Testimonials

Liz Bledsoe and Michelle Danker – Essential Workers from USA, 

Exclusive 23-Day Great Ocean Road, Phillip Island, Great Barrier Reef, Sydney, Melbourne and Blue Mountains Self Drive Tour

“The Road Trip put together our recently completed self-driving tour of Australia. They were easy to work with and did an outstanding job of arranging our accommodations and travel in country (both driving and flying). We started in Melbourne with an excellent tour of the central city. We then heading over to the Yarra Valley for two nights. It’s an area known for its vineyards and wine making. Then it was off to the Great Ocean Road for two days of beautiful beaches and great stops recommended by The Road Trip. We spent two days in charming Port Fairy at a great boutique hotel. Then it was back to Melbourne to head to Sydney. Some weather issues prevented us from traveling as planned put we did spend a day and a half in Sydney with the highlight being a climb to the top of the Harbor Bridge. After Sydney we spent two days in the Blue Mountains. Our plans were limited by the recent fires which was disappointing. We spent one day in the Hunter Valley and if you are into wine another day would be appropriate. Then back to Sydney to fly up to the Great Barrier Reef. The rainforests and reef were magical. Wavelength did a great job with the reef snorkeling tour. It was then back to Melbourne for the Australian Open which was a blast. Then finally a trip to Phillip Island to watch the penguins come back to their burrows after a busy day in the sea. Overall a memorable trip and it was logistically very easy with The Road Trip.”

John and Brenda Phillips – USA,

6-Day Exclusive Melbourne, Yarra Valley and Kangaroo Island Self Drive Tour

“We completed our Australia tour and returned to India on 3rd January, 2020. We feel extremely sorry and sad while watching the news about bushfires in Australia, in particular Kangaroo Island as we have been to Kangaroo Island. Regarding feedback of our self-drive tour to Adelaide- Melbourne our second half of the tour covering Balgownie Estate, hot air balloon ride was wonderful. Healsville, puffing Billy, Dandenong was very scenic and everything went well, as planned. As regards first half covering Kangaroo Island major attractions over there were closed due to high temperatures when we visited on 20 December, 2019. It was hot and very windy too. So we couldn’t do much there. However the hotel location and scenic drive from ferry to the hotel was great. We were happy with all the arrangements made by Theroadtrips which made our trip enjoyable. The tips provided were helpful. We enjoyed food at various places as we got variety in vegetarian food. As we look back we realise that what we experienced at KI was just the beginning of very severe bushfires. We very sincerely hope that your company can cope up with the changed situation due to bushfires. We wish you best luck.”

Manjiri and Deepak Gohkale, a couple from India –

Exclusive Melbourne, Great Ocean Road and Grampians self drive tour

“I want to thank Chris and his team for making me and my extended family’s first trip (definitely won’t be my last!) to Melbourne a memorable one 🙂

The guide book that was bestowed upon me during the start of my holiday was literally my BIBLE throughout the trip! The walking tour of Melbourne’s lane and arcades gave me an insight into the city, and I wished I could’ve stayed longer.

It was a breeze for us to move from one apartment to another, and proceed with the activities of our choice as they were all pre-arranged by the team at The Road Trip; saving me the hassle of having to handle multiple booking for a group of 5.

They were also considerate by providing us with “insider information” on the places we’re visiting and additional scenic lookout points during our tour of the Great Ocean Road. Wish I had more time to explore Lorne!

Kudos to the team. Overall a job well done :)”

Edith Soh and family – from Singapore, 

9 Day Guided Tour of South Island

“I truly enjoyed the trip! Some of the highlights were:

(1) Crown Range – we got to see a rare sight: SNOW!
(2) Te Anau Glow Worm Cave
(3) Milford Sound – an amazing boat ride
(4) My most favourite moment of all: QUEENSTOWN – all the adventure activities that I got to do!
(5) Glacier Boat Ride

Actually, not only those mentioned, I pretty much enjoyed everything in the trip.

Well, taking a private tour was so much better than being with a large group of people. There was no need to wait for anyone. It was all set by our own pace, own targets. It was pretty free and easy, no restrictions here and there so, it was all cool (:

Alex is an excellent guide. As he has plenty of experiences, he is very knowledgeable on the places we went to (to my surprise because not alot of guides know their things well) and attentive not only to details, but also to our needs especially of my mother’s. He regularly checks on the weather to see if it would affect any of our activities and if it does, he takes the initiative to discuss it with us and provides alternative options for us to consider. He really thinks of things ahead which is really good and I really appreciate that. The trainee guide, Bruce, as well is pretty accommodating and tried to make us feel comfortable especially my mother since they are both similar in age. I hope Bruce was able to learn a few things from the trip with us and put them in practice with his future trips haha (:”

Raihan Ahmad – Singapore

14 Day Self Drive Tour of South Island

“All in, it was a fantastic holiday, made possible by The Road Trip team. Our 14 days self drive was relaxing, the guide book made everything easy, checking in was easy at every motel, the recommended photo stops were spot on, the restaurants/cafes were good. All the motels were great, with fantastic views and well equipped. We really had a great time in beautiful New Zealand- most beautiful country in the world!! Below are a few pics – we even saw a family of seals sunning on a rock during the Milford Sound Cruise. The view just outside the balcony of The Alexis Motel in Queenstown is stunning! My most loved photo is the one taken of the Mirror Lakes- the reflection is so beautiful! Would highly recommend The Road Trip to all planning a NZ holiday- eight thumbs up from us 4 ladies! Thanks to all for making this trip possible.”

