4.6/5 Excellent
Excellent
119
Great
42
Average
8
Disappointing
3
Terrible
0
New Zealand Tour & Trip Reviews
New Zealand Tour & Trip Ratings
Tour Reviews
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T
Trusted Customer
Dec 2024
Written on
Southern Spotlight (clockwise)
I recently went on AAT Kings’ Southern Spotlight tour, and it was absolutely amazing! My sister and I had the best time exploring with such a fantastic group of peop...
W
Wendy Halpin
Dec 2024
Written on
Southern Spotlight (clockwise)
Whilst our trip was reversed due to operational requirements on the Trans Alpine Railway we still managed to have a fantastic time and met a wonderful group of like-...
T
Trusted Customer
Dec 2024
Written on
Southern Spotlight (clockwise)
Too much time on an old coach. Told toilet only for emergency use. No water. no wifi. Definitely not a luxury coach, or a luxury tour. Only 2 of the accommodation su...
K
Keith Jenkins
Nov 2024
Written on
Southern Spotlight (clockwise)
We had good weather for a few days then heavy rain and lots of snow. We got to Queenstown and that was it. We then went back to Christchurch. So we lost about a thir...
New Zealand Reviews
D
David Gash
Nov 2024
Written on
Southern Spotlight (clockwise)
A very arduous tour to say the least. I am very aware that the weather can play a part in this tour but the highlight to me was the Tranz Alpine Railway. However thi...
C
Carol Lenihan
Oct 2024
Written on
Southern Spotlight (clockwise)
Myself and two friends just spent nine days on Southern spotlight tour .It was amazing Marty our tour guide was excellent sharing all his interesting information wit...
T
Trusted Customer
Oct 2024
Written on
Southern Spotlight (clockwise)
All the accommodation was excellent. My only complaint was the night show at Lake Tekapo. Everything else was organized well, and we could not fault Nathon and Dave....
T
Trusted Customer
Oct 2024
Written on
Southern Spotlight (clockwise)
Loved that the stress of driving and organizing the dail...
Top New Zealand Tours
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
New Zealand Reviews
T
Trusted Customer
Sep 2024
Written on
Southern Spotlight (clockwise)
I had a wonderful tour around Southern New Zealand with AAT Kings with so many interesting and exciting stops along the way and great opportunities to explore furthe...
T
Trusted Customer
Mar 2025
Written on
The Long White Cloud
The tour provided an opportunity to see the many diverse landscapes and people of New Zealand and offered a wide variety of included and optional activities. Beginni...
E
Erik Kowal
Mar 2025
Written on
The Long White Cloud
For the most part the accommodations were good. With the exception of the overnight stay on the boat in Milford Sound. The hotel rooms that we booked were for king...
New Zealand Reviews
T
Trusted Customer
Feb 2025
Written on
The Long White Cloud
Excellent except for QT hotels - these were our least favourite
T
Trusted Customer
Feb 2025
Written on
The Long White Cloud
A perfect trip to take in major sites on both islands. Stayed in very nice hotels. Got a real good feel for local culture as well as the incredible scenery. Had p...
T
Trusted Customer
Feb 2025
Written on
The Long White Cloud
Trip was fantastic. Our host, Hope was excellent, efficient, friendly, entertaining and informative. Nothing was too much trouble for her. Both Hope and Brian (our d...
Editor’s Take
What to Look For in New Zealand Tour Reviews
Most trip reviews tend to focus on some or all of these 5 key areas, not all of which may be relevant to you: the tour guide, travel company, service level, country or countries traveled in, and the trip itinerary.
Remember, just because you see a 1 star review doesn’t necessarily mean that person disliked the country.
Many tours in New Zealand are adventure based, so a sense of safety, guide knowledge and competence are very important factors for reviewers of New Zealand tours.
Even though New Zealand is quite small, it can be easy to try and cram way too much into the tour itinerary - including quite long drives to get from place to place. Be sure to read the itineraries for New Zealand tours carefully to get a sense of the transportation time, and number of days spent in each place. If you’re looking for a slower pace, you don’t want to be disappointed!
When reading New Zealand reviews, it’s also important to bear in mind that tours of New Zealand often include Australia as well. For those travelers who have to travel a very long way to get to the Oceania region (which is most people!), this can be an excellent way to maximize your vacation time.
However, it also has the potential to feel like you barely skim the surface of what these incredible countries have to offer. Negative reviews may have been hoping for a more relaxed pace, and ended up feeling hectic the whole time instead.
Accommodations in New Zealand are usually up to westernized standards, with plenty of amenities available. If you are camping or staying in small towns, of course, expect to deal with some factors like wildlife and weather.
If you want a professional take on traveling in New Zealand, see the Travelstride new Zealand Guide »
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