New Zealand Road Trips

Our trip to New Zealand was fantastic, thanks to The Road Trip team! We chose them because of their flexibility in creating itineraries and their option of a private driver guide, and they delivered on both! They planned an itinerary based on our interests and what we wanted to see and were very accommodating when we thought of changes as the trip approached. Once we arrived in New Zealand, our hotels all had great views and were very clean; several were exceptional. The historic Hulbert House in Queenstown, a gorgeously restored property, was notable, with a beautiful sweeping view of the city, attentive and friendly staff, and elegant cocktail hour and breakfast. However, it was our driver guide, Karl, who made the trip! In addition to being a great driver, Karl was fun, informative, accommodating, and flexible. Having him navigate the winding roads (while driving on the left side) allowed us to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. He provided interesting commentary and background on the places and sights we saw, and on the few occasions he didn’t have an answer for one of our many questions, he researched it and reported back. Whenever we had a little extra time in our schedule, he made suggestions and waited patiently for our decisions, which sometimes came at the last minute. Wherever we were going, Karl smoothed the way with directions, tickets, time schedules, and of course parking. He found us whatever we were looking for, whether souvenirs, views, sweaters, local foods (especially sweets!), hikes, wine—whatever we requested! For example, on our last night, he drove my husband outside the city so he could get a good view of the stars; it had been cloudy on the night of our star gazing excursion, and my husband had especially wanted to see the stars in the southern hemisphere. Karl is a genuinely kind individual, and we can’t say enough about his role in our exceptional experience. We highly recommend him as well as the entire Road Trip team!

We started planning a trip by car to New Zealand and had a list of the places and things we wanted to do on both the north and south islands. We were having difficulties mapping the best route to see everything we wished. I started to search the internet for a travel advisor to help us and came across the family owned company named The Road Trip . I contacted them online explained what we were trying to do. We had a number of calls where we discussed our expectations, what we wished and Alex then put together a plan. It was amazing. Alex made suggestions of places we had not included in the original plan. Prior to leaving for New Zealand an app was sent to us with all the information - hotel , tours ,time to get there , flights, phone numbers and routes to take for each day. There was also a list of various places or activities we could add if we wished and the approximate time needed. The choice of hotels was excellent. For many, they had personally stayed there and could give recommendations. To save time it was suggested that we fly from the north island to the south island. They booked the flights for us and booked a car for us on each island. As with most plans there were changes along the way. As soon as we contacted Road Trips they immediately returned our emails and made the changes required. Their knowledge and organization on their app made it easy to travel through both islands and see and do everything we wished to in the time we had. The Road Trips team gave us a wonderful vacation. It would not have been possible without their knowledge and expertise.

We used The Road Trip to plan a guided curated trip for three of us around the South Island. Starting in Christchurch, we visited Mount Cook, Queenstown, and Milford Sound. The accommodations and activities they arranged for us were better than we could have arranged ourselves. Our driver/guide, Michael, was excellent. There were no hiccups, everything ran smoothly. I would use them again if I have the privilege of ever going back to the South Island.

We elected to do a North Island tour for 14 days and we had a fantastic time. Alex and the team did a great job of organizing the trip with plenty of choices for us to select from allowing us to tailor the trip to our interests. The star of the trip was our guide, Bruce. He led us through the trip, covering over 2500 km, making sure we were always in the right place at the right time without any pressure. We will certainly use The Road Trip again when we come back for the South Island.

WE recently returned from our month-long holiday in New Zealand which was arranged by The Road Trips NZ. They are one of the excellent tour companies we ever dealt with. They provided us with outstanding holiday experience in NZ. Their hotel selections were great and located near good restaurants and attractions. They booked us more than 20 excursions and day trips to suit our interests and hobbies. These included wine tasting tours, cultural shows, wildlife viewing, botanical gardens, whale watching, visiting volcanic parks and a trip to iconic Milford sound. Communication was great from start to finish and their App based itinerary was very useful which provided info about points of interest, trails, car parking and restaurants etc. They provided us with a good SUV for the whole trip. There was no need to change the car while going from south to north island. We picked our rental car at Christchurch airport and returned at Auckland prior to our departure. I have already recommended The Road Trip NZ to friends and family. Hats off to Shani, Matt and Denise for providing us with a 5-star service and making our trip more memorable .