Wai Ling and group – from Malaysia and Australia

Exclusive 23 Day Best of Both Islands Privately Guided Tour for 7

“1. During our visit to Milford Sound, Zeb spotted this covey of Paradise shell ducks – mama, seven babies, and (as it turned out) poppa crossing the parking lot into a picturesque area on the Sound. Knowing our interest in birds in general, he quickly reversed course, found a parking spot and we all piled out to watch the Ducks and got some great photos.
2. In Wanaka, he took us to the docks early in the morning to see the giant eels and trout we would never have known to look for without him.
3. As we walked in the rainy valley near the Franz Josef glacier, Zeb saw this rain-dotted spider web that we would have missed without his keen eye.
4. Zeb knew just where to stop to give this poor starving kea a nibble on John’s shoe! We had not had a good chance to see keas until then. Would never have known THE place to stop and see them.
5. Weird but – we all loved the funky little place he took us for coffee after the Tranzalp train ride. An incredible collection of old and functioning porcelain toilets, and other eclectic items! Very fun.
6. We ask to pull over in a picturesque spot to watch the sheep for a bit, and the antics of the Lambs and The Mamas soon had us all hooting with laughter. The video is way cooler than the picture we have here of the two little lambs nursing, their tails are going like sixty!
7. A very special highlight was when Zeb took us to his Grandma’s place for lunch. We were delighted to find out that Grandma Fleur is a famous chef, who served us delicious New Zealand specialties we had been hoping to try! As dedicated foodies, that was a rare treat.
8. Watching ATV Cowboys bring home the herd while off the beaten track with Zeb.
9. The Chasm. Another gorgeous sight we likely would have missed on our own.
10. After visiting the Weta studios, we were keen to see the Gallipoli exhibit at Te Papa. It was not a part of our schedule for the day, but Zeb squeaked us in for an hour before closing time.
11. One of Zeb’s talents is being in the right place in the right time. In this case, he had us at the base of Huka Falls as a daredevil kayaker came rocketing over the top.
12. Redwood tree walk, another unique experience we would not known about.
13. Last (as you can probably tell, these are in no kind of order), Zeb popped us by more than one craft fair as the opportunities arose. This one was in Pahia, where I added to my fish sculpture collection with the five little fellows top left.
Zeb was a knowledgeable, friendly guide who ably fielded our 1001 questions about fish, birds, trees flowers, geology, politics, weather, astronomy, and anything else we could think of. And we think A LOT!
He was also very, very patient, never once rushing us along or expressing any need for hurry. This same trait is probably also part of what makes him a totally OUTSTANDING driver. We all felt very safe with him behind the wheel.

“…we had been talking about a trip to NZ for several years based on all the rave reviews about your gorgeous country that we had been hearing from various friends who traveled there in the past.  So we came to NZ with very high expectations.  In every case and from every angle — Zeb, the route, the sights, the accommodations,  the obvious meticulous planning, The Road Trip — you exceeded those high expectations with room to spare.  We cannot thank you enough. “

John Griener group of 7 – USA, 

Best of Both Islands Exclusive New Zealand and Rarotonga Honeymoon Tour

“My husband and I booked our honeymoon with The Road Trip. They made it very easy for us to plan the route, transportation, lodging, and must-sees. They sent us a proposal as a starting point, and we made some adjustments according to the places we wanted or did not want to see. We didn’t have to worry about anything, and they solved the small problems that appeared on the go. The Road Trip made it really easy for us to just relax and enjoy every single day of our stay in NZ and Raro. Tēnā rawa atu koe.“

Nicole Pla and Luis Laphan – Mexico, 

North Island Exclusive Privately Guided Tour – Group of 7

“Its almost mission impossible without The RoadTrip- I cannot imagine the family doing an 8 days tour of the north island- Immaculate plan and everything perfectly organised to surround care for each member of the family. Matt and Ethan made sure we were well supported in each leg of the tour by helping us with the children, luggage and making sure we had our needs best met ( laundry facilities, diapering times, rice – comfort food for the babies)and ensuring we did not miss the highlights of New Zealand. I applaud their professionalism. These helpful friends! Best recommended for highly motivated individuals and families who dream a memorable journey of adventures but who need intensive travel support.. 10 stars if I can give!!!”

Rachel Wong – Singapore, 

11 Day Privately Guided Tour of Both Islands – Group of 6

“We traveled to New Zealand all the way from Mexico, a group of six.  Alex was our guide, and apparently, we were his first Mexican group! He was very patient with the inevitable chatter in Spanish and with our music. We really enjoyed the itinerary that The Road Trip made for us and were always amazed by how much their country has to offer. The team that arranged our trip and answered to our inquiries was very professional and always came back to us rapidly and with great suggestions or solutions. Alex was very accommodating with some minor changes we made while on the road, and when the group decided to split for any reason; he was a fun travel companion. All in all, the guided private tour surpassed our expectations and I would gladly recommend booking with The Road Trip to anybody that wants to enjoy a tailor-made New Zealand experience.”

