New Zealand Lord of the Rings tour

Planet

As with all of our luxury vacations, this itinerary has been crafted to ensure that it positively effects the local communities and environments visited.

This itinerary includes trips to some of New Zealand's precious natural wonders, including Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, Waitomo's glowworm caves and a number of the country's national parks. By visiting these sites (all entrance fees are included in your luxury tour), you are supporting the preservation and conservation of these areas, and indicating to authorities that tourists are interested in protecting New Zealand's incredible natural environments, which in turn provides more funding for these regions.

In New Zealand's rural environments, please ensure that you don’t leave any litter – everything you carry in, you must carry out. Aside from the environmental damage, litter can be harmful to the wildlife.

We also make a special effort to recommend accommodation providers which have responsible and sustainable initiatives. For example, The White Morph is a member of the Green Hotels & Responsible Tourism Initiative, with a commitment to minimising environmental impact through policies on energy, water and waste management, as well as sourcing products from local suppliers.

People

All the local guides referred to in this itinerary are paid a fair wage. We believe that using local guides is important, as it helps generate local incomes and creates jobs, plus it offers a more authentic travel experience.

We recommend independent local hotels, lodges, guesthouses and campsites, rather than international chain hotels, where possible, which helps support local communities and allows you to experience true Kiwi hospitality. For example, the locally-owned Huntington Stables Retreat is run by hosts Robyn, Andy and Eden, who offer tailor-made and personalised packages for their guests. The hotel also runs a gift shop that stocks locally-made art, crafts, pottery, souvenirs and toiletries, which further support the community.

We encourage guests to learn about a destination's indigenous cultures, therefore this luxury New Zealand vacation includes a cultural experience learning about Maori traditions with a Maori master carver, including a traditional powhiri (Maori welcome) and the opportunity to learn about local tribe traditions from an authentic guide.