I led a trip of nine dear friends -- five couples -- on an epic journey covering both islands. Despite the complexity of developing a trip that would meet everyone's expectations, the final plan offered everything we hoped to experience and more. I could not have done it successfully without the expert care and guidance of The Road Trip team. The reservations and trip-planning folks worked with me and my group to craft an itinerary that provided a mix of challenging, physically demanding activities with more moderate experiences. We also wanted to be relieved of driving duty, so The Road Trip team supplied us with the excellent driver/guide, Tony, who kept us safe and on schedule, and shared his deep knowledge of the country. The result: everyone in our group was blown away by the country's astonishing physical beauty and genuine Kiwi friendliness.

Since our return, only 4 days ago, we have been asked by friends how our trip was. We honestly say that it was a great trip and everything worked as planned. The only negative was the airplane ride to get to New Zealand and return home. It’s a long time on a plane. But the road trip was great. We couldn’t say enough positive comments about how you planned out our complete trip while leaving us time to ourselves within it. Our drive went perfectly with the excursions you planned always ready and waiting as we arrived. We did things that we probably would not have even thought of or considered. And that’s a good thing. Your suggestions of additional sights to see was perfect while on the drive across your wonderful country. And just the self drive alone made us feel independent and yet with full knowledge that someone had planned it all and we not alone. We did talk with friends who were in New Zealand at the same time we were but on an ocean cruise. They made ports of call but only visited museums and such in the major cities. When they listened to our trip and what we did they said they should have done it like us. And that’s a testament to your business. You do it right. We actually saw, experienced your country. I’m sure there was so much more we should have done but at our age the plan you made for us was just right. So a big thank you to all your planners and schedulers who put this all together. They do know what they are doing.

The Road Trip made my time in New Zealand truly unforgettable. All I had to do was pick up the car and follow the itinerary — everything else was flawlessly planned. Some of the accommodations were absolutely magical (Milford Sound Lodge, The Hermitage and Conopy Camping Escapes), and I loved every second of the experience. The pre-trip advice was expert and the practical information incredibly helpful, which made everything feel easy and stress-free. While I was on the road, the team was always supportive and quick to help whenever I wanted to change an activity or book something extra. I honestly can’t recommend this enough. Thank you, Matt and Shani!

They planned our self-drive across the North Island, South Island, and also provided the itinerary for Sydney. We had the time of our lives! Something fun, exciting and educational every day. First class hotels. Great side tours, the guides were some of the best we have experienced; we have been to numerous countries in Africa and Europe.. Awesome support during your trip, because something has to go wrong or you may want to change your mind about something, its life. The app keeps you organized every day. They have done their research. They have earned their 5-Star status.

We were on a 3-week Lord of the Rings Tour and our entire experience from start to finish was EXCELLENT. Matt and his team were very prompt to respond to questions/queries before our trip. We were extremely pleased with our guide/driver: he was prompt, courteous, very knowledgeable and easy to get along with. We shared many great laughs along the way. Our tour was thoughtfully curated with a wide variety of sites and experiences. We were pleased with the many hotels and restaurants that we experienced. We saw a lot of New Zealand and we left with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the country and the Road Trip team were invaluable in making that possible. We couldn't have been happier with our experience and will recommend The Road Trip to friends who are contemplating visiting New Zealand. If we were to grade our trip, we would give it an A+ without hesitation.

The experience with The Road Trip New Zealand was fantastic. Matt made planning easy, incorporating all preferences to ensure everyone had a great New Zealand vacation. Unlike standard itineraries of larger tour companies, the ability to customize the trip was what we wanted. Chris, the tour guide, became like family, making him a perfect fit for the group. He was flexible and joined in the adventures. If considering a trip to New Zealand, The Road Trip is an excellent company that takes the stress out of planning. They adjusted the schedule to maximize time, despite the challenges of winter weather. Their local base in New Zealand allowed them to tailor unique excursions, resulting in more personal experiences as they often knew the companies personally. Activities included golf, hot springs, wineries, archery, atv tours and helicopter. The vacation was amazing, and a return for summer adventures is planned. Kia Ora until we meet again!"