Alicia Nunez – Mexico, 

18 Day Privately Guided Tour of Both Islands – 2 Couples

“I don’t know where to start for highlights! Lakes, mountains, waterfalls, birds, the wildlife, and the cleanest public toilets I have ever seen! Seeing penguins was my dream, and Alex helped to make it come true. So much of what we saw was out of my experience – thermal pools, boiling water coming out of the ground, volcanoes…. It was comforting not to be worried by nasty bugs and snakes, although being at the foot of 3 active volcanoes during Cyclone Gita was a little unnerving. Thanks to a wonderful NZ Pinot Noir, we survived very well! Alex and Matt were both excellent at understanding our needs, and they had an extensive knowledge of great restaurants and wines. They were very professional and safety conscious, but also very friendly. With very minor exceptions, the range and choice of accommodations was excellent. We ate very well, and we Canadians loved the idea of wine in supermarkets. Thank you for all of your help, Janelle. Our very best wishes to all of you, especially to Alex and Eugene, and to Matt. We will continue to sing your praises :)”

Sheila Fitzsimons – Canada, 

21 Day Self Drive Tour of Both Islands – Couple

“Thank you Road Trip Team for the trip of a life time. Post card views at every turn, smooth, fuss free organisation, great accommodation and such wonderful memories of both North and South Island. There were never any hassles about the cars you had hired for us, or the accommodation. The motel managers were brilliant, friendly, helpful and caring. When they knew we were travelling with you, they welcomed us and said they trusted your organisation and us. We had thought this trip would be a one off, but I have the feeling we may be back!”

Madeleine and Errol Read – Australia, 

Exclusive Privately Guided South Island Tour – 2 Couples

“My husband and I, Alan and Joan Gross, along with my sister and brother-in-law, Terry and Scott McKenzie, hired The Road Trip to drive us through the South Island in early March. Experience New Zealand set this up for us. Our driver was Zeb. I want you to know how fantastic he is. First, Zeb is a great driver. We always felt totally safe in his hands. Zeb was knowledgeable and able to come up with great alternatives when our plans fell through. For example, our helicopter flight to Fox Glacier was rained out, but Zeb came up with alternative hikes. Also, when our flight into the Siberian Valley was also cancelled due to weather, Zeb suggested that we change our schedule for the next day and try the flight again. We did, and had a wonderful day in the Siberian Valley. Zeb took us to great restaurants. He drove us to a special place overlooking Queenstown which was not on our itinerary. In addition to all of this, Zeb is a lovely person and a pleasure to be with. When we left NZ for Australia, our only regret was that we could not take Zeb with us. You have a great employee, and we want you to know this. Thanks for a wonderful vacation.”

Joan & Alan Gross and Scott & Terry Mackenzie – USA, 

9 Day Privately Guided Tour of South Island – 2 Couples

“We just returned from The Road Trip’s 9 day South Island Guided Tour with Alex. It was a wonderful trip! The four of us are active, senior couples and they customized the tour to meet our interests (scenery, hiking, food and wine) with an appropriate activity level. In our past travels, we have loved doing impromptu picnics by a scenic spot and Alex even provided camping chairs and a “chilly bin” for our use during the trip. It is hard to narrow down the highlights of our trip; the scenery throughout the South Island is so beautiful and majestic. We did particularly enjoy the Pancake rocks at high tide, our bonfire on the beach at Punakaiki Resort by the Tasman Sea, the Trans-Alpine train ride and enjoying our Wanaka cheese and wine by the shores of Lake Wanaka, the lamb lunch at the Gibbston Winery, the view from the Skyline restaurant in Queenstown (spring for a window seat), jet boating on the Shotover and river rafting on the Kawarau River are just a few of the many memorable moments. Alex was a superior guide. We have used private guides in Sicily and Ireland and Alex was the best. He was interesting and interested in us without being intrusive. He was flexible, knowledgeable and accommodating, even picking us up take-out food for dinner when we chose to eat sitting by the water instead of a restaurant. Most importantly, Alex is a good problem solver. As with most vacations, there was a glitch in our plans and he was quickly able to make alternate arrangements so that we were able to fully enjoy everyday of our vacation. We would heartily recommend the Road Trip to anyone wanting a special experience.”

Carol Orto and Group – USA, 

18 Day Self Drive South Island Tour – Couple

“‘Fantastic’ probably doesn’t get anywhere near close enough to the experience we had it was truly out of this world and we’ll never forget the trip from start to finish so thank you so much for the itinerary and all the suggestions and planning that you included on our behalf which really highlighted your knowledge of the south island which is absolutely breath taking! Very briefly we loved doing our own self drive(a first for us) and the itinerary gave us a great route map which we pretty much stuck to and adapted a few bits here and there to suit ourselves and sometimes because of the weather which as you know was really hot at the start of the trip but cloud and rain meant that we had to swap the skydiving and shotover jet to one day which got the adrenalin going on overdrive, but both were out of this world and we just wanted to do them both again and again! Franz Joseph Glacier is a must for anyone and our stay there and helicopter trip was just so good and we were lucky with the weather as it appears that many flights get cancelled because of it. The drive into Milford Sound and the Crown range although a bit challenging (I’m not good with heights) were awesome and we were lucky enough to see the Sound in bright sunlight followed by rainfall which set off all the temporary waterfalls etc it’s indescribable you’ve got to see it to believe it. Most of the accommodation was great and the Tree houses in Kaikoura need a special mention as we would have loved another night there and would recommend them to anyone. The Hermitage hotel at Mount Cook served us the best dinner of all whilst looking out over one of the best views of all! I could go on and on but suffice to say there were no really ‘bad bits’ apart from an unfortunate night at the Edgewater resort which was partly our fault leaving a window open so we shipped out to a nearby bed and breakfast (ALPINE LODGE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) instead. We will only ever remember the fabulous time we had and for a 50th birthday adventure for anyone I doubt it could be beaten. Thank you so much once again as your planning was invaluable to us.”

