete attention to detail.Joanna Choong review 25 Mar 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Glowworm Caves, Fox Glacier (but was not arranged from the tour, self arranged and paid extra), Maori Village.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
The cities - Auckland, Queenstown, Dunedin are not worth staying for more than 1 night.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Excellent.Holiday Reviews
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