I'm happy to give you guys an outstanding review. You facilitated a great visit for us. So many highlights, it's hard to include them all, but definitely wine tasting at Cox Vineyard (a suggestion from Neil), helicopter tour to see whales, Hobbiton, staying at Hulbert House and at Hapuku Lodge. And speaking of Neil, he was a great guide. Personable, funny, knowledgeable, flexible and professional. He was especially helpful when things didn't go as expected (such as when we hopped on the helicopter.) A great guy. Also, the wine guide you arranged took us to Mora winery (outstanding food, nice wine), then at our request to a bespoke (but very casual and friendly) wine tasting experience at Cox Winery. Your online itinerary was fantastic. We referred to it multiple times a day. A great tool! Very, very helpful. You should package this up and lease it to other tour operators. Overall, we had a most excellent adventure and would happily recommend your company to anyone who asked.

We had an amazing experience on the South Island planned by the Road Trip. Matt really listened to what we wanted to do and after a couple of back and forth messages we settled on an itinerary. We chose to self-drive and are glad we did, as it added to the experience. The planning was perfect…plenty of time to enjoy the many activities and the unique areas we visited. The app provided us with a great resource and ideas for exploring. The selection of activity providers was ideal as we experienced a myriad of unique adventures including a helicopter, a jet boat, whale watching, and an island hike. We stayed in some amazing locations and enjoyed some fantastic meals. We were also pampered with some relaxing spa experiences. We look forward to returning to New Zealand, and will certainly call on the Road Trip to create another delightful experience.

We were two couples and had a wonderful time on our trip to the North island of New Zealand. We hired The Road Trip for a second time, we used them last year for trip to the South Island. Our tour guide, Constance was amazing and requested her from our previous trip. She is very knowledgeable about all the history and culture and conveyed that info in an engaging, interesting and entertaining way. She also had vast knowledge of the film industry of NZ, which we didn’t know much about. She also has an easy personality with a great sense of humor. Our tour started in Wellington and we took a quick drive to the southern tip of the island to the lighthouse there and beautiful rocky beaches. Then drove north to Napier and visited wineries around the Martinborough and Hawke’s Bay wine regions, then off to Lake Taupō region for some time around the lake and a great hike to waterfalls along the way, then to Rotorua where we went to the Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland, which we enjoyed and Māori Cultural experience which was OK and the Redwoods Tree Walk which was fun. The highlight of our stay in Rotorua was a Twilight Kayak Glow Worm tour by Taiao Adventures. We had been on other glow worm tours, one in the South Island as well as one in the north on a previous trip. The Kayak trip was by far the best of them all. Then off to Whitianga and the Coromandel Peninsula which was gorgeous. Unfortunately, we had some rain, so would have enjoyed the beaches more on a sunny day. Our stay in Whitianga included a glass bottom boat tour to Cathedral Cove which was wonderful. On the drive of the Coromandel peninsula we stopped at a quirky place we would never have booked on our own, it was called the Driving Creek Railway. It is such a unique place and shouldn’t be missed. We ended our trip in Waiheke Island which was not part of the tour, but would highly recommend a stop there. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the trip and would highly suggest hiring The Road Trip with a guide to drive you around. One other thing I should mention is about the Road Trip’s reservation department. They reserve all the hotels ahead of time based on hotel class, we chose Silver which you’d expect to be decent. The hotel they booked for us in Rotorua was not acceptable on many levels given that we didn’t have a car of our own. We stayed at the Regal Palms Resort, which was not a resort although listed as a 5-star resort online. It was basically a motel with a “gym” and “spa” with no view, no food or drink amenities or any place to walk to within a mile. Our back patio was basically a table and chairs surrounded by a tall wall, which we joked was the solitary confinement space. We chose The Road Trip so we wouldn’t have to drive so you need to stay somewhere within walking distance of a restaurant or something to do as the driver needs time off. As we used The Road Trip before without any issues we didn’t double check the locations of the hotels as much as we should have done, which is on us. However, the online presence of this hotel is very misleading and they should have known that. Other than this hotel though, the other accommodations they booked for us were good and besides the long explanation of the accommodation faux fas, I would still recommend using The Road Trip.