Andy and Tracy Hyde – UK, 

Privately Guided Tour of Both Islands – Couple

“We had a wonderful road trip. Constance met us at the airport and was rather taken aback that we had two large suitcases each and hand luggage. When we made the original booking through our travel against we specifically noted that we travel with extra luggage and the flight from Christchurch to Wellington was booked to include the two bags each. Once we got over that hurdle we settled down and had a grand time. Constance drove with care, and informed that her dad was a rally driver and she started at age 5. She was knowledgable and googled any queries she wasn’t sure of. The farmstays were great and good to integrate with the families. The hotels were excellent, the Whittianga flat was difficult as it was on three levels and no sea view. The caretaker was rather stern to start with too. The chalet romantica was wonderful and a good place to end the tour. We managed to fit in visits with family and friends en route, which was a highlight for me. We learned a lot about the Maori culture. It is wonderful how integrated they are in the western society. South Africa still struggles with diversity in ethnic groups The politicians here play on it a lot too. Constance took photos that she has posted on facebook. We can definitely recommend The Road Trip.”

Alice and Francis Hanauer – South Africa,

14 Day Privately Guided Tour of Both Islands – Family of 4

“We visited New Zealand during Christmas holidays and had a fabulous time! I am very impressed with the whole team at The Road Trip. It’s a well-oiled machine. Chris Cameron was great to work with while coming up with a custom itinerary and he was quick to respond with detailed answers to my numerous questions. Janelle was very helpful through the booking process. Alex tweaked the itinerary a little bit more and we had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of times during our tour. Our guide was Matthew Osborne and he is phenomenal. He is very knowledgeable and quite passionate about his country. It was fantastic learning so much about New Zealand and seeing one of the most beautiful countries on Earth! We started in Auckland and visited both North and South Islands and departed from Queenstown. The hotels that were booked were in perfect locations with lovely views and all the travel arrangements were seamless. Once Matt got to know what we like and how we travel, he would stop by at many wonderful places on the way that we really enjoyed as much as the popular destinations. He also had suggestions for great places to eat based on our preferences and showed us the best ice cream places every day! He indulged us in pretty much every whim we had without losing sight of the itinerary. We had a relaxing time and I’m so glad we had someone driving so we can enjoy the incredible scenery. We traveled with our teen and pre-teen and they enjoyed spending time with Matt and treated him like a big brother! He has a great sense of humor and our two weeks flew by! We met Zeb a couple of times during our tour when our itineraries overlapped and I have realized you can’t go wrong with the company. Everyone I have been in touch with from The Road Trip is very professional, friendly and takes pride in their country. We thought this may be once in a lifetime trip for us but we fell in love with NZ that we already decided we have to add a few more days in South Island whenever we visit Australia in the future. Our favorite town is Queenstown and kids said the best day of the trip was when we did Shotover Jet and Paragliding on the same day. We loved the zip ride and luge. We visited both Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound and enjoyed Doubtful Sound more. Arthurs Pass and Haast Pass are mind-blowingly beautiful! We loved watching Albatross Colony as it is the nesting season and you can see different stages of life cycle right in front of you. Hobbiton was even better than imagined. Never seen glow-worms until we went to the Maori Village and then to see them in even greater numbers in Waitamo was delightful. Wanaka was a lovely place to spend our Christmas day. We were lucky that the weather cooperated for us to go on Franz Josef glacier flight. I loved Franz Josef, to see a glacier surrounded by lush green was a pretty sight and the town was just chill! Could have easily spent a couple more days there. We get to see lots of seals, a couple of dolphins and plenty of NZ birds including Kea. We loved Tranz Alpine train, Arrowtown and pretty much everything we get to see and do! The only bad thing is that the trip ended!

If you are contemplating visiting NZ and signing up with The Road Trip, don’t hesitate! It will be one of your best vacations! The pictures attached are the views from our hotel rooms. Need I say more?”

Vani Koduru – USA, 

15 Day Self Drive Tour of Both Islands – Family of 6

“Thank you for organising such an amazing trip for us! We had an absolutely fantastic time and I will definitely post a review and some of our photos on your Facebook page – we’ve got some cracking ones!!!!! We had so many highlights that I don’t know where to start but, I will just say that the road trip was perfect for our family of Brits aged between 19 and 63 years!!!! Everything from the quality and size of the cars, the accommodation, the travel arrangements and excursions were spot on!!!! We loved it all!!!!!! New Zealand is a magical, incredible place and you gave us the opportunity to have a taster. We were all blown away by the scenery on South Island and if we were to come back, would definitely spend more time there – Queenstown was a favourite of us all!!! Your instructions were clear and easy to follow and everything was ready and waiting for us as we arrived in different places. The only thing that we found slightly difficult was getting to places on time – particularly if we were booked in somewhere early in the morning! It’s not easy to get 4 young people out of bed and off on the road for 7.00am, particularly when they’re on holiday!!!! We had a few worrying moments when we arrived late at a few places, particularly Hobbiton, and the Glow Worms cave as they are insistent that you keep to your allotted time!!!! A few ’tears’ and ‘we’ve come all the way from England’ stance managed to get us in but, it might be worth you mentioning their inflexibility for ’entrance times’ in your notes to future clients or…book afternoon visits?!! The hotels and accommodation were fantastic! We all particularly loved the hotel in Franz Joseph Glacier – it was amazing and the food incredible! Christmas was perfect! The sun shone on Christmas Day and we saw dolphins!!!!! New Year in Te Anau was interesting and the house beautiful! We decided not to go to the Milford Sound as Doubtful Sound was so amazing that we didn’t feel it could be beaten! Also, it meant that we didn’t have to get up at 6.00am. and then drive for 7 hours to Queenstown!!! Maybe we’ll see it next time?!
So highlights….Hobbiton (exceeded all of our expectations) , Maori experience,Trans Alpine train (Jethro met one of his old school friends at the back of the queue – what are the chances of that?!), East coast of South Island, Doubtful Sound and Queenstown (the scenery was breathtaking)! We really can’t thank-you enough and, we have returned to England with the idea of doing a similar thing here – shame we don’t have the same weather!!!!! Keep Road Tripping…!!!!”

