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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M
Mia Fulham
Jul 2022
Written on
Sweet as' South Start Wellington
Lucy and Dylan were so amazing and we had the trip of a lifetime. They went the extra mile at every location, and truly showed us the best time. The included and opt...
S
Shayle Kelly
Sep 2022
Written on
Sweet as' South End Wellington
There were so many add ons to do which made it super fun
A
Ashleigh Hall
Jul 2022
Written on
The Big Tiki (Auckland to Queenstown - Until July 2022 Summer)(Multi Share,Start Auckland, End Queenstown)by Contiki
The Big Tiki Auckland to Queenstown Summer
Contiki is such a great start when thinking of travelling solo, I knew I wanted to see New Zealand but didn’t know where to start, Contiki took the hassle out and de...
Did not get to go to New Zealand
Cyclone Gabrielle came to the north island of NZ which included Aukland our starting point of the program. NZ air cancelled all flights out of the US to Aukland. Thi...
itinerary was such a great one
This itinerary was such a great one - and for the cost: outstanding and the local people all so very nice. The hotels were nice, all in good locations, always great ...
New Zealand Reviews
Organized and Fantastic Trip
Our recent trip was great. The itinerary was thorough in providing us an up close experience of both New Zealand and Australia. Our guide Jeremy was fantastic. He wa...
real class operation
Everything about this trip was amazing, from the itinerary to the cost. Our guide Jeremy made the trip interesting and kept things on track. He was very knowledgeabl...
Outstading
Attention to detail outstanding. Accommodations outstanding as well. Optional tours very good although we added a trip to the opera since a great opera showing while...
Amazing Trip
The trip to New Zealand and Australia were amazing! I would suggest adding a day to each location to be able to explore more. Going that distance from the USA and al...
pleasing varieties
I enjoyed the tour very much. Liz, our guide, was professional and gave excellent advice. New Zealand and Australia were new to me and it seemed that the itinerary t...
Top New Zealand Tours
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
New Zealand Reviews
top best trips
First I want to say I loved this trip it was 21 days of amazement. I loved our tour guide Elizabeth Moran who was one of the reasons why I loved this trip. This guid...
enlightening tour
The tour of New Zealand and Australia were enlightening. Betty, our tour director, was excellent with directions and keeping us all informed about each days events a...
The trip was exceptional
This was our 5th Smartours and my rating is "good". The trip was exceptional. New Zealand was a wonderful revelation and Australia was fantastic. The tour group was ...
landscape is stunning
Certainly a whirlwind trip and happy memories. NZ landscape is stunning and people we met were so welcoming. The farm stay in Fairlie was a high point. Stays in Aust...
i liked the tour
This tour was my first with SmarTours. I liked the tour and was very happy with Liz Moran as our guide. I didn’t see any reason to go to Auckland, just a city. Our “...
New Zealand Reviews
unhelpful and confusing
There were many airport delays with Qantas. At one point they gave all our seats away. We lost 1/2 day in Auckland. They landed in Townsville instead of Cairns. We h...
suggestions
I was surprised the transportation to the optional tours was not included in the cost of that tour. I also would’ve liked to of had a guide from Australia or New Zea...
Wonderful Tour With Heart
This was my best trip to date. Jeremy Elsasser was the most Professional, patient, informative and kind Tour Guide that I have ever traveled with. I would gladly rec...
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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