Alex Cameron and the Road Trip Team helped plan the most remarkable, memorable, and amazing honeymoon for my wife and I. We did a self-drive tour. We travelled throughout the South Island with incredible hikes, excursions, activities, and lodging throughout, all made seamless by The Road Trip team. When preparing the itinerary, Alex met with us frequently, fine-tuning the itinerary and ensuring it met all of our wishes. He gave great advice and every part of the trip was meticulously thought out. We highly reccomend this team. It was a pleasure to plan with them.

Kia ora ;-) The road trip new zealand sont tres professionel. Their application is easy to use. This gives a good indication of what to see and do. I spent 4 weeks and during these weeks I had a little trouble, being alone I contacted them (Sunday night) and in 10 minutes they contacted me again. When I had questions, I would send an email and they would answer me very quickly. They are kind and courteous. The hotels were all very well chosen, clean, peaceful and comfortable. Activities or roads to take sometimes take you on dirt roads but this is where you can see the true of the country. Sometimes even see beautiful nuggets. I highly recommend this company!

We did the Lord of the Rings Tour with the Road Trip, and we had a fantastic time. When we were researching the trip, it came down to a company that does small (10-20 people) tours on a bus, or the Road Trip, which customizes the tour and transportation to the size of your group. We're so happy we chose the Road Trip for the four of us. The main selling point was flexibility, both in the creation of the itinerary (we started with the LOTR itinerary, and customized from there) as well as during the trip, where we could make substitutions or side trips to explore other interesting sites. That flexibility came into play when our Milford Sound trip got rained out - we were able to rebook for the next morning and skip some things the next day. That kind of flexibility probably wouldn't exist on a larger tour. The trip was amazing; jaw-dropping scenery, great weather, and excellent food and drink. The best part of our trip was our guide, Bruce. Not only did he know all of the LOTR info, but he also was fully versed in New Zealand history and culture. He was very good at reading our interests, and made sure to make stops that were of interest to us. So while the tour was LOTR-based, when he found out I was interested in wine and beer, we made stops at local pubs that had a lot of local beer selections. And when we were in Marlborough, he recommended the Wine Kitchen for dinner, and it was the culinary highlight of our trip. Bruce clearly loves sharing insights and info on his home country, and his presence made the trip one of the best we've ever taken. Thanks to Bruce and all the staff at the Road Trip for putting together an amazing trip!

I would highly recommend using The Road Trip New Zealand for your adventure. We spent two weeks in this wonderful country. We split our time between the North and South Islands. The Road Trip had planned all the details and it was such a smooth process. We had a couple of issues pop up with two of our bookings, and the staff were quickly available (even though it was a holiday) and sorted it out. I would recommend not booking too many activities and making sure to build in downtime. This country is so beautiful and there will be things pop up that you want to explore.

We chose New Zealand as our honey moon emphasizing in visiting some Lord of the Rings filming locations as well as experiencing other NZ wonders. The team of The Road Trip made a great job in designing a perfect itinerary for us. First, Alex worked with us for months during many backs and forwards, never forcing us towards any set or standard itinerary, but always adapting the itinerary to our preferences and making sure we made the most of our time. We finally settled a part guided and part self-driven itinerary. We also indicated that we where not willing to spend a lot of money in fancy hotels, and he made sure our accommodation was always nice but affordable. The time and effort he put into it was really remarkable. The whole booking process was smooth and straightforward, and we always received all the help we needed from them, always keeping quick and easy communication. Once there, our guide Bruce was really kind and helpful. We learned a lot about NZ with him and he was always willing to do all in his power to make sure we could do all our planned activities, even when we needed to react to unfavourable weather conditions. Also, Shani from the reservations team was always reachable to make any changes or adjustments needed. We constantly felt cared and supported, and we don't have any doubts that they all did their best to help us enjoy our time. It was truly a memorable trip and we need to thank all of them for it. We fallen in love with New Zealand. We will return there, and we will definetly do it with The Road Trip.