Deb Gould – England, 

3 Day Privately Guided Tour of South Island – Family of 5

“We have great time with Constance. We enjoyed the Orchard tour and plucking of fresh fruits. We also love the lupus flower stopover. Mt John and star gazing is wonderful. However the Mt cook hiking was a bit challenging, only sit down enjoyed the view for half an hour for a total 3 hours hiking. I will definitely recommend your company to my friends and family if they are going to New Zealand.”

Cannie Lim – Singapore, 

5 Day Privately Guided South Island Tour – Couple

“The tour of the South Island was indeed a fantastic experience for both my wife and me. David Mitchell (Dave) was a competent driver, well-informed tour guide and, above all, became a good friend in the five days he took us round from Christchurch to Franz Josef, Queenstown, Te Anau and Milford Sound and the firefly display. We are elderly, 75 and eighty. You had tailored the tour to suit our physical condition. Dave fine-tuned it and was sharp eyed to our needs. He was faultlessly punctual at all times. Apart from the parks, mountains and the glaciers, Dave introduced us to a new experience: at pre-determined spots he let me collect mountain spring water for our consumption on the drive – “cool, refreshing and 100% pure drinkable water.” We are glad we opted for the customised itinerary and the Road Trip Team had put together a near perfect plan. On a scale of 1 to 10, I will give it a ten!”

Dato & Vija Kandan – Malaysia, 

13 Day Privately Guided South Island Tour – Group of 4

“It was just a month before our trip, so I was kinda worried that they would not be able to arrange a private tour for us! Chris first contacted us to check out our preferences (i.e. places to visit, accommodation, farmstay) and provided us a detailed explanation of their services. Thumbs up for the professionalism, giving me much assurance needed. Chris was really patient with all my requests and queries, and that he had to changed our itinerary thrice! He replied promptly and we got our itinerary confirmed within a week! Another thumbs up for The Road Trip because Amy and Janelle were equally prompt with their response when I had queries regarding the accommodation or issue with my payment! I really like how organized The Road Trip was, where they had the different teams responsible for different tasks. Truly no regrets choosing to go on a private tour! Alex, our tour guide/driver, was more than just awesome! He was very punctual, understanding, flexible, knowledgeable, observant, helpful and a great driver! NZ is really gorgeous and the places that The Road Trip had planned out has definitely bring out the best of South Island! If I were to pick any highlights of the trip, I really can’t! I mean, every places that we’ve been to it’s a beauty on its own! Before I end this, just a shout out to everyone in The Road Trip, thank you for all that you have done for making this trip a wonderful one for my family and I! We are coming back for sure! There are so much more that we have yet to explore! Looking forward to the next time we engage The Road Trip again! Till then, take care! I will strongly recommend The Road Trip to my relatives and friends! And for anyone who’s reading this and considering a private tour, hesitate no more!”

Kai Xin – Singapore, 

14 Day Self Drive Tour of Both Islands – Group of 7

“I’ve only have fantastic things to said about road trip. I’ve use their services for my family trip (consist of 7 people) to New Zealand for 14 days back in July 2017 period and those 14 days cannot go any better! Their fast response was not only in the beginning when we were developing the itinerary, but up until the day to day when we were in New Zealand. When we had any questions (where are the gift shop, where should we buy Manuka Honey or when you get lost), they will always stand by to help and answer your questions. And it doesn’t stop there, they also helped me in getting reimbursement from Europcar when it overcharged me. Overall, I will definitely recommend Road Trip to anybody who want to go to New Zealand. Two thumbs up!”

Richard Lokasasmita – Indonesia, 

12 Day Privately Guided Tour of Both Islands – Group of 5

“I can not say enough about our wonderful New Zealand road trip. I wanted to have a cruise-like experience so I would not have to stress out about the car, getting lost, driving on the left hand side of the road, accommodations, restaurant reservations, attraction reservations and tickets. On top of all this I needed flexibility as I was traveling with my 4 year old granddaughter as well as her parents and my 30-year-old son. I got all this and more. Constance was our guide driver, and she was awesome. She is a skilled driver and knew how to get around, even with roads closed on short notice due to earthquake repairs. She knew where every restroom and playground was along our route. We were able to break up long periods of driving for my granddaughter with a 30-minute stop at the playgrounds. Did I mention that you have not experienced a playground until you have been to one in New Zealand! We allotted 2 weeks for sight seeing and our itinerary included the South and North Island. We had a lot of ground to cover and Constance made it happen! We were mainly interested in the natural sights. We took a helicopter to the Franz Joseph Glacier, a boat trip on Milford Sound, nature hikes to rivers, mirror lakes, volcanoes, beaches, Geysers and more. We had adventures in Queenstown. Constance was able to schedule all of our adventures in one action-packed day!  I went hang gliding, side bar, I am 62 years old with back problems. It was fantastic! My son bungee jumped from a historic old bridge over a river filled with boulders. What a scenic way to risk ones life and give his mother a heart attack. We went to the Mount John Observatory. Amazingly, the sky was clear and we saw stars as well as galaxies! We stayed at Dunnbailin Sheep Farm in a 1920 remodeled school house with the most lovely family. We met their obese pet sheep called Polly who galloped across a field when called. I’ve been to many countries, and New Zealand is the most beautiful country I have ever been to. None can surpass it for so many natural wonders in one country. It is a truly magical place. All of the hotels were excellent, the food was fantastic, and The Road Trip really allowed us to leave the planning in their capable hands and just truly relax.”

Cathy Karunaratne – USA, 

5 Day Privately Guided Tour of North Island – Solo Traveller

“I had a wonderful time seeing the north island with Constance! I hope my silence has not come across as a negative—jet lag from the flight home knocked me out for a few days, then I had to catch up with work stuff, then it was my son’s birthday, and tomorrow I leave for my usual two weeks with a friend at her timeshare in Mexico. In other words, I’ve had little opportunity to focus on anything in particular, but do want to provide you all, and Constance in particular, with my very positive feedback about the tour. I never would have thought of myself as somebody who would go on a private guided tour of a foreign land. However, I wanted to get out and about from Auckland, was a little afraid of driving on a side of the road I’m not used to, and my friend and former co-worker Robin Nelson gave The Road Trip sterling reviews. So I went for it, and it was well worth it. I loved seeing a variety of landscapes and landforms, and not having to do all the trip planning and driving. Constance figured out pretty quick that my worldview is slightly askew, so she showed me all the best sites, like the giant carrot in the town that has an annual carrot festival (forgot its name, I don’t have the map in front of me), the gum-boot tossing lane at Taihape, and funky minigolf at Carlucci Land in Wellington. To say nothing of bouncing down a hill in a giant OGO hamster ball in Rotorua. And that was all gravy on top of seeing and learning about the land and the people and the history—had a great tour at Te Papa, don’t want to forget that, and I enjoyed meeting and talking with the folks at the sheep/cattle farm B&B. Oh, oh, and I got to see a kiwi bird tootling around looking for worms! (the kiwi was looking, not me) Particularly since I was travelling alone, I never would have seen and done all that stuff had I not signed up for a guided tour.  Highly recommend. I need to schedule a return to see the south island!”

Anne Marvin – USA,

9 Day Privately Guided Tour of South Island – Couple

“New Zealand was our honeymoon destination and it was a terrific one. We had the best honeymoon we wished for. After We spent few days in the north islands, the south islands were next! But we were a bit worried since there was a lot to see in dew days. And here come The road trip! Together with our SUPER FRIENDLY guide Constance we spent 10 amazing days, driving around the south, jumping from a town to another. 10 days we will definitely always remember. Every single detail was very well planned, every single step was accounted from. We stayed in the best accommodations and really enjoyed every bit of it. We had the best food and definitely the best time! Every town we visited had its charm. From Christchurch to lake Tekapo, from the spellbinding town of Wanaka to Te Anau, and the fantastic Queenstown and its surroundings, everyday we had a new gem to discover on the way. Truth is, if we didn’t take the road trip, we wouldn’t have seen all the great memorable things. Kudos to the whole team who were flexible and super friendly and planned everything according to what we loved to see and discover. A big Kudos to our Friend Constance who was had a story to tell in every location we visited, and had to go through my “STOP STOP! OMG this is where they shot LOTR” or “OMG a dead possum, let’s see it closely”. New Zealand was our honeymoon destination and The Road Trip made it awesomely Memorable.”

Michael and Rachel Haber – Lebanon, 

21 Day Privately Guided Best of Both Islands Tour – Group of 12

“Just want to drop you few lines for job well done! Our group travelled around the world, we all agreed this was a most memorable and unforgettable journey we ever had!! David did an excellent job to drive us safely and in timely manner! Our trip was very complicated and detailed oriented, he managed to complete our trip in orderly and then some! Also thanks to your quick respond to our needs during our trip and solve all the issues that we had! We will definitely recommend The Road Trip to our family and friends if they are heading to New Zealand!!”

Betty NG and Group – USA, 

47 Day Self Drive Tour of Both Islands – Couple

“We loved our time in New Zealand and found the country a great place to tour. Loved the local cafe culture that exists. We have had nothing but positive things to say to our friends who asked about our trip. The star gazing on Mount John, the yellow penguin reserve, Ulva Island bird tour, Mt Huia farmstay, Milford Sound and Hobbiton were all highlights of our trip. In fact all of the nature/animal tours rated very high on our list. But in truth we didn’t have many unsatisfactory moments. I also took a helicopter tour of White Island, not part of the road trip arrangements, which was awesome and I would highly recommend. The helicopter picked me up right at the black Swan hotel. We also managed to get up to Kaikoura for whale watching (got a tour to replace our cancelled Alpine train excursion). The self drive tour was the way for us to go as we were able to have a more leisurely tour than if we had a dedicated tour guide with us. Coming from the west side of Canada driving on the roads was not really an issue for me. In general we were quite pleased with the Road Trip and the service level that we received and have recommended your organization to friends who are considering a New Zealand Adventure.”