Pick these guys if you are interested in a great tour of New Zealand - they know what they are doing. Had a fantastic time in the North Island tour that started in Auckland and ended in Wellington. Our group visited many Lord of the Rings film locations, including Hobbiton, Helms Deep, etc. and special effects wizards Weta Workshop. We learned about Maori culture and traditions. We went white water rafting and enjoyed sumptuous meals at River Valley Rafting. Our guide, Bruce, was very knowledgeable and accomodated our various requests ("Can we get ice cream?"). I am already planning to use them for a tour of the South Island. Highly recommended.

"It has been a dream of ours to visit New Zealand for many years and The Road Trip exceeded all of our expectations. From the start of planning our trip, months prior to visiting New Zealand, Road Trip answered all of our questions and concerns. The Road Trip put our minds at ease through the organization of creating our 12 day itinerary, providing transportation from and to each airport, and by booking each hotel and tour. Through booking each daily activity for our stay in New Zealand, Road Trip also took the time to cater the tour to focus on our interests and our love for Lord of the Rings movies (filming locations). Furthermore, we cannot be remiss in thanking our tour guide, David, who went above and beyond to ensure we were able to see and experience as much of ‘Middle Earth’ as possible. We will forever be grateful for David as he truly brought our dream holiday to life. His recommendations and knowledge of local restaurants, trails to hike, wineries, and cafes were spot on. It was unbelievable that each day seemed better than the last. As we continue to reminisce about our trip by looking back at photos and sharing our experiences with family and friends, our hearts are full. With beautiful weather each day during our stay (which many shared with us is unusual during winter months), we were able to take in all of the beauty New Zealand holds. David said it best, “you guys had the picture-perfect brochure every day,” and he couldn’t be more accurate. Thank you, Matt, David, and The Road Trip for your unwavering efforts in creating the perfect holiday!" With grateful hearts, James and Lindsey

We can’t say enough positive things about The Road Trip. From our initial contact with Alex we (group of four) felt well taken care of, like we were the only ones they were assisting. Other companies were happy to provide plans but The Road Trip were the only ones to develop a plan that captured our interests (i.e. culture, landscape, wine, culinary), in other words, they listened. The unique dining in Christchurch was a special treat – it was such a fun evening. In retrospect there is not a single accommodation, dining, or tour we would have changed, a testament to the great planning The Road Trip team did. Of note is the great job they did in providing support, the Reservation Team (thanks Denina!) were on top of every detail (hotels, transfers, car rental, meals, excursions …) and subsequently the trip was seamless, we just focused on enjoying ourselves. The app used for the trip plan included all our itinerary and reservation information (with links) and worked extremely well. It included information on dining, activities, and shopping that we consulted many times for dining and hikes. Our trip was spectacular with great memories, The Road Trip was a key reason why!

Just had 21days in NZ south island. The Road Trip crew organised everything and it was faultless! The tour was tailored to our wants and what we were into. The App was just great so we were never concerned about if we were on time or what to see on the way.Cannot recommend this crew enough! The month of May is perfect for what we wanted to do. Again thanks to the Road Trip crew for a great holiday. There is not enough room here to write about all the great things we saw and did. The Kiwis are great!

A little late in posting this review, but it was such a wonderful experience I wanted to make sure I let Alex and our guide Constance know what a great time we had. Kudos to Alex for putting together a fantastic itinerary on such short notice and to Constance for her knowledge, wit, and patience with the four of us spry 60+ year olds. She was an amazing host who loves her country and loves to share its history, she was a fantastic driver as well, she knew when we needed to get on the road and knew so many short cuts during rush hour traffic, she made us so happy we weren’t driving. As a side note, being from the States, I would highly recommend not driving, we’ve driven NZ and Australia before and having a driver is sooo much more enjoyable. We highly recommend The Road Trip!!! Thank you again Alex for making our vacation amazing!!!