John Armstrong – Canada, 

7 Day Privately Guided North Island Tour – Solo Traveller

“I had a wonderful experience in New Zealand, thanks to the great planning and to Tom’s assistance. I really enjoyed having my own personal guide/driver, and everyone I tell is jealous too. Tom did an excellent job! He is certainly knowledgeable about the country, nature and history; congenial and has a sense of humor. I felt as if I were traveling with a friend, even though I’m old enough to be his grandmother. And since I pretended to be “the driver”, I went to the wrong side of the car only a couple times. Tom was organized and I think you put together a great adventure for me. There was certainly a lot of variety and the days were planned flexibly and well. It’s difficult to identify specific highlights, everything was amazing. I would designate New Zealand – green. Coming from the desert, all the green was refreshing, besides, I believe New Zealand is considerably ‘green’ environmentally too. Of course, I enjoyed all the winery visits, and there were a lot. The geothermal pools, and geysers were impressive. I enjoyed the hikes and staying active, seeing waterfalls was great. The mountain landscape seemed ‘otherworldly’ at times, so that was impressive, beautiful. I’m happy we were able to drive through the mountains. And the sheep, of course. I had a great time getting to know the farm stay owners, that was a very pleasant evening. I hope this gives you an idea how much fun I had on my private tour of New Zealand. Thank you and each member of the team at The Road Trip. I’ve told several people along the way about you, people interested in traveling to New Zealand.”

Karolyn McCain – USA, 

7 Day Self Drive South Island Tour – Group of 2

“We had an amazing trip! Thank you so much for a wonderful experience. We were so last minute in booking and yet you booked everything that we requested. Your office was so quick to respond to our e-mail and questions. You were also so accommodating in booking those activities in the North Island for us as well as add some driving routes. Our accommodations were outstanding. We were blown away with the view our first night in Queenstown and each night after that. I would have to say the best part of the trip was the driving. Each day brought more amazing views of an ever changing landscape. I wish the photos did the scenery justice, but it can’t. The weather didn’t cooperate for our Doubtful Sound trip but it was still fun. It also rained for the kayak trip, but Milford Sound with all the waterfalls because of the rain certainly made up for it and I won’t have wanted to miss that. We also got to see penguins and seals while kayaking. The day that we traveled from Wanaka to Fox Glacier was probably my favorite drive. The trip was supposed to be a 3 hour drive, but it took us 10!  We made so many stops that you suggested and won’t have wanted to miss a single one. The change in topography that day was stunning. To go from mountains, to the ocean with rain forest and then glacier was breathtaking. Although it rained the day we drove to Christchurch it was beautiful. This only makes me want to come back again. Each trip company from Glowworms, kayaking, Doubtful  Sound were amazingly professional, helpful and informative. We stuck to the road trip bible. We eat where you suggested and it never disappointed. We tried to do all the hikes that you suggested – loved the Kepler track and the swing bridge. Each day was filled from morning until night with amazing adventures. Ending in Christchurch at the beautiful hotel and dinner was such a wonderful way to cap off an outstanding adventure. Thank you!”

Sue Newborn and Friend – USA, 

14 Day Privately Guided South Island Tour – Group of 3

“Let me just say, that all of us believe that Constance is a treasure. She made our trip wonderful, able to juggle and balance and reshuffle so that we were able to do everything despite weather and other intangibles. I think that her ability to juggle all of the different parts of the itinerary as well as differing preferences among her guests made her contribution to our trip in valuable. I really think you could market that flexibility as a feature for your company if Constance is at the wheel!!!!”

Rieva Holbrook and Friends – USA, 

10 Day Privately Guided Tour of the South Island – Group of 4

“If you are planning to tour New Zealand and are undecided between a bus tour vs. private tour…there is no comparison…. The Road Trip is the choice. With a simple description of our interests and physical abilities they designed a 10 day tour on the South Island which, led by Matt Osborne, turned out to be the best vacation we have every taken. We spent a total of 24 days on our trip and should have made our Road Trip segment a little longer. Matt met our every need and was most knowledgeable on all New Zealand has to offer. The scenery changes by the hour and the four of us (Acadian descent/Cajuns) were able to enjoy the mountain vistas as none of us had to drive. Matt stopped along the way at points of interest and the easy hikes to each waterfall or lake were as just as beautiful and enjoyable as the scene at the end of the trail. The Road Trip booked all of our lodging and we were comfortable each night. If the meal was not included, Matt always had suggestions and even made the reservations for us. If we had to choose one highlight, it would have to be New Zealand’s South Island overall…rain forests with the silver and wheki tree ferns, golden rolling hills with sheep, cattle and red stags grazing, orchards of grapes, apples, hops and the sparkling clean lakes etc. etc. etc. Request Matt Osborn when you begin planning your tour with The Road Trip! We love you Matt!!”

Mary & Stan Gauthier and Sandra & Kim Lastrapes – USA, 

29 Day Self Drive Tour of Both Islands – Couple

“I’m not sure where to start with highlights of the trip – there were so many. We really enjoyed our stays in Paihia, Whitianga, Rotorua, Wellington (the Bolton Hotel is beautiful), Hanmer Springs (The St James was great) Franz Josef, and Wanaka (Lakeside Appts were great and the town was a real favorite). We took lots of hikes and had many delicious meals. We had a wonderful tour and lunch at Gibbston winery. We also enjoyed the Wai O Tapu thermal wonderland, the Weta Cave tour, the Milford Sound cruise, the Auckland War Memorial Museum, the Ferry to Russell Island, Waitangi – Haruru Falls nature walk, boat tour of Whitianga bay, Hobbiton tour, Te Puia thermal village, the Wellington botanical gardens and various museums, the Rocky Mountain track in Wanaka (I think). Both cars were great and the ferry ride was beautiful. We really loved driving and taking in all of the views, and of course stopping frequently to take pictures. The people were all so nice, from the wait staff at the restaurants to the people we met on hikes, etc. Although we got off to a bit of a rocky start, the trip overall was wonderful.”

Julia and Dave Warren – USA, 

14 Day Best of Both Islands Privately Guided Tour – Group of 4

“Let me start by saying that the tour you and your team put together for us was fantastic! We loved NZ with the south island and it’s many spectacular views being the winner and probably my favourite of our 62 days away. Highlights are almost too many to list but we really enjoyed the Kauri museum and then seeing the massive trees, the Waitangi grounds as well as the Rotorua cultural shows where great, the glow worm caves where very neat, the Hobbiton tour was very interesting, we quite enjoyed the Wanaka area and our stay at Dusky Ridges with our tour to Milford Sound was fabulous, the Queenstown area was fun with a great meal up the gondola and a very pleasant stay in Christchurch with it’s efforts to recover from such devastation. We really enjoyed the accommodations that you provided for us. Zeb worked very hard to ensure we seen everything possible on the islands even with my limitations and made sure that the rest of the group got to areas that where not possible for me. We where very pleased with his efforts and his knowledge of the south island is very evident as he could not wait to show us the next great thing/view on his list. When asked he was quick to solve/book anything we needed. In closing I can say that the Road Trip, you and Zeb did a wonderful job of showing us a piece of your beautiful New Zealand. PS. The beer is great in NZ. Cheers”

Gary Fair and Group – Canada, 

16 Day Best of Both Islands Self Drive Tour – Couple

“It’s difficult to find the words to describe our trip to New Zealand…stellar? Beyond our expectations? Trip of a lifetime? All of the preceding, on so many levels, and in no small measure, thanks to the team at the Road Trip and the super itinerary you put together for us. We were a bit apprehensive about our accommodation given that we didn’t book until late October. That being said every one of the bookings you made for us was perfect even in the case where Janelle had to seek out a second option as the first suggestions in our itinerary were booked. When asked how we enjoyed NZ we’ve summarized it as: “Napa, Hawaii, British Columbia, Arizona, Vancouver, San Francisco and the Moon, all rolled into one – oh, and on steroids.” Given that NZ is on the other side of the world for us there is no way we could have possibly planned the self-drive itinerary for both islands, first-rate accommodation, attractions & meals on our own. We will be hard-pressed to match this vacation. Again, our sincere thanks. PS…We’d like to give a huge shout-out to Julie & Tony Dobbs who hosted our farm stay. Our only regret is that we couldn’t had have stayed longer.”

Dianne and David Pearson – Canada, 

Exclusive Privately Guided South Island Tour – Group of 2

“Today is almost one week since we returned from our South Island NZ tour. I am taking this opportunity to compliment “the Road Trip” company for the well organized tour, to compliment Andrea for being very efficient during the long and rather complicated booking process. But above all, I wish to compliment one of your excellent employees, our guide/driver  Zeb Callanan-Sullivan.  Zeb was our ‘tour guide par excellence’. This appellation is truly merited. Zeb’s professionalism, knowledge flexibility and careful driving, added another very meaningful dimension to this trip. He conveyed and transmitted a strong feeling of pride for New Zealand landscapes and people. Of equal importance, Zeb was consistently pleasant, smiling, helpful, personable and receptive to the needs of me and my spouse Ronit. We are so glad that you chose Zeb as our guide. He enhanced a much anticipated occasion and helped to make this a truly wonderful trip. Thank you Zeb.”

Ronit Zalel and Alex Lavi – Israel, 

16 Day Privately Guided Tour of Both Islands – Group of 4

“We had an extraordinary vacation in NZ, we were lucky to pick the right company which selected the best itinerary and tour guide Matt (Osborne). Matt was an excellent guide and He knows what he is doing and informative, helpful and really represent an excellent company representing the truthful vacation tourist choice. Your company and Matt combined made our trip unforgettable. We also thank Alex joining us at dinner the last night of the trip and we wished to meet all to say THANK YOU ALL. Thank you again and we will recommend you for friends wishing to visit NZ.”

Abdullah and Group – Saudi Arabia, 

16 Day Best of Both Islands Exclusive Privately Guided Tour – Group of 4

“Recently completed our 16-day North/South Island tour of New Zealand. Clearly one of the scenic wonderlands of the world. The sites were spectacular; the hiking (aka trekking) was superb; the accommodations were excellent; the food was better than expected; the wine was far better than expected. There were four of us with our terrific guide Tom Stuart. Tom was knowledgeable, adaptive, prompt; an overall wealth of knowledge about everything New Zealand. He contributed significantly to the overall enjoyment of our trip. He was able to find out-of-the-way places to hike and/or view mountain vista or lake/ocean overlooks, or acqua-colored rivers; as well as unique, enjoyable restaurants. We would recommend him to all who are considering a visit to this wonderful country. There were so many highlights it is hard to select one as the overall favorite – Rotorua, Te Puia, Wai-o-tapu, Huka Falls, in the North. The South island with its’ many rivers and waterfalls and scenic hikes; along with visits to Punakaiki, Hokitika, Franz Joseph Glacier, Haast Pass, Lake Matheson Hike, the beautiful little towns of Wanaka and Te Anau, Doubtful and Milford Sounds, Fiordland National Park, Queenstown, Fairlie Farm stay and Christchurch Botanical Gardens. Wow – an amazing trip. Thanks to The Road Trip for their organizational skills and their assignment of Tom Stuart as our excellent, personable, fun guide. An adventuresome experience – – a memory maker for sure.”

Jim & Lynn Fritz and Rich & Jill LaBardi – USA, 

To Enquire about our Self Drive or Private Guided Tours use the contact form Below.

• Name*
• Email*
• Arrival Date
  DD slash MM slash YYYY
• Message
• Newsletter
  • I'd like to receive the newsletter
• Email
  This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.