The Road Trip team did an outstanding job organizing and scheduling our recent visit to New Zealand. There were no issues communicating with them from the States and they made it easy to schedule a video call and discuss what would best match our interests and priorities. Alex and the team then sent us a first draft itinerary to review .They had excellent suggestions and many great options. Lastly, they sent a final itinerary and an app to use throughout our trip. Communication throughout the process and the trip was easy and the app was fantastic --it had all the information we needed each day – hotel reservations, activities, meals etc. and we appreciated the many suggestions in the app for places to visit and activities so we could tailor each day to our liking. Because our trip was so successful, we’re planning to use The Road Trip to return to New Zealand in 2025. It’s by far the best way to organize a great trip to New Zealand that is tailored for you.

The Road Trip New Zealand organized a 12 day road trip in the South Island for us! Alex and his team were focused on making the best arrangements to meet our goals for this trip. The team began by finding out what our interests were and then matched a road trip itinerary designed to meet our goals. The pace of activity in each day was good ( Though New Zealand is very very big and we could have spent easily a month exploring the country....or more). We will have to return! Highlights in the South Island are many including the helicopter ride to the top of Franz Josef Glacier, tramping through the rainforest, the Amisfield Winery wine pairing lunch, and our walks around Auckland to discover restaurants and see the sights. Dealing with the Road Trip New Zealand team was easy, they took the time to listen to us, pay attention to our budget and put together a great trip. Communicating with them from the other side of the world was easy and we found the team responsive to our emails. Many thanks for all your help in making this trip memorable!!

I had a great trip with my friends. New Zealand is beautiful. This time I experienced it. The views and scenery were spectacular. I hope I can comeback to NZ again.

If you are looking for a bespoke tour of New Zealand's South Island, I would recommend going with the Road Trip. Other than for day trips, my wife and I avoid bus trip tours. We want my own agenda and dislike waiting for a large group of people to assemble and don't like being part of herd following a flag around and having to be rushed to the next place. After doing extensive research about the places we wished to visit and after looking at several companies, We decided to go with the Road Trip. We were able to talk directly with Matt about our interests and he put together a two week tour agenda. After reviewing, I added some things and changed others to get exactly the route and agenda we wanted. Chris M. was our guide and excellent driver and quickly learned what we liked and the types of things we wanted to do and see. We were able to make changes on the fly and spend as much or little time at each place as we wanted and arrive at our next lodging spot early - or later if we wanted more time someplace. When our whale-watch tour was cancelled, Chris suggested a steamboat tour and BBQ lunch as an alternative which was an excellent choice. He also knows interesting local and out of the way places to stop for views, walks, breakfast, lunch and coffee breaks, many which we likely would not have discovered on our own or at a convenient time. Chris was very personable, accommodating and polite and had a great sense of humor. He is well versed in NZ flora and fauna and can identify native birds and plants and provide a lot of info about them. He is also quite knowledgeable about Maori culture, history and lore. He is well travelled and has many interesting life experiences and stories to relate. We spent many hours in the car so I believe we got to know one another quite well. Thanks again to the Road Trip and to Matt and Chris for taking good care of us and giving us a truly memorable experience!

Having never been to New Zealand before we wanted to self drive and asked the Road Trip to suggest an itinerary. We spoke to Matt via Zoom and discussed our interests, time lines and budget. Within a short period of time Matt sent us a suggested itinerary. We met again via Zoom and discussed the plan. Each day we looked forward to opening the App and following the suggested route as we explored NZ. Points of interests, suggested cafes and rest stops along the route did not disappoint. All of the accommodation and activities were excellent. Wonderful to arrive in a city and look at the suggested restaurants, etc. we followed the the Road Trips suggestions most evenings for dinner and were delighted we did! On a couple of occasions, timings for activities were altered by the provider and our App was immediately updated and a email was also sent to us. We loved New Zealand, we thoroughly enjoyed The Road Trip’s staff and services. This is the way to travel!! Highly recommend! 10/10!!!

Highly highly HIGHLY recommend The Road Trip to plan your New Zealand adventure. Everything was planned perfectly between the hotels and the adventures. Their recommendations were spot on and we had the trip of a lifetime. There were 8 of us ranging from teens to late 60s and the adventures we had were perfect from climbing to jet boating to staying on the Milford Sound. We didn’t have any hiccups, everything was booked perfectly and made to be so easy! We just showed up and everything was good to go! We will be back one day and have The Road Trip team plan another vacation for us! Well done team and THANK YOU SO MUCH!